Middle Grades Faculty

ydiethelm@seattlewaldorf.org

Ms. Diethelm is an artist and educator who has been working in Waldorf education for the last 15 years. She started her schooling at the Denver Waldorf School, which she attended through third grade. She received her Waldorf Teacher Training in Honolulu and has worked as a high school art teacher at Panyotai Waldorf School in Thailand and as a handwork teacher at Kona Pacific Charter/Waldorf School on the Big Island of Hawaii. Growing up in Seattle and attending the University of Washington, Ms. Diethelm was drawn to visual culture and art, receiving a Comparative History of Ideas degree emphasizing Native American Studies. She also earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the Art Institute of Chicago in 2024. She has taught students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds worldwide and has a passion for inspiring youth through the arts.

dhirata@seattlewaldorf.org

Daichi was born in a Camphill community in rural Pennsylvania, and spent his early childhood years in the countryside by the volcanic mountains of Tochigi, Japan. His family moved to Seattle for the start of first grade, and Daichi experienced the twelve year Waldorf journey at our wonderful school. After receiving a B.A. in Psychology from Whitman College, working at two Camphill agricultural communities, toiling on an Alaskan commercial fishing boat for 13 summers, and completing the Waldorf teacher training program at Rudolf Steiner College, Daichi returned to Seattle Waldorf School in 2015, this time as a teacher to shepherd a class from first through eighth grade. After graduating that class and taking a step back from teaching to be present for his two young children at home, Daichi returned to class teaching and is guiding the Waldorf class journey for the class of 2029.

ikulasic@seattlewaldorf.org

A Waldorf high school graduate herself, Iris (she/her) joined Seattle Waldorf School in 2005 as grade 8 co-teacher. She transitioned to teaching middle school math and humanities courses, eventually finding her true calling in educational support. As head of the Educational Support program, Iris provides wraparound support services for students in grades 9-12. Iris came to Seattle from Bosnia and Herzegovina, via a longish young adulthood stint on the East Coast. In 1999, she graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Fine Arts and Art History and obtained her teaching certificate and completed her MEd at Mercy College. She is a lifelong learner, observer, and student of Anthroposophy and Waldorf pedagogy. She has been an assistant to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ambassador to the United Nations and spent five priceless years teaching in the public education systems in New York City (Chinatown and the Bronx) and Philadelphia. Iris loves watching the hard work of her students metamorphose into confident and capable human beings, knowing that growth is the work of a village—students, faculty, and staff. In addition to teaching at the high school, Iris is a part of the larger web of SWS as her two small children are students at the grade school. Someday when she has the time, Iris plans to paint with watercolors, guided by Jean Haines’s tutorials.

alindstrom@seattlewaldorf.org

Angela Zhaawanongkwe Lindstrom joins SWS as our grades 6/7 teacher for the 2025-26 school year. Angela grew up in a little house in the big woods of southern Ohio, surrounded by family, forest and animals. Combined with her father’s Cherokee culture and visits to North Carolina, and her mother’s Anishinabe (Ojibwe) culture and visits to the Great Lakes, Nature has always been an important Relative for her. She holds a B.A. in Communications (Journalism & Broadcasting), as well as certifications in both Waldorf Early Childhood and Elementary Education, as well as Therapeutic Education; and a M.Ed. in Waldorf Elementary Education. Angela taught Native American Studies at the University of Cincinnati for seven years before becoming a Waldorf teacher while trying to find a school for her own children that resonated with her soul. She graduated two classes and taught many other grades at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School for nearly 25 years, the last four as the Grades Pedagogical Director. She has organized and hosted the PNW Waldorf Regional Coast Salish Cultural Sharing for 21of those years, striving to build relationships with Native American elders and, specifically, the Tulalip Tribes, who hold treaty rights on Whidbey Island.

mowens@seattlewaldorf.org

Megan Owens has served as a Waldorf Movement Teacher and Athletics Director at Seattle Waldorf School 2017. She attended Smith College and Prescott College and completed the Spacial Dynamics® training. Megan believes movement education is an essential complement to academic learning. She loves providing opportunities for children to strengthen their physical capacities as well as their sense of drive, determination, resilience, and capacity for teamwork. A lifelong athlete, Megan’s experience includes state and national accomplishments in gymnastics, lacrosse, equestrian eventing, and rowing. She continues to compete as a rower and serves as captain of Green Lake Crew. Megan also enjoys exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, gardening, ceramics, and spending time with family and friends.

kreese@seattlewaldorf.org

ashamarina@seattlewaldorf.org

Anastasiia joins Seattle Waldorf School with a rich background in language education and a deep passion for cultural exchange. Originally from Moscow, Russia, she earned her Ph.D. in Spanish Language and Literature and spent 10 years as a professor at Moscow State University. After moving to the U.S., Anastasiia continued her educational journey, teaching Spanish at the Washington Academy of Languages and volunteering as a Russian language teacher at St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Parochial School. Her global experience includes living and studying in Spain and France through the Erasmus Mundus Program, which has greatly influenced her teaching philosophy. Anastasiia is also a certified examiner for various levels in Spanish, bringing a strong academic rigor to her classes while fostering a love for the language and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. She is excited to bring her diverse experiences to SWS and is looking forward to contributing to the vibrant school community Outside the classroom, Anastasiia enjoys reading in different languages, dancing tango, exploring nature, and spending quality time with her own children.

dtsang@seattlewaldorf.org

Daisy was born in Shanghai and grew up in Nanjing, a city that served as the capital for six dynasties. Her early years coincided with the Cultural Revolution, and witnessing the changes in her family as a child taught her resilience, preparing her for many transitions, including a move to the United States. After earning her Master of Fine Arts in Children’s Book Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, she worked for 15 years in graphic and web design before returning to her first passion: education. Since 2017, Daisy has been teaching Mandarin at SWS, blending language learning with her artistic talents. A graduate of the Waldorf Class Teacher Training at Sound Circle Center for Arts and Anthroposophy, she finds a true sense of home in Waldorf education. Outside the classroom, she enjoys swimming, hiking, running, and spending time with her family and her lively dog, Princess Leia.

jvoelker@seattlewaldorf.org

Ms. Voelker was born in Seattle, where she spent her childhood entering violin competitions, spelling bees and read-a-thons. She graduated from Oberlin College and New England Conservatory, where she studied with eminent violist Kim Kashkashian. After receiving her master’s degree, Ms. Voelker performed and recorded with Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Boston Philharmonic. This year Ms. Voelker will be playing concerts with Seattle Modern Orchestra, NoCCO, Seattle Chamber Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony, among other projects. Ms. Voelker discovered Seattle Waldorf School when her son started at Kinderhaus in 2016. She loves collaborating with her wonderful colleagues, and is always striving to give our children a greater appreciation of music, the satisfaction of practice, and the joy of performing.