Faculty Bios – Humanities
Humanities Upper School Chair – Sarah Porter
Sarah Porter, 11th grade Humanities. B.A. (English Literature), Bryn Mawr College; M.A., (English Literature), University of Virginia. Sarah taught at Tandem School in Charlottesville, VA. A certified TESOL teacher, she also has taught English-as-a-second-language and as a foreign language in Turkey and Seattle. Her interests include theatre, reading, and French. 6 years at NWS.
Humanities Middle School Chair
– Greg Jones
Greg Jones, 6th grade Humanities. B.A. (Liberal Studies), California State University, Chico; M.A. (Curriculum & Instruction, Specialization in Literacy), Lesley College, Cambridge, MA; K-12 Teaching Credential. Greg's 23 years of experience in education include teaching multi-age classes (grades 3-6) at Oakdale Heights School in Oroville, CA; third grade at the Oakdale Heights School; sixth grade at the Anna McKenney School in Marysville, CA; and being an Environmental teacher at the Woodleaf Outdoor School in Woodleaf, CA. Greg loves being a dad and being outdoors. 13 years at NWS.
Adina Berg, 10th and 12th grade Humanities. B.A. (Philosophy), Bryn Mawr College; M.A. (Philosophy), University of Edinburgh; National Endowment for Humanities Fellow, Trinity College; Royal Society of the Arts Certificate in Counseling. Before coming to NWS, Adina taught at Bootham School, York, England, and was a Council for Basic Education Fellow. Adina is the author of several historical plays, including
The Trial and Death of Socrates: the Musical Comedy and
Darwin & Nietzsche: the Malaise of the 19th Century. 11 years at NWS.
Jeff Blair, 8th and 10th grade Humanities, Upper School Boys Soccer Coach. B.A. with Honors (Political Economy), Colorado College; M.Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction), Seattle University as James Madison Fellow (for teaching the U.S. Constitution); 2001 Gates Foundation Teacher Leadership Project grant recipient; Washington State Teaching Certificate, PLU. Jeff has worked on curriculum projects for organizations such as Facing the Future and the World Affairs Council. 20 years at NWS.
Suzanne Bottelli, 11th grade Humanities, 12th grade Writing, Environment Program. B.A. (English Language and Literature), University of Virginia; M.F.A. (Creative Writing), University of Iowa; M.A. (English Literature), Middlebury College. Suzanne taught at the Bullis School in Potomac, MD, and at the University of Iowa. She is a nationally published poet and has won awards for her work from the Seattle Arts Commission, the Washington State Artist Trust, and Jack Straw Studios. 15 years at NWS.
Tamara Bunnell, 7th and 8th grade Humanities, 8th grade Coordinator. B.A. and Washington State Teaching Certificate, The Evergreen State College. Tamara won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Pakistan. She also won the Washington Education Association Leader in Restructuring Award. Before coming to NWS she taught 7th grade at Shelton Middle School for four years. She has been a Curriculum Consultant and Writer at the Experience Music Project and served on its Educator Board. She recently participated in an international Gilder-Lehrman seminar on the Cold War at Cambridge University (UK). 15 years at NWS.
Scott Davis, 12th grade Humanities, Mime & Movement. B.A., Princeton University; J.D., University of Washington School of Law. Scott has a broad range of teaching experience at The Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Vitautas Magnus University School of Law (Lithuania), Loon Soup/The Princeton Movement Theater Group, and Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia). He danced professionally with Lingo Dancetheater from 2000-2007 and collaborates and performs with a variety of local artists. 10 years at NWS.
Leslie Eisen, Humanities and Physical Education. B.A. (Environmental Studies & Community Studies), University of California, Santa Cruz; M.Ed. with teaching endorsements in Middle / Secondary Social Studies and Language Arts, University of Oregon. Leslie's prior experience includes teaching 7th grade English, Humanities and Social Studies. She is a member of the Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club and a certified yoga instructor. New at NWS.
Heather Hall, 9th grade Humanities. B.A. (English), University of North Carolina; M.A. (Liberal Studies) Duke University. Heather has taught at Annie Wright School, Duke University, and Casady School (Oklahoma City, OK). Her interests include soccer and reading. 3 years at NWS.
Gary Jones, 10th grade Humanities. Doctor of Arts (British Romantic Literature; Rhetoric and Composition), University of Oregon; M.A. (English and American Literature), University of Oregon. Gary taught writing and literature at Iowa State University. He was an Associate Professor of English and Director of Composition at Upper Iowa College; Associate Professor of Writing and Literature at Central Connecticut State University; and an Associate Professor of English at Cornish College of the Arts. His interests include theories of play and games, folklore and folk songs, performing arts, and spectator sports. 13 years at NWS.
Harumi LaDuke, Humanities. B.A. (English Literature and Creative Writing, Music), Dartmouth College; Royal College of Music, London, UK. This past year, Harumi was a substitute teacher at NWS and a faculty member at the Seattle Conservatory of Music, where she taught music history, theory and ear training. New at NWS.
Benji Perin, 9th grade Humanities. B.A. (English Literature, Minor in Biology), Middlebury College; coursework in Physics and Chemistry, University of Washington. Benji joins the faculty for a third time! He has previously taught Upper School Humanities and Physical Science. He works part time as a translator for Spanish-speaking patients. New at NWS.
Calvin Shaw, 9th and 12th grade Humanities, Track and Field Coach. B.A. (English), University of Hawaii; M.A. (Composition and Rhetoric), University of Hawaii. Calvin's interests include jazz and reading. 3 years at NWS.
Daniel Sparler, 11th and 12th grade Humanities, Spanish. B.A. (Spanish) Phi Beta Kappa, University of Arkansas; B.A. Ed. Summa Cum Laude, Eastern Washington University; Kansai University of Foreign Studies, Osaka, Japan (diploma); Coursework completed for M.A. (Comparative Literature), University of Arkansas. Daniel was a journalist with the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1981-1988. He is on the Board of the Northwest Horticultural Society. 17 years at NWS.
Glen Sterr, see biography under
Administration – 12th grade Philosophy
Sam Uzwack, 7th & 10th grade Humanities, Outdoor Education Program, Boys Soccer. B.A. (History) Cum Laude, James Madison University; Master in Teaching, Professional Teaching Certificate, University of Washington. Sam taught Humanities at Noorvik Aqqaluk Middle / High School in an Inupiaq Eskimo village in Alaska. He leads trips for the NWS Outdoor Education Program and loves mountaineering and backcountry skiing. 7 years at NWS.
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