Coach Becomes New Summer Camp Director

Julie Yurkovich Forrest '78 is the new Director of Summer Camp. A Monterey native, Julie joined Santa Catalina in 2001 and has worked in a variety of positions including tutor, middle school, upper school, and summer camp tennis teacher, and coach and director of the tennis program.

Prior to her position at school, Julie had her own design and display business where she did production for the E! Network. She also worked as a flight attendant after attending UC Davis. Julie now lives in Pacific Grove with her husband Michael and their daughter, Tamsen '13, an accomplished violinist and tennis player. Tamsen will enter Upper School this fall and, having attended Santa Catalina since pre-Kindergarten, is affectionately known as a "lifer."

"I'm thrilled to have this opportunity," Julie says. "My goal is to encourage young people to feel empowered as leaders and stewards. And to have lots of fun along the way."

New Mandarin Teacher Brings Language to Light

Meg MacDonald is the new Mandarin Chinese teacher for the Upper School. She grew up amid the colorful falls and snowy winters of Burlington, Vermont, where she discovered a passion for foreign languages. Meg studied Mandarin Chinese during her undergraduate years at the University of Vermont and Yunnan Normal University in Kunming, China. After graduation, she spent a year teaching English at a high school in Shenzhen, China before pursuing her M.A. in Teaching Foreign Languages at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

"Chinese is such a rich and complex language that I know I'll be studying it for the rest of my life," Meg says. "I can't wait to introduce it to a new generation of learners. Above all, I hope to show through my own example that learning is a process that is never finished, and that the wisest people are those that continue seeking learning experiences."

New Pre-K Teacher Shares Passion for Learning

Lydia Mansour is the new lower school pre-K co-teacher. Born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, her family immigrated to Melbourne, Australia before coming to California. She completed a B.A. in History from California State University, Fullerton, and post-graduate teacher training at California Polytechnic University. She also holds a Ryan Professional Clear Credential in Multiple Subjects.

Lydia held positions in operations management and sales and marketing for Walt Disney Company, where she focused on developing programs for youth groups and classrooms. She also worked as a stay-at-home mom to her three children, Heather, Lauren, and Andrew, who all attend Lower School.

"I'm so very lucky to have been led to the path of teaching," Lydia said. "Nothing is more gratifying than watching the growth of young children as they begin to realize their abilities to learn. Their joy and pride in themselves is both heartening and infectious!"

New Math and Science Teacher Makes Great Addition

The new Upper School math and science teacher, Kate Cerruti, has been teaching all levels of math and science high school courses in Southern California for over twenty-five years, and holds a master's in mathematics from Western Governors University.

Kate has coached basketball and track and field, and is the mother of two sons that attend the University of Arizona in Tempe. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to join the Santa Catalina facility," Kate stated. Her favorite saying? "Confucius said, 'Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.'"

Art Department Welcomes New Teacher

Sandra Still is the new art teacher at the Upper School. Born in San Francisco and raised in Palo Alto, Sandra's high school had a fabulous art department where she spent all her free time. She went on to earn a B.S. in Design from U.C. Davis and a M.S. in Anthropology from the University of Washington. Sandra is dedicated to exploring different art mediums with a special focus on fiber and textile forms. Her interests include culture and ethnographic art, and she travels the globe looking for inspiration.

"I'm so happy to be here and fulfill my mission of nurturing creativity in young people," Sandra states. "As Pablo Picasso once said, 'Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.'"

New Science Teacher Comes Aboard

Dr. Christian Reilly is the new Upper School Science teacher. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Christian spent most of his time trying to figure out what lived in the water, and then explaining what he found to family and friends. As an undergraduate at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, he continued to blend marine biology research with early science outreach and education. Christian went on to complete a master's in marine biology in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and a doctorate in marine ecology and neurobiology at Stanford University's marine laboratory in Pacific Grove, California.

"I realized that as much as I loved marine research, today's real need is in conveying the scope and grandeur of the natural world to the next generation of citizens and scientists," Christian stated. "I'm looking forward to working with a students who bring so much thoughtfulness and joy to their work."