New Faces on Campus
Each year, some familiar faces are replaced, either temporarily or permanently, by new ones, or departments expand to better serve the community. This year, we welcome 11 newcomers to campus.
As we walk around campus at the beginning of the school year, along with the new students, we encounter new adults. Each year, some familiar faces are replaced, either temporarily or permanently, by new ones, or departments expand to better serve the community. This year, we welcome 11 newcomers to campus.
Owen Coyle -Science & Math Teacher
Owen has begun his school year with a full schedule. Besides teaching Math II, Physics, and AP Computer Science, he is coaching the JV Cross Country team. As a scientist-turned-teacher, Owen has made it his mission to get students excited about technology and science through hands-on project-based education.
Owen has begun his school year with a full schedule. Besides teaching Math II, Physics, and AP Computer Science, he is coaching the JV Cross Country team. As a scientist-turned-teacher, Owen has made it his mission to get students excited about technology and science through hands-on project-based education.
After earning his M.S. in Oceanography from the University of Washington in 2016, Owen joined the staff at the Evergreen School, a private K-8 in the Seattle area, where he taught students how to use 3D printers, laser cutters, and shop tools in the school’s makerspace. He has also worked in traditional classrooms, teaching everything from math and science to video game design, and has coached soccer, basketball, and ultimate frisbee. Owen received his BA in geosciences with a certificate in computer science in 2012 from Princeton University. He lives on campus with this wife, Ellie Wilkinson CdeP 2008, and their dog Tanner.
Courtney Cronin- College Counselor
Courtney joins the College Counseling team as a sabbatical replacement. She comes to Thacher from Lawrence Academy, a coed 9-12 boarding and day school in Groton, Massachusetts, where she spent eight years after graduating from Colby College in 2010. During her time at Lawrence, Courtney embraced the boarding school lifestyle, taught French, and was active in various aspects of student life. Eventually, she became the language department chair. She simultaneously studied at Columbia University and graduated with her master’s in independent school leadership in 2018.
In 2016 Courtney moved to Lawrence Academy’s college counseling office, where she was passionate about helping students unearth their interests and determine their next steps; she loves getting to know her counselees and their families. In her free time, Courtney enjoys traveling, reconnecting with family and friends, winning trivia, doing outdoor sports, and rooting for the New England Patriots.
Juliet Henderson - Spanish Teacher
Juliet is returning to the west coast after 12 years teaching, coaching and living at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Juliet grew up in Oregon but lived in southern California for 16 years while she attended college and graduate school (Pitzer and UCLA), and started teaching high school Spanish at Westridge School in Pasadena. Juliet, her wife Stephanie Thomas, and their daughters, Lola ’22 and 12-year-old Lucy, love to travel. They spent a year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, on sabbatical, and Juliet recently attended a three-summer program in Guanajuato, Mexico through the Southern Oregon University, where she obtained an MA in Spanish language teaching. In addition to travel and all things Spanish/Latin American, Juliet enjoys staying physically active, eating good food, playing board games, reading, and listening to audiobooks. Juliet is teaching Spanish II, III, and IV as well as coaching girls’ varsity tennis during the fall trimester.
Melanie León -Associate Director of Admission
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Melanie made the trip west after graduating from N.C. State University with a degree in sociology. She ultimately put down roots in Los Angeles where she taught for three years at a small charter school in the West Adams neighborhood. Most recently, Melanie worked at Harvard-Westlake School on the admission team and for the last four years, acted as the director of financial aid. In her free time, Melanie loves to hike with her husband and her dog, swim, ski, and enjoy the outdoors. She’s also excited to be closer to the beach, so she can get back into surfing. She will always make time for a good book and her knitting. Advising, coaching, and hopefully getting involved in the Horse Program are a few of the things she looks forward to most. Along with her responsibilities in the Admission Office, Melanie is advising senior girls and will be coaching JV girls’ soccer in the winter.
Lachlan Nutting CdeP 2104- Horse Department Intern
After graduating from Thacher in 2014, Lachlan attended Colorado College, where she graduated in 2018 with a philosophy degree. During her student years at Thacher, Lachlan was a prominent member of the Horse Program as a Gymkhana captain and top horseman. She was also a prefect for freshmen girls her senior year. Lachlan strives to live her life by what Thacher and her philosophical studies have taught her: There are always many ways to act or solve problems. Lachlan is thrilled to be back at Thacher and a part of the Thacher community as a Horse Department intern. This position will give her the opportunity to learn, as well as coach students in the Horse Program.
Courtney joins the College Counseling team as a sabbatical replacement. She comes to Thacher from Lawrence Academy, a coed 9-12 boarding and day school in Groton, Massachusetts, where she spent eight years after graduating from Colby College in 2010. During her time at Lawrence, Courtney embraced the boarding school lifestyle, taught French, and was active in various aspects of student life. Eventually, she became the language department chair. She simultaneously studied at Columbia University and graduated with her master’s in independent school leadership in 2018.
In 2016 Courtney moved to Lawrence Academy’s college counseling office, where she was passionate about helping students unearth their interests and determine their next steps; she loves getting to know her counselees and their families. In her free time, Courtney enjoys traveling, reconnecting with family and friends, winning trivia, doing outdoor sports, and rooting for the New England Patriots.
Juliet Henderson - Spanish Teacher
Juliet is returning to the west coast after 12 years teaching, coaching and living at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Juliet grew up in Oregon but lived in southern California for 16 years while she attended college and graduate school (Pitzer and UCLA), and started teaching high school Spanish at Westridge School in Pasadena. Juliet, her wife Stephanie Thomas, and their daughters, Lola ’22 and 12-year-old Lucy, love to travel. They spent a year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, on sabbatical, and Juliet recently attended a three-summer program in Guanajuato, Mexico through the Southern Oregon University, where she obtained an MA in Spanish language teaching. In addition to travel and all things Spanish/Latin American, Juliet enjoys staying physically active, eating good food, playing board games, reading, and listening to audiobooks. Juliet is teaching Spanish II, III, and IV as well as coaching girls’ varsity tennis during the fall trimester.
Melanie León -Associate Director of Admission
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Melanie made the trip west after graduating from N.C. State University with a degree in sociology. She ultimately put down roots in Los Angeles where she taught for three years at a small charter school in the West Adams neighborhood. Most recently, Melanie worked at Harvard-Westlake School on the admission team and for the last four years, acted as the director of financial aid. In her free time, Melanie loves to hike with her husband and her dog, swim, ski, and enjoy the outdoors. She’s also excited to be closer to the beach, so she can get back into surfing. She will always make time for a good book and her knitting. Advising, coaching, and hopefully getting involved in the Horse Program are a few of the things she looks forward to most. Along with her responsibilities in the Admission Office, Melanie is advising senior girls and will be coaching JV girls’ soccer in the winter.
Lachlan Nutting CdeP 2104- Horse Department Intern
After graduating from Thacher in 2014, Lachlan attended Colorado College, where she graduated in 2018 with a philosophy degree. During her student years at Thacher, Lachlan was a prominent member of the Horse Program as a Gymkhana captain and top horseman. She was also a prefect for freshmen girls her senior year. Lachlan strives to live her life by what Thacher and her philosophical studies have taught her: There are always many ways to act or solve problems. Lachlan is thrilled to be back at Thacher and a part of the Thacher community as a Horse Department intern. This position will give her the opportunity to learn, as well as coach students in the Horse Program.
Ali Rahman - Fisher Fellow / English and History Teacher
A native of Philadelphia, Ali is currently finishing his PhD in comparative literature with an emphasis in writing studies at the University of California Santa Barbara. Before coming to Thacher, he completed his MFA in creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College, where he worked on a novel about the second-generation Muslim American experience. He has spent every year since earning a BA from Drexel University in 2011 teaching in a variety of contexts, including a large research university, independent K-12 schools, community centers, a prison in New York, and a university in the Middle East. He loves to learn, teach, and talk about literature, history, art, culture, and technology’s impact on society. Ali looks forward to joining the Thacher community along with his wife Sepideah and their one-and-a-half-year-old son Idris. He will be teaching English II and two history electives: Algorithms & Culture and The West and the World. You will also find him on the tennis courts coaching JV girls’ tennis.
A native of Philadelphia, Ali is currently finishing his PhD in comparative literature with an emphasis in writing studies at the University of California Santa Barbara. Before coming to Thacher, he completed his MFA in creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College, where he worked on a novel about the second-generation Muslim American experience. He has spent every year since earning a BA from Drexel University in 2011 teaching in a variety of contexts, including a large research university, independent K-12 schools, community centers, a prison in New York, and a university in the Middle East. He loves to learn, teach, and talk about literature, history, art, culture, and technology’s impact on society. Ali looks forward to joining the Thacher community along with his wife Sepideah and their one-and-a-half-year-old son Idris. He will be teaching English II and two history electives: Algorithms & Culture and The West and the World. You will also find him on the tennis courts coaching JV girls’ tennis.
Dietrich Schuhl - Science Teacher
Born and raised in the Delaware, Dietrich made the easy choice to move from the East to California after graduating from the University of Delaware with a BS in environmental science and geology. He initially landed in Claremont, California, where he taught a variety of science classes and coached at The Webb Schools. He also helped to lead summer paleontology trips around the western U.S. He left Webb to work at Harvard-Westlake in Studio City where over the last 16 years, he took on a variety of roles including teacher, coach, and recently dean of faculty and staff. During that time, he earned an MS in geoscience education. Dietrich enjoys sharing his love of the outdoors with his students. He teaches AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, and coaches JV cross county. He can also be found hanging around the wood shop, the climbing wall, or coming back from a dawn patrol surf session before classes.
Stephanie Thomas - Advisor
Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Stephanie graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science. After college, she worked with several elected officials as a fundraiser and served as a community liaison to the gay and lesbian community. Stephanie transitioned from politics to the non-profit field and worked in executive management for many years. In 2006, she began work with students in boarding schools when she moved with her family (her spouse, Juliet Henderson, and their children Lola ’22 and 12-year-old Lucy to The Hotchkiss School. There, she served on the diversity and inclusion committee and strategic planning committee. Stephanie worked closely with students in her role as an academic study skills instructor, dorm head, and clubs advisor. She also planned and chaperoned numerous school travel programs with students to places like Cuba, Kenya, Zambia, Iceland, New Zealand, the Amazon, and the Galapagos Islands. She has served on multiple non-profit boards and was an elected member of the Salisbury Board of Education. When not working with students or spending time with her family, Stephanie can usually be found dabbling in photography, genetic genealogy, or playing Scrabble.
Henry Wadsworth - Math Department Chair
Henry grew up on the East Coast spending most of his childhood in Virginia and Pennsylvania. After high school, he attended Berklee College of Music where he met his wife Justine. Two years in, Henry transferred schools, changing career paths from music engineering to math education. He graduated from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, earning a BS in Mathematics along with a teaching certificate. He then moved to Los Angeles to begin his teaching career. Nine of his ten years’ teaching experience were at Malibu High School, where he led the math department as the chair. He has also earned his MA in educational administration from California State University, Northridge. In his free time Henry loves playing guitar, playing and watching hockey, rock climbing, traveling, and spending time with his wife Justine and daughter Adelaide. This trimester he is teaching Math IV, Math IV Honors, and AP Calculus.
Travis Wormington - Horse Department Intern
New horse intern, Travis, comes to Thacher from Kelly Hall Performance Horses in Colorado, where he was an assistant trainer. He hails from Monett, Missouri, and received an AA in general agriculture from Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, in 2013. Since his graduation, Travis has worked on ranches in Texas, Idaho, Illinois, and Colorado; with each move, he took on expanded levels of responsibility for the horses in his care. While he’s here at Thacher, he’ll be taking classes online to complete his BS in equine science. During his year-long internship, Travis wants to improve his ability to communicate with young people and teach them horsemanship.
Christina Yuan - Chinese Teacher
A native of southern California, Christina’s move to Thacher brings her home after 5 years spent teaching Chinese on the East Coast. She has an MA from the University of California, Santa Barbara in East Asian studies, as well as an MA in Chinese studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She and her wife, Joy, are happy to be a part of Thacher's close-knit community. For now, Christina is teaching Chinese II, II,III, and AP Chinese. Her love for horses and basketball might expand her roles as she settles into life at Thacher.
Born and raised in the Delaware, Dietrich made the easy choice to move from the East to California after graduating from the University of Delaware with a BS in environmental science and geology. He initially landed in Claremont, California, where he taught a variety of science classes and coached at The Webb Schools. He also helped to lead summer paleontology trips around the western U.S. He left Webb to work at Harvard-Westlake in Studio City where over the last 16 years, he took on a variety of roles including teacher, coach, and recently dean of faculty and staff. During that time, he earned an MS in geoscience education. Dietrich enjoys sharing his love of the outdoors with his students. He teaches AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, and coaches JV cross county. He can also be found hanging around the wood shop, the climbing wall, or coming back from a dawn patrol surf session before classes.
Stephanie Thomas - Advisor
Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Stephanie graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science. After college, she worked with several elected officials as a fundraiser and served as a community liaison to the gay and lesbian community. Stephanie transitioned from politics to the non-profit field and worked in executive management for many years. In 2006, she began work with students in boarding schools when she moved with her family (her spouse, Juliet Henderson, and their children Lola ’22 and 12-year-old Lucy to The Hotchkiss School. There, she served on the diversity and inclusion committee and strategic planning committee. Stephanie worked closely with students in her role as an academic study skills instructor, dorm head, and clubs advisor. She also planned and chaperoned numerous school travel programs with students to places like Cuba, Kenya, Zambia, Iceland, New Zealand, the Amazon, and the Galapagos Islands. She has served on multiple non-profit boards and was an elected member of the Salisbury Board of Education. When not working with students or spending time with her family, Stephanie can usually be found dabbling in photography, genetic genealogy, or playing Scrabble.
Henry Wadsworth - Math Department Chair
Henry grew up on the East Coast spending most of his childhood in Virginia and Pennsylvania. After high school, he attended Berklee College of Music where he met his wife Justine. Two years in, Henry transferred schools, changing career paths from music engineering to math education. He graduated from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, earning a BS in Mathematics along with a teaching certificate. He then moved to Los Angeles to begin his teaching career. Nine of his ten years’ teaching experience were at Malibu High School, where he led the math department as the chair. He has also earned his MA in educational administration from California State University, Northridge. In his free time Henry loves playing guitar, playing and watching hockey, rock climbing, traveling, and spending time with his wife Justine and daughter Adelaide. This trimester he is teaching Math IV, Math IV Honors, and AP Calculus.
Travis Wormington - Horse Department Intern
New horse intern, Travis, comes to Thacher from Kelly Hall Performance Horses in Colorado, where he was an assistant trainer. He hails from Monett, Missouri, and received an AA in general agriculture from Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, in 2013. Since his graduation, Travis has worked on ranches in Texas, Idaho, Illinois, and Colorado; with each move, he took on expanded levels of responsibility for the horses in his care. While he’s here at Thacher, he’ll be taking classes online to complete his BS in equine science. During his year-long internship, Travis wants to improve his ability to communicate with young people and teach them horsemanship.
Christina Yuan - Chinese Teacher
A native of southern California, Christina’s move to Thacher brings her home after 5 years spent teaching Chinese on the East Coast. She has an MA from the University of California, Santa Barbara in East Asian studies, as well as an MA in Chinese studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She and her wife, Joy, are happy to be a part of Thacher's close-knit community. For now, Christina is teaching Chinese II, II,III, and AP Chinese. Her love for horses and basketball might expand her roles as she settles into life at Thacher.
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A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
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.