Meet our Teachers
Primary Guide
Julie o’donnell
Miss Julie returns to St. Clare’s this fall for her second year as our beloved sweet and soft spoken Primary Guide. Julie loves reading novels and the lives of the saints and traveling with her dog, Tia. Originally from Philadelphia, Miss Julie graduated from Bowdoin college, where she majored in fine arts. Post college, Julie’s experience working one-on-one with children in traditional classrooms as an Americorps teaching assistant, and later as a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Catechist, led her to begin training as a Montessori Guide. Julie completed her Primary AMI training through Montessori Northwest and brings her love of painting, gentle nature, and unwavering commitment to the highest ideals of Montessori education to our Primary classroom. When she’s not in the classroom, you’ll find Miss Julie hiking, camping, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. The picture above is of Miss Julie and Tia in front of St. Peter’s in Vatican City where they both were blessed by the Pope!
Primary Assistant
Margarita oliveros
Miss Margarita is a bilingual educator devoted to her students, enthusiastic about the outdoors, and deeply devoted to the Eucharist. Margarita hails from Bogotá, Columbia where she began her professional career as a lawyer. Feeling called to leave the legal profession, she began her journey in the field of education at the Catholic University of Avila, Spain, earning a Masters in Teaching and Bioethics. After spending time interning at the University of Texas, she went on to complete her Masters in Bilingual/ESL Education at Texas A&M. It was there that Margarita (a proud Aggie!) learned about Maria Montessori’s approach to education. She completed the AMI Assistants Training Course at Montessori Institute of North Texas in early 2023 and is excited to bring her energetic personality, as well as her love of the Montessori Method and bilingual education to our Chipmunks this year.
Margarita likes to spend her free time in Eucharistic adoration, spending time with her relatives, cooking, baking, riding her all-terrain bike, racing go-karts, watching rodeo, designing, and doing arts and crafts of all kinds.
Elementary Guide
eugene gumah
Mr. Eugene hails from Ghana’s Upper East Region in North Africa. The third of five brothers, Eugene was raised in a big Catholic family. A passion for education runs in the family - his father helped to found the Gumyoko Primary school in their area, and his oldest brother served as the director of the first Montessori school in North East Ghana. After attending Catholic University of Ghana with a major in Economics and Business Administration, Eugene worked for several years in sales and marketing. Although successful, this line of work left Eugene feeling unfulfilled. With his older brother’s help, he decided to return to his family’s roots, entering the education field as the Information and Computer Technology teacher at La’Angum Learning Center in 2018. In 2019 he married his wife Ruth, and in 2020 they welcomed their first son, Anselm, and last year Eugene and Ruth welcomed a second son, Manzuaya. Working with the students at LLC ignited a passion for Montessori education in Eugene. Eugene completed his certification as an AMI Montessori Elementary Guide in the spring of 2022 and is returning for his third year at Saint Clare’s, this year as our Lead Guide. When he’s not in the classroom, Eugene loves spending time with his family, biking, reading, and watching adventure and comedy movies.
Elementary Assistant
Brittany Brady
Miss Brittany returns this fall for her second year at St. Clare’s. Last year she served as our Primary Classroom Assistant, and this year she is excited to join our Black Bear classroom! Originally from Illinois, Brittany is a Certified Nurse Assistant with eight years of experience working in schools as a K-1st and 3rd/4th grade teacher, a classroom assistant and as a special education classroom aide, as well as six years spent teaching religious education. Miss Brittany’s kind, joyful personality and enthusiasm for working with children makes her a favorite with her students. When she’s not in the classroom you can find Brittany spending time in eucharistic adoration. Miss Brittany loves to sing and play guitar, and she’s looking forward to sharing devotional adoration songs with her students again this year.
Adolescent Co-Guide
Peter Larson
After spending the summer backpacking around Europe, Mr. Peter returns for his second year as Adolescent Program Co-Guide, bringing his quirky passion for math and science to our Gray Wolves. A Tahoe native, Peter grew up right here in Incline Village attending Incline Elementary, Middle and High school, and mass with his family at Saint Francis. He spent six years in the local Boy Scout troop, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. A graduate of Gonzaga University with a degree in Business Administration, Peter returned home after graduation and worked as an IT Consultant before making his way to the Golden Eagle Team. A favorite with his students, Peter brings his dry sense of humor, passion for the outdoors and knack for breaking complicated ideas down into accessible concepts to the Adolescent Program. After school you can find him picking away at new songs on the guitar.
Adolescent Co-Guide
Lia Clarity
This year, we welcome Miss Lia Clarity, who is joining us all the way from East Tennessee, where she spent her childhood homeschooling and helping her mom around the house. An avid reader, she could often be found nestled up in a tree reading books. Lia attended St. Thomas Aquinas College where she spent her college years engaged in their Great Books curriculum. After college, Lia served as a camp counselor at ‘Down Home Ranch’ in Texas which focuses on helping adults and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lia is excited to bring her expertise in exploring big ideas using the discussion method to our Gray Wolf classroom. She enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outdoors.
Adolescent Seminar Guide
Alex Roodhouse
Alex grew up between Tahoe and Mill Valley and spent several years of his childhood in Incline. He moved his family back home to Tahoe ten years ago and loves living in the mountains. A “Great Books” (Program of Liberal Studies) major at the University of Notre Dame, Alex loves literature and spends as much time as possible reading. After leaving Notre Dame, Alex spent four years as a Naval Officer, chasing pirates (seriously!) off the Horn of Africa and patrolling the Euphrates river during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Shortly after leaving the military, Alex co-founded BeaverFit USA, which he continues to run. Alex brings his love of literature and passion for thoughtful dialogue to our Adolescent Program and is looking forward to leading seminar for his second year! Outside of time spent at work and school, you can find him skiing, mountain biking, discussing a good book with his wife Paige, coaching youth sports, or playing “rough and tumble” with one or all of his six kids.