Pacífico Internacional - Waldorf School in Costa Rica

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

Robyn Mundrick

Kindergarten Main Teacher and Early Childhood Pedagogical Chair

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.

Claudia Verónica Barrientos

Kindergarten Main Teacher

Claudia grew up in El Salvador, where she worked for over two decades in film, photojournalism, and institutional communications. In 2014, following the birth of her son Inti, she discovered Waldorf education, a turning point that led her toward a new vocation. Driven by a desire to protect the purity of childhood in the face of a hyper-technological world, she decided to put down the camera lens and channel her storytelling skills into the art of supporting child development. In 2018, she was a founding parent of the Casa Nuyulu Waldorf Initiative in El Salvador, the community where her children, Inti and Citlalli, grew up. Within this community, she took on multiple roles, including documenting school activities through photography and video, leading craft workshops, coordinating institutional communications, and facilitating a volunteer-based parenting group for mothers and babies. In the classroom, she served as a Nursery (Maternal) Teacher, holding the daily rhythm for the youngest children. Committed to her own ongoing education, she completed her comprehensive Waldorf teacher training with the Centro Humanístico Micael (Colombia) and the Comunidad Turmalina (Peru), in addition to taking short courses on anthroposophical topics such as biodynamic agriculture and primary-level crafts. Guided by a commitment to her children's path and her own, she sought a school that would allow them to continue their Waldorf education—a sacred calling that brought her to Costa Rica to join Pacífico Internacional. In her free time, she enjoys volleyball, nature, the beach, hiking, and crafts; she is also dedicated to promoting a healthier, more harmonious lifestyle through organic food and reconnecting with her ancestral Indigenous roots.

Larissa Paola Grande

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

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.

Hila Fux

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Ms. Hila's journey in education has taken her across countries and cultures, always guided by a love for young children and a desire to understand their unique path of development. With more than 20 years of experience working with children in Israel and Canada, she brings warmth, curiosity, and a deep respect for childhood to her work. While beginning her Bachelor of Education studies, Hila discovered Anthroposophy as she searched for a deeper understanding of child development and the human being. That discovery became a lifelong path, leading her to complete her Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy in Jerusalem more than 20 years ago. After making Canada her home, she also completed her Early Childhood Education diploma, weaving together her academic studies with years of hands-on experience in early childhood education. Hila joined Toronto Waldorf School in 2018 and over the next eight wonderful years, she found not only a place to teach but also a community in which to grow. As both a teacher and a parent, she experienced the richness of Waldorf education as her two children journeyed through the school alongside her. Now, Hila is looking forward to a new adventure as she joins Pacifico Internacional. She is excited to become part of the school community and to continue supporting young children as they learn, play, imagine, and grow. Hila loves spending time in nature, whether hiking forest trails or camping under the stars. She also enjoys handwork, finding peace and inspiration in creating with her hands, baking and reading.

Grade Teachers

Karol Abarca Martínez

Main Teacher Grade 4/5 and Spanish Teacher Grade 2/3

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.

César Bravo Frutos

Main Teacher Grade 6, Spanish Teacher Middle School

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.

Angelique Metta (Ani)

Main Teacher Grade 7/8, Math Teacher Middle School, English Teacher Grade 4/5

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.

Elvira Espinosa Gil

Main Teacher Grade 1

Elvira is from Burgos in Spain. She holds a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education from Spain and worked at the MichäelSchool Steiner School Turnhout in Belgium for two years before moving to Costa Rica. Elvira joined the Pacifico Internacional faculty in August 2025, initially as a Grades Assistant before she took over as the Main Teacher for the combined Grade 1 and 2 class during the second semester. She has also completed a summer intensive Waldorf course through the Sunbridge Institute in New York. In her free time Elvira enjoys exploring new places, food and people. She loves to read, surf and spend time with horses.

Katy Thompson

Main Teacher Grades 2/3 and English Teacher Grade 1

Katy approaches teaching as both an art and a relationship. Katy holds a MEd in Elementary Education from the University of Fairbanks and has completed a summer intensive Waldorf course through the Sunbridge Institute in New York. With over seven years of classroom experience, she is devoted to creating a warm, rhythmic classroom environment where children feel a sense of belonging, wonder, and joy in learning. She brings a deep respect for each child's developmental journey, weaving storytelling, creativity, movement, and connection to nature into her teaching. Her experience as a 4th grade teacher in a diverse classroom, along with her work in Montessori and community education, has shaped her holistic approach—one that honors imagination, nurtures social-emotional growth, and supports each learner with care and intention. Katy values the balance of structure and flexibility, meeting students where they are while gently guiding them forward. Having been raised between the islands of Hawai'i and the landscapes of Alaska, Katy carries a strong connection to place, culture, and the natural world. She is inspired by the spirit of global education and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the learning community at Pacifico Internacional, where she hopes to cultivate curiosity, creativity, and a deep sense of connection in her students.

Specialty Teachers

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.

Jesua Moises Esquivel Rodriguez

Specialty Teacher - Music

Professor Jesua Esquivel is from Turrialba, Costa Rica, a region known for its rich indigenous, cultural, artistic, and musical heritage. He earned an honor degree in Music Education from the University of Costa Rica and has been teaching in different musical and artistic contexts since 2020. His experience in both formal and independent education has allowed him to improve teaching methods tailored to a variety of settings, developing a comprehensive approach to music education that inspires students at all levels. Jesua specializes in guitar playing and has developed social action projects focused on teaching guitar to children and teenagers in different parts of the country. He has built a solid career based on a deep passion for teaching and artistic excellence. Currently the guitarist for the political rock band SEKA, he has represented the country at various music festivals and cultural summits around the world as both a guitarist and an educator. “La música es libertad y la enseñanza de la música transmite las herramientas para ser libres” — J. Esquivel (2026)

Facilities and Maintenance

Joselyn Adriana Peña

Custodian

Joselyn was born in San Carlos, Alajuela, and has been living in San Pedro for the past 16 years. She loves dancing, traveling, and listening to music, and especially enjoys accompanying her daughter in her folkloric dance performances. Currently, she is part of several community groups in her town, as she is motivated to see an active and constantly growing community. She supports the folkloric dance group not only because of her daughter, but also because she believes it is essential for children to be engaged in positive activities that help preserve their roots, customs, and traditions. For Joselyn, this work is a way of giving love and contributing to the community she belongs to.

Jenner Juarez

Maintenance and Gardening

Jenner is born and raised in Guanacaste and currently lives in the small town of Delicias, close to 27 de Abril. He is a voluntary fire fighter in the area, and also has infinite knowledge on local vegetation and animals. When he is not working or fighting fires he loves to sing and spend time with his daughter.

Mauricio José Calero Alemán