Faculty

Tracey Cosgrove joined St. Paul's as Lower School Librarian in 2004. Ms. Cosgrove received her B.A. in English Literature from Portland State University and her Master of Library and Information Studies degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She loves to look at books and read - surprise! She especially enjoys time with her family (which includes Liam ’11 and Emma ’14), visiting museums, and playing Frisbee with Percy, the dog, on the beach at the Albany Bulb.

Guy de Chalus, Coordinator of Music, joined St. Paul's in 2007 as Music Teacher for grades 4-8. His concentration is in the music of the Diaspora with particular emphases on the choral and instrumental repertoires of Haiti, Guyana, and the Old Time songs of Appalachia, The Carolinas, and West Virginia. Mr. de Chalus is a graduate of Hunter College, NY, where he studied music theory and literature. Prior to joining SPES, he taught literature at The Benjamin Banneker Academy in Brooklyn, NY, and at Flushing High School in Flushing, NY. Mr. de Chalus holds multi-state teaching credentials.

Monica Haddad joined St. Paul’s in 2005 as Swimming Teacher and Physical Education Teacher. A native of Brazil, Ms. Haddad holds a Bachelor of Physical Education degree from Federal University of Sao Carlos. She recently earned an American Swimming Coaches Association certificate for levels 1 and 2. She has been a swim teacher, coach, and summer program teacher in the East Bay. Ms. Haddad enjoys swimming (naturally), hiking, and biking around the city.

Rachel Parrish, kindergarten lead teacher, joined St. Paul’s in 2016. She is a Bay Area native. Ms. Parrish is a graduate of San Jose State University with a concentration in art education and has studied and researched education throughout her career, including internationally at the University of Ghana in Legon. She holds a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate and also coaches administrators and teachers in Responsive Classroom. Rachel is a SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Leader for the National SEED Project. She has taught a range of grades spanning over 20 years. Ms. Parrish is a specialized seamstress of traditional regalia of Cuba, Haiti, and parts of Western Africa. When she is not mesmerized by the aisles of fabric stores, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Nusayba, as well as reading, writing, gardening, and relaxing with friends and family.

María Rincón, second grade lead teacher, joined St. Paul's in 2005 as a first grade lead teacher. Ms. Rincón previously taught at Oakland Montessori School and in the Oakland, San Francisco, and Houston school districts. She received her BA in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and her BCLAD multiple subject teaching credential from New College of California. She is the mother of Diego ’14 and Gabriela ’15 and enjoys hiking, reading, and running.

Eliza Sorensen, K-2 Reading Specialist and Educational Care Coordinator, joined St. Paul’s in 2004. Ms. Sorensen is a trained Reading Recovery Teacher and has experience in classroom teaching and leading an after school program. She earned a B.A. with honors from Brown University and a CLAD teaching credential from New College of California. Ms. Sorensen enjoys swimming in the ocean, biking around Oakland and San Francisco, and hanging out with friends and family.

Sanjay Vora, Art Teacher, joined St. Paul's in 2005. He holds an M.F.A. in Painting from San Francisco Art Institute and a B.S. in Architecture from University of Virginia. Mr. Vora is a working artist who shows his paintings throughout the United States. His work can be viewed at www.sanjayvora.com. In addition to Mr. Vora's painting practice, he taught painting at UC Berkeley in the Department of Art Practice.

Deborah Meyer, Athletic Director, joined St. Paul’s in 1997. Ms. Meyer is a first, sixth, and eighth grade physical education teacher, as well as coach of our girls’ varsity basketball, coed cross-country, and jv volleyball teams. She received her B.S. in English Education from Moorhead State University and her M.A. in Person-Centered Education from United States International University. Her interests include reading, weeding her garden, and spending time with her sons Xan '21 and Chaz, her wife Leslie, and their dogs, Sammie and Ranger.

Bob Correia, Director of Finance and Operations, joined St. Paul's in 1997. He received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of California at Berkeley and has worked as a controller, treasurer, financial analyst, and auditor. Mr. Correia spends much of his free time with his wife and four children.

Heather De Bose, Lower School Secretary and Assistant to the Lower School, joined St. Paul's in 2005. Ms. De Bose earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University and was a classroom teacher at Beacon Day School. She enjoys cooking and spending time with her niece.

Nicole Start, Director of Admissions, joined St. Paul’s in 2004. She grew up in Oakland and then went east to Williams College for her B.A. She couldn't stay away from the Bay Area, however, so she returned to get her teaching credential from Holy Names University. Ms. Start speaks French (she enjoyed living in Paris for a year), loves hiking in the regional parks, and enjoys reading, sewing, and eating delicious food with friends and family.

Head of School Josh Stern joined St. Paul's in 1999. He has served as Assistant Head of School and Director of Administrative Programs, and as Director of Sixth Grade and Middle School. He began his work at St. Paul's teaching sixth grade humanities. Mr. Stern earned a B.A. from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and took a year away from St. Paul's to earn an M.A. in Educational Policy from Stanford University.