Faculty

Letitia is a Richmond native. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Education from Long Island University (LIU). She participated in the Friends World Program at LIU, which had 8 academic centers around the world. This program focused on developing world citizens, critical thinkers, and self-motivated learners. Her studies led her to Waldorf methodology. While in college, Letitia took on internships at Waldorf schools in London, England and Byron Bay, Australia. Letitia did her Waldorf teacher training at the Sunbridge Institute.

Letitia became a class teacher at RWS in 2002 and led her class from grade 1 through grade 6. When her children were young, she took some time off from class teaching and spent 5 years leading a Waldorf-inspired, in-home, early-childhood program. In 2013, she resumed her role as a class teacher at RWS.

In addition to teaching, Letitia enjoys camping, biking, paddling on the river, and adventuring with her 4 boys and husband. She also loves traveling, reading, and cooking.

“It is important as a teacher to show my class that I have a love of teaching and learning. This will help to develop this joy in my students. What I bring to them, no matter how academic it is, must come from my heart.”

Sara graduated from VCU with a Master in Teaching, a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies for Elementary Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in French. She student-taught in Henrico County Public Schools and at the International School of Florence in Italy. 

Her heart ultimately led her to Waldorf, where she was inspired by an education that reaches the head, heart, and hands. She completed her Waldorf teacher training at the Sunbridge Institute in New York in 2019, and has happily been a class teacher at RWS since 2016.

Outside of teaching, Sara enjoys hiking, reading in her hammock along the river, and teaching her pet pig new tricks.

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings, who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.” -Rudolf Steiner

Margaret holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Ithaca College School of Music, where she was introduced to her lifelong interest in the Suzuki Strings method, and she gained a strong foundation in traditional string pedagogy, music theory, music history and composition. While at Ithaca, Margaret founded an indie rock band, and after graduation, she was drawn to the vibrant music scene of Providence, RI.

Margaret continued teaching and performing for the next two and a half decades, first in Providence, then in Philadelphia, and most recently in the Washington, D.C. area where she ran an outreach program for Levine Music from 2009-2015 in SE DC, offering discounted Suzuki Strings lessons to families living in Wards 7 and 8. During this time she also became a parent to an active child who loves being outdoors. After searching for alternative educational philosophies, her family felt at home with Waldorf education, and its principles have been central to her teaching ever since.

Margaret completed the Antioch Center for Anthroposophy’s Explorations Program in 2020, the foundational studies course for Waldorf Educators. After Waldorf homeschooling and teaching primarily at her home studio and online in recent years, she was thrilled to join the RWS community as faculty and parent in the Fall of 2022.

When she is not teaching or playing music, Margaret enjoys knitting and crocheting, running, exploring new places with her family, and experimenting in the kitchen with gluten-free recipes.

“I am continually awed by what the children can accomplish when given a nurturing environment and a patient guiding hand. Their creativity and joy in music-making inspires me daily.”

Irina has taught Russian language at RWS for the past 16 years. She taught Russian at the University of Richmond between 2011 and 2016, where she also organized a summer program for language study in St. Petersburg, Russia. In addition, she has run her own business since 2009, specializing in fiber arts and upcycled clothing. She holds a Master of Arts in Russian History from St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia.

“My students and my colleagues inspire me to learn something new every day.”

Reid joined RWS in the 2020-2021 school year as the 8th grade woodworking teacher. He built custom furniture from 1996 to 2017. Before that he was a video store clerk, a stunt driver, and a missionary.

Deborah graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science from Bluefield College (VA) and holds a Waldorf Early Childhood Certification from the Sunbridge Institute. She had the good fortune of discovering RWS in 1997. After several years volunteering on the Board of Trustees as the Treasurer, then working as the Administrator, Deborah followed her true calling to teach. Now, many years later, she is grateful to partner with families and journey with them during their children’s early childhood years. When not at school, Deborah enjoys hiking, attending local attractions, and continuing her studies.

“All children want to shine, and my work as a teacher is to help children find ways to show their brilliance and to have a growing, confident inner sense that they are able beings.”

Ben joined Richmond Waldorf School in Fall 2023 as Faculty Administrative Assistant. Ben brings a diverse professional background and an academic interest in education to his role. Since moving to Virginia in 2020, Ben has worked in the wine industry in distribution, hospitality, and retail settings. Prior to that, Ben lived in Asheville, North Carolina where he earned a B.A. in Ethics and Social Institutions from UNC Asheville and operated an independent toy store. Ben hails from Metro Atlanta and enjoys Richmond’s lack of traffic relative to the streets where he first learned to drive. 

Ben and his fiancée, Ashley, enjoy trying new restaurants, creating Dungeons and Dragons characters, and playing with their cat, Goose.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater performance and a Master of Education in clinical mental health from Ohio University. She has taught movement arts for fifteen years in both studio and classroom settings, specializing in dance, movement fundamentals, improvisation, yoga asana, mindfulness, mask and puppetry, and interdisciplinary creative arts. Prior to graduate school, Elizabeth was a Fulbright Fellow studying folk dance in the Republic of Georgia. Her clinical work post-graduate studies supported early childhood families. 

After moving to Richmond with her young family, Elizabeth was drawn to the developmental and holistic approach of whole-child education at RWS. She joined RWS in Fall 2022 and is ecstatic to be part of this community which values movement, play, and the creative arts as integral to personal and collective well-being.

What inspires me each day: the students’ love for meaningful work and the way that they earnestly take up the tasks given to them.

What it is about Waldorf Education that calls to me: the connections that are woven between the various academic and artistic disciplines. There is a gradual and meaningful building that occurs, concept upon concept, and experience upon experience.

Katie holds a Master of Arts in Education from Antioch New England Graduate School, a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from the Center for Anthroposophy, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Anthropology from James Madison University. Katie has served many roles at RWS since 2001: class teacher, faculty chair, board member, visual arts teacher, and College member.

Katie and her husband have 2 boys who have attended RWS since preschool. She loves gardening, camping, walking in the woods, art, and music.

“I hope the classroom feels like a home with a predictable flow and order that is comforting, reassuring, and inspiring—a space that frees the mind to think and work, rather than cluttering it with unnecessary stimuli.”