Staff
Heidi Johnson
Heidi has been Waverly’s head of school for twenty-five years. She has a B.A. in political science, a teaching credential, and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. Heidi has worked for more than 30 years in public and private schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Heidi’s two children graduated from Waverly: Sam ’03 and Ryland ’08. When she’s not at Waverly, Heidi is hiking with her dachshund and Labrador, reading fiction, or puttering in her California natives garden. (Email)
Jason Gottlieb
Jason is the assistant head of school at the elementary school. He has a B.A. in Political Studies from Pitzer College and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Seattle University. He has taught for over 25 years and joined the Waverly community in 2009. Jason’s three sons graduated from Waverly – Sam ’20, Patrick ’16, and Eamonn ’15. In his free time, Jason enjoys family time, watching Manchester United play (and hopefully win!), and keeping a daily journal. (Email)
Joel Murillo
Joel is the assistant head of school at the middle and high schools. Joel has a B.A. in Spanish from Dartmouth College and has completed advanced coursework in mathematics and education. Joel spent eleven years at Wildwood School in West Los Angeles as middle school director and high school Spanish teacher. Joel enjoys exploring the diverse food and culture of the many neighborhoods in Los Angeles with his family. (Email)
Amy Sloboda
Amy is the middle school dean. Amy has an M.F.A. in film and video from California Institute of the Arts and a B.A. from University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she studied English and film. She spent seven years at Wildwood School in West Los Angeles where she was the Administrative Director and taught the film elective. Prior to working at Waverly, Amy was a consultant for Cal/West Educators, guiding independent school board members through the process of hiring heads of school. Amy has two children, Nola and Kanaan (Kanaan attends Waverly and is in the 2nd grade), and two lovable rescue dogs, Josie and Katie. (Email)
Jennifer Dakan
Jennifer is Waverly’s admissions director. Jennifer has a B.A. in English from the University of San Francisco, a teaching credential from San José State University, and over 13 years of experience teaching middle and high school students. Jen enjoys writing and photography and at times teaches both. (Email)
Tracey Fiss
Tracey is Waverly’s business and facilities manager. Tracey has a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and many years of business management experience. Before coming to Waverly, Tracey worked as a corporate manager for eleven years. In her free time, Tracey loves riding her bicycle at the beach. (Email)
Carolyn Hom
Carolyn, development director, has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Southern California. She has worked in development, marketing, and public relations for more than 35 years and has led fund-raising work with an array of independent schools. Carolyn and her husband are Pasadena residents who enjoy travel and trying out the region’s many and varied restaurants. Their son, who attended area independent schools, lives and works in Dallas. (Email)
Elaine Lass
Elaine has been Waverly’s director of college counseling since 2003. She has a B.A. in psychology and education from Chaminade University of Honolulu, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Loyola Marymount University, and a teaching and pupil personnel credential. Elaine has worked in college counseling for over 30 years and still loves being a part of the challenging application process. When she’s not working she enjoys spending time on the beach with her husband and children as well as visiting colleges to stay in tune with the student experience. (Email)
Cindy Andrade
Cindy is the accounts manager and has been at Waverly since it opened. Before becoming the accounts manager, Cindy was an infant-toddler teacher, preschool teacher assistant, bookkeeper, and receptionist at this school. With Waverly as her home away from home, Cindy says,“The daily laughter of the children is one of the most special things about working here.” Cindy’s two sons attended Waverly – Phillip and Jeremy’12. (Email)
Meg Bradbury
Meg is the assistant to the head of school, helps run the school’s social media, and also works in development. She has been a member of the Waverly community since 2003. The school’s progressive pedagogy, commitment to collaboration, and endlessly creative students inspire her greatly. Meg says that at Waverly,“We are supported and encouraged to be whoever we are at whatever moment in time we’re at. That’s dear to me. I’m grateful.” (Email)
Alexis Bolaños
Alexis is the receptionist and administrative assistant at the elementary school. Alexis has an A.A. in communications from Rio Hondo College. Prior to coming to Waverly, Alexis served as a program leader for Think Together, a non-profit that seeks to create equitable opportunities in education for all children. What she enjoys most about working at Waverly is feeling inspired by all the teachers making an impact on the students. She adds,“And there is never a dull moment!” (Email)
Vella Cagle
Vella is the assistant business manager and manages the flexible tuition program. Vella received a B.A. in history from Virginia Tech. What Vella enjoys the most about working at Waverly is the community. She says,“I have found my home…Waverly is a place where I feel safe, valued, and where I am truly happy to be.” Vella has two daughters at Waverly: Lily in preschool and Hazel in 2nd grade. (Email)
Deborah Clark Yeseta
Deborah is Waverly’s registrar. She has a B.A. in English literature from the University of California, Irvine, and has been part of the Waverly community since 1995. Deborah enjoys the collaborative way all the faculty, staff, and students work together. She loves to read the thought-provoking books assigned to the high school students in English and hear what the students think about them. She adds,“Their insights often give me a different perspective on what we read.” (Email)
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron is Waverly’s admissions and development associate. He brings to Waverly a broad range of experiences in information technology, donor databases, customer service, and after school and summer camp programs in progressive school settings. Aaron has lived all over Los Angeles and still has more to explore. In his free time, he loves to hike and camp. (Email)