Meet Our Faculty and Staff

Name: Ben Fussiner
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
Title: Director of Upper School
What year did you start working at Marin Horizon? 2021
What school(s) did you attend? B.S., Southern Connecticut State University, Ed. M., Harvard University
Why did you want to become a teacher? 
My mom was a preschool director. I used to go to her preschool on my way home from middle school and I would help out with the students in the afternoon. When I was 19, one of my mom's former teachers remembered that I was good with little kids and hired me to work in the after-school program she directed. The rest, as they say, is history.
What grade(s) have you taught?
After working as an after-school teacher, I became a 3rd grade teacher, then a 5th grade teacher, then a middle school director.
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? 
When students have an even better answer than the best answer I was even considering.
What’s your favorite thing about being a teacher? 
The low-level hum of joy that constantly permeates the air.
Why Marin Horizon? 
I have only ever wanted to work in schools that value learning for the sake of learning, and it felt to me that Marin Horizon was dedicated to this value.

Name: Nicole Schoentag
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Title: Kindergarten-4th Grade Learning Specialist
What year did you start working at Marin Horizon? 2021
What school(s) did you attend? UCSB - Bachelors in Literature, Fresno State - Masters in Education, CA State Multiple Subject Credential, CA State Single Subject Credential - Art, CA State Administrative Credential
Why did you want to become a teacher? Growing up, I never thought I'd be a teacher. It was only after I graduated college that I realized how much I loved school and wanted to continue to be in school. Schools are a place of inspiration and discovery. I feel so lucky to be able to come here every day.
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? 
The students, of course! In the last year and a half, I have been particularly inspired by kids’ emotional resilience in the face of COVID. They often remind me to stay positive and go with the flow.
What’s your favorite thing about being a teacher? 
I love the pace of life at a school. I'm busy all day–I never look at the clock and wonder when the workday will be over. I look at the clock and am shocked by all the time that has flown by. I love laughing along with kids, making discoveries with them, and celebrating their hard work. Dream job!

Name: Julia Ripperton
Preferred Pronouns: She/her
Title: 1st Grade Teacher
What year did you start working at Marin Horizon? 2019
What school(s) did you attend? University of San Francisco, B.A. Psychology, Multiple Subject Teaching Credential; Masters in Teaching
Why did you want to become a teacher? I love helping children develop a love for learning. I think it is so important to be a lifelong learner and any part I can play in helping my students find what they love is special to me. 
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? The joy on kids' faces when they have an "ah-ha" moment inspires me to be the best teacher I can be. 
What’s your favorite thing about being a teacher? I love to teach children how to read. It is such a magical process to witness. I say it is my superpower!

Name: Kathy Piscioneri
Preferred Pronouns: She, her, hers
Title: Art Teacher
Grade(s) Taught: K-8
What year did you start working at Marin Horizon? 2018
What school(s) did you attend? CUNY Queens College, BA Fine Art. Parsons School of Design, Paris, Independent Study, Painting. CUNY Queens College MSEd. Elementary Education, Specialty: Children’s Literature
Why did you want to become a teacher? I was surrounded by teachers and I loved all the stories they told about their students—I wanted to have my own stories like that!

Name: Olivia Thomas
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Title: Preschool Teacher associate, Horizon Community School
Grade(s) Taught: Preschool 
Where did you grow up? All over but mostly in Marin.
Where do you live now? Marin
What school(s) did you attend? Whitman College 
Who do you live with? Partner, progeny, pet, plants? Pets and plants.
Why did you want to become a teacher? My dad was a teacher and he was my role model. 
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? I love the children that I work with every day. 

Name: Katelyn Wellnitz
Preferred Pronouns: She/her
Title: Middle School Math Teacher
Where did you grow up? Philadelphia area
Where do you live now? San Francisco—Inner Sunset
What school(s) did you attend? Arcadia University
Who do you live with? Partner, progeny, pet, plants? Partner, Alex, and my dog Koopa (and several unhappy plants who aren't getting enough attention) 
Why did you want to become a teacher? I realized how much I enjoy working with kids during my years working at a summer camp in college. It was an incredibly rewarding experience. 
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? I enjoy the fact that the job changes every day, that I can help students become critical thinkers and engaged citizens, and that I can help students build confidence in their math work. 
What’s your favorite thing about being a teacher/working at a school? My favorite thing about being a teacher is building relationships with my students. 
Do you have any hobbies? I enjoy playing soccer, running, hiking, rock climbing, and reading. 
Why Marin Horizon? I enjoy the small size and the community feel. 
What has been your experience at Marin Horizon so far? It has been great—I feel like teacher voices are heard, teams support each other, and students are enthusiastic and friendly.  
Which of our Pillars resonates with you the most and why? (We are insatiably curious, We are complex thinkers, We embrace challenge, We are active community members, We have a voice) We are complex thinkers—it is a complex world right now and teaching students to look at things from multiple perspectives is important.

Congrats to Middle School Humanities teacher and Marin Horizon alum Jesse Pearson, whose piece "Seeking a Pandemic Alternative to Tough Love" was just published by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Independent Ideas blog. As Jesse writes, "How am I—or any of us—supposed to know how to get through this?" 

Click here to check it out.

Name: Evan Duffy-Ledbetter
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
Title: Assistant 3rd Grade Teacher
Where did you grow up? University Park, Maryland
Where do you live now? Petaluma, CA
What school(s) did you attend? James Madison University, University of the Pacific
Who do you live with? Partner, progeny, pet, plants? Solo w/ plants
Why did you want to become a teacher? Because I wanted to do something good with my life.
What continues to inspire and drive you to teach? Seeing students grow and develop.

Congrats to Middle School Humanities teacher and Marin Horizon alum Jesse Pearson, whose piece "Holden Caulfield, Superspreader" was just published by McSweeney's Internet Tendency. As Jesse said, could there be anything more middle school English teacher-ish than a Catcher in the Rye parody? 

Click here to check it out.

Name: Cara Huttinger
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Title: Teacher
Grade(s) taught currently at Marin Horizon/HCS: 2nd grade
Where did you grow up? Yountville, California
What school(s) did you attend? San Francisco State University (undergrad), Touro University (graduate) 
Why did you want to become a teacher? To support all children in learning. I struggled in school as a child and wanted to help children succeed. I love learning and the engagement with kids!