Administration

Helene Lafferty Smith

Head of School

Helene was born and raised in Oslo, Norway. She has two children in grades 5 and 7 who have attended Waldorf Schools since the age of 2. Before moving to Costa Rica, Helene led the Waldorf School of Garden City in New York, and prior to this, she was the business manager at the Asheville Waldorf School in North Carolina. In her early career, Helene was based in Kenya, working in the humanitarian sector for the United Nations and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Helene has a Masters of Business and Economics and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development. She is an avid horse enthusiast and horseback riding instructor and has a growing stable next door to the school.

Andrea Rojo

Office coordinator

Andrea is Venezuelan, lived in Argentina for many years, and decided to come to Costa Rica to connect with nature. She holds a degree in Occupational Therapy and is passionate about supporting individuals in developing the skills they need to fully engage in their daily lives. Her career has led her to work in educational and community settings, always seeking to create meaningful experiences. Since the end of the 2023–2024 school year, she has been part of the Waldorf team. She also has experience in school management, event coordination, and digital communication, combining her organizational skills with her creative nature. In her free time, Andrea enjoys painting, reading, learning to surf, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Kindergarten

Diana Cubillos Salazar

Kindergarten Teacher

Diana grew up in San Jose, and has been working in early childhood education since 2012. She started her Waldorf Journey as a Kindergarten assistant at the Guanacaste Waldorf School, and became the main teacher for Pre-K at Pacific Waldorf School in 2021. In 2022, she completed both parts of the Foundations in Anthroposophy program from Rudolf Steiner College Canada, and is currently continuing her education through the LifeWays Ontario Professional Development Program. Diana is an active, outdoorsy person who loves water skiing, paddleboarding, and hiking. She is deeply passionate about education, individuality, temperaments, and karma.

Robyn Mundrick

Kindergarten Teacher

Ms. Robyn grew up in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania on the East coast of the US. After high school she traveled all around the United States settling on the West coast in Eugene, Oregon. There she raised her son and was introduced to Waldorf Education. She attended the Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene, igniting a love of Anthroposophy and was introduced to surfing on the Oregon coast. After graduating in 2007 she began working in the Early Childhood Program at the Eugene Waldorf School. Over the years at EWS she was an assistant, co-teacher, lead kindergarten and preschool teacher. She helped redesign the aftercare program, reopen the preschool, lead a summer program, facilitate faculty meetings, and was a member of the College of teachers, among other activities. She began hearing a call to Costa Rica and in 2021 she followed her heart and began her adventure at PWS. This will be her 5th year teaching in the Guanacaste Kindergarten. In her free time she enjoys surfing, crafting, yoga, her kitties and relaxing in the hammock.

Arielle Thomas

Kindergarten Assistant

Ms. Arielle joined our community for the 2024/2025 school year when she was the Grade 1 and 2 assistant and English teacher. Arielle embarked on her Waldorf education journey from a young age attending a Waldorf inspired school. She is currently enrolled in Waldorf Teacher training in Colombia. She has served as an assistant across various grades in Waldorf Schools and taught Spanish and music. Arielle is passionate about music, storytelling, and the English language, and finds immense joy in connecting with students and fostering classroom community.

Larissa

Kindergarten Assistant

Larissa is originally from San José, Costa Rica, and has been living in Guanacaste for the past ten years. She has a background in dramatic arts and has also developed as a musician. Since 2017, she has been cultivating experience in the field of education, always from an approach grounded in respect, trust, and the capacity for self-regulation in children.

Grade Teachers

Karol Abarca Martínez

Grade Teacher

Ms. Karol is from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, but has lived in Guanacaste for close to 20 years. She obtained her Waldorf Teacher training from Centro de Desarrollo Antroposófico in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She worked as a lead teacher at the Guanecaste Waldorf School for 7 years, where she also was the Director for one year. She was the co-founder and co-Director of the Pacific Waldorf School in 2021, where she also has been a Lead teacher for 4 years. In 2025 she received her Diploma in Curative Pedagogy and Social Therapy from the GITA Anthroposophical Centre in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Karol is the mother of two amazing girls, Olivia and Afrika. In her spare time she enjoys reading, painting, listening to music and spending time in the forest or at the beach. Ms. Karol also loves rescuing and helping animals in need.

Dennis Drennan

Main Teacher Grades 1/2 and English Teacher Grades 3/4

Dennis recently joined the school from the Seacoast Waldorf School in Maine, where he graduated his 8th grade class in June 2025. Dennis earned his Waldorf teaching degree from Antioch University in 2005. Along with being a Waldorf teacher for the past 18 years, he has also had experience teaching environmental education and special education in both public and private settings. He has a passion for teaching history and the arts and seeks to give kids hands-on experiences both in the classroom and out in the community. When Dennis is not teaching, he enjoys traveling, kayaking, skiing, and spending time with his wife Wendy and their two children, Alphea and Peder, who also attend the school. Along with teaching, he has spent much of his free time fixing up an old house where they live and building a cabin near Acadia National Park in Maine.

César Bravo Frutos

Main Teacher Grade 5, Spanish teacher Grades 5/6/7

César is originally from Argentina and has lived in Costa Rica for the past 12 years. His Waldorf journey began thanks to his eldest daughter, Olivia, which led him to volunteer at Guanacaste Waldorf School, first supporting maintenance and later teaching Movement and Physical Education. After the school's closure in 2020, César and a group of colleagues founded Pacific Waldorf School in 2021. Since then, he has had the privilege of accompanying the same group of students, and this year he continues to guide them as their Fifth Grade teacher. He is currently completing his Waldorf teacher training in Mexico. His purpose as an educator is to support children in becoming creative, thoughtful, and responsible individuals who can make a positive contribution to society. César feels honored and grateful to continue walking alongside his students and to witness their growth as unique and valuable human beings.

Todd Crowe

Main Teacher Grade 6/7, English Teacher Grades 5/6/7, Movement and Woodworking

Todd recently joined the school from Asheville, North Carolina where he has been a founding faculty member of the Asheville Waldorf School the past 13 years. Todd recently took a year off from teaching and has been building and remodeling houses. Todd enjoys spending time with his wife Heidi and daughters, Aziza (9) and Nehara (5). In his spare time, Todd likes to play ukulele, sing, mountain bike, box, play board games and surf when he can. Todd looks forward to sharing his love and understanding of Waldorf education with his students and the surrounding community.

Angelique Metta (Ani)

Main lesson and Math Teacher for Grades 5,6 and 7

Ani grew up in Ohio and began her professional journey studying marketing before serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay. She went on to spend 7 years working in community economic development across Latin America. After returning to the United States, Ani earned her Waldorf Teaching Certificate and MEd in Waldorf Education from Antioch University. She then spent five years as a grades teacher at the Honolulu Waldorf School, guiding students through a rich and imaginative curriculum. Ani enjoys reading, writing, hiking, camping, crafting, and long days at the beach. She shares her life with her beloved dog Luka and two cats, and cherishes time spent in good company with friends. Ani brings a deep love for storytelling, culture, and the natural world into her classroom and is excited to be part of this learning community.

Specialty Teachers

Ashley De Regil

Specialty Teacher

Ashley has a degree in Psychology and Social Work. She has done training in Waldorf Early Childhood Education and trained in Simplicity Parenting, helping families to bring Waldorf inspired rhythms and methods into the home and family life. Ashley is passionate about working with children, sustainability, and community, which is why Waldorf is close to her heart. She has run Waldorf inspired educational projects in different countries and holds regular Simplicity Parenting groups. Ashley has lived in Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Israel, but has chosen to raise her family here in Costa Rica, where she also grew up as a child. She is mother to 3 children who all attend our school.

Oscar Vega Castillo

Music teacher Grades 1-7

Oscar Ricardo Vega Castillo graduated with a degree in Music Education from the National University of Costa Rica (UNA). Currently, his bachelor's degree project is active: a songbook of original music for elementary school anniversaries. He has 20 years of experience in music education from preschool to high school in public and private institutions. He specializes in singing and instrumental performance, as well as the formation and direction of musical ensembles. He has participated as a musician and director on folk music tours in Europe and Latin America. He has participated in the recording of several albums as an arranger, composer, singer, and saxophonist. He currently teaches specialized classes for instrumentalists and singing.

Carrie Lawson

Handwork teacher Grades 1-7

Carrie started teaching Waldorf handwork in 2018 at the Guanacaste Waldorf School and has a certification from Waldorf Handwork Educators. Through working with children, she has come to an understanding of the vital role that handwork plays in the brain development of each child. She has seen in her students and in her own children how beneficial handwork techniques are in developing mathematical, handwriting and problem solving skills. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and learning about textiles from around the world and creating handmade gifts and clothing.

Lennart Krotki

Physical Education Teacher Grades 3-7

Lennart is originally from Engelskirchen, near Cologne in Germany, and has been living in Guanacaste for the past three years, where he runs his own tennis academy. He holds professional tennis coach licenses since 2009 and has worked in various institutions across Europe, as well as serving on the board of a tennis club with over 300 members. He studied Economics at the University of Bonn, where he focused his bachelor's thesis on how external pressures affect children's performance. Since the age of 15, he has combined his academic path with coaching tennis, supporting children and youth in their athletic and personal growth. His true passion is working with children guiding them in their journey, discovering their talents, and nurturing their potential. Lennart feels grateful to continue this work in Costa Rica, integrating sports with holistic education.