Gordon Sichi

Headmaster;
History, Lower School American Government, Sports

B.A. Political Science – UCSB; Life Credentials in both elementary and secondary education

Gordon has 40 years of teaching experience in Santa Barbara, 11 of them with the Goleta Union School District. In 1994, Gordon was awarded the George Washington Honor Medal for Educational Achievement by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. This national award recognized Gordon’s inspired and dedicated teaching and his promotion of informed and responsible citizenship. An avid surfer all of his life, Gordon is the instructor of Anacapa’s surfing class. Every summer he mountaineers in the High Sierra. Gordon and his wife Suzie have two sons. Tom graduated from Anacapa in 1992 and is an emergency room physician. Their son Cielo graduated from Anacapa in 1995 and is a landscape architect. Gordon has been the headmaster and a member of The Anacapa School Board of Trustees since the school’s founding in 1981. gordon@anacapaschool.org

Suzie Sichi

Head of Faculty;
Art, Italian, Geometry

B.A. Painting – UCSB; Certificate in Commercial Design – UCSB

Suzie has studied watercolor, ceramics, enameling, and graphic design. She worked as a commercial artist for four years before helping to found Anacapa School. Suzie’s artistic background has been a big impetus to developing the school’s outstanding art program. Suzie continues to paint on her own, and her exhibitions of watercolor paintings in one-artist shows have been well received by the Santa Barbara community. An avid gardener, Suzie also enjoys traveling and hiking. Suzie has taught multiple subjects at Anacapa since the school’s founding in 1981. suzie@anacapaschool.org

Bryan Anderson

Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Student Activities

B.S. Business Administration – University of Oregon; Teacher Education – Portland State University and Azusa Pacific University

Bryan came to Anacapa after teaching math for three years at Santa Barbara Junior High School. His other professional experience includes accounting and finance work for a wood products corporation in Portland, Oregon, as well as similar experiences in the Santa Barbara business community. Bryan has taught at Anacapa for seven years. bryan@anacapschool.org

Paula Campanelli

Ceramics

B.A. Art History – UCSB; DBAE Training – Getty Institute

Paula brings over 25 years of art experience to Anacapa’s ceramics and sculpture program. A former gallery representative in Mexico and the United States, Paula spent six years working as an art teacher and the art resource coordinator at Roosevelt Elementary School. Her expertise includes ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, watercolor, and fabric. paula@anacapschool.org

Salli Eve

Performing Arts

B.A. Speech and Hearing – Montclair State University; M.A. Audiology – UCSB

Before joining the Anacapa faculty, Salli was a music-drama teacher for the Goleta Union School District and served on the music task force that designed a district-wide music program. She also wrote the Great Works of Music program, which has been used in several schools in the Santa Barbara area. She and her husband own Occhiali Fine Eyewear, and Salli is on the Board of Directors for the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization. salli@anacapaschool.org

Elizabeth Kalbers

Administrative Assistant

B.A. English – UCSB

While attending college, Elizabeth was an administrative assistant in the UCSB Office of Research for three years. After graduating, she worked at Loyola Marymount University as a writing consultant and administrative assistant in Enrollment Management. This is her third year at Anacapa. elizabeth@anacapaschool.org

Rachid Labgaa

Calculus, Physics

B.S. Electronics – University of Toulouse, France; M.A., Mathematics – UCSB; Ph.D. coursework Geography and Applied Probability and Statistics – UCSB

Rachid is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Mathematics Department at Santa Barbara City College. Previously, he was a scientist involved in remote sensing and hydrology in Algeria.  Subsequently he has done research and teaching in the departments of geography and probability and statistics at UCSB. rachid@anacapaschool.org

Margaret (Peggy) Lauer

Literature

B.A. English – UCSB

Peggy joined the Anacapa faculty 10 years ago after teaching at Midland School for 20 years.  At Anacapa Peggy teaches English to all levels, including an Advanced Placement Literature class for juniors and seniors.  She loves literature and tries to instill that love in her students.  While at Anacapa Peggy has also taught Health Science and a weaving elective.  Some of the clubs Peggy has offered are knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, photography, and painting nesting dolls.  She serves as the coordinator for the school’s on-going accreditation process through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Peggy and her husband live in an old school house on a cattle ranch near Lompoc. peggy@anacapaschool.org

Levi Maaia

Outreach & Communications;
Digital Media

B.S. Film & Television – Boston University; M.A. Journalism – Emerson College

Hugo Macario

Spanish, Music, Sports, Student Activities

Teacher Education – Escuela Normal Rural “Vasco de Quiroga,” Mexico; A.A. Spanish and Music – SBCC

After completing his teaching certificate, Hugo began his career at a junior high school in Mexico, where he taught for five years. He also taught instruments, music, and drama for several years. In addition to his role as teacher, Hugo is an accomplished professional musician with his band “Vientos del Sur.” hugo@anacapaschool.org

Megan Nesland

Marine Biology, Lower School Marine Science, Sports

B.S. Geological and Environmental Sciences – Stanford University; M.A. Education – Stanford University

While at Stanford, Megan worked for the United States Geological Survey (USGS), researching heavy metals in wetland soils. She also worked in local high schools developing environmental education curriculum and spreading the word about the wonder of science. Before finding Anacapa School, she worked for Naturalists at Large, leading groups of middle and high school students on outdoor adventure trips including rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, and ecology. megan@anacapaschool.org

Sheryn Sears

Executive Administrator

B.A. English – The Colorado College; M.A. English – Teachers College, Columbia University

Sheryn taught junior and senior high school English on the East Coast before moving to Santa Barbara in 1977. Locally, she has worked as an editor for a publisher of technical journals for veterinarians and for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. sheryn@anacapaschool.org