Workshop Staff/Consultants

Olivia Carril lives in Santa Fe, where she has been teaching middle school science at the Santa Fe Girls’ School for six years. When not teaching, she pursues research on native bees, and rare plants, in New Mexico. Olivia received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Utah State University in biology, with an emphasis on biogeography. She received her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she studied a bee that only visits cactus and globemallow flowers. She has published two books on North America’s wild bees: The Bees in Your Backyard, a Guide to North America’s Bees, and The Common Bees of Eastern North America.  Olivia loves talking about science and helping people of all ages to understand intimidating concepts through hands-on experiments and trial and error.

Diane Garber began her career as an elementary and special education teacher in New Haven, Connecticut. She became the Early Childhood Supervisor and Director of Curriculum Pre-K-12 in that district. Diane was named Research Affiliate at Yale Child Study Center with Dr. James Comer’s School Development Program, supporting national school reform efforts. Retiring from Cheshire, Connecticut as Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services, Diane resumed her career as an elementary principal in Santa Fe, and Burlingame, California. Diane earned her B.S. & M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University, an M.S. in Special Education from Fairfield University, and completed a doctoral program at the University of Connecticut. Diane was recently named SFSI Board President.

Mollie Parsons has been a passionate educator and curriculum designer for 20 years. After earning an undergraduate degree from Brown University, she went on to receive Masters’ Degrees from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Boston College in education. She has taught in public and private schools as well as museums and other nonprofits. Mollie has received numerous honors for her work in interpretation, education, and collective impact work.

Katie Weeks (she/her) is the Director of Community Education for Audubon Southwest, based at the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe. With over a decade of experience in teaching, environmental, and informal science education, she is a strong proponent for hands-on learning both inside the classroom and out in the natural world. Since joining Audubon in 2017, she has worked with hundreds of teachers to design curricula and use birds as a way to learn about conservation and science. Katie also centers equity, diversity, and inclusion in her educational practice and strategy. She currently serves on the executive team of the Santa Fe Community Educators Network. Katie has a B.A. from Kalamazoo College and an M.S. in Environmental Education from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

SFSI Staff

Diane Garber began her career as an elementary and special education teacher in New Haven, Connecticut. She became the Early Childhood Supervisor and Director of Curriculum Pre-K-12 in that district. Diane was named Research Affiliate at Yale Child Study Center with Dr. James Comer’s School Development Program, supporting national school reform efforts. Retiring from Cheshire, Connecticut as Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services, Diane resumed her career as an elementary principal in Santa Fe, and Burlingame, California. Diane earned her B.S. & M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University, an M.S. in Special Education from Fairfield University, and completed a doctoral program at the University of Connecticut. Diane was recently named SFSI Board President.

Anne Weaver, Ph.D., is a paleoanthropologist with a special interest in the evolution of the human brain. She is also the award-winning author of two science books for kids: The Voyage of the Beetle and Children of Time: Evolution and the Human Story. Anne has taught middle-school science and now offers a class in human evolution at Santa Fe Community College every spring. She has served on SFSI’s Board of Directors for more than 8 years and is a former Board President.

Susan Benjamin earned a BA from Cornell University and a MA from Tufts College. She taught in the Los Alamos Public Schools over 30 years and has worked for SFSI for 4 years. She was honored as New Mexico Teacher of the Year-2002. As a national AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) workshop leader, she has shared her math and science expertise with hundreds of teachers nationally.

Mary Howard received a BS in Elementary Education from New Mexico State University and an MA from the University of New Mexico in Elementary Education. Mary has served as a mentor for teachers in the Santa Fe Community College alternative licensure program, taught as a Title I reading teacher and had a distinguished career for 23 years with Santa Fe Public Schools. Mary has been a mentor and designed, developed and taught many outstanding and innovative professional development workshops during her 11 years working with SFSI. Mary is a site researcher for the Laser i3 program.

Joan Shandler earned a BA at Brooklyn College, NY in Elementary Education and an MA at the University of New Mexico in Training and Learning Technologies. Joan also has a Level-3 Instructional Leader teaching license from New Mexico . Joan taught with the Santa Fe Public schools from 1977-2001. During that time she received the New Mexico Quality Education Award 1989, Teachers Who Inspire Award from Partner’s in Education 1994, and the Santa Fe Reporter 2000″ Best of Santa Fe” teacher award. Joan has been a mentor with SFSI since 2002. She has designed, developed and taught many innovative and outstanding professional development workshops for SFSI. Joan is a site researcher for the Laser i3 program.

Dianna Dilg earned a BA in Elementary Education with an endorsement in reading from the College of Santa Fe. She has over 45 hours post BA in language arts, math and science courses. Dianna taught for Santa Fe Public Schools for 28 years in grades 1-4 and Enrichment. Dianna was named Teacher of the Year 1994 at Gonzales Elementary. Dianna has been a mentor with SFSI for 4 years and has spent one year as a site researcher with the Laser i3 program.

Katherine L. Neer earned a BS at Concordia, River Forest, Illinois. She has taught in K-3 in both public and private schools, working with the Santa Fe Public schools for 30 years at Gonzales Elementary. Kathy has been a mentor with SFSI for 7 years and is a site researcher with the Laser i3 program.

Diane Catron graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology, followed by a master’s degree in Plant Physiology from the University of New Mexico. She retired this month from Santa Fe Preparatory School where she taught Biology and AP Biology for many years. She has taught in both public and private schools as well as at grade levels 6 through 14. She holds a Level III state licensure and is certified for grades K-12. She has been an active College Board Consultant since 1997, teaching many short courses and workshops about inquiry-based science, creating a learner centered classroom, alternatives to lecture, etc. Her current interests include making science education more accessible and improving elementary science education .

Susan McIntosh, Executive Director, received a BA in Elementary Education/Psychology at the University of Denver and an MA in Human Development at Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA. Susan’s career includes teaching for more than 40 years in Pre-K -6 as an Early Childhood educator and Enrichment teacher in both public and private schools Los Angeles, CA and Santa Fe, NM. Susan holds a NM Level 3 Instructional Leader License in New Mexico and a California Standard Teaching License and taught for Santa Fe Public Schools for 27 years and received the Golden Apple Award in 2004. Susan was a co-founder/director for the Santa Fe Children’s Museum in 1985-1989 and remained on the Museum board from 1989-2001, where she holds an Emeritus position.