Welcome to the Overlake Community!
Please welcome the following new employees to the Overlake community. Below are brief introductions to learn more about these new Owls.
Kristal Balboa joins the food services team after most recently working with Nintendo of America as a Switch Specialist assisting consumers with technical issues related to the popular gaming system. Our students will surely appreciate talking Switch gaming with her at the cafeteria check out! Prior to her time with Nintendo, Balboa worked as a barista in Nevada. Please welcome her to Overlake.
Dr. Debbie Bensadon joins Overlake as the first Assistant Head for Inclusive Excellence. She brings extensive experience in strategic leadership and community engagement, and will oversee various school programs, including identity and affinity programs, experiential education, and health and wellness initiatives. Originally a Spanish teacher and most recently the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Lakeside School, Bensadon continues to present at national conferences on equity and inclusion. Her commitment to fostering community and culturally responsive practices is impressive, and we’re so glad she’s here!
As Support Lead in the IT department, Amman Berhe is the go-to for anyone (or any space) on campus with a tech issue. He is a friendly and innovative problem-solver and has already brought more efficiency and order to our Information Literacy & Technology department! As a former production manager, Berhe brings with him years of quality-assurance practices and inventory management. Also a veteran, Berhe served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 2012-2018.
Jan Berlin joins our transportation team as a sports bus driver. With specialized experience in the King County Metro Transit Control Center, Berlin brings with her a deep understanding of our region’s transit systems. We’re looking forward to having Berlin and her 32 years of transit experience on our team, for our teams!
Bekah Blanchard joined Overlake for the final few months of the 2024-25 school year and will continue through the first half of the fall. In her role, Blanchard is developing and delivering communications across social media, emails, website, and other digital and print media. After graduating from Whitworth University, she worked in Spokane Public Schools as a communications secretary at an alternative high school and has also worked as a freelance writer in the personal finance industry. Welcome!
Georgia Brown joins the Overlake Admissions team as our new Admissions Coordinator. She is a recent graduate of the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies and minored in French. Brown’s experience includes studying abroad at the Copenhagen Business School and working as an Admissions Representative at UW, where she advised prospective students and supported admissions counselors. Welcome to Overlake!
Our HR department has doubled with the addition of Rowan Cleland, our first HR Operations Specialist! In this new role, she is supporting our Director of HR in many ways, including improving processes like onboarding and off-boarding and developing positive relationships between all employees. With a background in compliance, data analysis, and management, Cleland is helping Overlake foster positive employee experiences while helping make strategic HR decisions. Welcome to the nest!
Hanani Dube is returning to Overlake full-time this year after helping as a substitute in the World Languages department last school year. Dube will teach French to our Upper School students. She most recently taught French at Alliance Francaise de Harare in Zimbabwe, as well as serving as an assistant lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. Bienvenue!
Paul Faeh is the newest addition to the Social Studies Department and will teach in the Upper School. After 18 years at Hinsdale South High School in Darien, Illinois, Faeh comes to Overlake with extensive experience and numerous awards, including the school’s Teacher of the Year and a nomination for Illinois State Teacher of the Year. Faeh has also scored AP tests since 2001, including serving in leadership roles and setting scoring standards for other graders. We’re glad to have him!
Filling Overlake’s inaugural role of Director of Human Resources is Brittany Flajole. With 10+ years of experience in HR (most recently as Senior VP of People at Thrive Communities) Flajole brings both passion and expertise to everything she does. She is working closely with school leadership to develop inclusive policies, streamline our hiring practices, and build a collaborative environment for all Overlake employees. Welcome!
John Gallegos brings his extensive driving experience to the transportation team as he will be shuttling our students to and from school this year. Gallegos most recently worked at Lake Washington School District as a driver for 19 years. He’s also worked at Northshore School District as a para-educator substitute and cafeteria monitor. Welcome to Overlake!
Chap Grubb (‘10) returns to Overlake as our Experiential Education Program Coordinator! As a longtime lover of the outdoors, Grubb helps champion Overlake’s commitment to experiential education by coordinating and leading student opportunities, including Project Week, Service Days, outdoor trips, and Senior Projects. It’s always good to have alums return, and we’re so glad to have Grubb bring his positivity and leadership skills back to Overlake!
Mark Hartman will be one of the new faces behind the wheel this year as he takes his extensive driving experience to Overlake. Hartman joins the transportation team as a part-time bus driver. Hartman previously worked for King County Metro Transit for 36 years. When not driving precious cargo around, Hartman is a part-time player assistant at Echo Falls Golf Club.
Rose Ju joins Overlake as the new Development Data Manager and will support the team with data analysis, accuracy, and streamlined processes. Ju’s experience in marketing, development, and data science complement our Development team and we’re excited to bring her expertise to our campus! Most recently, Ju has worked at Kin On as a Marketing & Annual Giving Coordinator, and previously a marketing specialist at International Community Health Services. Welcome to Overlake!
Another addition to the Overlake English Department is Hayley Knowlton, this time in Middle School. This past school year, she worked in the Issaquah School District as a substitute teacher after earning her Master in Teaching from Seattle University. Previously, she was a student intern at Interlake High School where she supported students and teachers and designed coursework for 9th and 10th graders. With a background in environmental studies and literature, Knowlton brings a valuable perspective to our campus!
Lalo Marroquin Ledezma joins Overlake with the food services team after working for a moving company. We’re lucky to have him join us after a recommendation from fellow food services team member India Jennings! When not helping the team in the Campus Center, you will find Ledezma behind a pool cue or video game controller! Welcome to the team.
Rounding out our maintenance team this year is Rex Moye, an experienced groundskeeper. Moye comes to us from The Plateau Club in Sammamish and has also worked for the City of Issaquah Parks Department and Allied Universal. We’re happy to have him on our top-notch maintenance team!
Joining our Upper School English Department is Denia Maldonado Olivas. A student-centered, adaptable teammate, Maldonado Olivas most recently taught in Glendale, Arizona, at Glenview College Prep High School, and she is a current bookseller at Barnes & Noble. She is experienced in creative, multi-modal teaching strategies, bringing digital media into the classroom alongside traditional materials. We’re excited to have her join the team!
The Overlake Math Department welcomes Kendi Quidachay as a new Middle School math teacher. After teaching for several years in the Comal Independent School District in New Braunfels, Texas, Quidachay was elevated to a Campus Instructional Coach. In this role, she supported teachers in their instructional strategies and provided demonstrations of academically rigorous teaching strategies. We’re happy to have Quidachay and her expertise on our instructional team!
Taylor Steck joins our learning support team as a Learning Specialist. After graduating with her master’s in English from Clemson University, Steck worked in the University of Washington’s Student-Athlete Academic Services, identifying any necessary services and providing academic coaching to student-athletes. She will serve as an advocate for students, helping them identify any accommodations or additional academic supports they may need. Welcome to Overlake!
Welcome to Cheronne Wong, Overlake's new Chief Financial Officer. Wong brings over 2 decades of financial leadership to Overlake, having most recently served as the CFO and COO of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall. In addition to her years of experience in strategic financial leadership, Wong brings creativity and passion as a former choreographer, teacher, and performer. We're so excited to see her join the Overlake team and help our vibrant campus thrive.