Faculty and Staff Directory

To search for faculty and staff contact information, please select a department from the menu below on the left. Alternatively, you can use the menu on the right to search faculty and staff using the first initial of the person’s last name.

To reach a member of the faculty or staff via telephone, dial 805-640-3201, followed by your party’s extension.

Faculty & Staff Directory

  • Photo of Jonathan Swift
    Dr. Jonathan Swift
    Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy Teacher and Director of the Thacher Observatory
    University of California, Berkeley - PhD
    University of California, Los Angeles - BS
    Bio
     
    Jon was born in New York but grew up surfing and playing sports in North County, San Diego. His first loves are poetry and music. However, Jon’s fascination with the natural world led him to the intellectual frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics, where he has published his research in several areas of specialization, including cosmology, star formation, exoplanets, and astronomical instrumentation. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA with a BS in physics, and earned an MA and a PhD in astronomy & astrophysics from UC Berkeley. At Thacher, Jon redesigned and renovated the campus observatory which now includes a fully automated, research-grade telescope. In addition to directing the observatory and maintaining a vibrant research program where students are able to participate in relevant astronomical research, Jon teaches astronomy, physics, mathematics, and data science. 
A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
5025 Thacher Road
Ojai, California, 93023
Tel: 805-646-4377 Fax: 805-646-9490 Email: info@thacher.org 
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.