Eric Nilsson most recently has served as an Assistant Principal at Pleasant Valley High School where he was in charge of Curriculum and Assessment, as well as professional development.   Prior to his appointment to that position in January of 2009, he served as Project Director of the Cohort 5 Smaller Learning Communities Grant for CUSD.  In his capacity as Project Director, he coordinated educational reform efforts at Pleasant Valley and Chico High schools to include the establishment of new smaller learning community structures as well as bringing a focus on best practices in instruction to both high schools .  During his tenure, a new mentor program was initiated at Pleasant Valley High School, both campuses initiated efforts to embed collaborative time within the school schedule and a focus in professional development in literacy and formative assessment became a priority.  He has also taught English for the Academy of Communications and Technology (ACT) at Chico High School as well as Gridley High School, Butte College and for the American School of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.  He is passionate about high levels of engagement and learning for all students, about the school as a collaborative culture focused on continual learning as well as the importance of the connection of students to school staff in the learning environment.   He is  married to Julie Anderson-Nilsson, and they have three children: Georgia (19), Taylor (15) and Juan (6).

Dan comes to Inspire from Blue Oak Charter School where he supported all administrative functions as the Assistant Director of a Waldorf-methods K-8 charter school here in Chico. He also was interim Assistant Principal at C.K. Price Middle school as well as the district In-School Suspension teacher at the Education Alternative Center both with Orland Unified School District. Along with this, he has held a variety of positions in education including continuation high school teacher, special day class teacher, intervention/title I teacher, curriculum coach, mentoring program coordinator, and community service coordinator. He has completed two terms with AmeriCorps and coordinated volunteer efforts in Chico that were honored nationally by the Points of Light Foundation and USA Weekend Magazine.

Danielle Alexich has taught in the English Department at CSUC for the past 23 years.  In addition to a wide variety of courses in writing and literature at the college level, she has taught high school English and French, worked as a poet/teacher in the public schools and Juvenile Hall, served as Area Coordinator for California Poets in the Schools and worked as a presenter for the Northern California Writing Project.   She has designed and directed several summer institutes for teachers and led numerous seminars and workshops for teachers and students in and out of the state.  She brings to Inspire a respect for the imagination and a love of literature, writing and teaching.

Becky Anker graduated from CSU, Chico with an MA degree in English and a credential in 2008. She lives in Chico with her two teenage daughters and an ill-behaved rat terrier.  Now in her second year at Inspire, she is thrilled to be teaching English 9 and 11, as well as Creative Writing and History of Rock electives.  She brings to her teaching a passion for literature, writing, and music, as well as a sense of gratitude for the privilege of working with such a committed staff, supportive parents, and sparkling kids.

Newly returned to Chico, Joyce is overjoyed to be back home where she belongs! A graduate of UC Irvine, a Master’s from CSU Chico and a Secondary Credential from Queens CUNY, her theatre training spans work with Jean Shelton, Stella Adler, Robert Cohen, and The Royal Shakespeare Company. She was co-founder and Artistic Director of Chico’s Shakespeare in the Park (1989-2005) and Chico Independent Artists (CIA) and has been honored with Chico City Arts awards for Best Actress, Best Director, Most Innovative Production, and Best Producer. For the last eleven years she has taught at a private co-educational prep school in Alameda and continued her passion in the theatre. She has been nominated for Best Female Performance and Best Director and was recognized with Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards for Best Director, Best Ensemble and Best Female Performance. She has been associated with several companies, most recently as Mrs. Venable in Suddenly Last Summer, Kate in All My Sons and Eleanor in The Lion in Winter as a member of The Actors Theatre of San Francisco. Thank you to the entire Inspire community for this warm welcome.

Marysol de la Torre-Escobedo has taught World History, U.S. History, and AVID for over 6 years.  Marysol was born in Chico and raised in Hamilton City.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkeley and her full Social Science Teaching Credential and M.A. in Education from Stanford University.  She began her teaching career as a founding member of East Palo Alto Academy High School in the bay area.  As a founding member of EPAAHS, Marysol worked closely with the Stanford University Redesign Network and their efforts in meeting the needs of all students and creating a model of school reform.  She currently teaches AVID at Pleasant Valley High School.  Marysol and her husband Marcelo welcomed their first child in November, a baby boy named Joaquin Antonio. 
 

Deborah Travers has taught World History, Geography and US History at both Chico High and Pleasant Valley High Schools for 14 years which includes working closely with Stanford University and the World Affairs Council in San Francisco to pilot the Contemporary World History Project (a UN style approach to teaching World History) at Chico High.  She is also the Project Director for CUSD's federally funded Smaller Learning Communities Grant for both comprehensive high schools and an original member of the District Advisory Council.  She began her teaching career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in northern Thailand, teaching English and Agriculture in a rural community high school and has twice volunteered with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India.  Deborah returned to San Francisco to work for both the Institute of International Education and with the Peace Corps again as a Recruitment Specialist for all of northern California.  Wanderlust led to a return to Asia with her husband, teaching English in Kathmandu, Nepal, and leading treks throughout the Nepalese and Indian Himalaya for three years.  With a profound desire to 'bring the world home', she received a full Social Studies Teaching Credential and M.A. in Education from Stanford University in 1996 and immediately moved to Chico.  She is an outdoor enthusiast and avid traveler who lives with her husband, Bill and three sons, Jasper, Ben and Jesse, next to Bidwell Park.

lrsmith@chicousd.org

Linnea is our Inspire Art teacher. She has been teaching High School Art for the past 5 years in California, Guam and Tanzania. Linnea’s education has included Industrial Design and Art from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and Boston’s elite School of the Museum of Fine Arts. During her undergraduate education, Linnea decided that her heart was in teaching, and proceeded to finish her studies with a B.S. in Art Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Linnea has chosen to use her education and Art career to travel the world, which allowed her unique opportunities to grow as a teacher, as an artist and as a person. Linnea constantly draws from her experiences on her adventures to inspire and educate herself and her students. She believes that Art can be taught and learned, not just by the naturally talented, but also by anyone with the tenacity and desire to learn and improve. Linnea is devoted to teaching Art and believes that every student can use art to improve his or her life. In her free time Linnea loves to travel, read fantasy books and play with her nephew, West.

Born and raised in Seville, Spain, Antonio moved to Chico along with his family at the age of 12. Growing up in Chico, Antonio attended Bidwell Jr. High and Chico High School. At Chico State, Antonio had the opportunity to strengthen not only his native language of Spanish, but also his cultural and historical knowledge about his native country of Spain as well as all other Spanish speaking countries of central and South America. Along with a credential in Special Education, Antonio possesses an incredible understanding for all students’ needs and wants.   Antonio has been teaching Spanish for three years. Antonio brings to his classroom an environment that is energetic, passionate, fun, dynamic, diverse and rich in culture, yet professional and full of rigor. Lastly, as a second language learner himself Antonio has the ability to understand students’ progression of a new language from personal experience. Focusing on 100% target language in the classroom, Antonio is determined to make his mark on students at Inspire. Antonio is married to his lovely wife, Jessica Isern, who is currently a school counselor at Pleasant Valley High School. Antonio is a soccer coach and enjoys many outdoors activities including, hiking, snowboarding, running, camping, golf, Frisbee-golf, and white water rafting to mention a few.  Antonio also enjoys dancing and acting as he was involved in a few theatrical Spanish productions while attending Chico State.  Antonio is also very passionate about traveling and hopes to be able to bring the experience to his students at Inspire by arranging yearly trips to visit foreign countries. 

Danielle spent several years working as a facilitator, teacher, and trainer in the Developmental Disabilities field in Sacramento, CA.  It was during this time she realized her passion for teaching.  She moved to Chico to be closer to her soon to be husband, Joe, and pursue a Bachelor’s degree and Teaching Credential in Mathematics.  Danielle recently completed her student teaching in Oroville and is thrilled to be joining the Inspire Team where she can share her enthusiasm for Mathematics with students.  Outside the classroom, Danielle enjoys life by traveling, taking photographs, cooking, gardening, kayaking, and just about anything that gets her outside with her dog Lily and companion Joe.

Katie has been teaching Math for the past three years in the Sacramento area and in Chico.  She is originally from Sacramento but found a love for Chico when she came here for school.  She earned her BS in Mathematics and teaching credential at Chico State and is currently pursuing her MS in Mathematics Education at Chico as well.  Katie is very excited to join the Inspire team and can’t wait to meet her new students!  Outside of the classroom, Katie loves to spend time with friends and family, travel, bake (cupcakes especially), Giants baseball, play volleyball, go to the lake, and basically anything outdoors.

Amari Bella is a long-time Chicoan, artist, and lover of learning. Amari attended elementary school here in the 70’s. Things in Chico have changed a bit since then, but Amari is not quite sure she has. Amari has earned 2 Bachelor and 7 AA Degrees. She has both an art studio and yoga studio in her home and is entrenched in a simple Chico lifestyle. She has two daughters and an amazing granddaughter. Amari loves working in Resource because it gives her an opportunity to witness many "aha" moments in these beautiful minds. She considers it a privilege to be part of the Inspire team. Amari started working at Inspire in January of 2011 and is looking forward to starting a new year with these truly ‘inspiring’ individuals.

rpope@chicousd.org

For almost 30 years, Ron Pope served as an instructor at Chico High School, teaching electronic engineering, audio/video production, animation and computer technology.  Sixteen years ago Ron co-founded the successful Academy of Communications and Technology (ACT) program at Chico High School, which was recognized by the California Department of Education in 2007 as one of two outstanding academy programs in the state.  Ron also taught for a number of years for Butte Community College and Butte County R.O.P.  He was recognized for his efforts by the Masonic Lodge Award For Outstanding Work in the Field of Education, the California Skills USA Teacher of the Year award, and the Chico Public Education Hall of Fame Distinguished Secondary Teacher award.  Ron lives with his beautiful wife Ria and is the proud father of Preston and Aubrey.  Ron is having a wonderful time working with Inspire's remarkable teachers, administrators and support staff creating a new, exciting option for Chico area students.