Our Team
Maine Prototyping Team
Jennifer Chace
I live in Freeport, Maine with my husband, Jason, and I spend most of time working on this project, developing SHARE to facilitate neighborhood mutual aid while supporting local tiny food businesses, and starting (with my daughter Fiona) a coaching service for families with adolescents in chronic pain. Transforming the system of public education from the inside out is what I intend to do as a part of this team. Waldorf educator, school leader, project manager, mentor, organizer, art therapist, volunteer, mother, wife, daughter, friend, artist, marketing professional, and dog mom are all titles I’ve used or been given. B.A. Art, Mount Holyoke College; M.Ed., Antioch New England University; Transdisciplinary Therapeutic Arts, Tobias School for Art and Therapy in East Grinstead, UK; ¾ of the way through the Certificate in School Management and Leadership, HBS / HGSE.
Paul Gebhardt
Paul Gebhardt: Paul Gebhardt is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and arts administrator from Portland, Maine. Currently Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Maine College of Art, Paul’s focus is on researching, practicing and teaching creative approaches to organizational engagement and social practice. Paul has studied at the Gestalt International Study Center Training, received his BFA in sculpture from the Portland School of Art and his MFA in Interdisciplinary Art from Goddard College.
Jessica Gebhardt
Jessica Gebhardt has been working with children for over 25 years. She is deeply interested in supporting the needs of young children and families in facing the complex challenges of the world today. She is a trained Waldorf Teacher, has a Master’s Degree in Education, and a BFA in sculpture from Portland School of Art. Jessica has taught in community settings, after school programs, at Waldorf Schools and now directs a small socially active preschool/kindergarten and parent/teacher education community organization called the Heartfelt School. She helped to establish the Heartfelt School in 2012. Jessica enjoys gardening, swimming, singing, storytelling, painting, crafting, and being in nature. She values being a part of a purposeful, socially minded community, and is honored to be partnering with parents, educators, and folks throughout the community in their many roles to co-create and transform education to better meet the needs of the many cultures and people in Maine.
Teagan Wu
My name is Teagan Wu and I grew up in Freeport Maine where I attended Maine Coast Waldorf school from kindergarten through twelfth grade. My experiences both as a student and as a teacher at Waldorf schools has inspired in me a love for learning and working with others in close knit communities. My passion for gardening, cooking, and working with young people deepened through studying Human Ecology with an emphasis in sustainable agriculture and education at College of the Atlantic. I feel passionate about contributing to new forms of education that provide nurturing, supportive, and transformative experiences to young people. I envision weaving together my work in the healing arts into teaching with the intention of providing space for people to reconnect to their own source, vitality, and potential.
Megu Hirayama
Hello! I reside where it is now referred to as Portland, Maine, but an area originally called Machigonne, in the Wabanaki Territory (Dawnland) by the Native peoples here. I was born and raised in Japan, but a combination of New England beauty, Stephen King, and a curiosity for North Eastern U.S. (and college) drew me to Maine, which ended up becoming my home for much of the last two decades. Listening to people’s stories have and continue to fascinate me, whether it be an epic life journey or a momentary tale, interweaving into overlapping frameworks of perspectives and insights that continue to expand my appreciation for this deep, wide world/universe+. Among many things, I have the privilege of being: a stay-at-home parent (child attending the Heartfelt School); a student in the field of somatics; a member of amazing communities; and here.
Los Angeles Prototype Team
Kenya Strong
With a varied and eclectic background that includes dog groomer to oil rig roughneck to private investigator, and financial advisor, Kenya finds her deepest joy in helping others reach their greatest potential. She carries all of her life experiences into her services to help her connect with her students and colleagues. She has a Masters degree in Education and a Waldorf certification. She is also a certified archery trainer, fitness instructor and Access Bars Practitioner. As a Certified Life Coach and consultant to support families adjusting to our shifting social paradigm, she brings more than twenty five years of teaching and service experience. During her Waldorf teaching years, Kenya founded and chaired her school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to help move her community into relevant and timely transformation. She continues her growth and work to bring equality and social justice to the forefront of education.
Joan Jaeckel
I’ve been following and pondering trends in the holistic education space and its growth and struggles vis a vis the mainstream education project since the 90’s. I was part of founding teams for the first two public Waldorf charter schools in Los Angeles. My focus with the u.lab 2x 2021 project is the goal of creating societal awareness about whole child education practice as the essential leap towards humanity’s great evolutionary challenges.
Tami Ordoñez
Tami is driven by an insatiable desire for knowledge, she’s an adventurous spirit, and has a passion for dance. She has spent a lifetime studying how we humans learn, make connections and move our bodies. Years of classroom teaching in Waldorf Schools, Charter Schools, and Homeschool enrichment centers have given her a highly developed intuition for what students need and how to really reach them. She continues to develop connected ways of learning through private tutoring and in micro classes. Whether tutoring math, writing, science or history, supporting organization and study strategies, or preparing students for SAT, AP, ISEE or SSAT tests, the same methodology underlies it all – what is our destination, where are we now and how do we get from here to there.
Cathy O’Neill
I am Cathy O’Neill. I was board chair of Westside Waldorf for 5 years and just stepped off about 2 months ago. I am still on the board. I am a WISC graduate and a graduate of Biography and Social Art and have co led a biography group for quite a few years. I was a member of the Shade Tree host board with Joan Jaeckel until we went on Covid hiatus. Formerly: other non – profit boards, dancer, actor, bodymind integration therapist, diversity trainer, prayer practitioner. More studying and volunteering….
Core Team
What is the Core Team?
The Core Team members hold the vision for the ongoing work of The Source School. And, while the Research Circle extends far and wide, sensing into all of the systems that intertwine with the system of education, the Core Team focuses that learning into new prototypes that are seeded in Maine and Los Angeles. The Core Team members are also members of prototyping location teams and/or the Research Circle.
Jennifer Chace
From Freeport, Maine USA
Collaborating with others in transforming the system of public education from the inside out is what I intend to do as a part of this team. I have the role of Executive Director at The Source School. Waldorf educator, school leader, project manager, mentor, organizer, art therapist, volunteer, mother, wife, daughter, friend, artist, marketing professional, and dog mom are all titles I’ve used or been given. B.A. Art, Mount Holyoke College; M.Ed., Antioch New England University; Transdisciplinary Therapeutic Arts, Tobias School for Art and Therapy in East Grinstead, UK; Certificate in School Management and Leadership, Harvard Business School / Harvard Graduate School of Education; and current PhD Public Policy and Educational Leadership student at University of Southern Maine.
Lisa Sattell
From Milwaukee, Wisconsin and New York City
Lisa is an experienced K-12 educator, workshop facilitator, and community organizer currently serving as a meditation and self-awareness leadership facilitator for healing-centered education. Her interests focus on the creative process and its major role as catalyst for systems change in the collective social field.
R0semary McMullen
From Pittsburg, Pennsylvania USA
Rosemary McMullen, PhD in English literature, was a university educator for several decades and works as an independent writer, researcher and editor. Publications include poetry, fiction, and essays. She is certified in poetry therapy, family constellations, biodynamic agriculture, primary and secondary Waldorf education. She has taken ULab courses since 2015.
Joan Jaeckel
From Los Angeles, California USA
I’ve been following and pondering trends in the holistic education space and its growth and struggles vis a vis the mainstream education project since the 90’s. I was part of founding teams for the first two public Waldorf charter schools in Los Angeles. My focus with the u.lab 2x 2021 project was the goal of creating societal awareness about whole child education practice as the essential leap towards humanity’s great evolutionary challenges. To read more about Joan’s work in education, click HERE.
Research Circle
What is the Research Circle?
The Research Circle is a group of lifelong learners actively pursuing understanding that furthers the mission and vision of The Source School. We promote a culture of epistemic humility and welcome a variety of ways of knowing and making meaning. The philosophical underpinnings of the circle’s work include awareness-based systems change, metamodernism, anthroposophy, and healing-centered education.
Research Circle members come together once every four to six weeks and use a variety of circle formats designed to facilitate deeper intellectual and spiritual connections with topics of interest. Presentations, guided reflections, prepared discussions, peer feedback circles, and open sharing are some of the ways we structure our gatherings. This work can result in op-eds, published writing, working papers, policy briefs, conference presentations, and even new Source School programs. To join, contact Lisa Sattell at lisa@thesourceschool.org.
Lisa Sattell
From Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
I have 25 years experience teaching students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds in all kinds of K-12 schools and programs, creating environments that link educational and spiritual equity. I’ve sat with older adults and folks living with Alzheimer’s as a mindfulness-based interventionist researching dementia, cortisol, and the mind beyond words. Currently I study and practice healing and integrating intergenerational and collective trauma through social presencing and spend summers at an equine assisted learning day camp designed for children experiencing homelessness. I’m thrilled to be exploring how to co-create institutions that grow and support lives of meaning and purpose, and am way more comfortable having folks get to know me in community than by reading a bio like this.
Marsha Tongel
From Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA
Dr. Marsha Tongel has worked professionally in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Development/Organizational Behavior; specializing in organizations created and led by women. She teaches in the graduate School of Business at North Central University and Point Park University. Dr. Tongel is also Principal of Metanoia Consulting-TCG, providing innovative and quality organizational, leadership and change management services, and tools to help organizations to manage transition and change. And she is the thought leader behind Legacy Wisdom School, a multi-discipline, multi-generational and multi-ethnic learning program that prepares children and youth in new ways to deal with current and emerging critical issues to help them evolve into the type of problem solvers, leaders, designers, and communicators needed to address global social, economic, and environmental issues.
Heather Lawrence
From Melbourne, Australia
I am a mother of three adult children and grandmother of one 3 year old girl. I live on the Mornington Peninsula 1.5 hours from Melbourne. Attended teachers college for children from k-8. travelled and taught children in Greece, UK and Israel. Taught on the Education faculty for more than 20 years University of Melbourne. Postgrad studies in Futures allowed me to use and understand systems and spiritual perspectives in my thinking and work with educators now. I am a part of the Hub Host Holding team for the Presencing Institute and support hub hosts in the Southern Hemisphere. I also produce and sell Endangered Australian Animal puppets and train adults to use the puppets to reconnect children, and adults with the natural world through story and puppetry.
David Green
From Playa Del Ray, California USA
David Green is involved in many grassroots projects to empower citizens with tools for a healthier community. He is particularly interested in the tools and techniques that allow people to co-create in harmony. David facilitates a Prescencing Institute hub on Reimagining Democracy and a Spiritual Book Club and he also co-leads Humanity Awareness Initiative, a community spreading tools for increasing self awareness.
Maria Del Rosario Villasana
From San Francisco, California USA
Rosario Villasana, M.A., is Department Chair of the Child Development & Family Studies department at City College of San Francisco. She is an Early Childhood Consultant, director/trainer of the LifeWays en Español teacher/caregiver program and trainer with the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (WestED). Rosario is a member of the Board of Directors of LifeWays North America and serves on committees at City College of San Francisco. She enjoys travelling and has conducted training and staff development in Rudolf Steiner based education in China and Mexico and throughout the United States.
Liz Beaven
From San Francisco, California USA
Liz Beaven, EdD, has over 35 years experience in Waldorf education, from multiple perspectives including class teacher, school administrator, adult educator, school consultant, researcher, writer, parent, and grandparent. She is the Executive Director and President of the Board of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education and former Provost of the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. She sits on the Ideal Learning Roundtable, a national group drawn from a number of developmentally based approaches with a commitment to equity, access, and high quality early childhood care and education for all children.
Rosemary McMullen
From Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
Rosemary McMullen, PhD in English literature, was a university educator for several decades and works as an independent writer, researcher and editor. Publications include poetry, fiction, and essays. She is certified in poetry therapy, family constellations, biodynamic agriculture, primary and secondary Waldorf education. She has taken ULab courses since 2015.
Joan Jaeckel
From Los Angeles, California USA
I’ve been following and pondering trends in the holistic education space and its growth and struggles vis a vis the mainstream education project since the 90’s. I was part of founding teams for the first two public Waldorf charter schools in Los Angeles. My focus with the u.lab 2x 2021 project is the goal of creating societal awareness about whole child education practice as the essential leap towards humanity’s great evolutionary challenges.
Jennifer Chace
I live in Freeport, Maine with my husband, Jason. Collaborating with others to transform the system of public education from the inside out and toward thriving for all is my intention as a part of this team. Currently I am the President of the Board of The Source School and full-time PhD student in Public Policy with a focus on youth engagement in policy making. My day job is as the Assistant Director of the Maine Education Policy Research Institute at the University of Southern Maine. Chronic absenteeism, teacher recruitment and retention, social media’s affects on youth mental health, and career and technical education (CTE) are some of my recent research topics. Waldorf educator, school leader, project manager, mentor, organizer, art therapist, volunteer, mother, wife, daughter, friend, artist, dog mom. B.A. Art, Mount Holyoke College; M.Ed., Antioch New England University; Transdisciplinary Therapeutic Arts, Tobias School for Art and Therapy in East Grinstead, UK; Certificate in School Management and Leadership, Harvard Business School / Harvard Graduate School of Education; PhD Candidate in Public Policy, University of Southern Maine.