Faculty & Staff
The majority of our faculty are teachers from Germany and other German-speaking countries in Europe who have undergone extensive pedagogical training. We apply the same high standards to our English-speaking faculty. Most of our teachers have master’s degree level qualifications in education, some have Ph.D. degrees, and all are experts in bilingual instruction.
- Academic Leadership
- Preschool
- Kindergarten
- Elementary School
- Middle and High School
- Learning Support
- Extended Day
- Administration
Academic Leadership
Kaylene Rudd | Executive Director
Kaylene is passionate about inquiry and project-based learning and brings extensive school leadership experience to EBGIS. She started her career in teaching and went on to assume various leadership roles in PK-12 learning environments. Among other things, Kaylene served as Curriculum Coordinator, Curriculum Director, and Middle Years Head of School at public, charter, and private schools in Texas and California. Most recently, Kaylene served as Managing Director of High Schools for a charter school system with fourteen high schools serving over 7,000 students. Kaylene also serves as an evaluator, examiner, workshop leader, and consultant for the International Baccalaureate Americas organization, helping schools across the Americas in their efforts to authorize and implement IB programs, including bilingual IB programs, serving students from preschool through high school.
Kaylene grew up and attended school in Germany before returning to the US as a youth, and she is excited for her two children to enjoy a bilingual education at EBGIS.
Claudia Müller | Director of Teaching and Learning
Claudia grew up close to Berlin, Germany. She earned her education degree from the University of Potsdam with a focus on English and French, and her PhD in English Didactics from the Technische Universität Braunschweig. Claudia has worked for over ten years as an educator in Germany and the US. In her free time, Claudia is a board member, volunteer, and DJ for San Francisco Community Radio and she enjoys exploring the Bay Area’s outdoors.
Ingrid Haider | Director of Kindergarten
Ingrid grew up in a small town in Austria. After completing her education as an early childhood teacher in 2000, she worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher in Vienna, Austria. In 2013 she earned her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at San Jose State University and has experience as a therapist in pediatric private practice and schools. Ingrid enjoys time with her daughters, music, podcasts, yoga and the outdoors.
Traci McMillan | Preschool Director
Traci was born and raised on California’s Central Coast. She developed a love for the visual arts, theater and dance at an early age. Traci received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz, and was inspired to pursue a career in early childhood education while working with several Bay Area non-profit organizations. She has worked closely with young children for over a decade as both a teacher and preschool director. In her free time Traci enjoys exploring the outdoors, traveling and gardening.
Sarah Spruch | Director of Extended Learning and Enrichment
Sarah grew up in Dortmund, Germany, where she earned her certification as a Physical Education teacher at the Academy for Gymnastics and Sport. She came to the United States in 2011 to play college tennis in Mississippi and Arizona. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a master’s from Holy Names University in Oakland, where she is currently completing a master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a multi-subject credential.
Neil Hetrick | IB Coordinator
English, Middle and High School
Neil grew up in Northeast Ohio. He acquired a passion for German language and culture in his junior year of high school when he participated in a youth exchange program near Bremen, Germany. Since then, he has lived, worked, and studied in Germany, Switzerland, Ireland and Spain. Neil earned his undergraduate degree in multi-age German education from the University of Toledo, and his MA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) and international education management. In his free time, Neil enjoys traveling, trail running, and baking bread.
Mónica Lomas | Learning Support Coordinator
English
Monica grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She studied Modern Languages at the University of New Mexico with a concentration in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Monica went on to study Elementary Education at the College of Santa Fe. She has been in the field of education for a decade working with all ages from kindergarten to high school. Her experience ranges from teaching in a bilingual Spanish program to curriculum development to consulting work with the San Francisco Unified School District. Monica enjoys time with her family, dancing flamenco, and creating block prints.
Preschool
Traci McMillan | Preschool Director
Traci was born and raised on California’s Central Coast. She developed a love for the visual arts, theater and dance at an early age. Traci received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz, and was inspired to pursue a career in early childhood education while working with several Bay Area non-profit organizations. She has worked closely with young children for over a decade as both a teacher and preschool director. In her free time Traci enjoys exploring the outdoors, traveling and gardening.
Grace Buka
Teacher
Grace was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to Germany when she was eight years old. She grew up in a small town near Stuttgart. Grace became a state-certified early childhood educator (Erzieherin) in 2013 and taught in a Froebel kindergarten prior to joining EBGIS. In her free time, Grace enjoys being in nature, practicing martial arts and reading.
Jorina Bumm
Teacher
Jorina was born in Nuremberg and, after becoming a State-Accredited Early Childhood Educator, worked as an au pair in the Bay Area from 2016-2018. She has since worked as a classroom aide and science teacher in a German foreign language school in Utah. In her free time, Jorina enjoys hiking, reading, geocaching and traveling.
Sebastian Klavehn
Teacher
Sebastian was born near Heidelberg and grew up near Wiesbaden and Ulm, Germany. He earned his degree as State-Certificated Early Childhood Educator in 2020 and worked in a preschool in Ulm for three years. Sebastian also has experience as a media educator working with older children and has worked with refugees and people with special needs. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, being with friends, listening to music, and exploring the world in his classic car.
Andrea Kühnapfel
Teacher
Andrea grew up in Berlin, Germany. She completed professional training in the fields of early childhood education, sound pedagogy therapy, and education for children with developmental disabilities. She has 15 years of experience as an early childhood educator throughout Germany. In her free time, Andrea enjoys acting in theater, creating sculptures, and painting.
Yvonne Levenhagen
Teacher
Yvonne grew up in a small town near Hannover, Germany. She undertook professional training in Early Childhood Education in Mannheim and Hildesheim, obtaining her diploma in 2004. After working with youth across Germany she relocated to Gran Canaria where she was for ten years a preschool teacher at the Deutsche Schule Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Yvonne enjoys staying active through sports and immersing herself in the beauty of nature.
Michaela Ranftl-Dietrich
Teacher
Michaela was born and raised in Berlin. In 2008 she completed her studies in Early Childhood Education. Since then, Michaela has been working with children between the ages of one and seven. After six years as a Montessori teacher, she earned a special training certification in integrative pedagogy in 2014. In her free time, Michaela likes to go to the movies, play the guitar, and spend time in nature.
Maryam Riahishiraz
Teacher
Maryam earned her bachelor’s degree as a State-Certified Early Childhood Educator from Stiftung SPI in Berlin and a psychology degree from the University of Shiraz in Iran. She has over five years of experience working with children at schools throughout Germany. In her free time, she enjoys reading, ice skating and running.
Melanie Riedle
Teacher
Melanie grew up in Karlsruhe, Germany. She earned her bachelor's degree in social work at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences with a major in Education and has worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher ever since. Melanie enjoys singing, cooking and traveling.
Luisa Schneider
Teacher
Luisa grew up in a small town near Heidelberg, Germany. After completing school, she spent time in the United States as an au pair. After returning to Germany, she earned her bachelor’s degree as a State-Certified Early Childhood Educator from the Academy for Social Pedagogy in Sinsheim with an emphasis on the link between practical work and theory. She worked with children aged one through ten and coached girls' gymnastics. In her free time, she loves sports, dancing, acrobatics, crafting and spending time in nature.
Jasminka Zrna
Teacher
Jasminka grew up in a small town in Croatia. She earned her degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Zagreb. After completing her studies, she moved to Munich, where she worked with kindergarten and preschool-aged children for seven years. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and visiting theaters and museums.
Alexander Dippon
Assistant Teacher
Coming soon.
Kindergarten
Ingrid Haider | Director of Kindergarten
Ingrid grew up in a small town in Austria. After completing her education as an early childhood teacher in 2000, she worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher in Vienna, Austria. In 2013 she earned her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at San Jose State University and has experience as a therapist in pediatric private practice and schools. Ingrid enjoys time with her daughters, music, podcasts, yoga and the outdoors.
Rebecca Hoyt
Teacher, Assistant Kindergarten Director
Rebecca grew up near Göttingen, Germany. She completed her professional training in Early Childhood Education at the Vinzenz von Paul Schule, College for Social Pedagogy. She previously worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher while earning a second degree in Early Childhood Education from the HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Art in Hildesheim. In her free time, she enjoys music, being in nature, and spending time with family and friends.
Christiane Hissbach
Teacher
Coming soon.
Denise Tigges
Teacher
Denise grew up in Balve, Germany. She completed her bachelor's degree as a State-Certified Early Childhood Educator at the Academy for Social Pedagogy in Bestwig, Germany, with a focus on linking practice and theory. Denise previously taught in an early childhood program at an international school. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and baking.
Patrick Wilder
Assistant Teacher
Coming soon.
Elementary School
Lisa Vestewig
Elementary Grades Administrative Coordinator
Lisa grew up near Ulm in the South of Germany. She earned her education degree from the University of Education in Ludwigsburg with a concentration in German, English and PE. Lisa has eight years of experience teaching in elementary schools in Stuttgart, Germany and the US. Lisa enjoys traveling, being with friends and dancing.
Lars Dittmer
Teacher
Lars was born in Northern Germany and grew up near Munich. He holds a degree in British/American studies and political science from Potsdam University. For the past ten years he has taught elementary school in Berlin. When not at work, Lars enjoys visiting museums, attending science talks on astronomy and natural history, and skateboarding. Lars also enjoys producing and listening to music, reading, and spending time with his cats.
Jana Ezawa
Teacher & Art
Jana grew up outside of Bremen in Northern Germany. After earning her primary and secondary education degree at the University of Oldenburg she taught Art, Math, and German Language and Literature for ten years in Germany and the US. Jana has always enjoyed raising the cultural and artistic profile of her schools by creating collaborations with local art institutions.
Johanna Haertl
Teacher
Johanna grew up in a small town in southern Germany. She earned her degree in primary education from the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg with a concentration in Biology, German, Mathematics and Art. Johanna then taught elementary school near Nuremberg and in Munich. Johanna enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, swimming and traveling.
Julie von der Heyden
Teacher
Julie grew up near Düsseldorf, Germany. She earned her education degree from the University of Education in Essen with a concentration in German, Mathematics, and PE. Julie has eleven years of teaching experience at elementary schools in Germany, Spain, Italy, and the US. Julie enjoys traveling and various outdoor activities including hiking, biking and swimming.
Olivia Kistler
Teacher
Olivia grew up near Zurich, Switzerland and earned a degree in primary education in Rorschach. After teaching in Switzerland she traveled around the world before returning to Europe and teaching first grade at the Swiss School in Milan. Olivia believes in creating an engaging school environment through stories and imaginative lessons. She still loves traveling to new places, hiking in nature, reading and playing board games.
Mónica Lomas
English Teacher
Monica grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She studied Modern Languages at the University of New Mexico with a concentration in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Monica went on to study Elementary Education at the College of Santa Fe. She has been in the field of education for a decade working with all ages from kindergarten to high school. Her experience ranges from teaching in a bilingual Spanish program to curriculum development to consulting work with the San Francisco Unified School District. Monica enjoys time with her family, dancing flamenco, and creating block prints.
Salome Schad
Teacher
Salome grew up in a Swiss-German family in Stuttgart, Germany. After traveling widely and studying in Switzerland, New York City, and Madrid, she earned master's degrees in social anthropology, sociology, and economics. Upon completing a post-graduate degree in teaching, Salome worked as a teacher in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Bolivia. Salome has also been a Red Cross volunteer, a professional social worker specializing in refugees, and a UN worker. She loves nature, pedagogy, arts, and culture.
Elia Singer
English Teacher
Elia grew up in Toronto and earned their Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto and their MFA at Columbia College Chicago and York University. Elia has over twenty years of teaching experience, primarily teaching English and Humanities at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels in Canada, the US and Turkey. Elia has also written and implemented several courses and started the media program at their school while working at the Toronto District School Board. Recently, Elia spent seven months training as a Hospice Chaplain at Portland Providence Medical Center.
Middle and High School
Neil Hetrick | IB Coordinator
English, Middle and High School
Neil grew up in Northeast Ohio. He acquired a passion for German language and culture in his junior year of high school when he participated in a youth exchange program near Bremen, Germany. Since then, he has lived, worked, and studied in Germany, Switzerland, Ireland and Spain. Neil earned his undergraduate degree in multi-age German education from the University of Toledo, and his MA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) and international education management. In his free time, Neil enjoys traveling, trail running, and baking bread.
Julia Amplewski
Biology, Chemistry
Julia grew up in a Polish family in Bremen, Germany. She has always been interested in languages and cultures. Julia earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Bremen, specializing in biology and chemistry. Julia has ten years of teaching experience and has spent the last two years teaching science and math at the German International School of Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, biking, hiking, and traveling.
Derek Burle
Music
Derek began playing guitar and performing music at an early age. He attended college at U.C. Santa Cruz and performed professionally while finishing his degree. Derek has taught music for nearly a decade. In addition to guitar, Derek teaches electric bass, ukulele, songwriting and music production. As a performer, Derek has toured extensively on the West Coast and in Europe. In his free time, Derek enjoys riding his bicycle, rock climbing and reading sci-fi.
Chi Chi Chang
Spanish
Chi Chi was born in Taiwan and grew up in the United States. They majored in Spanish and Sociology at Middlebury College in Vermont, and during that time also studied abroad in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Chi Chi has taught youth of all ages in a range of subjects. Most recently, they taught Spanish and Mathematics at a local high school. They love to dance, cook, play soccer and garden.
Yvonne Hagemann
German, Global Citizenship
Coming soon.
Scott Higgins
Mathematics, Physics
Scott grew up in Berkeley, Tehran, and upstate New York. He developed his engineering, science and mathematical skills while earning a bachelor’s degree in Geophysical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Sixteen years ago, after careers in oil exploration and jewelry importing, Scott entered CSU Chico’s graduate education program to transition to teaching math and physics. He taught physics for five years in Fresno, California, and for the last eight years has taught Advanced Placement Physics and Mathematics in China.
Daniela Klimetschek
Ethics, German, History
Daniela earned her Gymnasium teaching degree (equivalent to a US master’s degree in education) at the Technische Universität in Berlin. She has eleven years of teaching experience in Germany and the US including German, English, Drama, and Humanities, as well as preparing students for the German Abitur university-entry examinations. She enjoys spending time with her family and traveling around California and the US.
Julia Neumann
German, History
Julia grew up in the German Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region near the French border, which sparked her curiosity about diverse cultures. Pursuing her passion for education, she obtained teaching degrees in Bavaria as well as studying in Switzerland. Over the years, Julia has taught a variety of national and international secondary school curricula and has also taken on academic leadership roles in Germany, India, and the United States. In her free time, Julia enjoys spending time with her dog, traveling, visiting national parks, and engaging in cultural activities.
Emily Rubis
Music
Emily grew up in Minnesota where she attended St. Olaf College, double majoring in German and Biology. Deciding after this that music was her passion, she earned a Bachelor and Master of Music at San Francisco State University in Piano Performance, and most recently completed her MA in Musicology at Humboldt University of Berlin in 2015. Emily has performed, taught and written about music for over 10 years and has spent 7 years living in Germany where she also taught music and worked as a translator of musicological texts.
Eva Strohmeier
Art
Eva grew up in Frankfurt, Germany. After completing her Abitur, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she received her bachelor’s degree from Sonoma State University, a Post Baccalaureate Degree in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute, and a Master of Fine Art degree in painting from The California College of the Arts. During her twenty-two years of teaching, Eva has taught elementary through college level students including seventeen years of teaching in a high school International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking and bike riding.
Haley Wooning
English Language Arts
Born in California, Haley spent her childhood between the Bay Area and the Netherlands. She received her MA degree in English Literature and writing in 2019 and has ten years of teaching experience. An avid reader and writer, Haley has over thirty publications under various pen names and one book of poetry. In her free time, she enjoys reading, horseback riding and puzzles.
Kevin Wuttke
Mathematics & Chemistry
Kevin grew up in a village near Berlin. After graduation, he earned his master’s degree in education from the Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, specializing in Mathematics and Chemistry. Kevin has four years of teaching experience, including preparing students for the highest German high school diploma, and has worked with the Technical University of Darmstadt with a focus on diversity in the STEM fields. He broadened his knowledge of bilingual instruction through internships at German international schools in London and Brussels. In his free time, Kevin enjoys healthy baking, going to the gym, and playing a good computer game.
Sabina Veit
Art, Geography, PE, Middle School
Sabina grew up in Switzerland and earned her education degree at the University of Applied Science in Berne. She has a wide range of teaching experience including Art, Physical Education, Geography, Ethics and Arts and Crafts from kindergarten to high school. Sabina has taught at schools in Switzerland including a school for hearing impaired students, as well as the German International School in Sydney, Australia. Sabina enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, hiking, nature, good food and cooking.
Sandra Schmidt
German, Geography, Social Studies
Sandra grew up in Lübeck, in Northern Germany, on the Baltic coast. She earned her education degree from the University of Leipzig with a concentration in German and Social Studies. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and geography from Heidelberg University. As an exchange student, Sandra spent a year studying at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and two years studying and teaching in China. In her free time, Sandra enjoys reading, dancing, and going to the beach.
Luca Boine
Teacher Trainee
Luca grew up near Dortmund, Germany. He is currently studying English and History Education at the Ruhr-University Bochum. He was a soccer coach for more than seven years and taught at an elementary school in Germany. In his free time, Luca loves spending time with his family and friends and playing soccer.
Learning Support
Mónica Lomas | Learning Support Coordinator
English
Monica grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She studied Modern Languages at the University of New Mexico with a concentration in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Monica went on to study Elementary Education at the College of Santa Fe. She has been in the field of education for a decade working with all ages from kindergarten to high school. Her experience ranges from teaching in a bilingual Spanish program to curriculum development to consulting work with the San Francisco Unified School District. Monica enjoys time with her family, dancing flamenco, and creating block prints.
Carolin Hummel | Learning Support Specialist
Carolin grew up in southern Germany. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education in 2012 and later a second degree as a teacher of children with developmental disabilities. Carolin has worked in a preschool and kindergarten, as well as a rehabilitation clinic for special needs children. In her free time, Carolin loves being outside, hiking, biking, dancing and traveling.
Sarah Stögbauer | School Counselor
Sarah, a Munich native, has a background in early childhood education and social work. Sarah has extensive experience working with diverse populations including youth with learning challenges and mental health populations. In addition to her professional pursuits, Sarah is a dancer and dance teacher. By teaching dance to children and adolescents, she combines her love for movement with her dedication to empowering others.
Andrea Kühnapfel
Teacher | Student Support Specialist
Andrea grew up in Berlin, Germany. She completed professional training in the fields of early childhood education, sound pedagogy therapy, and education for children with developmental disabilities. She has 15 years of experience as an early childhood educator throughout Germany. In her free time, Andrea enjoys acting in theater, creating sculptures, and painting.
Michaela Ranftl-Dietrich
Teacher | Student Support Specialist
Michaela was born and raised in Berlin. In 2008 she completed her studies in Early Childhood Education. Since then, Michaela has been working with children between the ages of one and seven. After six years as a Montessori teacher, she earned a special training certification in integrative pedagogy in 2014. In her free time, Michaela likes to go to the movies, play the guitar, and spend time in nature.
Extended Day
Sarah Spruch | Director of Extended Learning and Enrichment
Sarah grew up in Dortmund, Germany, where she earned her certification as a Physical Education teacher at the Academy for Gymnastics and Sport. She came to the United States in 2011 to play college tennis in Mississippi and Arizona. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a master’s from Holy Names University in Oakland, where she is currently completing a master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a multi-subject credential.
Constanze Dangelmaier
Extended Day Teacher
Constanze grew up in the foothills of the Alps in the beautiful Allgäu region of Bavaria. She earned her Masters Degree in Sinology, Philosophy and Psychology from Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich. She also studied Chinese in Taiwan and Beijing, living in China for two years. Constanze has over five years of experience teaching German and English in Asia, Europe and the US. She loves singing, playing the violin and viola, arts and photography. She can be reached at cdangelmaier@ebgis.org.
Yoko Kurotani
Extended Day Teacher
Sarah Stögbauer | School Counselor
Sarah, a Munich native, has a background in early childhood education and social work. Sarah has extensive experience working with diverse populations including youth with learning challenges and mental health populations. In addition to her professional pursuits, Sarah is a dancer and dance teacher. By teaching dance to children and adolescents, she combines her love for movement with her dedication to empowering others.
Administration
Pia Newton
Admissions and Enrollment Manager
Pia grew up in Stuttgart in southern Germany. She studied Business Administration for Non-Profit Organizations, graduating in 2018. Pia has experience in the fields of administration, organization, marketing and communication, and volunteered at a children's camp in Stuttgart over an eight year period. In her free time, Pia likes to be active and loves being in nature. Pia can be reached at pnewton@ebgis.org.
Samuel Hedrick
Operations Manager
Samuel was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. After completing an exchange year in Wiesbaden, Germany as a Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholar, he went on to earn his BA in German Studies and International Relations from Kent State University, and his MA in Political Science from the Goethe University Frankfurt. Samuel has lived and worked in Germany for over six years, where he was working in the diplomatic field. In his free time, Samuel enjoys traveling, hiking, running, and playing the cello. Samuel can be contacted at shedrick@ebgis.org.
Colleen Wilberts
Finance Manager
Coming soon.
Taylor Simmons
Registrar
Coming soon.
Geru Mabrey
Custodian
Coming soon.