Dara Stepanek is an educator and community leader who graduated from Cal Poly with a Mathematics Major, Physics Minor, and Teaching Credential. She taught math at Central Coast New Tech High School for 6 years, where she served as the club advisor for the Social Justice League, a group of students who worked to educate, activate, and lead our communities into a world that is just for all. Dara enjoys time with her son and now manages operations for her family business, Bliss Cafe, to promote and serve locally grown vegan, organic cuisine. She recently became a Climate Reality Leader and is excited to graduate in March 2020 as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Her hope for this Enrichment Program is to reinvigorate our democracy by empowering students to be global citizens. Always looking for innovative ideas within the broad spectrum of educational possibilities, Dara is very excited to be a part of Peace Academy’s team and vision.
Dr. Lata Murti is Associate Professor of Sociology for the School of Arts and Sciences at Brandman University, where she was the recipient of the 2015 Outstanding University Faculty of the Year Award. Before studying and teaching sociology, Dr. Murti was a Spanish teacher for grades 2-8. She has BA degrees in Spanish and Humanities as well as MA and Ph.D. degrees in American Studies and Ethnicity, from the University of Southern California. For her BA degree in Spanish, Dr.Murti studied at the University of Costa Rica, in San Jose, Costa Rica, for one semester, which left her yearning for Latina culture and the Spanish language.
Dr. Ingrid Kovacs, an award winning credentialed music teacher. She has taught general music and orchestra in both the private and public school sector for over thirty years, for all grade levels. She is all level certified in both Kodaly and Orff Schulwerk methods and a certified Suzuki Violin teacher. Dr. Kovacs earned both a bachelor and master’s degree in Music (Music History) from the University of Southern California. In 2010 Dr. Kovacs completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at Boston University. Dr. Kovacs is active as a journal editor and presenter at state and national conventions. Her research interests included string pedagogy, classroom management, and historical studies, and her work is frequently published. As an orchestra director, Dr. Kovacs is well known for her innovation, pedagogical expertise and ability to engage students of all ages. Dr. Kovacs is excited to be working with the Peace Academy because she wants to help young people begin to develop a sense of belonging to a common humanity.
Jennah Elghandour, is a 2nd year Materials Engineering major at UCLA. Throughout her high school career, Jennah worked a few jobs along with doing nanotechnology research at Cal Poly State University. All her jobs and volunteer work have all included kids. She worked at Central Coast Gymnastics for 2 years, worked at the Bright Life Playschool in San Luis Obispo, was a teacher at the first Peace Academy summer camp, volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club, and volunteered with a program called Get on the Bus, all before leaving for college. Jennah Elghandour will continue to work with the Peace Academy, as well as continue to pursue her career in Materials Engineering.
Sandra Sarrouf is a cultural worker, arts advocate, educator, and community organizer. She received her MA in Cultural Sustainability and BA in Environmental Studies and Political Science with a minor Global Peace and Security through UC Santa Barbara. As a professional dancer, she harnesses the power of creativity and movement as tools to embrace diversity, build just communities and learn about our multicultural world. Sandra is passionate about cultivating deeper understanding of the varied ways we participate in culture and brings a multi-layered perspective to the table. As a Middle Eastern woman who immigrated to the U.S. at a young age, she offers tools for those seeking to build inclusion and cultural equity into their organizational framework. Her radiant joy and deep cultural pride is most evident in the vibrancy she brings as an instructor and performer in dance.
Stephanie Krouse is a freelance artist and credentialed teacher. Raised in Los Osos, California, she attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and received a BS degree in Ecology & Systematic Biology with a minor in Spanish. Doing art, caring about the natural environment, speaking in Spanish and serving her community have always been her passions. As an elementary school teacher she loves to help her students create art with positive messages that are inspiring and hopeful. She currently works in Santa Maria and prior to this position she was a dual immersion teacher in Lompoc. Krouse is fascinated by color and design principles. Her style combines pastel colors and realism. Her home studio, set as an island amidst row crops, in Guadalupe, is an ideal place for creating art. It is also in this location that she lives with her husband, two children and her two border collie puppies.
Beela Elghandour is a 3rd year Biochemistry major at UCLA, pursuing a career in Pediatric Dentistry. In high school, Beela was very active in her community, taking part in several community service programs and clubs. She also took part in nanoparticle research at Cal Poly State University. Beela has had experience working with kids, through being a gymnastics coach at Central Coast Gymnastics, working at Bright Life Playschool, and being a teacher and coordinator for Peace Academy’s first summer program.
At UCLA Beela has been on the committee for the Academic, Mentorship and Professional Development Project, is a volunteer for the UMMA Volunteer Project, Food Drive Initiative Project, and College Day. She also is involved in a 3 year Sports Medicine Internship Program. Beela is excited to continue working with the Peace Academy as she progresses her academic career.
Dee DiGioia is a Certified Mindfulness & Life Skills Coach and Educator and resides in Los Osos. After working with youth for over 35 years, including special education, Dee founded Mindful Kindful YOUniversity (MK YOU) (MindfulKindfulYOUniversity.com) to offer mindfulness-based social-emotional learning programs intentionally designed to address the challenges youth, and adults, face in school, and in life, which interfere with learning/working, relationships, and mental well-being. As an educator in the public school setting over the years, Dee believes mindfulness is an essential and missing piece (and peace) in our schools and in our communities today. By setting the intention to practice mindfulness and kindfulness in our daily living, we can plant the seeds for positive habits to transform our inner peace and happiness. As a result, each one of us is positively contributing to a thriving, resilient, compassionate and peaceful world beginning within ourselves, and positively impacting our relationships at home, school, and in our communities. Dee is overjoyed to collaborate with “Peace Academy” on this mission of inspiring our youth to become peacemakers!