Our Faculty
Valley Waldorf City School, inspired by Waldorf Pedagogy, is a teacher-led school. The College, composed of faculty members and staff members who have shown a particular commitment to the ideals of Waldorf Education and the continuing work of the school, takes ultimate responsibility for educational policies and curriculum of the school. They are closely supported in this work with guidance from the Board and Faculty.
The relationships between teachers and students are central to learning in our school.
Our dedicated faculty work with parents to support and develop relationships in order to nurture each student’s growth and enthusiasm for discovery, both individually and with the group. In the grades, each class teacher moves with their students, (ideally grades 1-5) allowing them to deepen their academic and social understanding of each student to enhance the whole class community.
Petra Liati
Early Childhood, TK and Kindergarten
Petra Liati was born in southern Germany where she grew up in the outskirts of a small village surrounded by forest covered mountains.
It was 19 years ago when her creative skills in hand work and crafting fueled her interest in Waldorf Education. Thus, she decided to enroll her children into Waldorf Kindergarten and Waldorf School in Germany.
Meanwhile Petra attended the University of Cologne, Germany where she studied Theater, Film and TV Science, as wells as English and Pedagogy and successfully passed the intermediate examination, which is equal to a bachelor's degree.
To further her Waldorf Education, Petra completed an Early Childhood Waldorf Training Program for daycare providers and led a group of ages three and under for three years. When the opportunity to work in the United States opened, she and her three children moved to Los Angeles, where she worked as a part time assistant at a Waldorf/RIE Preschool in the Hollywood Hills. At the same time, she became part of the staff at the Valley Waldorf City School as a yard supervisor in the aftercare program, and in 2017 joined the Early Childhood program.
Petra completed the Early Childhood program at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC), a three year teacher preparation program, and has been teaching in Valley Waldorf City School’s Early Childhood, TK and Kindergarten, since March 2021.
Maika Kusama
Fifth Grade, Earth Arts (blending Gardening, Ceramics, and Cooking)
Maika Kusama was introduced to Waldorf Education over twenty-five years ago when she attended a Waldorf summer program with her daughter led by two visiting German instructors. Astounded by the engaging days brimming with art, community, and nature, she vowed to connect her family to this style of education for many years to come. Since that decision, her daughter and nine nieces and nephews have attended Waldorf schools at some point during their education. This deep and storied connection ultimately led her to becoming a Waldorf style teacher in 2018.
Maika received her Fine Arts Degree from Mills College after finishing Master's level classes with Ron Nagle where she was awarded the Eleanor Crumb prize in ceramic excellence. She is currently completing her formal Waldorf education with the Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC).
In her free time, she is an award-winning ceramic artist, avid chef, organic gardener, and amateur musician with a passion for yoga, dancing, martial arts and outdoor adventures in the great unknown!
Sarah Northrip
Second and Third Grade, Handwork
Sarah Northrip was born in Los Angeles, where she has lived most of her life. She earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies, her credential, and her M. A. in Teaching, from Chapman University and subsequently fell in love with the rich curriculum developed by Rudolf Steiner. Sarah is committed to social justice and believes in the power of education to transform not only ourselves, but the world. She has attended numerous workshops and lectures on Waldorf Education and child development and is a member of the Anthroposophical Society. She began her Waldorf Certification at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, CA and completed it locally at the Waldorf Institute of Southern CA.
Before moving back to Los Angeles in 2008, Sarah took a class from grades 1-4 at Journey School in Aliso Viejo, (a charter school inspired by Waldorf pedagogy). She has worked at The Valley Waldorf City School since 2011 in various capacities, including registrar/office manager, kindergarten assistant, handwork teacher for grades 1-8, substitute teacher, mentor, and as a grades teacher.
She lives with her husband, two children, one who attends and one who graduated from Valley Waldorf City School. When she has the rare joy of spare time, Sarah enjoys baking, singing, writing, and all kinds of handwork, which she brings into her teaching.
“Love is higher than opinion. If people love one another the most varied opinions can be reconciled - thus one of the most important tasks for humankind today and in the future is that we should learn to live together and understand one another. If this human fellowship is not achieved, all talk of development is empty.” -Rudolf Steiner
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” -Albert Einstein
Frédérique Braunstein, 6/7 and French Teacher
Frédérique was born and raised in Paris, France. She first came to Philadelphia, PA as an exchange student at the University of Pennsylvania during her pursuit of a PhD in Cultural Studies. She ended up teaching at UPenn as a lecturer in French for nine years. She then moved with her husband and children to Los Angeles, where she taught for five years at a progressive private school called Oakwood School. While searching for a school for her three young children, Frédérique explored different progressive options such as Montessori and Quaker schools, but in Waldorf education she found an educational model that she could trust to meet her children’s social, emotional, and developmental needs. She is thrilled to be able to introduce prospective families to the magical world of Waldorf education, and to the warmth of The Valley Waldorf City School community.