Faculty & Staff

Business Operations and Administrative Offices

Amy Hannes

Head Administrator

With over 25 years of experience across the nonprofit, corporate, and entrepreneurial sectors, Amy brings deep expertise in operations, human resources, communications, and fundraising to the Head Administrator role. She holds a B.A. from Colgate University and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and has held senior leadership positions at several organizations. She has also worked as an attorney and mediator. Prior to her current role, Amy served as our Advancement Director, building our fundraising program, deepening relationships with donors and families, and co-authoring the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan. Amy held her daughter’s naming ceremony in the Mountain Laurel Community Room in 2015, and has been a committed member of our community ever since. She brings to this role both a thorough knowledge of the school and a genuine love for what it makes possible for children, leading with both heart and mind in service of the whole community.

Amy serves on the Board of Trustees, Development Committee, Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Administrative Group.

Bevin Gill

Pedagogical Coordinator

Bevin Gill is honored to return to Mountain Laurel as the school’s first Pedagogical Coordinator. In this role, she collaborates closely with faculty, parents, administration, and the board to guide evolving Waldorf curriculum, student engagement, and teacher development.

Bevin previously taught grades 1 through 8 at the school while serving for several years on the Executive Committee, Care Streams, as an AWSNA delegate, and pedagogical meeting chair. Bevin introduced the Moveable Classroom curriculum for the lower grades, helped initiate the Care Streams model, and formed and strengthened a 1st/8th-grade buddy program. After graduating the class of 2020, she continued her work in Waldorf education as a block teacher, mentor, parent/child class facilitator, and lead nursery teacher.

Before becoming a parent and teaching in early childhood and grades classrooms, Bevin was a journalist. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Fashion Institute of Technology and a Waldorf teaching diploma from Taruna College in New Zealand. Bevin is the proud mom to three children who have greatly benefited from the transformative gifts of Waldorf education.

Sue McKenzie

Business Director

Sue joined Mountain Laurel Waldorf School in October 2019 and manages all the financial, business and operational functions that keep Mountain Laurel running smoothly. She is tremendously dedicated to the school, the children, and the families it serves.

Sue brings over 20 years of experience in public accounting to her role, having worked as a Senior Accountant across multiple offices, handling corporate, nonprofit, and personal tax work, along with bookkeeping and tax return preparation. She holds an AA in Liberal Arts and an AS in Business Administration from SUNY Dutchess with additional studies in advertising and business law.

Before public accounting, Sue worked at a local housing agency, establishing a career shaped by a strong commitment to giving back to her community. She comes from an educational background herself and is a strong proponent of alternative education. With deep roots in the Hudson Valley, Sue is proud to bring her financial expertise and her heart for service to a school and community she believes in.

Sue serves on the College, Finance Committee and Board of Trustees.

Jake Godwin

Facilities Director

Bio coming soon…

Anna Rockwell

Admissions & Programs Director

Anna Rockwell is a painter, educator, and admissions professional who lives and works between New York City and Saugerties, New York. Raised on the West Coast and in Western Canada, she brings a broad cultural perspective and a lifelong connection to the visual arts.

A graduate of Waldorf education, she completed her secondary schooling at the Vancouver Waldorf High School, graduating in 1999. She has worked as a fine art teacher from kindergarten through grade 12, with experience spanning early childhood through adolescence in both public and Waldorf school settings.

Alongside her studio practice as a painter, Anna has held leadership roles in arts and cultural organizations, including serving as Director of the Artist-in-Residence Program at Byrdcliffe Arts Colony and in an administrative leadership role at the Center for Biography and Social Art, where she supported international programming, operations, and community work based in Anthroposophy.

She is currently a PhD candidate (ABD) in Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought at the European Graduate School. She holds an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and a BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Lydia Pidlusky

Office Manager

Since graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a BA in jazz vocal performance, Lydia Pidlusky has worked many years in administration, using her knack for computers and technology. Lydia first came to Mountain Laurel School while in college as a volunteer assistant for the Kindergarten in 1999. Later on, although primarily working in the school office, Lydia has expertly worn multiple hats; teaching chorus, substituting for lead teachers in all grades, assisting in special subjects, in the Kindergarten during afternoon naptime, in facilities management and interior painting, and contributing her singing and clarinet skills to the Community Chorus and Community Orchestra respectively. Lydia has worked in several industries throughout the region, most recently as DJ and Operations Manager at a local independent radio station. Her talents extend to the performing arts as a vocalist, actress, writer and director, performing regularly throughout the region.

Sarah Losee

Accounting Assistant

Sarah obtained her BA in Mathematics at Concordia College. She worked many years in the Hotel and Resort industry as a Food & Beverage Manager and Development Manager honing her event coordinating and administrative skills.

Sarah is also a community volunteer at the Christ the King Church in New Paltz, where she works with the children’s ministry and the Director of Music (Chris Losee, who is Mountain Laurel’s percussion teacher) building the children’s music program. Through her role there, Sarah had the opportunity to work with Mark & Steve Bernstein and the MLWS faculty to facilitate some of our beautiful concerts held at the church.

Apart from the many professional skills Sarah is bringing to the position, her warm and joyful personality is a welcoming and helpful first contact with the school when one comes into the school building, or when the children need a band-aid and a kind word.

Krysten O’Brien

Front Desk Receptionist

Krysten holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Secondary Education, and is delighted to find herself part of a school community once again after years spent teaching in her own classroom. She brings extensive experience from her years as an educator in a large Brooklyn high school, and a deep commitment to the continued growth and success of Mountain Laurel School as the parent of two current Mountain Laurel students.

Early Childhood Faculty

Ariah Moon

Parent Child Lead Teacher

Ariah has been part of the Early Childhood faculty at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School since 2020. She completed her Waldorf Early Childhood training at the Alkion Center in Ghent, NY, and holds a BA in Cultural Studies with a concentration in English from SUNY Empire State University. While completing her degree, she also pursued Independent Studies in Waldorf Education. Ariah is the mother of two young children, both of whom have been part of the Mountain Laurel community from an early age. As the Parent-Child teacher, she enjoys creating warm, welcoming spaces where children and their parents can slow down, connect, and experience the magic and beauty of the simple rhythms of early childhood.

Carly Fridlich

Sprouts Lead Teacher

Carly Fridlich earned her B.A. in Psychology from SUNY New Paltz and began working with young children professionally in 2006. While living in Colorado, she discovered Waldorf education and began teaching at a Waldorf school in 2007. She completed her Early Childhood Waldorf teacher training at Sunbridge College in 2010 and has continued to deepen her studies since then. Her experience includes working with children ages 2 to 7 in both private and public Waldorf schools, as well as running her own Waldorf-inspired home program, Dandelion Playgarden. Along the way, she has spent several years raising and homeschooling her own two children.

Nancy Hoose

Morning Star Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Nancy started her Waldorf journey when her daughter began Kindergarten in the hills of Woodstock at Mountaintop School in 2007. She spent many years working in kindergarten there and started their very first Toddler program. She loved the years she spent studying at the Alkion Center of Hawthorne Valley and earned her Early Childhood Certification in 2013. Nancy has worked in many capacities with babies and children from birth to seven years old at Mountain Laurel since 2012. Her children, Stella Blue and Asher both graduated from Mountain Laurel.

In her free time, Nancy enjoys hiking, yoga, swimming, baking, sewing baby dolls and snowboarding.

Nancy serves on the Carestreams Group.

Veronica Kent

Starflower Nursery Lead Teacher

Veronica Kent has been working with young children and parents for over 20 years. She first came to Mountain Laurel as the afternoon lead kindergarten teacher in 2009. In addition to running a home program, she has taught at New Amsterdam Waldorf School in NYC and Acorn Waldorf School in Accord, NY. She was trained in early childhood Waldorf pedagogy at Sophia’s Hearth in NH. In her free time, Veronica enjoys playing the harp, singing and practicing yoga. 

 Veronica serves on the Personnel Group and AWSNA Steering Committee.

Kahlia Pelligra

Mountain Rose Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Kahlia’s experience with Waldorf pedagogy began early on. She attended Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School and graduated from The Berkshire Waldorf High School. She was raised in an anthroposophical family on a small biodynamic farm. Kahlia has been teaching Waldorf inspired nature-based kindergarten for the past seven years. Kahlia received her early childhood certification from LifeWays North America and attended Sunbridge Institute for various Waldorf early childhood trainings. Kahlia is enthusiastic about nurturing kindness and compassion in the children’s social realm and inspiring wonder and love for the natural world around us. 

Her passion for Waldorf education began after graduating from the Berkshire Waldorf High School. That passion has steadily increased through her work as an early childhood educator, and especially since becoming a mother to her toddler son, Wylder. Kahlia is honored to be a part of the Mountain Laurel Waldorf school.

Kahlia serves on the Executive Committee.

Kyrie Berezuk

Starflower Nursery PM Facilitator

Raised in the Hudson Valley, Kyrie Berezuk began her school experience as a student in a small Waldorf Nursery/Kindergarten. She then attended Mountain Laurel Waldorf School from 1st through 8th grade, graduating in the class of 2006. As a former competitive figure skater, she quickly discovered her passion for teaching children at her first job as an ice skating coach. Kyrie then went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. After graduating, she moved to Carbondale, Colorado, where she worked for a prominent ceramic artist as a studio and gallery assistant. Kyrie then made her way south, where she lived for a time in the small city of Lake Charles, Louisiana. There she worked as an assistant manager and art instructor at a community art studio, teaching a variety of artistic techniques and mediums to children ages 3 and up. While in Louisiana, she also held multiple positions at a private school, working as a PreK-3 teacher’s assistant, aftercare teacher, and PreK/Kindergarten summer camp counselor.

Kyrie moved back to the Hudson Valley at the end of 2020, where she has spent the last year and a half working as an artist. For many years, she has held onto the idea of one day returning to Mountain Laurel and rejoining the warm and nurturing community she knew as a child. She is very excited that day has arrived!

Amanda Chapin

Sunflower Garden AM Assistant and PM Facilitator

Amanda has been working at an outdoor Waldorf kindergarten for the past 3 years. She loves watching the children explore nature and interact with their environment throughout the seasons. Amanda has also worked as a camp counselor with kindergarten age children for the past two summers. Amanda’s own son, who is attending the Mountain Laurelclass of 2031, has been her greatest teacher in life so far. Amanda has been working with children most of her adult life in many different capacities including as a ski instructor and a nurse. Amanda is a licensed nurse-midwife and worked delivering babies for over 10 years. She left her career to be a stay at home mom and found her way to teaching through a Waldorf program that she participated in with her son. She brings her love of all children and nature to her teaching. Amanda is excited to be joining the Mountain Laurel Waldorf Community and the Early Childhood program.

Aurora Gill

Mountain Rose Kindergarten AM/PM Assistant

Aurora Gill graduated from Mountain Laurel in 2019. Her life has been enriched by Waldorf education since she first attended parent-child classes at the Brooklyn Waldorf school, kindergarten at Mountaintop Waldorf school in Woodstock, and Taikura Steiner school in New Zealand. Aurora has loved the kindergarten for as long as she can remember, and feels that her Waldorf education has gifted her with knowledge in music, art, nature, theater, and language. Currently, Aurora is completing her associates degree at SUNY Ulster Community College. She enjoys studying Spanish, playing the guitar, and spending time with her brother and baby sister.

Adam Harlec

Starflower Nursery AM Assistant

Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Binghamton University and a Master of Science in Teaching from the State University of New York at Cortland, NY. He also holds his Initial Certification in Childhood Education from the New York State Education Department.

Adam has many years of experience as an Environmental Educator and K-6 Substitute Teacher

Caoimhe Mannion

Morning Star Am & PM Assistant

Bio coming soon…

Grades Faculty

Ruth Lawson

First Grade Teacher

Ms. Lawson grew up in and around London, UK. She holds a BA in English Literature from Spelthorne College, Ashford, UK. She moved to the US in 1990. She traveled extensively and worked in the film and music industry in New York City for 15 years before moving to Woodstock, NY and discovering Waldorf education when her daughter was a baby.

Ms. Lawson worked at Mountaintop Waldorf School (a mixed-age kindergarten) and did her Waldorf Grades Teacher training at Alkion Center in Ghent, NY. She was the lead teacher of a Waldorf inspired homeschool co-op from 1st through 4th grade in Woodstock, NY from 2012 – 2016. She then returned to Mountaintop Waldorf School for a further 2 years before joining MLWS.

Ruth serves on the Personnel Committee and AWSNA Steering Committee.

Theodor Lundin

Second Grade Teacher

Theo has been teaching as a grades teacher in Waldorf Schools for twenty-six years here at Mountain Laurel and at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School.

Theo serves on the Voices of Inclusion & Equity (VIE) Group and on the Board of Trustees.

Shea Saint John

Third Grade Teacher

Shea Saint John Is a Certified Waldorf Teacher who is passionate, experienced, and dedicated. She began her training in Upstate New York while she was raising bees and biodynamic vegetables, and completed her K-8 training at The Waldorf Institute of Southern California.

Shea also has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, cum laude, which scaffolds a multi-facetted understanding of children’s developmental stages from birth to Grade Three. Her foundation in the Curative Education coursework adds to her toolbox to guide all children successfully and empathetically. She also holds a Master’s degree in Education specializing in Waldorf Education from Antioch University New England.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family: camping, hiking and being outdoors. Shea also enjoys many practical arts, skiing, and traveling.

John Evans

Fourth Grade Teacher

After graduating the Class of 2015 and the Class of 2023, John will be teaching a new first grade class, the Class of 2032!

Before discovering Waldorf education, John worked as a science teacher in another private school. He majored in biology before completing his Waldorf Teacher training at Sunbridge College. Both of his children attended Mountain Laurel School.

Preston Neel

Fifth Grade Teacher

Mr. Neel was raised in Macon, GA, and Los Angeles. As a young adult, he lived and worked along the West Coast, in the Southwest and Colorado as a scrimshaw artist, laborer, carpenter, and sailboat crewman. He studied illustration for three years at the Academy of Art in San Francisco and has since worked as a children’s book illustrator and teacher. Mr. Neel came to New Paltz with his family in 2002, graduated from the Waldorf teacher training program at Sunbridge College and has been a grade teacher at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School for 17 years. Mr. Neel considers the diversity of his experience to be his greatest education, settling down, watching his two daughters grow, and cultivating a love of learning in children, has been the most fulfilling and meaningful adventure of all.

Takken Wish

Sixth Grade Teacher

Takken Wish has 16 years of teaching experience, including work in Turkey, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Poland. He has a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch University, as well as a BA in English from the University of Kentucky, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Oregon State. Though much of his experience has been teaching children, he’s also taught at Orange County Community College and at the Orange County Jail. He loves writing, reading, traveling, and spending time with his wife and five daughters. Takken graduated his first 8th grade class in 2021.

Takken serves on the Carestreams Group.

Tomoko Matsunaga

Seventh Grade Teacher

After moving from her native country of Japan, Tomoko found her passion for teaching while living with children at Concordia Language Village camp in Minnesota. With a degree in Elementary Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, she became a class teacher at a public school in Anchorage, AK where she taught for four years. During these years, Tomoko discovered Waldorf education and completed her Waldorf grades teacher training at the Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, CA. Her love of traveling has led her to work with an NGO called Peace Boat, translating and traveling around the world twice, working to promote peace, human rights, and sustainability.

Tomoko serves as Chair of the College Pedagogical Meetings.

Francis X Galloway

Eighth Grade Teacher

FX Galloway began teaching in Waldorf elementary education as a volunteer and substitute while his own three children (now alums) attended Waldorf schools in the Boulder area of Colorado. He received his training through Center for Anthroposophy WHiSTEP, and has taught primarily at the high school and middle school levels since 2018. He is a creative builder, woodworker, sculptor, teacher, and artist with special interest in creating experiential, immersive learning experiences through travel, drama, and festival celebration. FX is originally from the Finger Lakes Region of NY; he returned to his home state in 2025 and most recently taught the eighth grade at Green Meadow Waldorf School.

Subject Faculty

Steve Bernstein

Chorus and Games Teacher

Steve Bernstein joined Mt. Laurel Waldorf School as a parent in 1999. Steve taught and performed music in various ensembles for 20 years before beginning his Waldorf musical journey by playing guitar and mandolin for the Early Childhood Program and school festivals. He transitioned into the classrooms supporting class teachers in music education and arranging music for plays and other events. In 2003, Steve accepted the directorship of the Mountain Laurel Recorder Ensemble, a performing after school group of 5th – 8th graders. He writes most of his 4-part arrangements for the ensemble and has published his first recorder book with Waldorf Publications. Since 2009, Steve has also been teaching chorus and has been the 4th and 5th grade games teacher since 2015.

Steve serves on the Music Group and Voices of Inclusion & Equity (VIE) Group.

Mark Bernstein

Orchestra and Ensembles Teacher

Mark received his BFA in Music from Ramapo College of NJ and has been performing and teaching music throughout the NYC and Hudson Valley area for over 40 years. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Willie Nelson, The Oakridge Boys, Boots Randolph, Mel Tillis, and Allison Kraus. Playing with the jazz quartet, Avenues, Mark has shared the stage with Grover Washington, the Brecker Brothers, Dave Valentine, Kenny Rankin, and Bela Fleck; he toured nationally for five years with the 10-time Grammy Award winning Jimmy Sturr Orchestra. From 2000 to present Mark has directed the music program at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School. He is proud to say that, of his six children, three attended the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Spring Valley, NY—K through 12—and three are graduates of MLWS!

Mark Serves on the Personnel Committee, Music Group and the Board of Trustees.

Aaron Bernstein

3rd Grade Strings & 4/5th Grade Orchestra

Bio coming soon

Beatrice Chen

Mandarin Chinese Teacher

Beatrice Chen hails from Taiwan and grew up in a family with rich cultural traditions, such as Peking operas and many historical stories brought through singing and acting. She loves playing the Zheng, a 21-string pentatonic ancient Chinese instrument, during her spare time.

Beatrice graduated from National Cheng-Chi University with a B.A in Western Languages and Literature. She attended the Juniper Tree Puppetry & Storytelling Academy, and the Waldorf Institute of Southern California where she performed the Chinese Lullaby “Purple Bamboo Flute” as her Graduation Eurythmy Choreography.

Beatrice also completed the World Language Waldorf Training at Sunbridge College in Spring Valley, NY. She has worked many years as a translator, English and Chinese private instructor, and home schooling teacher. Beatrice is looking forward to deepening her connection with the children through her culture.

Beatrice serves on the Voices of Inclusion & Equity (VIE) Group.

Marta Porras

Spanish Teacher

Marta has worked at Mountain Laurel as the Spanish Teacher for over 15 years.

Marta serves on the Carestreams Committee and as Chair of the College Business Meetings.

Tricia McCloskey

Sculpture Teacher

Tricia McCloskey is a sculptor, artist and teacher. She attended Massachusetts Art College and received her BFA in Sculpture, and completed her three-year Waldorf training in Foundations and Early Childhood from the Alkion Center in Hawthorne Valley. She has worked on large-scale kinetic sculptures and puppetry from Broadway, Las Vegas, and Disney World to small-scale puppetry right here in New Paltz. She has been a teacher for 20 years, teaching private art classes and special education in public schools for five years, and another five years as kindergarten teacher before taking on the role of Sculpture teacher at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School. She loves building and working with others to bring their ideas to life! Tricia has two children and feels that, through becoming a mom, she has discovered that children are our teachers. She loves teaching and is honored to be able to share her love of sculpture and art with others.

Tricia serves on the Carestreams Group.

Brooke Tinney

Educational Support Teacher

Brooke is a skilled and creative Language training Specialist and Academic Support Instructor. She brings compassion, patience and flexibility to her approach working with a wide variety of students and their unique challenges and gifts.

Brooke holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a Master of Science in Printing Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology. She completed her training in the Davis Dyslexia Program, the Orton-Gillingham Training at the Kildonan Teacher Training Institute, and the Samadhi Sun Spectrum Level I TeacherTraining.

Brooke previously served as the Language training Specialist at the Kildonan School and Primrose Hill School.

Brooke serves on the Carestreams Group

Adam Harlec

Middle School Games Teacher

Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Binghamton University and a Master of Science in Teaching from the State University of New York at Cortland, NY. He also holds his Initial Certification in Childhood Education from the New York State Education Department.

Adam has many years of experience as an Environmental Educator and K-6 Substitute Teacher.

Susan “Max” Keller

Middle Grade Math Support

Max has always been passionate about teaching, and it was in discovering her ability to help children love numbers and thrive in their mathematics learning that she found a lifelong calling. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bloomsburg University, with a major in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a special concentration in mathematics.

Max’s path into math education began at Huntington Learning Center in Huntington, VA, where she worked with students from elementary through high school, including SAT preparation. She then spent five years as a Math Tutor at The Schoolhouse in Chatham, NJ, helping students of all ages — from elementary through college — build confidence and skill through individualized attention to each learner’s style. She continues to serve The Schoolhouse today. Max has also brought her early childhood experience full circle, having led a four-year-old classroom at Creative World in Danville, PA, before moving into math education.

Max meets each child where they are, moving from a place of ease and encouragement, and holds a steady belief in every student’s ability to reach further and dig deeper into their own love of learning. Supporting the middle grade in mathematics, she brings patience, warmth, and a natural gift for connection to her work with Mountain Laurel’s students.