Amelia von Gerer

   As former homeschooler and homeschool teacher, I am passionate about supporting homeschooling families and thrilled to be your principal at AFE. 

   I had the privilege of homeschooling at AFE from kindergarten through 12th grade. My post-homeschooling educational journey has included Cabrillo College, UC Berkeley, and a masters in education at Stanford University. I fell in love with teaching while living in Berkeley, and have been working with students of many ages in the East Bay, South Bay, and Santa Cruz. I have a background in mentoring new teachers, project-based learning, and digital innovation. In my free time, I love being outdoors: swimming, playing volleyball, hiking, and camping with my children and partner.

 

Ayala Younger

   I am excited to be back with AFE as a teacher!  Ten years ago, when I first joined AFE as a teacher, I was struck by the care of my colleagues, the support of the community, and the creativity of the students.  All of that still holds true today.  I love to be able to develop meaningful relationships and to learn every day from the families I serve.

   In 2000, I received a B.A. in Multicultural Studies, Spanish, and Elementary Education from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania.  Then, in 2003, I received my  Masters in Education from Stanford University.  In my time as an educator, I have worked in public, charter, private, and alternative settings.  This variety has given me great perspective on ways we learn and grow over time and how to support families in their learning journeys. 

   My own two children attend alternative public schools.  We all love to be outdoors and active. I also enjoy theater arts, other creative artistic endeavors, baking, reading (especially historical fiction), and animals.

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Crissy Hansen

   Crissy Hansen is a veteran teacher of the Santa Cruz City School District. She began teaching in 2005 in elementary schools specializing in grades 2nd-4th  and English Learner Development. Crissy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters in Education and teaching credential from UCSC.

    Additionally, Crissy earned her preliminary administrative credential in 2010 and became a certificated Educational Therapist in 2014.

   Crissy enjoys spending time with her two young children, husband and friends. She enjoys gardening, time in nature, traveling, and serving her community as an educator.

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Desiree Hunt

   I am a mom, a reader, a partner, and I love to be outside. I was the first in my family to attend college, and graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in American Studies and a minor in Education. After college, I spent some time traveling and working. I returned to UC Santa Cruz to obtain my Single Subject English credential and Master's in Education.
   I taught high school in the Alternative Education department of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education from 2010-2018. I've worked in diverse roles, from teaching young moms in a self-contained classroom in South County to helping open and run a Green Careers High School in Ben Lomond. When I paused my career to focus on my young children, I continued to grow through various educational roles, including volunteering in classrooms, serving on school boards, and daily as well as long term subbing in Preschool-8th grade classrooms.
   My children attend a public charter school in town, and I deeply believe in the importance of multiple pathways to accommodate different types of learning and learners. Field trips and experiential learning are some of my favorite parts of being a teacher, because I love learning alongside students.

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Eli Gregory

   Hi, I’m Eli! I was born and raised in Santa Cruz and went to many of the local schools before graduating from AFE. I love spending time at the beach, heading into the mountains for a good backpacking trip, and—most of all—traveling the world and exploring new places.

   I began my teaching journey with Santa Cruz County’s special education programs, spent 11 great years at Harbor High in SPED, followed by 2 years at Costanoa, and have now come full circle back to AFE. I have a passion for teaching math and science, and I’m excited to be part of such a creative and supportive learning community.

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Elizabeth Lindsley

   Bio coming soon!

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Susie Heady

   I am so excited to be starting at AFE after more than 26 years working in Alternative education.  I started my career as the Art Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz after getting my BA at UCSC.  I then worked for a few years in a small private multi-age school in the Santa Cruz Mountains and for a year at a rural alternative boarding school in Scotland.  I got my MA in education and teaching credential from UCSC in 1998.
   After almost becoming a preschool director at my daughter's preschool in the San Lorenzo Valley, I got offered a job teaching K/1 at Monarch-just across the field from AFE.  After 23 wonderful years of teaching and raising my two daughters, I decided to move to AFE.
   I share my home with my daughter and her two young boys, so my homelife is filled with kids books and toys and noise and laughter and big feelings and mess.
I love art (all types) and have made it a big part of my life both in education and as a hobby.  I also love nature and so appreciate the beauty this place offers us.

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Dorothee Ledbetter

   I have worked in our Resource Center (RC) for 22 years, first as a volunteer with Mollie Jarrow and part-time employee, and since 2016 as your RC specialist.  I love supporting students and families to follow their interests and dreams, and to help them find materials that assist them on their journey. Our own three very diverse adult children, Julia, Andi, and Eris, all AFE alumni, have inspired me to trust their development, and also to research learning differences and neuroscience (doctorate in biology from Germany, where I grew up).

   I also take care of roster and paperwork and streamline processes.  Other than taking care of AFE part-time and making herbal remedies like Plantain Oil, I hang out with my fabulous husband Loren (who is a true Renaissance man and can fix anything), connect with family, meet friends, read and research a lot, play games, hike & bike, bake cookies, create jewelry, edit videos, and generally have a blast.  I’m happy to serve all of you and I’ll ask your names at least ten times before I’ll remember them!

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Michael Mendosa

   I was born in Fresno, so I truly appreciate the unique beauty and vibrant community that Santa Cruz offers. My educational journey led me to UC Santa Cruz for my undergraduate studies, followed by completing my teaching credential program at San Jose State University.

   Having raised my daughter here, I now treasure time spent with my grandchildren, who thrived through their own homeschooling experiences. As an educator, my passion centers on supporting struggling learners—helping them discover their strengths, build resilience, and gain lasting confidence in their personal learning process.

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Brian Voenell

    I first realized I love working with kids when I attended my son’s parent-education preschool class. I followed him to the Independent Studies program at Davenport Elementary School where we parents taught in the class and at home. When he went on to middle school I knew I wanted to keep working in education and so I became a Special Education Paraeducator at Mission Hill Middle School.12 years ago I started at  Branciforte Small Schools where I’ve worked at Monarch and AFE. My love of teaching is clearly genetic as my mother and grandfather were teachers before me and my brother taught locally for 25 years. 
    Other interests of mine include outdoorsy stuff–camping, hiking, backpacking, biking, bird watching, swimming, beach volleyball, etc., and indoorsy things with friends like cooking, going to concerts, plays, and movies, and more solo pursuits such as reading, writing, and meditating.  

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Peter Deutsch

   I have enjoyed supporting AFE as a consultant teacher for over 18 years, and after retiring still coach sports and organize special events like camping trips.

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   For those who don’t know me yet, my teaching background has focused mostly around science and experiential field study but has also included multiple subject teaching positions and coaching in basketball, volleyball and ultimate frisbee. I have also worked as a journeyman carpenter, a sea kayaking guide and trip leader (in Santa Cruz and the Sea of Cortez, Baja) and an Outward Bound instructor in the wilderness of Minnesota, Ontario, and Texas.

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   Away from work I love my time in nature. It is especially great when I get to share that with my family and our dog as well as with friends. For me it's all about backpacking, hiking, fly fishing, camping, gardening, rivers, mountains, forests, lakes, deserts, beaches, and oceans and caring for our environment.