Business & Advancement

List of 5 items.

  • 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’s two daughters are Carlthorp alumnae.
  • 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, hanging out with his three brothers, and exploring LA with his wife and children.
  • June Doy

  • Patricia Zanuck

    Business Office Associate

    Patricia was a public elementary school educator for several years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College (Vermont) and a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California. Born in Oslo, Norway, she spent her childhood years moving back and forth between Norway and the United States before settling in Los Angeles after college graduation.
  • Ken Parr

    Director of Finance

    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 over a decade. His responsibilities include managing the business office, the school’s finances, advancement, payroll and human resources, and the overseeing of the physical plant.

Institutional Support

List of 4 items.

  • Mary Wheeler

    Executive Assistant to the Head of School

    Mary is thrilled to be joining the Carlthorp community. She grew up in Dallas, Texas and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. She moved to Los Angeles eight years ago and loves living in sunny Southern California. She previously worked as the Officer Manager at the Marina del Rey Tourism Board and as a Center Director with Mathnasium. In her free time, Mary loves to read, play with her dog Molly, and travel.
  • Izzy King

    Administrative Assistant

    With nearly a decade of experience as a member of the Carlthorp School faculty, first as a math teacher and most recently as a 6th grade teacher, Izzy will move into a staff position as an administrative assistant at Carlthorp in 2023-2024. A member of the Carlthorp Class of 2009, Izzy holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from California State University, Northridge. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, and cheering on the Los Angeles Kings.
  • Ninette Zubia

    Front Office & Admissions
  • Karen Gwartz

    Administrative Assistant

    Karen is a native Californian who grew up in Van Nuys. The 2018-19 school year marks her 29th year at Carlthorp School as an Administrative Assistant.  She is excited to be working alongside such a friendly and warm faculty and staff.  In her spare time, she likes to watch movies, spend time with her family, and curl up with a good book.

Social, Emotional & Academic Support

List of 2 items.

  • Paul Curtis

    Learning Specialist

    In his role as a Learning Specialist at Carlthorp School, Paul brings 20 years of experience in education and a passion for helping students and families “put the pieces together” to find success. Paul holds a B.A. in English from UCLA and is currently finishing his master’s in special education through the University of Florida, with certificates in dyslexia as well as disability in society. With training in reading, writing, and math intervention programs, Paul has served as a reading specialist, administrator, and general learning specialist. In previous positions at Westmark School and Crossroads School, Paul collaborated with teachers on lesson differentiation and targeted student support. In his free time, Paul enjoys playing and coaching basketball, reading, and walking around Santa Monica with his dog, Jax, and partner, Megan.
  • Sharon Lee

    Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning Specialist

    Sharon Lee returns to Carlthorp this year as our Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning Specialist. Having served over 30 years in education, Sharon comes to us with a variety of experiences, all leading with child development at the heart of her approach. Sharon spent decades at Carlthorp School as a lead Kindergarten teacher, mentor, and Admissions Team member. Prior to Carlthorp, she taught at Pilgrim School and LAUSD. She left Carlthorp to be the Director of Student Learning and Literacy Coach at Saint Mark’s School in Altadena. Sharon has also served as a primary curriculum consultant with Mathnasium, an Educational Care Team Member with Dr. Tina Bryson at the Center For Connection, and was the Camp Mustang Science teacher at Marlborough Summer School. 

    In addition to her duties with independent schools, Sharon enjoys her role as a Parenting Coach - facilitating support groups, parent presentations, and educational tutoring with a specialty in Dyslexia and ADHD. You may also have heard her as a regular guest speaker on KPCC's Take Two with Alex Cohen. To round out her experience, Sharon most recently served as the Director of Piper Preschool in Santa Monica. Her 2020 arrival to Piper allowed her to practice the many skills necessary to lead a preschool through a pandemic. She is happy to be back "home" at Carlthorp, ready for her next chapter and eager to support emotional and academic learning. In her spare time, Sharon enjoys cooking, reading, and giving walking tours of Los Angeles Chinatown. Her greatest joy comes from spending time with her husband, two daughters, and pug (from Steve Springer!)





Admissions

List of 5 items.

  • Stephen Milich

    Director of Admissions
    Email
    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.
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  • Tika Martin

    Associate Director of Admissions
    Email
    Tika has spent over a decade working at independent schools in Southern California and is passionate about engaging families as they navigate their educational journey. Tika graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in human development and psychology, returned to her alma mater to begin her career in admissions, and then pursued a master’s in education at Harvard University. She aims to bring authenticity, compassion, and integrity to her work with diverse communities, coming to Carlthorp with experience at USC, Marymount, Campbell Hall, and The Archer School for Girls. In her free time, Tika enjoys taking walks by the ocean, traveling to new places with her husband, and spending quality time with family and friends.
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  • Jasmine Grajeda

    Admissions Associate
    Email
    Jasmine first joined Carlthorp School as a teaching assistant in 2020 and now serves as an administrative associate in the Admissions Office. She looks forward to assisting prospective families throughout the application process.
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  • Ninette Zubia

    Front Office / Admissions
    Email
    Ninette is thrilled to serve as a member of the Admissions team at Carlthorp School.
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  • Cyreeta Sharp

    Director of Community Engagement and Belonging / Admissions Interviewer
    Email
    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.
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Facilities

List of 4 items.

  • Jesus Grajeda

    Facilities

    Carlthorp School is pleased to welcome Jesus to our Facilities team. Jesus brings years of experience in the retail management field, and he is excited to apply his problem-solving skills to help support the Carlthorp community. A proud father of two, Jesus spends time away from work coaching his daughter’s soccer team or taking photos of her Ballet Folklórico performances. He also enjoys skateboarding and gardening.
  • Francis Sasso

    Facilities Manager

     
  • Vilma Zavaleta

    Housekeeping

    Vilma has worked at Carlthorp School for 35 years.  Born in El Salvador, she is the mother of two children.  She loves spending time with her grandchildren, at her church and shopping.  
  • Jose Portillo

    Facilities

    Jose has worked at Carlthorp School for 6 years in the Facilities Department.  Born in El Salvador, he has two children.  In his spare time he loves to spend time outdoors playing soccer and other sports. 

Community Engagement

List of 4 items.

  • Nikki Edwards

    Community Service Coordinator

    Nikki has coordinated community service for seven years, leveraging her prior experience as a parent volunteer with the program while her three sons attended Carlthorp. She also served as a school trustee for five years. She believes engaging students in meaningful, enjoyable service activities helps promote a lifelong commitment to helping others.

    A graduate of Southampton University with degrees in economics and accounting, Nikki is a Chartered Accountant and worked many years as a management consultant for Price Waterhouse in London and Los Angeles. A keen athlete, Nikki played on the British national lacrosse team for ten years, and continues to enjoy coaching, soccer, and mountain hiking with her husband, Tracy.
     
  • 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.
  • Tasha Johnson

    Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

    Tasha has worked in the education field for over 20 years. She is a three-time presenter at the California Association of Teachers of English on critical pedagogy and incorporating a social justice lens into the curriculum, served on the steering committee for the CREWS program through the Southern California College Access Network, developed and facilitated professional developments for Loyola Marymount University, holds a certificate in conflict resolution as a certified facilitator from the California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ), and is trained in cross-cultural facilitation techniques.
  • Jenna Murdock

    Special Programs Coordinator

    Jenna brings a wide range of skills and experiences to her role as the inaugural Special Programs Coordinator at Carlthorp. With a B.F.A. in Art Education from the University of Florida, Jenna has taught in under-resourced urban public schools, worked in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, and served in independent schools. Jenna has a passion for learning about the challenges people face all over the globe, and her approach to teaching is rooted in the belief that there is always a way to connect. She is proud of her biracial background and loves to explore the world with her family. Jenna’s two daughters attend Carlthorp as students.

Security

List of 3 items.

  • Saul Rivas

    Interim Director of Technology
  • John Wallace

    Director of Security

    John is a former LA County Deputy Sheriff and has an advanced P.O.S.T. Certificate with over 33 years of combined law enforcement and executive protection experience. John attended LA Valley College and received a football scholarship to attend Prairie View A&M University of Texas and Carroll College of Montana. John has worked at Carlthorp school for 14 years, has a wife Donna, two sons and a Daughter. John has one dog and four cats. (All Rescued!!!)
     
  • Sal Cortes

    Security
    Sal is a native California resident. He attended Pierce College, where he was the Student Body President, and Cal State Northridge University in the nearby San Fernando Valley. He has nearly 25 years of experience as a law enforcement professional with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department including work in private security, executive protection, and private investigation. 
     
    He was an accomplished high school and collegiate wrestler competing and representing the United States in tournaments in Greece and Japan. Sal is also an avid fisherman. When he’s not at school, he’s usually out on the water or spending quality time with his family.

Teaching Assistants

List of 6 items.

  • Sara Martinez

    Teaching Assistant (Grades 3-4)

    Sara Martinez, who has worked with children for over 10 years, serves as a teacher’s aide for 3rd and 4th grade. Sara is excited to enter the homeroom classes and reunite with students after being a part of the Spanish Department for two years. Sara is currently going back to school to earn an associate degree in Elementary Teacher Education and plans to continue her education to become a Carlthorp teacher in the future. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books, making jewelry, and spending time with her family including her dog Bruce.
  • Andrea Baird

    Yard Supervisor

    Andrea graduated magna cum laude from California State University, Long Beach, where she studied both child development and family life education. With years of experience working as a behavior specialist, she is passionate about providing support and guidance to children and families, and strives to make positive impacts on the lives of those around her. In her spare time she enjoys camping, playing board games, friendly competitive team sports, and spending time with friends and family. Andrea is so grateful to be a part of the Carlthorp School community!
  • Tirsa Cueva

    Teaching Assistant (Grades 1-2)

    Tirsa loves how rewarding it is to work with kids and support their growth, which is precisely what she will do as Teaching Assistant for grades 1-2 at Carlthorp School. In her previous role, Tirsa worked as an assistant pre-K teacher for four years. She has also volunteered in public schools in Los Angeles, Azusa, and Chicago and has led beginner music lessons for children ages 6-14. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tirsa has taken courses in early childhood and will be receiving a bachelor’s in Spanish from Azusa Pacific University next year. As an educator, Tirsa focuses on creating a safe and nurturing environment and providing students with the tools to help them find and use their voices. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, catching a Dodgers game, and going to concerts.
  • Kenia Martinez

    Teaching Assistant (Kindergarten)

    After a year working as a part-time teaching assistant for kindergarten and first grade, Kenia is now a full-time teaching assistant for kindergarten. Kenia is instrumental in helping Carlthorp’s youngest students feel safe and welcome at their new school, assisting with a variety of support tasks throughout the school day. She recently completed her associate’s degree at West LA College.
  • Irene Lozano

    Teaching Assistant (Grades 5-6)

    Irene will continue working as a teaching assistant at Carlthorp in 2023-2024, now serving grades 5-6; she previously supported grades 4-5. Irene initially joined Carlthorp in the 2021-2022 school year and has become a positive role model for students, not just in the classroom but also on the yard and during Late Care. In her free time, she enjoys baking and spending time with her husband and two children. Her daughter is a student at Carlthorp.
  • Yamayra Burcham

    Teaching Assistant (Science and Math)

    Building on her previous role as a teaching assistant for grades 2-3, Yamayra will be a designated teaching assistant for Carlthorp School’s science and math departments. Yamayra is looking forward to supporting students on their academic journeys and fostering their love of learning.