Resident Faculty
LeeAnn Ernandes, WTEE’s Program Coordinator and Finance Manager completed her BS in Public Administration in 1970. She received her Waldorf Teacher Education in Eugene and began teaching in 1989. Presently, LeeAnn teaches in both Foundation and Education years of WTEE and mentors and evaluates in various northwest Waldorf Schools.
Erika Finstad completed her Waldorf training here in Eugene and took a class successfully through eight grades immediately afterwards. During her grades teaching years, she also completed her training in Spacial Dynamics®. Erika has an MA in education. Presently, she teaches grades curriculum and movement in the adult education program.
Christopher Guilfoil is WTEE’s visual arts teacher for both the Foundation and Teacher Education Year. He also teaches numerous semimars in the Foundation Studies program. Each year Chris directs the Foundation Year Play. Chris was a class teacher at the Eugene Waldorf School and currently teaches the visual arts in the middle school. He is also a faculty member with the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. He is the founder and director of the Arts Enrichment Project, an adjunct program within WTEE, bringing the arts and anthroposophy to the greater Eugene area community.
Ilse Kolbuszowski found her way from Europe and England to New York City, and became the school nurse and curative eurythmist for the Steiner School. After 12 years there, she came to Eugene in 1981. She taught German, handwork, and eurythmy for the next 24 years at the Eugene Waldorf School. In 1991, Ilse joined Willi in the founding of the Teacher Education program, and added five adult eurythmy classes per week to her already full schedule. Presently, Ilse mentors WTEE teachers and students.
Linda Marooney received her BA in Fine Arts in 1971. She completed Waldorf Teacher Education at Rudolf Steiner College and has taught for 24 years in Waldorf Schools in California and Oregon as a pre-school, kindergarten, and grades teacher. Since 1996, Linda has been teaching music and early grades curriculum, in WTEE.
Patrick Marooney began working in Waldorf schools in Colorado and New Mexico in 1974. He came to Eugene in 1984 after his Waldorf training at RSC in Sacramento. He taught a class through grade eight at EWS. He also developed and continues to carry the wood working program for EWS. Patrick studied electronics and missile guidance systems in the Navy. He taught in the Santa Cruz Arts Festival for ten years. In 1992, he joined the faculty of WTEE to teach form drawing, sciences, geometry and wood working.
Pamela Meyer has served as eurythmy piano accompanist for many years in both EWS and WTEE. Until this year, she also taught recorder in the program for adults. Pamela received a BA in music.
Willi Müller came to the US having taught in Waldorf Schools in both Europe and South Africa for 11 years. He taught here in EWS for eight years as a class teacher, carrying responsibility for two classes during four of those eight years. After 19 years of class teaching, he initiated the Waldorf Teacher Education Program in Eugene, carrying much of the work of both the Foundation and Education Years during the first few years of the program. Presently, he concentrates on the Anthroposophical Studies Course in the Foundation Year.
Lourdes Smyth initially took up her career as a registered nurse. She came to Waldorf education as one of the founding parents of the Eugene Waldorf School and has now taught kindergarten for a total of 23 years. She has been the coordinator of the Early Childhood component of WTEE since 2002. Lourdes has mentored in several other kindergartens and participates in Early Childhood conferences regularly.
Katherine Stewart teaches eurythmy. She received a BA in Anthroposophical Studies from RSC and subsequently trained as a eurythmist and curative eurythmist. Before coming to Eugene to teach eurythmy in the elementary school, she taught eurythmy in two other schools. In 2003, Katherine assumed responsibility for teaching eurythmy to the incoming Foundation Year class, and took on the Education Year the next year. Katherine is currently the eurythmist for K-8 in the Eugene Waldorf School and carries a full and penetrating eurythmy program for the adult students in WTEE. She also presents seminars in anthroposophical studies in the Foundation Year.
Regular Visiting Faculty
- Ina Jaehnig — Grades Seminars, Anthroposophical Studies
- Helen Lubin — Speech and Drama
- Wali Via — Biodynamics