OUR FACULTY STRIVES to work and study together artfully, out of the indications of Rudolf Steiner. We share beliefs that guide us in our work: a willingness to grow and develop, both individually and as a school; to work mindfully; to teach creatively and with love; and to nurture a supportive and active community.

*Faculty bios and photos are being updated.

Early Childhood Faculty

Marianne Böckli, Director of Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher

Marianne is originally from Switzerland, where she received her B.A. in Early Childhood teaching. She also holds a Waldorf Grade School Teacher certificate. Marianne was introduced to Waldorf education by a dear friend, who was one of the founders of the school. She has worked at Ashwood in various capacities for more than three decades as lead kindergarten teacher, French and class teacher, parent & child playgroup teacher, board member, and leadership council member. She enjoys hiking, biking, reading, cinema, travel, and languages.

What attracted Marianne to Waldorf Education and keeps her involved is the broad (international even) community, the joy of the children, the holistic approach and the expectation that the teachers commit to their inner growth and keep being interested in the world in order to better serve their students.

Rachael Kozielec, Kindergarten Apprentice & Nursery Extended Day

Liz Smith, Kindergarten Apprentice

Tamara Rosenthal, Nursery Teacher

Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, Tamara has an undergraduate degree in Biological Anthropology from Indiana University and Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Certification from Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene (Oregon). Tamara has always loved working with children and being outdoors. What drew her back to education was meeting a graduate from Ashwood! This teenager stood out to her, and she researched Waldorf education and instantly signed up for a week-long workshop with Helle Heckman which had her hooked.

She first became part of the Ashwood community as a parent in the fall 2017. Shen then began working as an assistant in the Kindergarten in the fall of 2019 for two years and the lead Nursery teacher in 2021.

Tamara loves being with her family (a husband and two daughters currently at Ashwood) as they care for their little homestead with a growing menagerie of gardens and animals. Being outdoors is very important to her, as it brings her great joy and groundedness and is where she finds sanctuary when life feels overwhelming. Tamara also loves to sing, knit, sew and hike.

Tamara shares that she really does love everything about Waldorf education, but what sticks out the most for her is the way the teachers work with each individual child and the way they hold each child in the highest light. Of course the children feel this, and it creates an environment for them to thrive and grow and work towards reaching their highest potentials.

Erin Dominguez, Nursery Assistant & Extended Day

Maho Hisakawa, Nursery Assistant & Kindergarten Extended Day

Maho was introduced to Waldorf Education in 2005 when she read The Incarnating Child while pregnant with her first child. That year, she went to her first Ashwood festival, then attended Parent-Child in 2007. Her two daughters attended Spindlewood over a five year period, followed by the Ashwood Grade School. The early Kindergarten years were deeply influential to her which has brought her back to work in Early Childhood. What she loves about Waldorf Education is that it creates a nurturing space where the imagination and play spirit of young children can grow and flourish; in the upper grades, the inquisitive and intellectual mind is broadened while fostering respect and adaptability, preparing them for next steps.

Maho has a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Penn State University. She has been working towards a B.M. in Flute Performance at the University of Maine since 2019 and continues part-time studies. She founded Windfern Ensemble in 2016 and plays for weddings, maintains a small teaching studio, and performs as a mentor in KVYS. She serves on the Board of Trustees at Bay Chamber Concerts and Music School and enjoys trail-running, hiking, practicing, and family dinners. She lives in Camden with her husband, two daughters (17/12), a dog, and two hens.

Lisa Newcomb, Parent-Child Group Teacher & Early Childhood Substitute

Joy Palmer, Kindergarten Extended Day

Grade School Faculty

Elizabeth Doshi, Class 1-2 Teacher

Elizabeth has been a Waldorf teacher for over 20 years and has taught in schools from Maine to Singapore. She earned a master’s degree in Waldorf education at Antioch University. Elizabeth says: “The story of my Waldorf teaching journey covers many states and continents! Each school bestowed upon me the many gifts that only loving parents, children, and colleagues can give. The community of a Waldorf school can be very supportive and protective, and it can also be a wonderful challenge. I have experienced these things and much more. Traveling around the states and living overseas has allowed me to experience an immense diversity of people and work environments. I am grateful for these opportunities and believe they have made me a richer person and teacher.”

Robert Kaczor, Class 3-4 Teacher

Robert grew up on an old farm in Central New York where his family kept horses, mostly as pets. The geography and climate was similar to Midcoast Maine, but lacked the ocean. He went to public school in Central New York, where both of his parents were teachers. In high school he attended Green Mountain Valley School, a ski academy where he experienced private, alternative education for the first time. It opened his thinking to new ways of learning and teaching. In his undergrad years he pursued pre-med and aviation, but ultimately found himself following in his parents’ footsteps in teaching. He studied Elementary Education through a program offered by SUNY Oneonta, but began to question if public school was the right environment for him as a teacher. Fortunately, he was encouraged to seek out Waldorf education, which put the wind back in his sails. He enrolled in the Waldorf education program at Antioch New England Graduate School and found his calling. Robert started at Ashwood in 2005.

He has coached skiing, football, and golf, and has a love of learning and of sharing that experience with others, especially eager and attentive children. Robert enjoys playing games and doing adventure sports, particularly skiing, and he loves spending time outdoors, especially in the woods. He likes to tinker and work on projects around his house and yard.

Robert loves that Waldorf Education is an art not a formula. Teachers have the freedom to use their own inspirations, materials, and mediums to meet the children before them. He loves that children don’t only see value in individual academic achievements, but also in artistic beauty and expression, shared experiences, and accomplishments. He observes that Waldorf students have a deeper relationship with the world around them, which they take with them to pursue their own passions and pursuits.

Anna-Marlies Hunter, Class 5-6 Teacher

Laura Purdom, Class 7-8 Teacher

Laura came to Ashwood in 2006 after careers in writing and graphic design. At Ashwood, Laura builds upon her lifelong love of theater, song, language, and life’s big questions. She has been a class teacher, director of marketing & outreach, and a specialty teacher. Laura particularly delights in teaching and performing traditional vocal music from around the world and in guiding student theatrical productions. She has traveled in South Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East and published four travel guidebooks. Laura lived in Paris while pursuing theatrical studies and performed improv comedy in Boston. Originally hailing from Kentucky, Laura frequently visits the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where her family now resides. Laura turned to Waldorf education when looking for a career in which her artistic, academic, and metaphysical interests could all find a happy home. When not prepping for the next lesson, Laura enjoys singing in a community chorus, being outside in nature, and doing nothing. She has a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School.

Luke Fatora, Strings

Eileen Morelli, Grade 4-5 Language Arts & Reading Specialist

Eileen Morelli was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio and attended Youngstown State University for her undergraduate degree and the University of Pittsburgh for her graduate degree in Reading Education. She has taught in all grades from one through graduate school. Eileen and her family have lived in five states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana, and now Maine, with a stop for two years in Birmingham, England.

She wanted to be a teacher since she was in third grade. In fourth grade, she taught her first-grade sister how to read! She guesses that was when she decided there was magic to reading, and she wanted to be a part of that magic. She has never tired of watching all ages of children find their perfect way to read.

Upon retiring, she felt fortunate to be offered a chance to work at Ashwood and its wonderful community of students, faculty, and parents. She has been at Ashwood for seven years, and they have gone so quickly with joy, success, and many happy days.

Naturally, she loves to read, and on a sunny Saturday, she can be found in local antique shops or at the Camden Hills Football games, where some of the students she taught are now on the Varsity Team and doing quite well with their academics as well as sports.

She loves Ashwood because it offers the students freedom and opportunities to be themselves and explore many facets of their learning in a nurturing environment. She feels privileged to be an Ashwood teacher.

Rose Swan, Movement &Agricultural Arts (Class 3-4)

Tabatha Tucker, Handwork and Art

Nanfei Wang, Mandarin

Nanfei Wang was born and raised in Northeast China, not far from the Korean border. She began drawing and painting at an early age before finding her way to Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Art Education. In 2000, she moved to the United States where she received her master’s degree in fine arts from the University of North Texas, majoring in drawing and painting, with a minor in sculpture. For years, Nanfei traveled between her studios in Beijing, China and Rockland, Maine before settling in Rockland permanently in 2014.

Aside from her own artistic work, Nanfei loved teaching in China and she has continued to teach here in the US, where she became a citizen in 2018. Her travels have taken her all over China and the USA, as well as to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and Germany. She enjoys teaching the Chinese language and art, whether contemporary art techniques or the skills of traditional Chinese brush and ink painting and calligraphy. In her spare time, Nanfei loves to hike, browse in the woods, and to go fishing. She is excited to sharing her love of Chinese culture and language with the students of Ashwood.

Administrative Faculty

Jeremy Clough, School Director

Jeremy earned a B.A. in psychology with a Spanish minor, and considered becoming a teacher. After a friend with children at a Waldorf school mentioned that his values might fit well with Waldorf education, Jeremy applied to Antioch New England Graduate School in the Waldorf education program. After an internship and substitute teaching at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Jeremy came to Ashwood in 2006. He graduated his class of eighth grade students in 2011.
Jeremy’s other interests are hiking, canoeing, skiing, cycling, traveling, reading, gardening, and whitewater rafting.

Calvin Dillard, Grounds

Sarah Ewing, Office & Facilities Manager

Sarah earned her B.A. in English from Earlham College, with a German minor. A native of Portland, ME, she moved to the midcoast to pursue an apprenticeship in wooden boatbuilding and fell in love with the area. After 15 years employed at Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, she joined Ashwood in 2013, where she loves working alongside the faculty, parents, and students.

Sarah appreciates the whole-child approach of Waldorf education and particularly enjoys the seasonal rhythm & celebrations. In her free time, she loves to play and work outside, gather with family and friends, and marvel at the natural world.

Micheal Gaudet, Custodian

Elizabeth Roosevelt, Enrollment and Communications Coordinator

Jody Spanglet, Director of Finance

Tamara Cody, Bookkeeper

Board of Trustees

Ashwood’s Board of Trustees is made up of members drawn from the parent body, faculty, and community. The board oversees the legal and fiscal life of the school, with primary responsibility for fundraising and budget approval. Board meetings are held every month and are open by request, in advance, to the board president.

John Morin, President
Annelise Parham, Vice-President
Tom Tansi, Treasurer
Valerie Shepard, Secretary
Ronni Blaisdell
Margo Burnham
Lee Chisholm
Robert Kaczor, Faculty Representative
Betty Wyman
Jeremy Clough, School Director

To contact the board, please email: board@ashwoodwaldorf.org.

Faculty & Board