Director of Student Affairs

Chuck Watterson, Jr. is Director of Student Affairs. He has been working with youth in various capacities for over thirty years. Chuck grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he received his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from Temple University and earned his master’s in Counseling Psychology from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He has worked in multiple facets of education, including as a teacher of English, a coach, a counselor, mentor, and Director of Residential Life—always believing that respect, responsibility, and relationships are foundational to teaching and impacting the lives of young people.

Committed to the idea of community, Chuck realizes that as part of any society it is important to find effective ways to communicate, develop accountability, and celebrate our differences as well as our commonalities.

Chuck practices transcendental meditation, and in his spare time enjoys cooking, reading, enjoying film and television, exercising—and he’s not afraid of a good nap!

Director of College Guidance

Bruce Poch is Director of College Guidance. Bruce earned his A.B. in Government and English at Oberlin College, and completed his Ed.M. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy at Harvard University.

Before his work at SLA, Bruce served as Dean of Admissions and Executive Director of College Counseling at Chadwick School, and as Vice President and Dean of Admissions at Pomona College for 23 years.

A frequent commentator on issues of college access, equity, and the development of uniquely diverse educational communities, Bruce has written on college admission and aid for Newsweek, The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and National Public Radio.

Bruce will work closely with students and their caregivers to help students think hard about how they learn best, the opportunities they seek, and the communities they hope to join both in college and thereafter. When they visit his office, they may get the chance to hang out with his Beagle, Lucas, too.

Dean of Faculty
Dean of Service and Justice

Oshae Rodgers is Dean of Faculty and Dean of Service and Justice. He received his Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Ethnic Studies from UCLA, and most recently taught both middle school and upper school courses in the History Department at Campbell Hall.

Oshae’s work is driven by the ongoing cultivation of critical consciousness and holistic praxis in education and service. He brings a wealth of experience in public, charter, and independent schools with him—including curating hands-on learning experiences, trips, and service opportunities, as well as involving students in community organizing and movement work.

Oshae takes pride in all aspects of his identity, being from the Southwest while having roots in Philly and in Puerto Rico. He enjoys being in nature, staying active by playing sports like tennis and basketball, and is always up for a good novel at a local café.

Interim Lay Chaplain
Co-Chair, Humanities Department

William Pearson is Interim Lay Chaplain. He graduated with a BA in English and a minor in Philosophy from Sewanee: The University of the South. His senior honors thesis focused on hope in Dante’s Divine Comedy.

He enjoys studying poetry, English and Irish literature, and the philosophy of Wittgenstein. William fully indulged his inner Anglophile by studying abroad at St. John’s College at Oxford, and hopes he can return some day for graduate work.

Outside of academics, William plays rugby, loves the outdoors, and is an avid sports fan.

Dean of Student Life
Chair, Visual and Performing Arts Department

Jane McCarron is Dean of Student Life and Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department. She holds a BA in Dramatic Literature and Studio Art from Wheaton College and an MA in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado.

Jane is a professional actress and vocalist as well as a working artist. She has been directing Youth Theatre since her freshman year in college, when she discovered that kids were way more fun to work with than adults. Away from SLA, Jane is an avid reader of fiction, a tide pool enthusiast, and an amateur gardener.

Dean of Academic Services

Janie Hannon is Dean of Academic Services. Janie holds a BA from Sewanee: The University of the South in History, with minors in Art History and German.

Janie came to SLA in 2015 as the registrar and a member of the faculty. At SLA, she previously taught Latin and History and co-directed the College Counseling program. She also coached Cross Country and Track in the before times.

Janie is from Nashville, TN, loves fried chicken, and does not have a Southern accent (except when she says “lawyer”).

Senior Advisor to the Service Program

The Rev. Megan Hollaway is Senior Advisor. She has over twenty years of experience working directly with young people in a variety of settings. Ordained in 2007, she served as Associate Rector for three years at Grace Church, Kilmarnock, Virginia. While there, she also served on the board of the local Boys and Girls Club, started a monthly community dinner at an apartment complex for elderly and low-income residents, and organized immersion trips and pilgrimages that allowed people to learn directly from peacemakers in American cities, Ireland, and the Holy Land. She has been with SLA since 2010.

Megan received her Master of Divinity from Yale University in 2007. Before divinity school, she worked as a clinical social worker for three years in public mental health and private practice, specializing in trauma and family therapy. Megan received her Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000 and did her clinical internships in hospice and domestic violence. For four years, she lived and worked at Richmond Hill, an ecumenical and interracial religious community committed to healing the city of Richmond around issues of race, jurisdiction, and economics. In 2005, she studied at the Summer Peacebuilding Institute at Eastern Mennonite University, a graduate-level program in conflict transformation.

Megan was raised on a military base outside of Washington, DC. She currently lives in South Pasadena with her husband, James Ponsoldt, who is a filmmaker; their three children, John, Alice, and Jem; and one cat.

Communications Manager

Jack Lawrence Mayer is Communications Manager. He earned his BA in Cinema Studies from the University of Chicago, where he received the Edes Prize for Emerging Artists.

Before joining SLA, Jack was an award-winning film and theater maker. In Chicago, he was the founder and Artistic Director of Screen Door, a multimedia immersive theater company. He came to Los Angeles after he wrote and directed an HBO mini-series, and has spent the last decade as a storyteller, educator, and designer. Most recently, Jack wrote and directed his first feature film, which won Best Feature at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and was released in August of 2021.

In addition to his work in the creative arts, Jack is also an experienced and passionate instructor. He has designed curriculum for seminars in film studies and production, and has spent many years tutoring teens and young adults in one-on-one and group settings.

Outside of work, Jack enjoys long dog walks, Dodgers games, and film photography.

Advancement Associate

Colin Beckett is Advancement Associate. Prior to SLA, he worked as a writer, editor, and publicist, primarily in the spheres of non-fiction book and magazine publishing and documentary film. He has worked for organizations including Verso Books, AK Press, Icarus Films, and UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art. His writing has been published in outlets including Brooklyn Rail, BOMB, and Guernica.

He grew up in Portland, Maine. He holds a BA from Fordham University with a concentration in visual arts.

Colin lives in Hollywood with his partner and their dog. Outside of work, he spends his time organizing with neighbors to build collective power, reading, watching movies, seeing friends, and eating around Los Angeles.

Chair, Languages Department

Graciella was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Cali, Colombia. She attended college at ICESI University in Cali, Colombia, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Spanish Language with a specialization in University Teaching. She also holds a Masters degree in Gender and Cultural Studies from Simmons University, and a BA in Spanish Language and Culture from Valdosta State University.

Graciella has been teaching Spanish for over a decade. She strives to inspire in her students the value of bilingual fluency and the richness of the language and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples. When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys exercising, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Chair, STEM Department

Nivedita Godavarthi is Student Life Coordinator and a member of the STEM Department. She holds a BS in Computer Science and a Masters in Computer Applications from the University of Madras, as well as a single subject teaching credential in math from the University of La Verne. She has been teaching math and computer science in private schools for four years and before that taught middle and high school math in public and charter schools for three years. She worked as a software engineer from 2003 to 2009.

Nivedita loves reading, gardening, and traveling. You can often find her sitting in her garden reading Indian literature, traveling, and creating memories with her daughter.

Co-Chair, Humanities Department

Gabe Yoon-Milner is Co-Chair of the Humanities Department. He received a BA in History from Vassar College in 2004 and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 2013, where his research focused on historical memory and popular culture in the turn-of-the-century United States. Since graduating, he has taught courses in US History, African American History, US Urban History, and US popular culture at colleges around the Bay Area. 

When not teaching, writing, and reading about the “old, weird America,” he likes seeking it out—in wax museums, public art, miniature golf courses, and state capitol buildings.

Humanities Department
(they/he) 

David Alyson Albright is a member of the Humanities Department. They believe that learning and telling stories are intricately linked skills—one cannot happen without the other. They also believe that all people have the capacity to do both and that is part of what makes us human. They have learned that we can’t really know who we are until we begin to see what is possible in this world. This requires us to read, to study, but also to act. 

They have spent their time as a writer, an organizer and a popular educator. They are excited to bring stories and questions they have gained from those experiences into the classroom. They love Los Angeles in all its contradictions and hope their classroom will be a place where students come to better know their city, their neighbors, and their own capacity to act in the world. Like Paolo Freire, they believe the teacher learns.

STEM Department

Brandon Carnes is a member of the STEM Department. Brandon grew up on various U.S. Naval bases across Europe, until his family settled in the mountains of Eastern Oregon. He attended the University of Eastern Oregon, where he studied Economics, Sociology, and Business Management, dedicating his free time to technical and performance theatre.

Brandon’s journey in education was not typical. After the birth of his daughter, he quit his sales/finance job to be a stay-at-home father. When his daughter’s preschool was looking to expand, Brandon went back to school to study early childhood development and ended up as a preschool teacher. He discovered two things: that he loved education and that four-year-olds are not to be trifled with. It was when Brandon started substitute teaching middle school math that he discovered how fulfilling education could be—and how he could make a difference in the world.

Brandon’s wife is a non-profit attorney who works in the field of elder law, and his daughter is thriving at a local charter school in Hollywood. His dog, Frida, is in dire need of a haircut at all times.

Visual and Performing Arts Department

David Deluty is a member of the Visual and Performance Arts Department. He received his BFA in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he continued on to earn an MFA in Education. Prior to working at SLA, David taught visual arts curriculum at independent and public schools in Washington, California, and Virginia. 

In his practice and teaching, David specializes in digital painting—but he is equally passionate about illustration, graphic design, ceramics, UI/UX design, and bookmaking. 

Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with his dog, Kiba, working on cars, and watching Ravens games.

STEM Department

Lucas Fukunaga is a member of the STEM Department. He received a BS in Earth and Environmental Sciences and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of California, Irvine.

Lucas taught physics for three years at a charter school in South L.A., and served for one year as a substitute in chemistry, math, and college prep classes. He enjoys teaching the sciences through labs, demonstrations, and hands-on experimentation, encouraging students to better understand natural phenomena through collaborative processes.

Lucas has a dog named Oscar and a cat named Leon. During his free time, he enjoys playing video games, watching anime, and eating unhealthy vegan food.

Visual and Performing Arts Department

Brahm Genzlinger is a member of the Visual and Performing Arts Department. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition and Arranging from Temple University.

Over the past fifteen years, Brahm has worked professionally in the music industry as a performer, session musician, producer, composer, and educator. He has scored award-winning documentaries, shared the stage with grammy-winning artists, and played on recordings by some of today's most exciting new artists.

With over a decade of teaching experience, Brahm has developed a teaching style that is engaging and inspiring. He firmly believes in the power of music to transcend boundaries and enrich lives, and he strives to make music fun and accessible to all his students. When he's not teaching or playing, Brahm enjoys tossing a frisbee in the park, hiking, and relaxing with a good book.

Physical Education Faculty

Amanda Keller is an educator, professional dancer, and fitness instructor based in Los Angeles. She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Health Education, as well as a minor in Dance Performance, from Grand Canyon University.

Amanda has over twenty years of experience as a dancer. As a company member with Selah Dance Collective, she has had the opportunity to tour and perform in cities across the country, as well as produce her own choreographic work for the stage. She has been teaching at public, charter, and independent schools for the four years, and is passionate about moving, creating, and advocating for the arts.

Amanda strives to make her class an encouraging and safe space for individuals to connect with their bodies in a deeper way. Outside of teaching and dancing, you’ll find Amanda strolling through farmers markets, trying to keep her plants alive, and curating a niche Spotify playlist.

STEM Department

Jay Lay is a member of the STEM Department. He spent his formative years in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and graduated from Vanderbilt University with Bachelors of Science degrees in both Mathematics and Psychology. Over the next few years, he explored a variety of different fields, from teaching English and corporate business practices in Osaka, Japan, to program directing and serving as a radio DJ in Tennessee.

As an educator, Jay has taught at Cal State University in the School of Global and Professional Development. As a math instructor, he has been a professional private tutor for high school and collegiate Mathematics for many years. Outside of his day job, Jay is the Creative Director of a sketch comedy and improv collective performing at theaters throughout Los Angeles.

Social Emotional Counselor

Nora O'Hara is the Social Emotional Counselor. Nora attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to study political science, community organizing, and Spanish. After coordinating educational programs in France and working at an LGBTQ health center for several years in New York City, she returned to the University of Minnesota to receive her Master's degree in Clinical Social Work.

Before joining SLA, Nora worked in Title I schools as a social worker, and has professional experience as a school-based therapist. She celebrates the individuality of each student while fostering community and deepening connections with others.

In her free time, Nora loves to spend time near the sea, hiking with her pup. and exploring the city through food.

Languages Department

Norma Orellana is a member of the Languages Department. She holds a certification in Pedagogy and Administration in Education from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. With over a decade of teaching experience, she is deeply committed to the growth and development of her students, and has been honored by the city of Los Angeles for her work in education. In addition to her teaching career, Norma has had the privilege of working with organizations in and around Los Angeles dedicated to supporting immigrant communities.

In her free time, Norma enjoys traveling, studying, writing, music, camping, and everything related to nature, as well as spending quality time with friends. She is excited to continue helping students learn Spanish and inspire them to pursue their dreams. Each new lesson is an opportunity to share the beauty of the Spanish language, explore new cultures, and connect in meaningful ways.

Visual and Performing Arts Department

Dane Orr is a member of the Visual and Performing Arts Department. He is a multi-talented artist, songwriter, producer, and engineer based in Los Angeles and originally from Schenectady, New York. With a strong musical background, Dane was a founding member of the alternative R&B group Sonnymoon, where he gained invaluable studio experience by observing the creative process during studio sessions for Kendrick Lamar's first two records.

​Dane's passion for music led him to pursue a Bachelors of Music at Berklee College of Music, where he focused on saxophone, jazz composition, and electronic production and design. Dane became interested in designing virtual instruments, and created the renowned Felt Piano & Drumkit. This unique instrument has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in various chart-topping recording projects. 

Beyond his work with virtual instruments, Dane is extensively involved in the music production and engineering realm. His production and mixing credits include an impressive list of some of the most popular recording artists today.​ Dane blends his artistic talents, technical expertise, and creativity in order to push the boundaries of his craft, and he brings this same recipe into the classroom.

STEM Department

Agustin Pacheco is a member of the STEM Department. Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, he moved to California to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in Physics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he researched particle physics and medical physics.

Prior to his time at SLA, Agustin taught middle school math and science in Oakland, lived in the Galapagos Islands working as an underwater photographer, and worked as a high school physics instructor at the Archer School for Girls. In his free time, he enjoys exploring his love for cooking, dancing salsa and bachata, building electronics, and playing soccer!

Physical Education Faculty

Forrest Riley teaches physical education and coaches multiple athletics teams at SLA. He attended Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he played collegiate baseball. After undergrad, he coached baseball at Compton College and served as both the pitching and strength and conditioning coach. Forrest loves to work out, eat great food, and paddle board. And, of course, he loves his dog Creed.

STEM Department

Ronaldo Romero is a member of the STEM Department. Born and raised in the vibrant community of South Los Angeles, Ronaldo earned his Bachelors of Science degree at UC Berkeley, where he studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science—including specialized courses in AI and robotics. He actively engaged in projects that allowed him to apply his theoretical learning to real-world challenges in the fields of AI and robotics. 

During his time at Cal, Ronaldo made a significant impact as a Precalculus and Calculus II tutor at the Student Learning Center. He thrived helping students bridge the gap between their foundational math knowledge and the more advanced concepts expected at the college level.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Ronaldo enjoys playing soccer, running, hiking, and any other form of activity that keeps him active. If he isn’t outside, you can catch him playing chess or watching videos about chess, and trying to learn as much theory as possible so he can be prepared in case he’s ever challenged by a grandmaster.

Humanities Department

Magdaleno Rosales is a member of the Humanities Department. He received a BA in Anthropology, with a minor in English, from UCLA in 2017. Since graduating, he has continued to be involved in academic and educational efforts in one way or another, working as a writing tutor for several years, participating in research collectives, and designing curriculum and teaching classes for independent adult learning. 

Outside of SLA, Magdaleno volunteers in a community organization tackling neighborhood issues like gentrification. Despite having been raised in LA since early childhood, he never tires of discovering new things about the city. Find him lost in a bookstore, nodding his head to a live performance or grabbing a meal at his favorite taco spots on the Eastside. 

Learning Specialist

Jennifer Rosenbaum is the Learning Specialist. She brings over 20 years of experience in the fields of education, youth development, leadership, family and community engagement, community schools, social emotional learning, and college access. She holds a BA in English from the College of William and Mary and an EdM in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Prior to SLA, Jennie taught high school English and supported leadership work in social service, education, and civil rights nonprofits in the Washington, DC region. Since moving to Los Angeles, most of her work has centered around creating and sustaining an LAUSD pilot school she co-created in the city of San Fernando, specifically developing its college access plan, community schools strategy, and social emotional learning work.

When she is not at SLA, Jennie is out on adventures with her partner and two kids, dancing with the Afro-Cuban dance community, and cooking with her friends and family for potlucks.

Humanities Department

Jibra’il Sutton is a member of the Humanities Department. Raised in New York City, Jibra’il officially made Los Angeles his home in 2019 after receiving his Master’s degree at USC. From there, he made a name for himself as a collaborative, reliable, and effective fifth grade teacher at faith-based schools in Los Angeles. Prior to SLA, he taught history at the middle school level, and all major subjects for fifth grade. He was a yearbook coordinator, daycare supervisor, and technology specialist for his respective schools. 

Jibra’il believes an engaging lesson is the best classroom management strategy to ensure student learning and engagement. He also believes that diverse groups should be recognized and represented in class curriculums so teachers can create a culturally relevant pedagogy for their students. 

Outside of school, Jibra’il is an avid music listener, anime watcher, video game player, and casual hiker. Feel free to test him on his knowledge on any of these subjects when you see him around campus!

Humanities Department

Charlie Tuthill is a member of the Humanities Department. He holds a BA in political science and French from Union College (NY) and a MA and Ph.D. in political science from Syracuse University. He has two decades of experience in both independent schools and universities. Before joining the SLA team, Charlie taught global studies at the University of California Riverside and social studies at Oakwood School in North Hollywood.

Charlie teaches classes primarily in world history, delving into subjects such as the interrelationships between economic structures, ideology, systems of belief, and political institutions. He teaches regional histories related to Africa, the Americas, and Asia as well as broader thematically oriented classes dealing with the development of capitalism, environmental history, and the rise of political populism. His approach to history combines experiential and collaborative learning, and he makes frequent use of student-led discussion, game strategic simulations, and debates, among other activities.

Charlie and his family live in Culver City, and in his free time he enjoys taking family trips to the beach, reading, writing with fountain pens, and taking pictures mostly with vintage film cameras.

Visual and Performing Arts Department

Jerry J White III is a member of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, teaching Film and Media. He holds a B.S. in Broadcast Media from the University of Central Missouri. 

As a film director, Jerry has produced and distributed three feature films and multiple narrative shorts. He spent ten years working full-time in the film industry as a director and gaffer before shifting his focus to education. When Jerry isn’t teaching you can find him watching football, riding his motorcycle or pondering the world's questions as an amateur philosopher.

Event Facilitator
Internal Substitute

Aaron Abdullah is Event Facillitator and Internal Substitute. A Los Angeles native, Aaron earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from California State University, Northridge. During his time at CSUN, Aaron distinguished himself as the President of the Black Student Union, where he organized inspiring events aimed at encouraging inner-city youth to pursue higher education. He played a pivotal role in unveiling an everlasting monument dedicated to the founders of the Africana & Chicano Studies Department, leaving a lasting mark on the University’s history.

Aaron is passionate about community building and committed to fostering confidence in others. Beyond academia, Aaron’s dedication to advocacy led him to collaborate with the non-profit organization Alliance for Safety and Justice, where he traveled across the country to champion bills in support of survivors of violence.

In his leisure time, Aaron is passionate about music and fashion and finds solace and inspiration in natural settings, connecting with the beauty and tranquility of the outdoors.

Athletic Coordinator

Geovany Mendez is Athletic Coordinator. He has spent his professional life entrenched in youth sports in Los Angeles, from coaching cross country, basketball, and baseball, to working as a coordinator, to mentoring and helping develop young players and coaches. Geovany previously served as Assistant Athletic Director at a local high school in Los Angeles County. In his tenure there, he partnered with coaches on their professional development and team management, helping guide three varsity athletic teams to deep playoff runs. 

Outside of SLA, Geovany keeps it on the court. He plays on multiple basketball teams, volunteers his time coaching youth recreational sports, and loves to explore new hiking trails. Feel free to challenge him to a one-on-one basketball game in your free time!

Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Family Inclusion Coordinator

Stherling Oliva is Executive Assistant to the Head of School and Family Inclusion Coordinator. She has broad experience serving and assisting low-income and Latinx families, working in schools, and organizing and promoting youth and parent involvement.

At SLA, Stherling is committed to vitalizing the family engagement of the Spanish-speaking community and ensuring that events and communications are accessible to all. To that end, she also serves as a live Spanish language translator for school events.

Stherling was born in Guatemala, Tierra de la Eterna Primavera, and migrated with her family at a young age to Los Angeles, CA. She values family time, enjoys tea, traveling, and learning about different cultures.

Front Desk Receptionist

Jocelin Velasquez is Front Desk Receptionist. Jocelin started her career as a specialist for non-profits focused on supporting low-income parents access subsidized childcare. Following that, she worked as a medical assistant specializing in COVID-19 testing. She brings the values, human-centered approach, and diverse skills from those fields to her work here at SLA.

Outside of work, Jocelin enjoys going on long walks with her daughter and two dogs, attending Dodger games, and indulging her cultural curiosity through visits to museums and exhibitions.

Director of Technology

Jesus Villarreal is Director of Technology. His unflagging patience and remarkable customer service derive from working for Bestbuy/Geeksquad for over a decade early in his career. He has many years of experience coordinating and directing technology in a variety of schools across Los Angeles. 

At SLA he is devoted to making sure all our tech is working well in order to help our students thrive in their education. He loves challenges, especially when it comes to technology, and loves working in a learning environment.

Jesus is proud to be born and raised in Boyle Heights, LA. Outside of school, he enjoys lighting up the grill and spending time with family and friends. He also loves lowriders, and working with power tools to make ideas come to life for his wife.