The staff at Pacific Crest is a talented, enthusiastic and committed group of people who work closely together to coordinate the curricular program, and develop individually tailored courses of study with each student. Each staff member offers a range of talents and interests to the school, in addition to a strong background in their subject area.
Director
jenny@pcrest.org
The director and co-founder of Pacific Crest, Jenny brings a commitment to youth and education that spans a 30+ year career.
She values the collaborative approach among students and teachers at Pacific Crest and enjoys facilitating these collaborations. She loves teaching math and Shakespeare, cooking and playing music.
“A lot of kids are used to taking a passive role in their education. It’s important to get them out of that role so they can take ownership of their learning. We’re good at giving kids some direction so they can take the wheel.”
Language Arts & Service Learning Coordinator
jblumenstein@pcrest.org
Jordia’s passion for teaching language arts is firmly grounded in her equal passion for learning, creativity, and in her conviction that there is “adventure to be found in reading and writing.”
In the classroom, she encourages students to mobilize their curiosity, and desire to explore the world, through a variety of literary studies and writing projects.
Outside the classroom, she set up volunteer opportunities for students to share the adventure by working with S.M.A.R.T. In addition to classroom teaching, Jordia leads the PCCS Service Learning Program, which offers students yet another way to explore - and shape - their world through a range of service learning projects connected with Habitat For Humanity, Tryon Farm, Oregon Food Bank and City Repair, among others.
Math
lcleland@pcrest.org
Lizzy Cleland has 10 years of teaching experience spanning two countries (the US and Japan) and four states. Lizzy started as a history teacher but soon learned that math, with its concrete answers and dorky jokes was where her heart truly lay.
Math is a subject often despised by students and Lizzy’s quest has been to convince every last math hater that they are both capable of doing math, and can learn to enjoy it. She also teaches Japanese and has taught a variety of science classes including a class on climate change, a topic she’s particularly passionate about.
Lizzy is a denizen of the coffee shops around Pacific Crest and will always set aside her work to answer a math question.
Administrative Assistant
jdieringer@pcrest.org
Julie loves to organize and enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to serve the creative, funny, collaborative team of teachers at Pacific Crest. More importantly, she thrives on helping the students with anything they need; printing reports, un-jamming the copy machine, using the paper cutter, applying band-aids, offering tissue, listening to stories, etc.
Prior to joining the Pacific Crest staff Julie worked as a merchandiser and buyer at Nordstrom for 30 years.
Julie has twin high schoolers and loves the perspective working at Pacific Crest brings to her understanding of them. When she's not making life for the students and staff at Pacific Crest easier, Julie can be found camping, reading or digging in the garden.
Math
ephillips@pcrest.org
Emily has been teaching math for 3 years and was an assistant teacher for 2 years before that. She believes that many students shy away from math because they lack confidence in the subject. Emily's classroom goals are to build confidence in their students as they learn in a supportive environment.
She loves to make math jokes, puns and do tons of fun stuff on "math days" like PI Day (3/14). She has a goofy approach to teaching that she hopes makes her students have a good day in math every day and feel that no matter what they can count on her to be helping and supporting them.
She loves reading books about math history and people who impact and shape the way we do math now. She has a strong love (maybe obsession) for her San Francisco sports teams.
Theater Arts Teacher
jrouse@pcrest.org
Jason Rouse is an actor/director/teacher who spent seven years as an announcer and writer for PRI’s Live Wire with Luke Burbank.
He’s appeared in feature films (Lean on Pete, Timmy Failure, Netflix’s upcoming Metal Lords), television series (Trinkets, The Perfectionists, Angie Tribeca, Portlandia, Grimm, Leverage), and in a bunch of commercials for the Oregon Lottery and various other totally legitimate “businesses.” With the sketch comedy groups The 3rd Floor and SWEAT, he’s performed around the country and headlined festivals in Portland, Chicago, and New York.
He lives happily with his wife Jessica, and the smallest dog in the world, Goldie.
Social Studies
kmaier@pcrest.org
With nearly twenty years of experience as an educator, and a heritage of education in both parents (also teachers), Kurt says he’s “genetically engineered to be a teacher” and it shows.
Teaching for Kurt is all about relationship building, collaboration and the moment-by-moment epiphanies that go with “building knowledge together” with his students. He calls it “emergent curriculum,” which is the art and practice of identifying what each student needs to learn, and then designing an approach that creates understanding, but also teaches students how to take charge of and facilitate their own learning.
Maybe that also explains why Kurt loves teaching West African drumming in his spare time. Whether it’s in the classroom or in a drum circle, there is joy and discovery when everyone’s in synch and adding to the rhythm.
Social Studies
essence@pcrest.org
History is the study of all aspects of life, and everyone is involved in some way. Originally from Arizona, Essence got her Bachelors in English and History from Northern Arizona University. From there, she obtained her MAT from Idaho State University in 2020. Essence has been teaching History for 3 years in Massachusetts, and moved to Portland in the summer of 2023.
While in MA, she taught High School World History, Psychology, and Criminal Justice to all grade levels. Essence believes that history has the power to change the world, because it promotes empathy and cultural awareness whilst promoting self-advocacy. She enjoys reading, exploring, and has a tendency to burst into song randomly. She’s passionate about learning and history, which is evident in her everyday life.
The Sciences
tpeare@pcrest.org
Tigerin directs the science program at Pacific Crest using a hands-on approach that includes projects, field trips and natural resources service work.
Her classes emphasize solid scientific skills combined with a strong sense of ethics and community service. She also offers natural sciences classes at the Youth Employment Institute, and enjoys canoeing in her rare moments of free time.
“I would like kids to learn that in order to achieve something, you have to work hard. As a science teacher I think it’s important for students to question things, develop analytical skills and build their knowledge base.”
Sciences
owen@pcrest.org
Owen Heh is a teacher of sciences at Pacific Crest. Their philosophy of teaching includes the following: “I teach to engage students in authentic inquiry which empowers them to question, investigate, and act throughout their lives. The classroom is a space of community, where students and teachers enter partnerships in discovery and curiosity, where one’s identity is nurtured.”
Outside of the classroom, Owen enjoys mountain biking all around the Pacific Northwest and competes in mixed ultimate frisbee across the west coast.
In the classroom, they prefer to let their silliness shine with their students, encouraging everyone to bring their full self to the learning space.
Spanish
draish@pcrest.org
Having spent two years living and teaching in South America (Ecuador, Chile), David brings a real-world, cultural perspective to his work as Spanish teacher.
His holistic approach to language teaching includes music, films and special projects designed to bring Spanish to life for students.
“It’s important to see Spanish as a real language people use everyday. If you’re motivated to have fun and learn and do creative things, this is a good place.”
Language Arts and Philosophy
jstruck@pcrest.org
A passion for literature-based Continental philosophy, a writer’s enthusiasm for the power and potential of the written word — and a wacky sense of existential humor (if that’s even possible) — that’s our Jeff.
Oh, and he’s a pretty good bicycle racer, too. That’s what he says anyway.
“The small class sizes at Pacific Crest eliminate many of the barriers between teachers and students so that it’s much closer to the ideal collaborative model where you can be creative and personal and an advocate for students.”
Art
dtodd@pcrest.org
Daren Todd is a Portland-based creative whose artistic practice includes painting, mural, and digital design. Daren is the owner of Art Larger Than Me Studios, which aims to uplift communities through fine arts and art merchandise.
He also serves as curator for The Downstairs Gallery, which centers the works of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled artists. Daren believes in the power of the arts to inspire change, uplift communities, and share lived experiences to ultimately beautify and better our land.
Daren is so excited to be joining the Pacific Crest art department, and is looking forward to learning from the students just as much as teaching them.
Art
cconway@pcrest.org
Teeny wants to invite students on the journey to discover what it means to be an artist and how we can use our intrinsic creativity to heal ourselves and the world around us. Christine “Teeny” Conway has spent most of the last 10 years working as a public elementary school teacher, initially in San Francisco, and now in Portland. In those years, Teeny witnessed in her students an inherent desire to play, create, and build off one another’s ideas.
Teeny is thrilled to bring her skills as an educator and what she knows about developing creative minds into Pacific Crest’s unique school environment with its small class sizes, inspired and original curriculum, and a culture so deeply enmeshed in community building.
Mental Health
steven@pcrest.org
Steven Balshem (he/him) joins the PCrest Community every Wednesday to support student mental health needs. He works as a therapist with Jory Mental Health Collective, an organization that offers outpatient and school-based mental health services in the Portland community. Steven has worked with youth and families in various mental health settings, ranging from psychiatric hospitals, residential programs, intensive outpatient services, and school-based mental health support.
Steven’s approach to working with youth and families is centered in establishing a therapeutic relationship rooted in trust, non-judgement, empathy, and validation. Steven is committed to supporting youth developing insight into the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. As a Korean American, Steven also values addressing the impact of oppressive systems that often intersect with many aspects of identity and identity development for teens.
Art
ilan@pcrest.org
ilan is an artist and art teacher.
He received his BFA from the now gone San Francisco Art Institute.
He creates large scale non representational paintings as well as small and medium scale portraits, landscapes, and multi media art. ilan has taught elementary through college, and beyond in public and private schools, art academies, and out of his SE Portland studio.
ilan teaches art as a language. Step by step fundamentals and core processes of drawing, painting, and sculpture. He teaches students to create what they see, think, and feel.
ilan draws from over thirty years of both making and teaching art to bring students closer to artistic fluency.