Faculty & Staff

List of 13 members.

• 

  Diane Buckley 

  Controller

  Bio

  Diane was born in London, England into a military family. As such, she moved frequently and eventually landed in Tacoma, WA, where she went to high school. She completed her education at the University of Washington with a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Her first job was at a CPA firm, and while there, she passed the CPA exam. Since then, Diane has held jobs in the banking and technology fields, ultimately deciding to work in the non-profit sector of education. She believes that a strong education system is necessary in order to make a world a better place. To her, working in education is a way of giving back. In her free time, Diane likes to read, travel, and cook for her friends and family. She's been on many adventures, ranging from Botswana to Nepal, and more recently, Egypt. 
  
  What do you love about middle school: I'm not sure I loved middle school myself.  It is a challenging time for most with many changes occurring, and I don't recall much support in the education system to cope with the challenges. Thankfully, time has passed and many positive changes to our education system have occurred.  I love this middle school, SGS, because it addresses those challenges head on, encouraging girls in developing confidence within themselves and to be themselves.  Additionally, development of innate leadership skills is a key part of the mission of the school. They will be invaluable in determining life and career choices and considering all options available.  I'm a little jealous of the variety of life options now available to young women than when I was in middle school! 
• 

  Bouaketh Chanthavisouk 

  Technology Coordinator

  Bio

   

  Bou is our Technology Coordinator, she ensures our technology is running efficiently and securely. She is responsible for all aspects of the 1 to 1 laptop program, network operations, security, and desktop support. She also coaches volleyball, runs technology club, and assists with basketball.

  Outside of SGS you can find Bou playing softball at Capitol Hill and Greenlake Parks, riding her bicycle, and volunteering at the Capitol Hill Tool Library.

  Before SGS, Bou was a collegiate volleyball coach having served as both a head and assistant coach at the Division 3 level, and assistant coach at the Division 1 and 2 levels. Bou has always has a close relationship with technology in these roles providing support, streaming matches and practices, and video analysis.

  "I enjoy working at SGS because every day is different and the staffulty and kids make it a fun place to learn!"
• 

  Miryam Harvey 

  Dean of Faculty & Students

  Bio

  Miryam brings 14 years of teaching and administration experience to SGS, working in a range of schools in the Toronto and Philadelphia areas, where she taught Spanish and English language and literature courses. Miryam’s teaching interests extend to community service, where she has taught semester-long GED classes and Catechism classes in Spanish to local residents. She also has a three year old daughter and enjoys exploring and learning through her eyes. Miryam relocated to Seattle with her family in 2019, and she has a true passion for building relationships with our students and families. She is thrilled to join our community as our Dean of Student Life this Fall.  

  
  Why I love middle school: In middle school, students have an infectious curiosity about the world around them and a true joy of learning. Their questions help me further develop as an educator and they push me to reflect more about the world we live in. Middle school is filled with moments of beautiful messiness, student passion, and excitement, which make my heart smile.
• 

  Emma Louisa Holden 

  Front Office Coordinator & Registrar

  Bio

  Emma Louisa moved from Atlanta to Seattle in 2021. They worked extensively in community activism, social justice, and social engagement throughout the southeastern US, including 7 Bridges to Recovery, the Garden, and Lost N Found; homeless shelters for battered women and children and LGBTQ+ youth. As a high school and college student, Emma Louisa student-taught elementary and middle grades, focusing on students with special needs and learning differences. Outside of SGS, Emma Louisa volunteers for The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Northwest Harvest, practices oil painting, and enjoys road tripping to national parks with their roommates. 
  
  

  Why I love middle school: Middle school is such an important time for students to develop their sense of self. Being able to support their growth as they develop into strong, independent advocates makes me excited for the future.
• 

  Lexi Keeler 

  Director of Operations

  Bio

  
  Lexi has been a member of Seattle Girls' School's Leadership Team for the past six years. She also coaches volleyball, chaperones the 6th Grade Bike Trip, and has co-led the Alphabet Affinity group. Over the course of her career, Lexi has supported young people through development and operations work at innovative community organizations and schools, including Summer Search, Bike Works, Juma Ventures and New Futures. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing from Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Otherwise, you'll find her chilling with her spouse and three kids (one of whom is a current SGS student), playing volleyball, hanging out with her neighbors on Seattle’s most awesome block, reading, or taking a much-needed nap.
  
  

  Why I love middle school: Middle schoolers are the most! Silly and serious, curious and eager to contribute; they want to make a difference and are continually learning who they are and who they want to be–exactly the kind of people who I love to be around and aspire to be like myself.
• 

  Maggie Kim 

  Accountant

  Bio

  Maggie grew up and attended college in the midwest, but calls the beautiful Pacific Northwest home. She has worked as an accountant and bookkeeper for many years and thinks of the work as a big puzzle that when solved leads to good things for all. When not at SGS, Maggie is hard at work on her small farm, and loves learning about all things vegetables. Her other passions include hiking and glamping with garden food in wondrous places, playing french waltzes and swing on her accordion, and delighting in her very good dogs.

   

  I love middle school because it's such a unique life chapter, rich with ever-changing combinations of creativity, curiosity, courage, vulnerability, humor, passion, skills and wisdom. It's a chapter that all the later selves look back at with awe and admiration!
• 

  Brenda Leaks 

  Trustee | Head of School

  Bio

  Brenda has worked in independent middle schools across the country. In Philadelphia, Brenda worked with Breakthrough Collaborative, a non-profit focused on helping low-income students move from middle school through college, which was housed at local independent school Germantown Friends School. Brenda then taught middle school Spanish and worked on diversity initiatives at The Baldwin School, an all-girls PreK-12 independent school, and The Shipley School, a co-ed PreK-12 independent school. After completing a graduate school program focused on private school leadership at Teachers College Columbia University, Brenda moved to Austin, Texas to become the Middle School Head at Trinity Episcopal School of Austin, a K-8 independent school. An opportunity to be the Middle School Head at The Overlake School, a 5-12 co-ed independent school, in Redmond brought Brenda to the Puget Sound. She is excited to now be the third Head of School at Seattle Girls’ School.
  
  

  Why I love middle school: Middle school is an exciting time in a student’s life when the main constant is change. There are so many parts of oneself to discover and explore; it’s possible to end up just about anywhere. While that idea may seem daunting or a bit chaotic to some, it is the joy of middle school. Our girls are working hard to become themselves in all areas of their lives: as students, friends, activists, daughters, athletes, thinkers, artists, community members and more. And, while we don’t know exactly where they will each end up in each of the many facets of their lives, we value the journey because we get to see them learn, laugh, and courageously face and overcome obstacles. Our girls awe us daily as they grow and teach us moment to moment what possibility looks like.
• 

  Rosetta Lee 

  Outreach Specialist

  Bio

  Rosetta has been at SGS since the school’s first year of existence. She is also the Professional Outreach Specialist, in which role she designs and delivers trainings for all constituents of the school community, as well as the local and national educational and nonprofit sectors. Since 2004, Rosetta has been a diversity speaker and trainer on a variety of issues including cross cultural communication, identity development, prejudice reduction and coalition building, gender and sexuality diversity, facilitation skills, relational aggression among girls, bullying in schools, and gender bias in the classroom. Rosetta has presented at numerous conferences and nonprofit organizations such as the White Privilege Conference, Junior League, and City Year. She has also worked with over 75 K-12 public and independent schools throughout the country, as well as a number of colleges and universities. She has served several years on the faculty of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Diversity Leadership Institute, as well as NAIS’ diversity think-tank cadre, Call to Action. Rosetta is the recipient of NWABR’s 2007 Outstanding Partner in Education Award and recipient of the 2005 Distinguished Teacher Award for the Washington Federation of Independent Schools. She holds a Bachelor Degree from Harvard University (Biology Concentration).

  
  Why I love middle school: Middle school is this magical time where young people are optimistic and innocent AND ready to think about tough and abstract topics. It is a time when they are both able to follow the rules AND challenge their fairness. Middle school youth can share with you the most mind-bendingly deep thought one moment and then hang upside down on the monkey bars like a six year old the next moment. They’re like New England weather – wait five more minutes and you’ll see a whole new side to them! They’re such passionate, curious, challenging, and interesting people; it’s a mystery to me that everyone wouldn’t want to work with middle school youth!
• 

  Phelana Pang 

  Assistant Head of School

  Bio

  Phelana worked in schools in California, Texas, and Saudi Arabia before joining SGS in 2014. She has a true passion for learning and supporting others in their learning and leading. Prior to being an administrator, Phelana taught biology, chemistry, geology, and physical science at the middle and high school levels, including 6th-8th grade science at SGS. Some of her summers were spent excavating dinosaur fossils in Alaska and working with the Center for Neurotechnology at UW. Phelana values building relationships with students, families, and faculty, collaborating to support student learning. Phelana has two daughters (SGS current student and SGS alum) and enjoys hiking, reading, volleyball, and good food.
  
  

  Why I love middle school: In middle school, students learn so much about themselves.  It is a fun and challenging journey. I love helping students cultivate their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.  It’s also very important for students to have strong allies and role models through the tougher parts of adolescence, and I love supporting students through their joyous moments and their uphill climbs.
• 

  Laila Pickett 

  After Care Instructor/Front Desk Support

  Bio

  Laila Pickett, a 2016 Seattle Girls School alum, recently graduated from Willamette University with a BA in Public Health. She finds joy in working with children and values the opportunity to collaborate with diverse students, learning to advocate and make a positive impact on their lives. Laila looks forward to returning to Seattle Girls School and contributing to the community that has had such a profound impact on her. In her free time Laila enjoys baking, black and white photography, and playing lacrosse.
  
  Why I love Middle School: Middle school is a time of growth and self-discovery. As an SGS alum, I had a positive and enjoyable experience. It was a place where I could be myself, make mistakes, and learn from them. Those years played a crucial role in shaping who I am today.
• 

  LiLi Pigott 

  Development Coordinator

  Bio

  
  LiLi serves as the Development Associate at SGS. After graduating from Butler University with a BS in Dance Arts Administration and a minor in Strategic Communication, LiLi moved to Seattle to work for the Pacific Northwest Ballet and hasn’t left since. During her time at PNB, she worked as a Summer Residence Counselor, a Patron Service Representative and then served as the Annual Fund Manager during the company's 50th Season. She was also a founding member of the reinstated PNB IDEA committee and currently sits on the Advisory Board for Seattle Arts and Culture for Anti-Racism. 

   

  When she isn’t working, LiLi loves to hike, camp and backpack throughout the Pacific Northwest with her partner and their dog Nora. 

   

  Why I Love Middle School:  Middle school can be a difficult time for many students, but I believe that having inspiration and support during those formative years are necessary to an individual’s personal development. I hope that my passion for the arts will help empower and ignite passion in young adults. 
• 

  Madison Scharnitzke 

  Learning Support Specialist

  Bio

  Maddie was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She completed her Bachelors at Northern Arizona University in 2019 and then her Masters at Liberty University in 2020, both in education. While teaching, she has focused her time on teaching sixth grade, as well as leading intervention groups in reading and executive functioning. In her free time, she loves to read, cook, and kayak. You can usually spot her with her signature bright red lipstick. 

  
  Why I love middle school: Middle school is a time where students become semi-autonomous and begin developing into their own versions of themselves, separate from the adults in their lives. They begin to discover who they want to be, and can experience the need and desire to (safely and respectfully) push against the structures previously in place for them. I love helping to guide them in how to navigate this change.
• 

  Will Wickizer 

  Communications Specialist

  Bio

  Will grew up in Missouri and moved to Seattle in 2017. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and a career in content marketing followed, sparking his passion for communications. When he’s not working, Will likes to tinker, ride bikes, fill sketchbooks with doodles, dig into art history, and watch delightfully cheesy sci-fi films.
  
  Why I love middle school: I love middle school because it's a time of immense self-discovery and change. It’s a few messy, meaningful years when you’re untangling who you are. That’s why I find such joy in working with middle schoolers—it reminds me to keep looking inward, to resist staying static, and to seek adventure in every experience, big or small.