Faculty and Staff

Robert E. Graves, Head of School
BA History – University of California, Davis
MAT History – University of California, Davis

Bob Graves has been involved with independent school education for over thirty years in locales as diverse as California, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Virginia, and Nevada. Beginning his career as a history teacher and coach, he has also been a Dean of Students, and Upper School Director, prior to his tenures as Head of School. Bob and his wife, Julie, have three daughters.

Kris Nugent, Assistant Head of School / Director of Admissions
BA Teaching – University of Newcastle, Australia
BA PDHPE – University of Newcastle, Australia

Mr. Nugent joined the Lake Tahoe School community in 2006. In addition to teaching Health, Mr. Nugent is involved in many aspects of the School’s Athletics department and is a natural coach. Born and educated in beautiful Australia, he was bitten by the travel bug and has lived and traveled throughout the world. He settled in Lake Tahoe in order to teach and to pursue his favorite hobbies, which include alpine skiing, golf, and summertime beach BBQ’s (Australian style).

Mark Brockway, Director of Maintenance
Certification: OSHA Training, Contractor Orientation

Originally from Illinois, Mr. Brockway has been with LTS for the past twenty five years and a resident of Incline Village since 1995. He has experience in a variety of areas including sales, management, construction, and coaching sports teams. He has two sons, Steven and Kyle, who live in Japan and Austin, Texas, respectively. Like most residents of Lake Tahoe, Mr. Brockway loves the outdoors, where he spends much of his free time with his wife, Evelyn, and dog, Simba.

Bill Devine, Director of Security

Mr. Devine was born and raised in Reno, NV, and attended Idaho State University on a Track and Cross-Country Scholarship. He brings a wealth of experience, having enjoyed a 30-year law enforcement career with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, holding various assignments in Patrol, Detectives, Narcotics and Search & Rescue. Mr. Devine rose to the rank of Sergeant and holds an Advanced Certificate in Nevada Peace Officer and Standards Training (P.O.S.T.). He has also worked with private enterprise consulting on security issues. His hobbies include running, biking, backpacking, golf and spending time with his family, including three grandchildren.

Cynthia Keeler, Director of Development
Academy of Art, San Francisco

Cynthia was born and raised in the Bay Area and spent many summers and winters at Lake Tahoe. She lived abroad for ten years in Vienna, Austria where her two boys were born. She became deeply involved in the expat community as Vice President of The Vienna Family Network. She organized larger groups of volunteers and many fundraising events to support Austrian charities. She has played a large role in fundraising at the American International School in Vienna and worked as a substitute German teacher at the International School of Atlanta. After traveling the world with her family she is excited to make North Lake Tahoe her permanent home. She enjoys cross country skiing and hiking with her Labrador and paddle boarding in the summer.

Karen Laurie, Executive Assistant
Baradene College, New Zealand

Ms. Laurie joined the Lake Tahoe School administrative staff in June of 2015 but was a parent at the school for 15 years, volunteering on many committees and fundraisers. Her three children all attended Lake Tahoe School, and are all now proud Bobcat alumni. She was born and raised in New Zealand and moved to Lake Tahoe in 1992 after spending 5 years traveling and living in Sydney, London, and Chicago. She loves hiking, skiing, golfing, and spending time with family and friends.

Josh Palmer, Director of Operations
Criminal Justice - University of Nevada, Reno

Josh was raised in Reno and attended Truckee Meadows Community College and UNR before graduating from the Northern Nevada Law Enforcement Academy and joining the Washoe County Sheriff's Office at age 21. During his 23 years at the Sheriff's Office, Josh served in many leadership and training roles, including patrol, detectives, and retiring as a sergeant. Josh entered the private sector and managed a local company's extensive grant portfolio and operations. Josh enjoys time with his family, hiking, and fishing. Josh looks forward to utilizing his experience to help establish efficient workflows and maximize Lake Tahoe School's productivity and performance.

Steve Pandola, Director of Technology
BA Film Studies - University of California, Santa Barbara

Mr. Pandola’s professional career has spanned many industries, from film and television to web development, to hands-on pursuits like remodeling and furniture building. He has found the common denominator across all industries is an ability to problem solve and find solutions in challenging situations. After seeing his wife enter the education field, he was inspired to find a way to share his insights and experience with students, and is excited to have found a fitting position at Lake Tahoe School.

Allie Sacci, Director of Marketing and Communications
BS Business Management, Marketing - Menlo College

Allie emphatically joined Lake Tahoe School in May of 2019. With a background in marketing and experience in administration, project management, and early childhood education, she is able to utilize the skills and knowledge she has obtained from her diverse background to establish marketing strategies and goals for our school and community. Originally from the Bay Area, Ms. Allie moved to Incline Village in 2014, where she still regularly enjoys hiking, skiing, and relaxing at the beach. She now lives in Carson City with her family.

Kristine Schneller, Administrative Coordinator
BA Business Administration - Sacred Heart University

Ms. Kristine moved to Tahoe in 2009 and joined Lake Tahoe School after working for 9 years at a non-profit serving at-risk youth. She has been very involved with the local community and worked extensively with Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Lake Tahoe and Sierra Community House. Ms. Kristine and her husband live in Carnelian Bay and love socializing with friends, skiing and enjoying all that Tahoe has to offer!

Abby Smalley, Director of Wellness
BS Psychology - St. Lawrence University

In her final year of a Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate program, Abby joins our team as a former mental wellness coach, social work intern, and wilderness therapy guide. Having thrived in an independent school environment throughout her own education, Abby is passionate about supporting student well-being and fostering a strong sense of community. Her experience as an associate teacher for gifted learners, combined with her love for the outdoors, aligns perfectly with Lake Tahoe School's commitment to wellness initiatives and fostering a love of learning. Abby is eager to contribute her skills and enthusiasm to our vibrant school environment.

Craig Thomas, Business Manager
BS Sport Management - University of New Haven
MBA Accounting - Southern New Hampshire University

Craig has been in the Lake Tahoe area for the last 12 years. He grew up in Massachusetts and attended school in Connecticut, before packing up and moving to the West Coast. Prior to Lake Tahoe School, Craig worked for Incline Property Management for more than 5 years as their Director of Accounting. He enjoys playing sports, including golf, softball, & volleyball, as well as hiking and beaching. He and his wife, Staci, now live in Reno and are starting a family together.

Allie Maloney, PreK Director
BS Elementary Education - Manhattan College
MS Special Education - Manhattan College
Advance Certificates in Early Childhood Education and School Building Leadership - Manhattan College

With over ten years of classroom and leadership experience in early childhood and elementary education, Allie brings a wealth of practical skills and insights to her new role as Director of our PreK program. Allie Maloney was most recently an Early Childhood Special Education teacher at Incline Elementary. Before moving to Incline, she held leadership roles in the New York City area including extensive curriculum development, instructional coaching and mentoring - each grounded in developing the potential of every learner through meaningful relationships and experiences.

Jenna Panici, PreK3
BA Psychology – California State University, Chico

Ms. Jenna was born and raised in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe. After graduating from college with a BA in Psychology she discovered her love for Early Childhood Education and went on to work as a preschool teacher in Chico, California. While working at the preschool she went on to get her Early Childhood Certification in California. Jenna has been working in a preschool setting since 2010, joining the LTS Staff in 2014. In addition to her passion for Early Childhood Education, she also has a love for traveling and has lived in New Zealand and Italy and has done volunteer work in Costa Rica.

Misty Berberich, PreK4
University of Hawaii and Truckee Community College
ECE Certificate Level 2.1 - Nevada Registry
Diversity and Multiculturalism Certificate - Childcare Education Institute

Misty Berberich joined the Pre-K department at LTS in January of 2020. Ms. Misty moved to Incline Village in 2010 bringing her love of early childhood education with her from the Kona coast of Hawaii to the shores of North Lake Tahoe. In her 20 years of preschool classroom experience watching her students learn, grow and keep her up to date of their achievements through out the years continues to be a source of great joy. When she is not in the classroom she can be found adventuring around Tahoe with her husband Jon, two children Isabella and Jonathan and dog Honey-girl.

Michelle Tsakiridis, PreK3
BS Health Science - California State University, San Jose

Michelle (Meesh) was born and raised in Los Gatos, California. After graduating from college with a BS in Health Science, she discovered her love for Early Childhood Education and began working as a coordinator with Playworks, a national nonprofit organization that transforms schools by providing play and physical activity at recess and throughout the school day. Soon after, she went on to work as a preschool teacher in San Jose, California. In September of 2022, Meesh joined the Pre-K department at LTS. When she is not in the classroom, she can be found snowboarding at Diamond Peak, making music on her computer, or taking her cat Opal for a hike.

Laurel Pandola, Kindergarten
BA - University of Colorado, Boulder
MAT - Sierra Nevada University

Before joining Lake Tahoe School in 2020, Laurel taught Kindergarten and First Grade at Incline Elementary School. At LTS, Laurel loves that her role allows her to interact meaningfully with every student. Laurel moved to Incline Village in 2011 to pursue her teaching credential at Sierra Nevada University, and begin her teaching career. After joining and loving the community, she has made it her family’s home. She is the proud mother of two girls, both students at LTS.

Aaron Gaines, Kindergarten Aide
BA Psychology - University of Vermont

Mr. Aaron has been a part of the Lake Tahoe School community as both a parent and educator, and has lived in North Lake Tahoe since 2003. Mr. Aaron discovered his love for teaching and community service at university as the co-founder of a mentoring program for children. He began his teaching career in 2017 at the Tahoe Community Nursery School and joined LTS in 2020. He loves inspiring students to be curious, creative and confident life-long learners. Mr. Aaron enjoys exploring the great outdoors with his family, volunteering, reading, mountain biking, skiing, gardening, and playing a bad guitar.

Christina Edwards, First Grade
BA Psychology - Bowdoin College
MA Elementary Education - Boston College

Ms. Edwards has been teaching First Grade at Lake Tahoe School for 16 years. She discovered her passion for teaching while working as a K-2 AmeriCorps Volunteer at Incline Elementary School in 2004, and subsequently moved to her native Boston, MA to earn her Master’s degree from Boston College. She enjoys taking advantage of the many outdoor activities Tahoe has to offer, such as hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.

Jeanee Gonet, PE & First Grade Aide
William Jessup University - Elementary Education & Psychology
Gordon College - Recreation & Leisure Studies

Miss Jeanee is thrilled to join the Lake Tahoe School community. Miss Jeanee discovered her love of working with children at a very young age. She attended Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts and proceeded to spend 6 years in Beverly working for the Greater Beverly YMCA as the Associate Gymnastics & Summer Camp Director. She grew up in Grass Valley, California and in 2016 returned to the west coast, settling in Tahoe City. Last winter Miss Jeanee worked for Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows as a supervisor in the kids ski school. She managed the department's private lessons & ran their recreational ski program called Mountain Camp. Miss Jeanee will also be coaching our middle school girls basketball team. She played basketball all through high school and her first year of college. Coach Jeanee has her Captain's license and over the summer she works for Obexer’s Water Sports as a waterski & wakeboard instructor. During her free time Coach Jeanee is an avid mountain biker, skier, hiker, water skier and weightlifter.

Diana Schlaff, Second Grade
BA Community Studies - University of California, Santa Cruz

Ms. Schlaff is in her 7th year teaching at Lake Tahoe School and has worked with young children for over twenty years. Diana loves teaching second grade at LTS, especially math and writing. She has also studied Spanish extensively in the U.S. as well as in Costa Rica, Peru, Cuba, and Mexico. Diana is a coach of Girls On The Run at LTS, a national program for 3rd and 4th-grade girls which promotes the empowerment and self-esteem of girls through healthy habits and exercise. When not working, Diana loves backpacking and ultrarunning. She has backpacked the 171 mile Tahoe Rim Trail 6 times!

Hannah Byrne, Second Grade Aide
BA Spanish - St. Lawrence University

Hannah has been teaching in independent schools since 2010, beginning her career in New England before moving to Tahoe in 2018. Originally from Vermont, Hannah is an avid traveler having lived abroad in Costa Rica, Argentina and Peru. When not in the classroom, Hannah loves spending time outdoors with her husband, Steve, and their son, Weston, and proud Goose Patrol dog, Smokey Bear.

Michelle Vaughan, Third Grade
BA Mathematics - University of Northern Colorado
MA Curriculum & Instruction - San Diego State University
Certification: University of Northern Colorado

Ms. Vaughan is originally from Colorado and ended up in the Tahoe area in 2009 after living in Utah, Montana, Rhode Island, and California. Ms. Vaughan has been teaching since 2007; she started in San Jose, California as a second grade teacher and then moved up to Truckee. She taught second grade at Maxwell Elementary in Sparks for four years before transferring to Incline Elementary school where she taught third grade for six years. Ms. Vaughan is an avid mountain biker and skier (especially Nordic!), and enjoys spending time with her family.

Allie D'Angelo, Third Grade Aide
BA Political Science - University of Colorado, Boulder
MA Special Education - Metropolitan State University, Denver
Certification: University of Colorado, Boulder

Ms. Allie recently moved to Nevada from Colorado. She has her Master's Degree in Special Education and has worked with kids from preschool age up until high school. In Colorado she worked for years at a school that specializes in autism. After working in the Dayton schools for the past two years, Ms. Allie is looking forward to working in an independent school and partnering with Ms. Vaughan and her new group of 3rd graders.

Amory Bundy, Fourth Grade, Drama
BA Humanities / Literature - Sierra Nevada College
Certification: Sierra Nevada College

Ms. Bundy has been teaching fourth grade at Lake Tahoe School since 1998. She is knowledgeable about and adept at standardized test administration and is a theatre buff who believes strongly in using techniques borrowed from dramaturgy in the classroom. Ms. Bundy is indoors an "experimental chef," while outdoors she loves snowshoeing, snowboarding, camping, and kayaking. Most of all she is passionate about her family.

Heidi Breider, Fifth Grade, Lower School Coordinator
BS Economics - University of California Davis
Credential: University of San Francisco

Ms. Heidi has taught at Lake Tahoe School for seventeen years and is the coordinator of the Kindergarten through fifth grade division. She is particularly interested in cooperative partner and group activities and how the social dynamic in the classroom enhances individual learning. Ms. Heidi is the mother of three girls who attended Lake Tahoe School and Incline High School. In her spare time Heidi enjoys reading, cooking, baking and hiking the local trails with her yellow lab Trip.

Stephanie Mancuso, Lower School Learning Specialist
BS Education - University of Nevada Reno
Certification: University of Nevada, Reno

With nearly two decades at Lake Tahoe School, Mrs. Mancuso brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as the Lower School Learning Specialist. She stays continually up-to-date on multi-sensory instruction for both mathematics and language arts, including multi-modal and multi-model instruction. Mrs. Mancuso relies on her philosophy of combining the best of all worlds-integrating both traditional and progressive teaching methods in order to connect with students exactly where they are in their learning journey. Her expertise and determination have helped her create a purposeful educational environment that gives her students the knowledge and confidence to succeed in school.

Patrick Casey, Middle School Social Studies
BA History - University of Nevada Reno
MAT History - Sierra Nevada College

Mr. Casey joined the Lake Tahoe School community in 2020 as the Middle School Social Studies teacher. He is also the coach for the mighty MS Bobcat Volleyball Team! Mr. Casey has been in private education for over 20 years as a teacher, administrator, and coach. Mr. Casey, his wife Kathy, and their daughter Parker enjoy traveling to beaches, Modern Family, and their dog Max. He is an avid cyclist, guitar player, and bass fisherman.

Patrick Fleming, Middle School Math
MS Environmental Education - University of Montana, Missoula
BA Political Science - California State University, Long Beach

Mr. Fleming has been an educator for over fifteen years. Prior to moving to Incline Village, he instructed at both private and public schools across the globe, including Cambodia, Montana, and Virginia. After moving with his family to Lake Tahoe in 2004, he worked in the finance industry for a decade. His love of teaching kept him “moonlighting” as a private math tutor and ski instructor for many years, so he is delighted to be back in the classroom teaching his favorite subjects: math and outdoor education. Outside of school, his family enjoys all that Tahoe has to offer, especially skiing, paddling, mountain biking, and music.

Lisa Gumina, Middle School Language Arts
BA Psychology - Moravian College
MA Education - Widener University

After a bit of time in the New York finance world, Lisa headed back to school for her masters in education and her teaching journey began at an IB middle school in Cherry Hill, NJ, and then onto an independent high school in Southern California. These years were filled with memorable opportunities including teen resiliency research, an East Asian studies fellowship, and mindful education practices. Recently, she co-created a gap program for high school graduates and serves as a teacher coach and mentor. Her professional journey continues here at Lake Tahoe School where she is happily back with middle school students. Originally from New Jersey, by way of Hermosa Beach, California, Lisa and her husband moved to Lake Tahoe in 2022 to enjoy all things outdoors - in fact, she recently added mountain biking to her list. In addition to being a very proud mom to two awesome children who love visiting Lake Tahoe, understanding cultures through experiences, history, and the arts is a priority in her life.

Eric Harssema, Middle School Spanish, Middle School Coordinator
BS Outdoor Education - Ohio University
Masters in Education - Sierra Nevada College

Señor Harssema returned to the LTS faculty as the Spanish teacher in 2016. Eric previously worked at LTS in 2008 as a 2nd-grade aid and 4th and 5th-grade math teacher. Prior to his return to LTS, Eric taught a variety of grade levels and disciplines at Incline Elementary School. Eric has also taught Spanish courses at Sierra Nevada College and the Tahoe Language Center. Outside of school, you will often find Eric and his family enjoying the outdoors, skiing at Diamond Peak, biking the Flume Trail and relaxing in the summer at local beaches.

Joseph Prentice, Sixth Grade Science and Math
BS Geology - University of Arizona

Joseph is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Soil and Water Sciences. He has taught Middle and Upper School English and Science at Denver Public Schools and, most recently, taught International Baccalaureate Sciences in Shanghai, China, for international school students. Joseph also has management experience at Princeton Review Shanghai, coordinating SAT/ACT test prep and providing college admissions guidance for international students interested in attending university in the United States. An avid outdoorsman, Joseph enjoys playing and coaching baseball, flag football, and hiking.

Elena Runyan, Middle School Science
BS Chemistry - Fort Lewis College, Colorado

Elena graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Chemistry from Fort Lewis College in Colorado, where she taught middle school physical science and college chemistry lab courses. She and her fiance, Dillon - who grew up in Truckee - have returned to the area to make Truckee their home. "Ms. Elle" has a real passion for students and teaching. She is also a huge outdoor person, with a love for mountain biking. She was the 2019 U.S. collegiate Downhill Mountain Biking champion. She is very excited to get involved in our outdoor education program.

Laura Vitale, Sixth Grade English and Social Studies
BA Liberal Arts - St. Johns College, Santa Fe
MAT Secondary English - National Louis University
MA English Literature - Middlebury College

Laura joins us from the Chicago area, where she taught in a high school English classroom and a tutoring and test prep center. She has a BA in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in New Mexico, a Master's from Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English, and an MAT in Secondary English from National Louis University. A person of many talents and interests, she is also a certified Yoga instructor and has a diploma in Horticulture as well. She is excited for the opportunity to teach Middle School at Lake Tahoe School.

Tiana Larios, Middle School Learning Specialist
BA Spanish and Special Education - University of Nevada, Reno
M.Ed. English Language Acquisition and Development - American College of Education, Indianapolis, Indiana

Ms. Tiana was born in Malaysia, where she attended the International school of Kuala Lumpur, and also lived and attended schools in Peru and the Czech Republic, but she has always considered Lake Tahoe home. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, and after two years of teaching in Reno and Las Vegas she became an international educator teaching at private schools in Venezuela, the Cayman Islands and Brazil. Living in different countries and experiencing different cultures sparked her interest in learning new languages and working with students with various backgrounds. Her goal as an educator is to make learning fun and challenge her students to be lifelong learners. Ms. Tiana grew up playing sports and now loves to coach. She enjoys being in nature and is especially happy to be back in the mountains where she can hike and take her fur baby to the lake.

Suzanne Batmale, Lower School Spanish
BA Spanish and Cross-Cultural Studies - St. Mary's College of CA
Teaching Degree - Chapman University
International Teaching Program - Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Ms. Batmale has been part of the Lake Tahoe School family as both parent and educator. She is the mother of four children, two graduates from and one currently a student at the University of Nevada, Reno, and one at Incline High School. She has extensive experience in bilingual education and loves speaking Spanish with our littlest Bobcats!

Jon Cooper, Physical Education & Athletic Director
BS Physical Education - University of Vermont
Certification: University of Vermont

Mr. Cooper joined the Lake Tahoe School nineteen years ago and serves as the Athletic Director in addition to his teaching duties. Mr. Cooper has a passion for sharing the fun of sports and teamwork with his students. A standout athlete and the captain of his college tennis team at Vermont, Mr. Cooper has spent his summers working as a tennis pro and running sports camps at Lake Tahoe School. He enjoys being outdoors with his wife Kate, daughter Lily, son Miles and his dogs Ruby and Otis.

Barbara Ellis, Music
MM Music Education - Arizona State University
BM Music Education - University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Ms. Ellis has been teaching at Lake Tahoe School since 2017. She has previously taught in Honolulu, Hawaii and private international schools in India, Indonesia, and the Czech Republic. She has over thirty years of music teaching experience at all levels as well as much experience in musical theater for children.

Silver Hartman, Art Teacher
BA Art - University of California, Santa Cruz
BA Environmental Studies - University of California, Santa Cruz

With Bachelor's Degrees in Art and Environmental Science from UC Santa Cruz, Silver brings a new and unique perspective to teaching art. While working as an Environmental Scientist with the State of California Parks and Recreation Department for the past several years, she has also taught art on a volunteer basis at Tahoe Lake Elementary. She is also an active participant in the Below the Blue Project, whose mission is to raise environmental awareness through art, including using garbage recovered from Lake Tahoe to create art projects for display and education here in the Tahoe Basin.

Debbie Kadziauskas, Lower School Science
BA - California State University, San Diego
Certification: National University

Ms. K is passionate about teaching science and exploring the intricacies of the world. She hopes to share her enthusiasm and appreciation of the natural world and the outdoors with her students through hands-on experiences and experiments. Ms. K is an experienced educator with over 15 years of experience in elementary education. She loves all things outdoors and can generally be found playing in the forest whenever she’s not teaching.

Aly Nugent, Library Media Specialist
BA English - Sierra Nevada College
MA Elementary Education - Sierra Nevada College

Ms. Aly grew up in Incline Village and is a true Tahoe local. She loves spending summers on the lake paddleboarding and wake surfing, in addition to hiking the mountains and skiing in the winter with her family. She has over 10 years of teaching experience in Reno and Incline elementary schools where she was a 4th and 5th grade teacher, and English Language Development co-teacher. Ms. Aly is excited to share her love of books and looks forward to making the Bobcat Treehouse Library Media Center a thriving literacy hub for students.

Jude Ross, MakerSpace
BFA Painting and Printmaking - Bennington College, Vermont
MFA Painting and Drawing - California College of the Arts, California
Post-Baccalaureate, K-8 Education - Western Governors University, Washington
Certification: WA State Teacher License
Certificate in School Management and Leadership - Harvard Business School

Jude joins us with extensive experience in the arts and design thinking arenas. Most recently at the Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, Jude has worked frequently in curriculum design and scheduling and has participated in the NWAIS Leadership Institute and Leadership Conferences. He has presented his thoughts and work at various conferences - and is doing so again in the fall at the OESIS gathering in Boston - and has also taught overseas in Japan for several years.