Leadership

List of 10 items.

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  Nola-rae Cronan

  Head of School
  Nola-rae Cronan is honored and humbled to serve as the Head of School at Carlthorp.

   

  Nola-rae has two decades of experience in independent schools, including The Williston Northampton School, Cranbrook Schools, The Columbus School for Girls, and most recently at The Langley School. Nola-rae has served in a variety of capacities in education, including as a teacher, student advisor, dorm parent, coach, school counselor, Dean of Students, Director, and Head of Middle School. Her vast experience touches all aspects of school life, including curriculum development, technology integration, faculty professional development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, student leadership, and student programming. She has also received distinction for her work with innovative teaching practices after being selected as one of 26 educators in the first cohort of TED-Ed Innovative Educators. Nola-rae has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Ursinus College and a master’s degree in clinical social work from Smith College School for Social Work. 
• 

  Steve Springer

  Associate Head of School and Principal
  Steve is honored to serve as Associate Head of School and Principal. Steve’s seven-year tenure at Carlthorp School began first as a classroom teacher and then as an administrator, providing him with a uniquely holistic understanding of the operations of the school.   

  
  

  During his more than 29 years of experience as a professional educator, Steve Springer has been a teacher, an administrator, and a curriculum developer. He earned a MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in the fields of science and art. In addition, he co-authored and illustrated ten teacher resource books published in McGraw Hill’s “The Organized Teacher” series. While teaching in grades K-6 and in Adult Education, Steve also had an adjunct faculty position at Cal State LA in the areas of classroom management, language acquisition, and cultural diversity. Additionally, Steve designed and directed cross-aged tutoring programs, as well as after-school programs for LAUSD. A huge advocate of service learning, Steve spent three years in Peace Corps Guatemala and back home became a founding board member of Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles. Finally, he has worked with Covenant House of California to help homeless youth get off the street. Steve enjoys spending time with his husband Mark, swimming, running, biking, and paddleboarding in his spare time.

   
• 

  Amanda Sasso

  Dean of Academics
  Amanda, a Carlthorp alumna, began working at Carlthorp School in the year 2002. In her tenure at Carlthorp, she has been a 1^st grade homeroom teacher, a 6^th grade homeroom teacher, a math specialist, and administrator.

  In her role as Dean of Academics, Amanda supports the day-to-day operations of Carlthorp School.  She brings with her several years of exmissions experience, a strong knowledge of Carlthorp traditions and programs, and the ability to support all key stakeholders.  Amanda is a member of the school Board at St. Paul the Apostle School and a Board member for the National Charity League.  She is also a member of the mathematics consortium of private school educators in Los Angeles, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics, and the California Mathematics Council.  Amanda is a Marlborough School alumna and a Southern Methodist University graduate where she earned her bachelor’s in business administration in marketing and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish.  After working for Pacific Life Insurance Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Amanda returned to school to earn her multiple subject teaching credential through Cal State University, Northridge.  Amanda has two children, loves to cook, read, exercise, and be a “mom-ager” for her busy children.
• 

  Pat Yahnke

  Assistant Principal Emeritus
  A native of Santa Monica, Pat attended Loyola Marymount University.  After that she earned a Master’s from Seattle University. She came to Carlthorp School in 1984 and, among other duties, taught Advanced Math. Pat is joining us again this year as the Vice Principal Emeritus and will continue to inspire us at Flag Line with her “Thought for the Day,” which students hear during Morning Assembly. Her extracurricular activities include crafts, reading, and walking with friends.
• 

  Nicky Meyer

  Program Integration Director & Head Librarian
  Nicky has held several positions since starting at Carlthorp School in 1999. She began as a P.E. teacher, moved to 1st grade for six years, followed by 3rd grade for eight years and has now worked in the Library for over nine years. Additionally, Nicky has stepped into the role of Program Integration Director, overseeing the school's COVID return plans, coordinating parent education workshops at CS, and collaborating with fellow faculty and staff on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion curriculum. She holds an Administrative Credential, a Masters of Art in Elementary Education, a Clear Credential in Elementary Education, and a B.A in Sociology with a minor in Family Studies. Nicky enjoys yoga, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. She has always been devoted to helping children achieve their potential, knowing that they need to be well-prepared for the complex world in which they will live.
• 

  Stephen Milich

  Director of Admissions
  Stephen joined the Carthorp School leadership team in 2022 as the Director of Admissions.

   

  Having served as a career admissions professional for the past 20 years, Stephen has held a variety of roles in a number of different admissions offices, including at his alma mater, Drew University (NJ), Occidental College (CA), and New York University. Ultimately, Stephen made the transition from working in higher education to K-12 independent schools and could not be happier. After working at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, The Pennington School (NJ), and Fort Worth Country Day (TX), Stephen was delighted to return to Los Angeles to join the fantastic Carlthorp community.  
  
  Stephen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Drew University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. In his free time, Stephen enjoys spending as much time as possible in the mountains or walking along the beach, exploring the latest museum or restaurant, or traveling within the United States or abroad.
• 

  Ken Parr

  Director of Finance and Operations
  A Santa Monica native, Ken graduated from Sonoma State University in the fields of Finance and Philosophy and has been a part of the Carlthorp School team for more than a decade. His responsibilities include managing the business office, the school’s finances, payroll and human resources, and the overseeing of the physical plant.
• 

  Maureen Pollack

  Director of Advancement
  Maureen ’90 is a native of Santa Monica and a proud Carlthorp School graduate. The daughter of a former Carlthorp School teacher, Mrs. Dowling, Maureen has been connected to the school for decades. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in the fields of English and communication. Prior to working at Carlthorp School, she worked in advancement at Brentwood School and as marketing director at Two Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Maureen is the proud mother of two Carlthorp School alumnae.
• 

  Cyreeta Sharp

  Director of Community Engagement and Belonging
  From her childhood in Philadelphia to her arrival at Carlthorp School as the inaugural Director of Community Engagement and Belonging, Cyreeta Sharp has always worked to create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued. She is thrilled to bring her passion for people to Carlthorp and is excited to build relationships across the school community.
  
  With bachelor’s and master’s degrees from La Salle University, Cyreeta previously served as director of student life, inclusion, and belonging at Marymount High School and has also worked for Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles as a regional support manager. She looks forward to partnering with students, families, and colleagues to support inclusion at Carlthorp through events, programs, professional development, and more.
  
  Cyreeta has two teenage children, Mae’son and My’Lee, and three cats: Chloe, Thor, and T’Challa. A self-professed sneakerhead, she also loves the Marvel universe, writing, traveling the world, and being crafty.
• 

  Jeff Goodman

  Director of Communications
  Jeff oversees communications at Carlthorp School in a role that combines his writing, editing, and media experience with his passion for education. With a background in journalism, he has previously worked in communications at Geffen Academy at UCLA and Crossroads School. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jeff graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in political science. His social-emotional learning children’s book, Feel Like Eggs?, was published in 2021. In his free time, Jeff enjoys playing basketball, spending time with his three brothers, and exploring LA with his wife and children.