Woolman Staff

Kathy has been involved in education in one way or another since earning a Bachelor's degree in Human Services from California State University at Fullerton. Kathy taught pre-Kindergarten and 1st Grade for 6 years prior to homeschooling her own 3 sons for 10 years using a self-directed learning model.  Throughout those years Kathy also volunteered as a teacher and coordinator of children and teen programs in local and regional Quaker meetings. Kathy's ideas of relaxation include reading, walking, gardening, camping, drawing and hiking. However, more than anything, she enjoys just hanging out with friends or family for a nice chat over a cup of tea.

Samantha is a graduate of Wesleyan University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Studies. She grew up in Goldens Bridge, NY fifty miles outside New York City and comes west to Woolman with a desire to promote experiential learning, exploration of social justice issues in the classroom, and participation in sustainable living. The principles of Self-help she learned while attending Wooster School in Danbury, CT instilled in her a belief that true community is often forged through shared investment in a physical space. She has a special passion for print culture, particularly letterpress printing and bookmaking. Samantha loves travelling to new states, drinking black coffee, and laughing with friends over meals at Woolman.

Originally from the strawberry fields of Oxnard, CA she relocated to Northern California in support of grassroots and international struggles. She strongly believes to walk on the ground of her own being, her passion stems from linguistics, philosophy, mesoamerican art and technology, guerrilla digital filmmaking, photography and indigenous people's rights. At Woolman she hopes to speak to students who are seeking to follow a dream for social movements, seeking to transform their educational path and build their self-consciousness and awareness.

Angelina Conti is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she graduated from Haverford College with a degree in Anthropology and Peace & Conflict Studies. She has worked as a chaperone and co-coordinator for youth programs, as a freelance writer and editor,  and as a political organizer and volunteer coordinator. She came to Quakerism through the youth programs of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and worked for two years at Friends General Conference in their publishing and anti-racism programs. At Woolman she teaches Peace Studies, which uses the social sciences, writing, literature and documentary film to get at issues of power and oppression, and Humanities & Ethics, an experiential class focused on self knowledge and community life.

Malaika holds a BA in Environmental Studies and dance from Oberlin College and has traveled the world studying grassroots activism, globalization, and ecology. She has been an organizer and educator for over 15 years working for environmental health, justice and community self-reliance. In 2001 she co-founded the People's Grocery, an organization working to find creative solutions to the food needs of West Oakland by building a local food system and a local economy. She now serves on boards of People's Grocery and the BriarPatch Cooperative and works to support equitable regional food systems. Malaika is a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service, she was chosen by Utne Reader, San Francisco Magazine and Organic Style Magazine as a young visionary and environmental leader. Malaika's life goal is to create positive change through love and service.

Casey first went away to summer camp when she was 8 years old. She's never looked back. She has been working at different camps on both coasts of the U. S. for 14 years now and at Quaker wilderness adventure programs for 11. In between these summers, she's earned a bachelors degree in Geography and Geology from Mary Washington College, spent 3 years working as a teacher naturalist and director for an outdoor education program, traveled and lived abroad and most recently spent two years as the Education Manager at a Children's Museum. She has been co-directing Sierra Friends Camp since it's first summer, in 2005. Casey counts among her camp-related skills a passion for building communities, expertise in the artform of getting dirty and a gift for cooking gourmet food over a camping stove. When not at camp, she lives in San Francisco.