Leadership
Ms. Akmenkalns, Credo’s Executive Director, joined Credo as an Assistant Director is 2015 and became the Executive Director in 2019. She is a founder of Live Oak Charter School and became a Waldorf teacher in 2004. She came to Credo from Woodland Star, where she taught first through fifth grades and also served as a board member, finance committee member and mentor. She earned her Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College, her MA. Ed in Waldorf Education and teaching credential from Touro University, and her Administrative Services credential from Sonoma State. Prior to her career in education, Ms. Akmenkalns worked as a manager in the software industry. She is the mother of two K – 12 Waldorf graduates.
Having graduated from one of the many public Waldorf Schools in his native country, Roel embarked on an academic journey that culminated in a bachelor’s and master’s degree (with honors) in history from Leiden University. His foray into Waldorf teaching began in 2011 at the Rudolf Steiner College in Rotterdam, where he not only taught history & social science but also introduced innovative courses such as Big History and Big Thinkers.
During his time in Rotterdam, Roel participated in the pedagogical section of the school, organized educational trips to Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Poland, and guided numerous students through capstone projects. Simultaneously, he pursued his second master’s degree in education at the ICLON graduate school of teaching, complemented by in-house training to become a Waldorf teacher.
Roel’s dedication to Waldorf education transcended borders, leading him to teach at the Wasatch Waldorf Charter School in the United States. There, he taught grades 3 – 8, assumed the role of Team Lead for the middle school, and mentored fellow educators.
Having previously served as a social science teacher at Credo High School, Roel now holds the position of Education Director. He is committed to upholding the principles and practices of Waldorf education and aligning them with the school’s purpose and promise.
Jodi Boyle is Credo’s Enrollment Director. She earned her BA in Sociology from University of California, San Diego and her teaching credential from San Francisco State University. Jodi began her career in education as an instructional assistant at Archie Williams High School and went on to become a teacher at Davidson Middle School in San Rafael. As a young mother, Jodi was introduced to Waldorf education and was inspired to join in the founding of Live Oak Charter School, a Public Waldorf school in Petaluma, where she served on the Board for many years. She is now the mother of two young adults, both Credo graduates. Jodi has been working at Credo since 2012 and continues to find deep joy in welcoming students and families to Waldorf education at Credo High School.
Staff
Heather Topham, Testing and Accountability Coordinator, is a Waldorf parent and early childhood educator who has taught at Live Oak Charter School and at Sagewood Waldorf School in Bend, Oregon. She earned her BA at Sonoma State University. Email: Heather.Topham@Credohigh.org.
Allison.VanRillaer@Credohigh.org