As we kick off the new school year, we are excited to not only welcome new faculty and staff to the O’Dowd community, but to also congratulate our staff and faculty members who have accepted new roles on campus.
Kim Walsh
President
We are blessed to have Kim Walsh answer the call to be our President. Raised in Southern California, Kim earned her BA in Economics and Finance from UCLA. Kim's 30 year career in public relations and management consulting included senior roles at the White House, the CA Governor's Office and Vice President of Communications at PG&E. Kim first joined O’Dowd as a parent (she has 3 alums!) and later as a board member then Interim-President. Most recently, Kim was our Chief of Campus Planning and Development, overseeing the construction of the new Cummins Center and the acquisition of the campus’ adjacent property, Seneca. In her free time, Kim and her husband Sean care for their little farm, which is the home to a flock of birds, two pigs, and a rescue pitbull.
Michael Aquino
Associate Principal of Athletics and Student Services
Originally from Castro Valley, we welcome back Mike Aquino as our Associate Principal of Athletics and Student Services. Mike brings a wealth of experience and a passion for giving students opportunities to experience and connect with the real world. In his free time, Mike enjoys bodyboarding, running, and collecting all things tiki.
Fran Warmerdam
Interim Associate Principal of Academics
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Fran has been a member and later the fearless leader of the Counseling Department at O’Dowd for 38 years. She loves the Dragon community, deeply believing in the capabilities of our students and the world-class education our teachers provide t. We are grateful for her to take on the role of Interim Associate Principal of Academics for this school year.
Jayce Goree
Associate Dean of Students
Originally from Oakland, our Associate Dean of Students Jayce Goree received his BA in Psychology and Sociology and his MA in Educational Leadership. For the last 10 years, he has worked as a case manager with students, helping them strive and reach for their goals and become productive citizens. In his free time, he enjoys reading and learning about finances.
Britney Brooks
Academic Coordinator
Originally from Oakland, Britney joined the O’Dowd community last spring in the Tech Department as an Interim Instructional Technologist. Britney is now the Academic Coordinator and has also taken on the role of California Scholarship Federation Coordinator.
Marisa Angeles
Dragon Den Manager
Originally from the Philippines, Marisa is a parent of two alumni. She holds a BS in Management and Industrial Engineering. In her free time, she enjoys watching Game of Thrones, and exploring the world by skydiving, zip lining, and walking on beaches.
Gabriel Thoma
Living Lab Gardener
Born in California, Gabriel is a dedicated, hardworking gardener excited for the opportunity to beautify and serve the community. With experience in horticulture and gardening, Gabriel is already helping with many projects in our Living Lab.
Connor Tamor ’18
Math Teacher
Originally from Alameda, we are excited to share that Connor, an O’Dowd alumnus, has officially joined our faculty in the Math Department, and is also serving as a youth minister in Campus Ministry. While a student at O’Dowd, Connor not only received a great education but also learned how important it is to share his gifts.. He is excited to help students grow in their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In his free time, Connor enjoys watching How I Met Your Mother and rooting for the Oakland A’s.
Ana Torres
Math Teacher
An experienced educator and a published journal author from Stanford, we are excited to welcome Ana to O’Dowd. She has a BA in Business Administration from CSUEB, and an MS in Education from Stanford University. Ana was awarded the Stanford Hollyhock Fellowship and worked with Jo Boaler, a renowned math education researcher. Ana is a fluent Spanish speaker and an expert in complex instruction.
Keith Philipil
Math Teacher
From the Bay Area, Keith earned a BS in Finance from Cal State East Bay and MA in Education from National University. He joins the Math Department ready to support our students and build a strong foundation in their mathematical understanding. Keith loves sports and enjoys watching football and playing golf.
Handa Batbold
Math Teacher
From Walnut Creek, we are excited for Handa to join our Math Department. Handa holds a BS in Statistics from UC Davis and an MA in Data Science. Handa has taught at both the collegiate and college prep level and is ready to meet our students. A fun fact - Handa speaks four languages: English, Russian. Mongolian, and Turkish.
Else Johnson '96
Science Teacher
We are excited to welcome Else back to O’Dowd to teach science. Originally a math teacher, then Math Department chair, in her new role Else hopes to inspire students to see their environment through a scientific lens. In her free time Else enjoys hiking and being with her family.
Ian Allen
Physics Teacher
Originally from Berkeley, Ian holds a BAin Applied Physics, an MA in Education, and an MA in Economics. Ian will be joining the Science Department and teaching physics. He is inspired by the spark of understanding in students’ eyes and is ready to start the year. Ian enjoys playing board games, biking, and eating delicious burritos.
Jana Kleczek
Biology Teacher
Originally from Illinois, Jana received her BA in Biology from DePaul University and joins the Science Department to teach Biology. Jana enjoys connecting with her students and inspiring them to see that they are living beings in a living world. In her free time, Jana enjoys being with her family.
Myra Capulong
Religious Studies Teacher
We are excited to welcome Myra to the Religious Studies Department. Myra holds a BA in Geography from Cal and an MA in Theology from the Graduate Theological Union. Myra taught religion and was the Campus Minister at St. Joe’s Notre Dame before joining O’Dowd, and has a wealth of experience as a youth teacher. Myra loves riding horses, watching her two children at swim meets, reading, and watching adventure fantasy.
Aidan Guthrie
Religious Studies Teacher
OOriginally from Oakland, Aidan joins the Religious Studies Department. He has a BA in History from Cal and an MA in Philosophy from the Graduate Theological Union. Aidan hopes to introduce new ideas to his students and help them attain a better understanding of the world around them. In his free time, Aidan enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, running, and camping. And a little-known fact - he performs comedy-poetry at open mic nights.
Laura Goslee ’11
Religious Studies Teacher
Laura Goslee ’11 is excited to step into the classroom with 9th graders this year to help foster the beginning of their O’Dowd journeys. Laura graduated from Gonzaga University (Go Zags!) in 2015 and continued on to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Boston from 2015-2016, where she worked at a community center serving both school-age children and adults.. Service has remained a thread in Laura’s life and she’s excited to bring that to the classroom.
Karen Yavorsky
Religious Studies Teacher
Born and raised in San Francisco, Karen joined O’Dowd in 2019 as Retreats Coordinator in Campus Ministry. Ready for a change, Karen is now faculty for the Religious Studies Department and will be teaching Catholic Experience. Karen holds a BS in Psychology from UC Davis and an M.Div from the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. Karen is inspired to equip students to be problem solvers and innovators in our rapidly changing world. We are grateful that Karen will still be the Friends Project Coordinator.
Cesar Ramirez Salgado
Spanish Teacher
Originally from Los Angeles, Cesar holds a BS in Secondary Education and Communications from CSU Northridge. Cesar joined O’Dowd in January as an administrative assistant and is now one of our new spanish teachers. Inspired to teach students with all learning styles, Cesar works hard to make sure each of his students feels seen, important, and intelligent. In his free time, Cesar is sharpening up on all of his sports trivia and playing soccer.
Fei Wang
Mandarin Teacher
Originally from Southern California, Fei joins the World Languages Department as the mandarin teacher. She teaches with the language experience approach, which promotes reading and writing through the use of personal experiences and oral language. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and doing yoga.
Diana Auguste
Spanish Teacher
Originally from Pennsylvania, Diana Auguste has moved from our Director of Events in the Development Department to teaching Spanish in the World Languages Department. She holds an advanced certificate in Spanish Language and Culture from the American British College in Barcelona Spain. She wants her students to be curious about the languages and cultures that surround them. In her free time, Diana enjoys traveling, cooking, painting, and drawing.
Anto Sweeney
Director of Counseling
Born in Oakland and raised in the Bay Area, Anto will be taking on the role of Interim Director of Counseling. She served as Associate Director of College Counseling for the last 2 years and has been in the counseling field for 19 years. She is excited to be stepping into this new role..
Heather Macbeth
Associate Director of Health and Wellness
Heather joins O'Dowd as the Associate Director of Health and Wellness. She received her BA in Psychology from University of Colorado, Boulder, and her MA in Counseling Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. In her free time she enjoys all things horses, traveling to places with beaches, jungles and wildlife, studying Spanish, and spending time with family and friends.
Julia Diskin ’06
Counselor
Born in Oakland and a proud O’Dowd alumnus, Julia joined O’Dowd last year as the Career Counselor and Academic Support Liaison. This year we are happy to share that she will be a counselor! Julia is also the Director of our Rugby program and continues to be the moderator of the Polynesian Club. Julia received her BA in Ethnic Studies from Cal and her MA in Counseling from San Francisco State.
Matthew McMillan
Counselor
Originally from Austin Texas, Matt joins the Counseling Department after working in counseling in the great state of New York. He loves to be curious and learn new things. He hopes he can motivate students to be persistent, take risks, and learn about the many different experiences and opportunities available to them. In his spare time, Matt enjoys watching NFL football and anime while perfecting his slow-smoke BBQ skills.
Meredith Parry
Associate Director of College Counseling
Leading our counselors to support seniors as they prepare for college, Meredith Parry will be the Interim Associate Director of College Counseling for the 2023-2024 school year. Meredith has been a counselor at O'Dowd since 2013. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, swimming, and sailing.
Kat Siat Muñoz
Instructional Technologist
Originally from San Francisco, Kat is joining the Technology Department as an Instructional Technologist. She has a BA in Sociology and History of Art and Visual Culture from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Educational Multimedia from Cal Poly Pomona.
Zane Cribbs
Head Athletic Trainer
This is Zane’s 3rd year in the O’Dowd community. We are so excited and grateful that she is stepping up to serve as our Head Athletic Trainer. Zane grew up in the Bay Area before moving to DC, attending Howard University, and working in the DC Maryland area for several years. Zane has experience working in the educational athletics space as well as the hospital setting - supporting rehabilitation and leading sports medicine programming. She enjoys time with her family, daughter and traveling to tropical places.
Kian McNair
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Originally from Oakland, Kian joins O’Dowd Athletics as the Assistant Athletic Trainer. She earned a BS in Kinesiology from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and a MS in Athletic Training from the University of Miami. In her free time, Kian enjoys being with her family, watching movies, and eating tacos.
Nicole Ratto ’13
Assistant Director of Admissions
Originally from Oakland with a dual BA in Communications and Italian Studies from Gonzaga University, Nicole has already served for six years as assistant coach for O'Dowd's Girls Rugby Team. She decided to join Admissions because of how much she appreciates the way our Dragon community challenges students to explore their creative, athletic, and intellectual passions. When not on campus, you can find her bouldering, hiking with her dog, thrifting, checking off another National Park, discovering live music events, or trying out new restaurants and breweries in the Bay.
Alexis Branco
Administrative Assistant, Development
Born in Detroit and mom of a class of 2025 Dragon, Alexis is excited to join the Development Team. Alexis was an integral part of last year’s Crab Feed and brings knowledge, experience, and love for O’Dowd to the work she does each day. In her free time, Alexis enjoys planning her next travel adventure, sneaker shopping, and spending time with her daughters.
Raejen Castillo
Youth Ministry Coordinator
We are excited to welcome Raejen as our Youth Ministry Coordinator. He has been working in Youth Ministry roles around the San Francisco Archdiocese for the past 7 years, helping youth discover more about themselves, their spirituality, and the world. In his free time, he enjoys reading, poetry, and discovering music.
Liz Remigio
Retreat Coordinator
Liz, who has been a Religious Studies Teacher at O’Dowd since 2017, now joins the Campus Ministry Team as the Retreats Coordinator. Liz has always enjoyed helping to chaperone our retreats and is excited for the new opportunity to lead this fun and transformative experience.Liz enjoys reading and playing volleyball and softball.