Dan Dunning

High School Director
HS Guitar

DAN DUNNING earned his B.A. in biology from Middlebury College in Vermont, after which he conducted research that led to publications in two science journals: the American Journal of Botany and Microbiology.  He then worked as a lead educator at OMSI before he joined the Northwest Academy faculty in 2008.  After three years with Northwest Academy, he earned his M.A. in teaching from Lewis & Clark College.  Outside of school, Dan plays weekly basketball/soccer games with the students and plays folk and bluegrass guitar.  Dan has been with Northwest Academy since 2008.

ddunning@nwacademy.org

David Berkson

MS English
MS Theater
HS Theater

DAVID BERKSON has taught at Northwest Academy since 2004. He is the author of several plays, including The Penguins of Ithaca and War Paint: A Story of Family Life. David lived in the Bay Area for many years where he was Education Director of Marin Shakespeare Company, and Camp Director of Bay Area Shakespeare Camps. David’s professional acting credits include two stints with the national hit Shear Madness, Feste in Twelfth Night, and Jerry in Profile Theatre’s 2002 production of The Zoo Story. David has been with Northwest Academy since 2004.

dberkson@nwacademy.org

David Schonfeld

HS Liberal Arts
Spanish

David Schonfeld received B.A.s in Journalism and Spanish from Penn State University, where he was awarded the Eddie Nichols Award for Short Fiction and the Linda Martelli Award in Journalism, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. David has taught classes in both public and private school settings. He studied at the University of Alicante while in high school and has led numerous trips with high school students to Argentina. David’s writing has appeared on Tiny Mix Tapes and The Daily Collegian. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Spectrum Culture, an online magazine that covers music, film, books, and food.

dschonfeld@nwacademy.org

David Wagstaff

HS English/Humanities
Middle School Tai Chi

DAVID WAGSTAFF was educated at California Institute of the Arts, Chapman College, and California State College at Northridge. He has been an educator for thirty-five years and holds teaching credentials in both California and Oregon. He is also a writer, director, and performer with an extensive resume of work that includes directing some twenty-five plays and three films, in addition to spending a decade as a rock vocalist. Before becoming the Dean of Students at Northwest Academy, he taught English Humanities, Screenwriting, Project Theater, Project Studio, and Tai Chi. He directed three Esprit productions and is the founder and artistic director of Northwest Academy’s Angry Pigeon Gallery. David has been at Northwest Academy since 1999.

dwagstaff@nwacademy.org

Erin Shannon

MS and HS Dance
HS Yoga/Fitness
HS Musical Theatre

ERIN SHANNON holds a B.F.A. in dance from Oklahoma City University and has been teaching theatre dance, tap, jazz, lyrical dance, and ballet for over 18 years. As a professional dancer, Erin has performed with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Lakewood Theatre Company, Pixie Dust Productions, TriptheDark dance company and many others. Choreography credits include numerous productions with professional Portland theatre companies, high school, and college productions. Erin was featured on Oregon Art Beat for her choreography, and won the Portland Area Music Theatre Award for Best Choreography in 2009. She is a regular teaching artist with Staged! Conservatory and Spotlight Theatre Camps. Erin is also certified to teach Hatha yoga. In the spring, Erin directs Dynamo and Esprit as part of NWA’s Arts Week. She has been with Northwest Academy since 2009.

eshannon@nwacademy.org

Jack Ciolli

MS Arts After Hours
Student Services Assistant

JACK CIOLLI is an artist with a B.F.A. in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He staffs the Plaza front desk and works with middle school students as a Student Services Assistant. He also teaches Drawing for Comics after school, bringing his experience as a freelance artist to students in the classroom. Jack has been with Northwest Academy since 2015.

jciolli@nwacademy.org

Kate Legere

MS Visual Art
MS Learning Lab

KATE LEGERE earned her B.F.A. from Alfred University in New York. While volunteering with the Peace Corps on a small island in the Republic of Kiribati in the Central Pacific, she fell in love with teaching and felt called to return to education. Kate later went on to study Art Education at the Moore College of Art. Her teaching career spanned Philadelphia to Brussels, where she taught at The International School of Belgium for five years, eventually choosing to relocate to Portland. Kate has been with Northwest Academy since 2016.

Kristin Van Sickle

Middle School Vocal Music

Kristin Van Sickle has been a Vocal Coach, Voice Teacher, Piano Teacher, and Theater Director for over 10 years. She has a B.A. in Vocal Pedagogy from MidAmerica Nazarene University. Kristin has students that have been accepted to some of the top music schools in the country including Boston Conservatory, NYU- Tisch School of the Arts, Eastman School of Music, Carnegie Mellon, and many others. Since moving to Portland in 2013, she has music directed the shows Guys and Dolls and Shrek the Musical for Journey Theater Arts Group in addition to beginning her own private voice studio. Kristin is very excited to work with the talented students at Northwest Academy. She joined the school in 2014.

kvansickle@nwacademy.org

Mark Lighthiser

HS Instrumental Music
MS Instrumental Music

MARK LIGHTHISER

mlighthiser@nwacademy.org

Melissa Badenhop

Photography

MELISSA BADENHOP

mbadenhop@nwacademy.org

Paul Martone

HS English/Humanities
HS Creative Writing

PAUL MARTONE is a published writer with an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Oregon, an M.A. in English from the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany, and a B.A. in English from the SUNY Buffalo. He was awarded the Walter and Nancy Kidd Fellowship from the University of Oregon, a position offered to one Graduate Teaching Fellow each year. At Oregon State University, Paul taught a variety of undergraduate courses. He joined Northwest Academy in 2008 and spearheaded the school’s Challenge Program, which allows juniors and seniors to earn 200-level college credits in English and writing at Portland State University. Paul has been with Northwest Academy since 2008.

pmartone@nwacademy.org

Rosalind Fell

HS Dance
MS Dance

ROSALIND FELL is a graduate of The Arts Educational Schools in London, England where she trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap and musical theatre. She went on to work as a dancer and actress in theatre and television, credits include Theatre Royal Drury Lane as well as many BBC productions. Since moving to Portland in 2007 she has taught and choreographed in a variety of public and theatre schools. Her local performing credits include Lakewood Theatre Company, Bag n Baggage, and Quintessence Theatre Company. Rosalind has been with Northwest Academy since 2013.

rfell@nwacademy.org

Wade Willis

Arts Coordinator
HS Vocal Music
HS Theater
HS Actor's Workshop
Project Theatre

WADE WILLIS has been a professional actor, singer, director, and educator for over 25 years. He has an M.A. in teaching from Pacific University and a B.S. in music from University of Oregon.  The city of Beaverton honored Wade with two awards: the Outstanding Educator in the Arts Award and the Individual Diversity Award. Wade received a Drammy Award and an OTAS Award for Best Direction for Into the Woods. Wade has been with Northwest Academy since 2010.

wwillis@nwacademy.org