Close interaction between teachers and students ensures that students become more capable, knowledgeable, and confident in themselves.
True Meaning of Success
We help students realize that a successful life is more than just a successful career. Life is made up of relationships with others, health and physical well-being, our interactions with the world around us, our challenges and pleasures, the attitudes with which we guide ourselves, and our abilities to strive for that which will bring us success, lasting happiness, and fulfillment.
A Life-Long Journey
A fundamental characteristic of the Living Wisdom International School is that each student is appreciated as a unique individual on a life-long journey of learning and development. School staff, peers, family and friends, are all a part of this journey, along with the individual’s own set of strengths, challenges, interests, goals, and inspirations.
Meet Our Team
Rachel Anderson, BS (Phi Beta Kappa), MA
Subject: Chinese. Rachel began studying Chinese at Ananda Living Wisdom School and continued through college. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in China for two years and currently teaches English in an international kindergarten and is enrolled in a Masters in Comparative and Public History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Additionally, Rachel enjoys reading and writing fiction. She lives in Hong Kong.
Parvati Helen Broom, BA, MA
Subjects: English, Creative Writing. Parvati lives in England and has years of teaching experience in the state education system in the United Kingdom.
Mirabai Deranja Commer, BA
Subjects: Non-Violent Communication, Personal Development. Mirabai attended the Ananda Village Living Wisdom School as a child, where she showed her affinity for the arts in singing and dancing. After graduating from University of California, Santa Cruz, with a degree in astronomy, she returned to the arts, becoming a dance teacher and competitive tango dancer. She is the winner of the USA Tango Championship Best Choreographer for group tango 3 years in a row. She and her husband and son live in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Nitai Deranja, BA (Phi Beta Kappa), MA
Nitai has dedicated most of his adult life to the development of Education for Life (EFL) and is currently the director of the Living Wisdom International School. In 1972, he started the first EFL elementary school and in 1997 co-founded the first EFL high school. As president of EFL International, he oversees a network of ten schools in the U.S., Europe, and India. Nitai earned his BA from The University of California, Berkeley, and MA from The University of California, Davis. Nitai is the father of two adult children, both of whom attended Education for Life schools, and is the author of two books: For Goodness’ Sake: Supporting Children & Teens in Discovering Life’s Higher Values and The Art of Joyful Education.
Anandi Carol Gray, BS, MTh, MS (Psi Chi Honors)
Subjects: Psychology, Yoga and Meditation, Philosophy. Anandi has twenty years experience teaching in the philosophy and psychology departments at Southern Oregon University. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor and certified instructor of yoga and meditation. Anandi received Master of Arts in psychology from Southern Oregon University; a Masters in Theology from Graduate Theological Foundation; and a Bachelor of Science in nutrition from Simmons University, Boston. She lives at the Ananda Meditation Retreat where she leads programs in yoga and meditation.
Kshama Kellogg, BA
Subject: Personal Development. Kshama grew up in California and Italy, and attended Living Wisdom Schools when they were nearby. She has been teaching at Palo Alto’s Living Wisdom School for over ten years, and is the director of popular Family Summer Camps in both California and Italy. In addition to receving a BA in Spanish and Latin American Literature from University of California, Kshama also received a certificate in Supporting Children with Difficulties in Reading and Writing from the University of London, England.
Ganesha John Kieran, BS
Subjects: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry. Ganesha is a California licensed mechanical engineer and worked as an engineer for the U.S. Air Force for 25 years, both in California and Italy. In addition to teaching, Ganesha enjoys outdoor athletics and is an excellent swimmer, hiker and kayaker. He lives in Nevada City, California.
Kin Hung Panda Yuen Sianda Lee, BA
Subject: Chinese (Mandarin). Sianda is the parent of five adult children. During their childhood, the family lived at Ananda Village where Sianda taught Chinese. She is an avid gardener and leads a meditation group in Hong Kong where she currently resides.
Parkle Lee, BS
Subjects: Math, Algebra. Parkle attended Living Wisdom School in Nevada City, CA for part of his education. In addition to teaching, Parkle also is the web developer for a company based in Hong Kong. He lives in Hong Kong.
Ashtara Levin, BE (Bachelor of Education)
Subjects: Anatomy and Ecological Science. Presently employed as a project manager in a graphic design studio in Israel, Ashtara has years of experience teaching in both public and private schools. She also worked for Israel’s Society for Nature Preservation, giving field tours and outdoor educational activities for children in sustainability and ecology. She lives in Tel Aviv.
Aryavan Bryan McSweeney, BA
Subjects: Personal Development and Life Skills. Aryavan grew up attending the Palo Alto Living Wisdom School as a child. After college, he traveled widely and then taught at the Ananda Village Living Wisdom School for five years. He presently resides in Bangalore, India and is involved with Education for Life projects there.
Katherine Rodrigue, BA, MA
Subjects: English, U.S. History, History of World Religions, Music. Student Advising. Kathy has taught for 17 years at this school! Amazing! She is currently helping with the 2-4th grade class, and teaching music for the whole school. She loves to teach experientially. She believes information is retained better once kids personally know what something is like, and it sure makes learning more fun. Kathy has a Master’s Degree in Psychology and Training and Development, and a BA in Psychology and Holistic Health.
Rachel Schroeder, BA (Phi Beta Kappa), MFA
Subjects: Performing Arts, Virtual Devised Drama Workshop. Rachel is a professional actor, playwright, mime, and teacher. She taught Drama; Mime; Voice; Movement and Singing at Dartmouth College, Pace University; The Drama Club of New York; and Ecole de Mime Corporel Dramatique, London.Rachel earned a Masters in Fine Arts from New York University Tisch School of the Arts; and BA (Phi Beta Kappa) from Brandeis University, Massachusetts. She is the recipient of multiple awards including the Creative Arts Award from Brandeis; Dramatic Writing Award from New York University; and TV Drama Award. Rachel lives in Manhattan, New York.
Yingbing You, BS, MA
Subjects: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Advanced Mathematics. Yingbing lives in Guangzhou,China, and was educated both in Hong Kong and the U.S. She received a masters degree in Physics from Stony Brook University, New York, and a bachelor of science degree from The University of Hong Kong. In addition to teaching mathematics, Yingbing is a certified teacher of meditation, English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), and Teachers of Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (CTCSOL).
