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:: ADDITIONAL STAFF

CORE TEACHERS (other than directors):

DANIEL LEMKE teaches ENGLISH II, WORLD STUDIES, PRE-CALCULUS with TRIG and a music class titled MINOR FRET here at Holden. He is studying Mathematics and Computer Science at the City College of San Francisco. He works as an accountant for the produce department of the Real Food Co. on Polk Street.  He is a devoted hobbyist, currently focusing on chess, chess theory, the guitar, music theory and independent mathematics studies.

JASON LEACH teaches English III and MIXED MEDIA ART. He is an undergraduate student majoring in Women & Gender Studies at San Francisco State University. He is passionate about bicycles and enjoys vegan cooking and making experimental music.

JOEL SAYRE, a Holden alumnus, teaches ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE and LIFE MATH.  He has a BS in Land Use from Metropolitan State College of Denver, where he founded the campus' first environmental and social justice group (MSAVE). In addition to environmental and social justice advocacy and campaigning, he has also organized for specific candidates, including Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Since then he has held consulting positions working in transportation infrastructure project communications management, including the largest expansion of light-rail in the nation's history since Washington, D.C. (FasTracks Denver) and, lastly, the new Bay Bridge projects. A recent graduate of the Executive Master of Public Administration program at Golden Gate University, Joel is thrilled to have the chance to share what he has learned and experienced since being a student at Holden himself. He also plays baseball in two leagues, sculpts, paints, works on his boat and reads everything non-fiction he can.

RIKKI R. EDELMAN teaches ENGLISH II/III, BASIC ALGEBRA, US STUDIES, GARDEN SCIENCE, and AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE and is involved in Holden’s community garden project. She has a B.A. in English Language Arts and Anthropology and holds a Teaching Credential in Secondary English, both from UC Berkeley. wShe is currently working on a MA in Education. She also holds a certificate in Horticulture from Merritt College and has done continuing education in Permaculture and Green Building. Her outside interests include parenting, writing prose and poetry, folklore, gardening, environmental sustainability, health food and social justice. She is a member of the Mycological Society of San Francisco and the Bay Area Writing Project. She is a parent and step-parent of children of different ages and abilities.

COUNSELORS:

ANANYA HIXON is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee here at Holden and teaches an ASTROLOGY course. She has a BA in Psychology from JFK University where she is completing her MA in Counseling with a Transpersonal Emphasis. Her outside interests include Hula Kahiko, multicultural studies, women's psychology, spirituality and empowerment. She holds a Level 3 Astrological Certification from National Council for Geocosmic Research and she spent a year at Kepler College of Astrological Arts and Sciences.

CASEY MCCARROL is a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern here at Holden. As well as counseling at Holden, he is involved in the school's Transition Program and teaches a MARKETING class and a class titled COOL JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS.  He received his MA from the California Institute of Integral Studies in Counseling Psychology.   He is also a leader for Stepping Stones Project, running coming-of-age groups for middle-school boys.  His interests include rites of passage work, reading, painting, being in the outdoors and pedaling about San Francisco, where he resides.

GREG KAPLAN is a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern at Holden and teaches a class called SEX, LOVE AND THE MEANING OF LIFE. He received his BA at UC Berkeley in Japanese Studies and Art History, in addition to having worked and studied for a year in Japan. After his undergraduate work, he helped open a Jewish New York-style restaurant in Berkeley, followed by three years of working for a cookbook publisher. Greg then got his MA in Teaching English as a Second Language at San Francisco State.  For 15 years he taught ESL at schools in the Bay Area. During that time, Greg also trained to be a certified massage therapist. In the counseling realm, he’s facilitated support groups at the Pacific Center and the UCSF AIDS Health Project, as well as having trained and worked on the San Francisco Sex Information Hotline. Greg recently completed his MS in Counseling at Cal State East Bay, as well as a 2-year training program in the Hakomi Method, a body-centered form of psychotherapy. He did his traineeship at Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, working on the crisis phone lines and doing individual counseling.  In addition to his work at Holden, Greg will be in a private practice internship at the Blue Oak Therapy Center in Berkeley. Besides counseling, Greg manages a small apartment building in Rockridge.  For fun, he enjoys working out at the gym, playing Cranium and Trivial Pursuit with friends, hanging out in cafes, eating yummy ethnic food and communing with nature. 

JENNIFER POLSE is a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern here at Holden. Jenn has been working at Holden for the last three years as a counselor. She has recently taken on the role of Office Administrator as well. This semester she will be doing a one hour CHECK-IN group and a group titled WHERE DO I FIT IN MY FAMILY. She attended Humboldt State University in Arcata, Ca. and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master's of Arts in Counseling Psychology. Besides working at Holden, Jenn continues to be a full time assistant manager for an apartment complex in Alameda.

MARA JOHNSON is a Marriage Family Therapy Intern here at Holden and is teaching a class on the ENNEAGRAM personality system and relationships. In addition, Mara has a private practice internship at the Lafayette Counseling Center. She is also a coach/facilitator for Authentic SF and a member of the California Association of Marriage Family Therapists (CAMFT) East Bay Chapter. Mara graduated with a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley and received her MA in Counseling/Marriage Family Therapy from Sonoma State University. With her free time, Mara enjoys hiking, yoga, being in nature, any opportunity to be creative, baking, spending time with friends and loved ones and her women's circle.

RORY JELINSKI is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee here at Holden and teaches ENSEMBLE and MUSICAL SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR LIFE. She received her BA from Beloit College in Wisconsin in Psychology and Music and is currently attending the California Institute of Integral Studies working toward her MA in Counseling Psychology. She is a music enthusiast and has training in guitar, bass guitar, cello, and piano.

SUSAN LACROIX is a Marriage Family Therapy Intern here at Holden and teaches a GENDER ISSUES group. She has a BA in Sociology, with a focus on Social Psychology, from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Counseling Psychology from JFK University. She has been a writer and editor for 20 years and continues to do freelance editorial work while on her way to becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She enjoys hiking, movies, hanging out with her family and really good chocolate. Before becoming a parent, she traveled through Europe and Asia and spent a year in Paris, where she taught English and Journalism to high school students.

PART TIME STAFF:

CHARLES SLOMOVITZ teaches ADDICTION 101 at Holden. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Industrial Arts in 1991. He is currently building an independent record label, HappyParts Recordings. Charles works part-time as a Case Manager & Group Facilitator at Recovery Management Services. He is completing coursework to become a certified Addiction Specialist. Charles is most relaxed when digging through used LP bins.

JESSI FISCHER teaches BEYOND BIRDS AND BEES, a sex education class that goes beyond basic comprehensive sex education. She has a BA in Sociology with a minor in Human Sexuality from San Francisco State University, has completed a sixty hour certification in Sex Education from San Francisco Sex Information and is currently pursuing an MA in Human Sexuality from San Francisco State University. She belongs to the following organizations: San Francisco Sex Information and the Department of Spontaneous Combustion.

MICHAEL COE is a Holden graduate. He teaches OPEN ART & MUSIC, STUDY HALL and WORK HOUR. He also works at Borders Books in Emeryville and deejays at various clubs in San Francisco.