Sheila has been immensely enjoying her work as the Head of School at Star since January of 2016. She holds a M.A. in Education and an Education Specialist credential, in addition to being an R.N. Prior to her time at Star, Sheila spent 9 years as an administrator of a K-8 school, overseeing all aspects of school operations and directing the Special Education program at her site. Sheila’s background includes over 20 years of business, education, and healthcare management. Teaching and working with neurodiverse students from ages 8 through 22 is the culmination of her professional and educational goals and one of her greatest joys. A long-time resident of Sonoma County, Sheila enjoys the rugged beauty, hiking trails and the cooler temperatures in Marin!
Jaime has been in the field of education since 2000 and has been a member of the Star community since 2011. She holds a M.A in Learning and Instruction, and a Learning Specialist credential from the University of San Francisco. Jaime has worked as a special education teacher in both private and public schools, as well as privately with families, supporting children and teens with unique learning, social, and behavioral needs. Jaime's comprehensive background and experience give her valuable insight into complex learning profiles to truly understand the needs of unique learners and their overall fit for our program. Outside of Star, Jaime’s two children keep her very active in the world of competitive youth volleyball. In her free time, she enjoys listening to live music, being anywhere on the water, singing and dancing in her kitchen while cooking, and traveling to competitions with her daughters' volleyball teams.
Stina brings over 20 years of diverse educational experience to Star Academy, where she blends leadership with a deep passion for student growth. A certified educational therapist, Stina's background includes 12 years teaching middle and high school science across environments ranging from AP Biology to continuation schools. She also spent six years as an academic coordinator, helping neurodivergent post-secondary students navigate disability services and find true success in college. Most recently, she served as a Dean of Culture and Instruction. Stina specializes in supporting students with unique learning needs, dedicating her work to helping them discover and build upon their strengths. In her free time, she enjoys nature, travel, yoga, dancing, journaling, and creating music with her partner.
Giovanna brings over a decade of experience in special education, supporting students with diverse learning needs. She has taught middle and high school special education and later transitioned out of the classroom to serve as a Site-Based Research Manager and then a Continuous Improvement Manager, where she coached multiple school leadership teams to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Giovanna lives in San Rafael with her husband, daughter, and son!
Tamara is a highly qualified teacher credentialed in both general education and special education. She has been working with students with learning differences since 2009 as a classroom teacher, intervention specialist, tutor and learning specialist. Tamara has worked in a variety of school settings including public and private schools and has experience in many of the methodologies currently used by Star including Making Math Real, Orton-Gillingham, Social Cognition and various LindaMood-Bell programs. Though she thoroughly enjoyed her most recent job as a Learning Specialist, she is eager to put her two credentials to use and lead a classroom community with the opportunity to teach all of the subjects. Tamara is an expert at differentiating instruction to meet the needs of her students and has been described as a creative, passionate and highly collaborative colleague. She considers the social/emotional and developmental needs of the students to be among the top priorities in creating successful, confident and happy learners.
Maggie originally hails from Los Angeles but is happy to call the Bay Area her home after living in Naples, Italy, for four years. In 2002 she earned her BA in anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and went on to work in a business management office that served minor Hollywood celebrities. Her husband, Phil, joined the Navy in 2010 and for the next seven years they lived in and traveled through all kinds of fascinating places. In 2017 they moved back to the USA, bringing with them their favorite souvenir, baby Faye. Maggie enjoys reading, drawing, cooking, and, like every good Californian, hiking. In her spare time she writes and illustrates children’s books. She’s thrilled to be a part of the Star Academy staff.
Jessica comes to us from the hospitality industry. After graduating UC Davis, she worked as a paralegal at a law firm but decided to change directions and attend the former California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She worked her way through culinary school as an HR assistant where she honed her administrative skills which complemented her culinary skills. As many people forget, it takes more than just great cooking to successfully run a cafe or catering company. Jessica returned to Marin as a married mother of two (Olivia and Evan). Making another life change, she now focuses on applying her financial and administrative skills here at Star Academy where she is excited to support this wonderful community.
Lisa worked for Marin County schools for five years, then left education for almost 10 years to work in the world of cheese. She's thrilled to be back around kids - especially the kids of Star. She grew up in Utah and moved to the Bay Area after earning her bachelor's degree in communication from Southern Utah University. She spends her springs, summers and (most) falls living for the San Francisco Giants and spends the winters counting down to Spring Training.
Echo is a Chinese native who has lived in Bay Area since 2001. Echo has extensive experience in administrative support and project management. She also worked as translator and interpreter for FBI and DoD. In her spare time, Echo enjoys reading, cooking, taking care of dogs, traveling, and running. She has completed two full marathons. She lives in San Rafael with her husband and their girl pup.
