Faculty and Staff

Catherine Daugherty: Director of Administration

For 17 years, Catherine has been helping small, independent schools advance their mission in the various senior leadership roles that she has carried. Her background includes marketing, new business development, finance, and human resources, working with senior leaders in the corporate sector before finding her passion in education and helping to grow Waldorf pre-K to 8 and pre-K to 12 schools in Ontario.

She became our Director of Administration in September 2017 and is working closely with the Director of Education and Board of Trustees in holding a big picture vision for the school, a role she feels will test and hone her skills. As a strategic leader, the most rewarding part of her work is identifying and addressing organizational issues that help a school to thrive, and as a fundraiser, it is helping donors to discover the joy in their gift.

Originally from the UK, Catherine is a life-long-learner and has recently graduated from the University of Guelph with a Masters of Arts in Leadership. Prior to that she completed the Waldorf Collaborative Leadership program at the Rudolf Steiner Centre in conjunction with Antioch University in the Spring of 2006. She has been on the board of directors at Trillium Waldorf School in Guelph, the Rudolf Steiner Centre, Toronto and now Whistler Waldorf School (ex-officio). Her two daughters are Waldorf graduates.

For fun, Catherine is passionate about the outdoors both in rural and urban settings, hanging out in art galleries, and exploring local food markets.

Jennifer Dodds: Admissions Manager

Ms. Dodds serves as our Admissions Manager. She has a Bachelor of Arts as well as a Masters of Arts Education. She has six years of non-profit administrative experience and extensive experience working in the education sector. Jen has been involved with Waldorf education since 2006 and currently has three daughters enrolled in the school. In addition to being a Waldorf parent, she is also a certified Simplicity Parenting Coach. Her door is always open and she warmly welcomes ideas on how we can further deepen our collective understanding of Waldorf education and child development through Parent Enrichment offerings and how we can cultivate increased community connection.

Eva Bergersen: Finance Manager

Ellen Maclean: High School Math and Science Teacher; High School Chair

Ms. Maclean is working alongside Mr. Power and Ms. Blancher as part of our science and math team. She has a BSc in Biochemistry, a BEd with a focus on Environmental science, Biology and Experiential education and she recently completed her MA in Education and Waldorf High School Teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College, Sacramento.

Lucien Power: High School Math and Science Teacher

After graduating from Wynstones Steiner school in Gloucester, England, Mr. Power spent a year working for a geotechnical engineering company. This sparked his interest in engineering and he went on to study civil engineering at the University of Nottingham. During this time, Lucien also worked for an engineering company in London, England. He continued working in the engineering field after graduating until he decided that working with children and teenagers was his passion. After enrolling at the University of Gloucester and completing the Post Graduate Certificate of Education, Mr. Power spent a few years teaching in state (public) schools until 2009 when he moved to Vancouver to teach at the Vancouver Waldorf School. There he taught physics, chemistry and maths as well as serving as guardian to the recently graduated class. Lucien has recently moved to Squamish with his partner and is enjoying working with the students at Whistler Waldorf School!

Stephen Maskell: High School Math and Science Department; Grade 8 Guardian

Mr. Maskell grew up in Wales and while studying at Cardiff High School he took part in an engineering competition which sparked his want to pursue a career in a technical field. Upon graduation, he went on to study Aerospace Engineering at University of Hertfordshire with an exchange year at West Virginia University in the United States. During university, Steve continued volunteering with Scouts and participating in outdoor activities. It became apparent that working with children and youth was the direction he wanted to take.

The next few years were spent working with young people and combining his love for the outdoors by managing a Scout Campsite and working in the outdoor education sector. During this time, Mr. Maskell completed a Graduate Apprenticeship in Outdoor Education. There was something missing though; that technical, analytical side wanted to be aired and so he worked at the Ministry of Defence before completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Steve then moved to Whistler and after working in the adult education sector at Blackcomb Aviation, he has now returned to what he loves, teaching mathematics to awesome adults of the future.

Nina Moore: Grade 2 Teacher

Ms. Moore moved to Whistler in 2010, drawn by the mountains, and community feel of a small town. She joined Whistler Waldorf School right away, working in the Early Years department as a Preschool teacher, Parent-Child program facilitator, and then Kindergarten teacher, as well as offering Simplicity Parenting workshops.

Nina graduated with a BA in History and International Relations from London, UK, and then spent the next three years working as a teacher in northeast Japan. Moving to the west coast of Ireland, she trained in Early Childhood Education, and has extensive experience working with very young children and their parents.

Ms. Moore completed her Waldorf Grade School Teaching Certificate in 2015, learning at the West Coast Institute and the Rudolph Steiner Centre, Toronto.

Nina is also a practising artist, happiest when engaged in creating. She has one daughter enrolled in the school, and a younger son who will be one day!

Joanna Berringer: Grade 4 Teacher

Catherine Mitchell Roy: Grade 7 Teacher

Ms. Roy joined Whistler Waldorf in 2016 as the new Grade 5 teacher. She has taught Science, English and Art at a Tibetan school in India and Visual Arts and Science at New Westminster Secondary School in the Lower Mainland. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Fine Arts from Bishops University, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Simon Fraser University. Cat began working with youth as a lifeguard and swim instructor in 2003 before coming to Whistler in 2009. She immediately felt at home in our mountain community with its vibrant arts scene. She gained additional experience while living in Thailand, volunteering with an elephant rescue and rehabilitation program and teaching at the local school.

Cat is very excited to be a part of the Waldorf community and bring her passion for art, creativity, and adventure to her class. She’s thrilled to be working in a school where curiosity and connectivity to nature can flourish.

Katherine Fawcett: Lower School Music Teacher

Ms. Fawcett has been teaching music for over 28 years. She began as a piano teacher, and moved into violin and voice at the Whistler Waldorf School approximately 8 years ago. Katherine has lived all over Canada, including Montreal, Yellowknife, Calgary and Canmore, and even spent several years in Japan where she taught English. She and her husband currently live in Squamish with their children Jack  and Lilah. Katherine is also a yoga enthusiast, trail runner, skier, an award-winning writer and a member of the Pemberton Orchestra.

Marie-Christine Dionne: French Teacher

Madame Dionne joined the Whistler Waldorf School in 2016, teaching French in the lower school and high school. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Certificate in Second Language Teaching from Concordia University. Marie-Christine also spent a semester in Geneva where she taught a Grade 2 class. She is thrilled to be given the opportunity to expand the French program at Whistler Waldorf by bringing a part of her culture and her love for languages. Marie-Christine visited BC many times before officially making it her home in 2016. The mountains and outdoor lifestyle brought her here, and when she is not teaching, she enjoys climbing, hiking, snowboarding and travelling.

Romy Grayson: Applied Arts Teacher

Ms. Grayson joined Whistler Waldorf in November 2016. She has worked as a certified Carpenter in the Whistler area for the past 10 years and prior to that, was an Administrative Assistant and Event Manager for over 13 years. Romy was born in Eastern Germany and grew up in Stuttgart. She decided to come to Whistler with her dog ten years ago on a Work and Travel Permit and never left. She now has a daughter attending the school.

Mollianne Reynolds: Handwork Teacher

Ms Reynolds is caring, creative  and dedicated. She combines a firm hand with a sense of humour to make her an adored teacher and faculty member. Mollianne attended Waldorf schools in Vancouver, Germany and Toronto, and after a few years in the health and vitamin industry and at a bio-dynamic farm, she decided to become a Waldorf teacher herself. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in English, she went to Germany, to study at the world’s first Waldorf school. She completed her Waldorf Teacher Training in Stuttgart Germany. Mollianne joined Whistler Waldorf in 2004, with the Grade 6 / 7 class, and led them to graduation before starting with a group of 15 Grade 1 students in 2006.

Mollianne brings incredible creativity to her handwork classes. She is a talented chalkboard artist, painter, illustrator and fabric artist. She is also highly skilled at knitting, crocheting, sewing and needlework and usually has several projects of her own underway at once.

Edrie Henderson: Classroom Assistant

Ms. Henderson provides teaching support to our grade school and high school students, as well as acting as class guardian for the grade 11 students. She has a BSc from UBC in Physiological Psychology, a Diploma in Outdoor Recreation Management from Capilano College and a Diploma in Special Education for Teaching Assistants from Kwantlen. Edrie worked as a Wilderness Trip Leader for five years in the Whistler and Pemberton area taking at risk youth on extended wilderness canoe, backcountry skiing and backpacking trips. Ms. Henderson has also worked with youth in remote areas of Alberta and has worked for the past 13 years as an educational assistant and private tutor.

Edrie grew up in Vancouver and recently moved to the Pemberton area with her husband. She has a son and a daughter. Ms. Henderson is excited to be living where she used to work and is especially happy to be working at the Whistler Waldorf school.

Ute Grimm: Briar Rose Teacher

Mrs. Grimm moved with her family from Germany to Canada seven years ago. Being a Waldorf alumnus herself, she completed her Eurythmy training in Stuttgart and taught this subject for more than twenty years. Following this, she turned to her long time passion of helping children with special needs and completed a post graduate diploma for Waldorf Class Teachers, as well as a Certificate in Remedial Education. Mrs. Grimm worked as a full time Remedial Specialist at the Vancouver Waldorf School for five years, and then stepped into a class teacher position. Her deep understanding of anthroposophy, her remedial background, her rich experience in Eurythmy and, last but not least, raising four children has contributed to her success in teaching, remedial work and consulting with parents.

Ute has enjoyed continuing her teaching career at the Whistler Waldorf School as Eurythmy and Remedial teacher, as well as getting to know the Whistler Waldorf School community. Ute has been appointed as our school’s 1st Liaison to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.

Akiho Matsunaga: Early Childhood Assistant

Karina Pena: Early Childhood Assistant

Ms. Pena has nearly 8 years of experience as an assistant teacher and co-teacher in both the playschool and kindergarten classes at Whistler Waldorf. She completed her ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) certification in 2010, and continues to work towards her Waldorf Teacher Training – Early Childhood certification each summer. She has several years experience as a nanny, and also worked at Whistler Blackcomb. Originally from Peru, Karina moved to Whistler ten years ago.