New Faces at Oakwood

A heartfelt welcome to the new members of our faculty and staff during the 2026–2027 school year.

Elementary Campus

Jarvis Boyland (Art Classroom Assistant) is a Los Angeles-based artist and educator. He works across painting, drawing, and printmaking to create sensitive renderings of desire, grief, beauty, and interiority. His work has been included in numerous group and solo exhibitions including: Five Centuries of Works on Paper: The Grunwald Center at 70, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA 2026; Landmarks at Pace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2026; Bad Attitude, Mamoth Gallery, London, UK 2025; and GIANTS: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.

His work is held in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Hammer Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, and ICA Miami, to name a few. Prior to joining Oakwood School, Jarvis taught in the Department of Art at UCLA and Marlborough School. Jarvis earned an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Lily Gottlieb (Kindergarten Teacher) is excited to be joining the kindergarten team this year. She earned her Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts, where she studied photography. Before returning to the Burbank area, Lily spent five years teaching elementary students in West Los Angeles. She is grateful to be back in the community where she grew up and excited to be part of the Oakwood community. Outside the classroom, Lily enjoys riding and caring for her horse, Rowan, spending time with her husband and dog, and tackling DIY projects. This summer, she enjoyed picking up a few new hobbies, including sewing, playing guitar, and learning to brew espresso.

Julia Johnson ‘22 (6th Grade Classroom Assistant) is thrilled to be returning to her Oakwood family as a classroom assistant. She loved her time here as a student, which inspired in her a love of learning she can’t wait to share with her students. She graduated from American University with Bachelor’s degrees in History and Computer Science, and looks forward to a year spent working in the classroom and writing a novel.

Mayela Lozano ‘22 (1st Grade Classroom Assistant), an Oakwood alum, is excited to be returning to the Oakwood community. She is a recent graduate of UCLA, where she majored in World Arts and Cultures. During the 2021-2022 school year, she worked as a part-time teaching assistant for a kindergarten class. She hopes to share her passion for creativity and culture with Oakwood students while helping to create a joyful and welcoming learning environment. Outside of the classroom, Mayela enjoys traveling, exploring the world of film, and spending time with her cat, Pawsy. She looks forward to building meaningful relationships with students and families throughout the school year.

Clara Marshall ‘22 (1st Grade Classroom Assistant) is thrilled to be joining the first grade as a teaching assistant this year! She recently graduated from Scripps College with a degree in Psychology. She has always enjoyed working with children and helping to support their learning and growth. After attending Oakwood K-12, she is especially excited to be rejoining the Oakwood community and looking forward to a fantastic year!

Mia Masters (3rd Grade Teacher) is excited to step into her new role as a 3rd grade teacher on the elementary campus. Mia grew up in Dallas, Texas, where her family still lives today. With over a decade of experience in education, she has worked with children of all ages—from infancy through middle school. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. Mia is passionate about building meaningful, lasting connections with both students and their families. Last year, she served as the interim 3rd grade teacher at Oakwood and is now excited to join the 3rd grade team. She looks forward to a wonderful year with the amazing Oakwood families.

Emily Reyes (Science Classroom Assistant) went to UC Davis and completed her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management. She has had roles that introduced her to education, and is excited to continue at Oakwood School as a Teaching Assistant.

Kendyll Thomas (Kindergarten Classroom Assistant) is so excited to be joining the Oakwood School community! She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Child Development and grew up in Orange County. Kendyll has been an early childhood teacher for the past four years, and she is excited to bring my passion for teaching to Oakwood. Outside of school, she is a huge fan of movies and Broadway musicals. In her free time, she is most likely at the movie theater with her sister, spending time with family, or out vintage/thrift shopping. She is so happy to begin the school year and can’t wait to get to know all of you! 

Vanessa Villaneda (3rd Grade Classroom Assistant) is a first-generation college graduate and earned her degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Northridge (Go Matadors!). She has been working with students and families for over three years in a variety of settings. Vanessa is passionate about creating a safe, fun, and welcoming environment for all students. She is excited to join the awesome community here at Oakwood School and looks forward to getting to know the students, families, and staff!

Secondary Campus

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bryan Aguirre (Science Teacher) is a first-generation college graduate with a B.S. in Biochemistry from CSULA and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from CSULB. His passion lies in environmental sustainability and advancing science within our communities. This marks his third year at Oakwood, and he is thrilled to step into a new role as a Science Teacher. He looks forward to connecting with our amazing students and inspiring them to see the beauty and vital importance of science in our everyday world. In his free time, he enjoys sports, reading science fiction books, and diving into the latest environmental sustainability research.

Rajvir Logani (STEAM Instructor and Team Coach) is a former Product Design Engineer with experience developing medtech and consumer electronic devices. He identifies as a generalist, having equal experience in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering practices, and he loves both sharing what he knows and learning from other passionate people. Beyond engineering, he is also a designer and artist, having studied both professionally. These perspectives from different fields/industries have shaped how he chooses to practice and teach engineering. Beyond technical ability, engineering is really about people, and design and art help people decide if a technical solution is truly worth using and experiencing. Every invention has human impact, and he’d like to bring awareness of this to the classroom. This is also something he likes to stay cognizant of while designing, building, and testing ideas of his own, partly out of principle and partly as a way of discovering more effective ways to teach real-world engineering concepts. He’s excited to create an environment where he gets to teach what he is passionate about and learn from students and what they are passionate about.

Baunnee Martinez (Math Teacher) earned her BA from the University of Chicago and her MSEd from the University of Pennsylvania. She recently moved back to her home on the West Coast after five years teaching at independent schools in New York City. She has taught middle and upper school topics ranging from Pre-Algebra to Geometry. During her free time, she likes to spend time with her cat. 

Maya Moreno (Athletic Trainer) is excited to join the Athletic Training team at Oakwood School! She recently earned my Master of Science in Athletic Training from The University of Texas at Arlington, where she had the opportunity to work with collegiate and high school athletes. She is passionate about helping student-athletes stay healthy, recover from injuries, and perform at their best. She looks forward to getting to know the Oakwood community, building relationships with our students, coaches, and families, and supporting our athletes throughout the school year.

Amit Patel (Science Teacher) is thrilled to begin this next chapter and his 11th year of teaching with the Oakwood community. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Cal State University, Long Beach and a teaching credential from Cal State University,Fullerton. Originally from Orange County, Amit made the move to Los Angeles three years ago and has grown to love the city’s energy and culture. In the classroom, he is passionate about creating an environment where students feel valued, comfortable, curious, and successful. Outside of work, you’ll find him running (I’ve completed the last three LA marathons), cycling, cooking, or spending time outdoors. He looks forward to starting the year and connecting with students and families at Oakwood.

Julie Pinchak (Math Teacher) is excited to return to Oakwood as a full-time math teacher for the 2026-2027 year. She has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a master’s degree in mathematics from CSUN. She is passionate about social justice and Broadway musicals. In her free time, she can be found quilting, playing board games with her friends, cuddling her lab-chow mix, Teddy, and spending time with her niece, Daphne. She is so excited to partner with families and students for a successful year of growth and learning!

Joe Sanchez (Photography Teacher) is a fine art photographer who earned a BFA from CalArts. Passionate about traditional photography, he enjoys working in the darkroom while listening to music. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions and published in numerous publications. Since 2012, Joe has taught in a variety of art education programs at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, where he shares his passion for photography and creative expression with students of all ages.

Nara Shahbazyan (Instrumental Music Teacher) is an internationally acclaimed concert cellist and distinguished music educator whose career spans more than two decades of performances, recordings, and teaching across the United States, Eastern and Western Europe, and the Middle East. Recognized for her expressive artistry and versatility, she has appeared at many of the world’s most renowned concert venues, including Boston Symphony Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Berklee College of Music, Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan, and National Sawdust in New York City. Dr. Shahbazyan has collaborated with an extraordinary roster of internationally celebrated artists from both the classical and popular music worlds and has appeared at numerous distinguished international festivals.

A highly respected educator, Dr. Shahbazyan has devoted more than twenty years to teaching and mentoring emerging musicians. She previously served as Professor of Cello at Stonehill College, where she was also the cellist of the Stonehill Faculty Trio and Director of the String Ensemble. In addition, she taught music history and theory at Dean College in Massachusetts. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance from Boston University and has been named an Honored Listee of Marquis Who’s Who.

Samantha “Sammy” Spencer (English Department Chair) brings 13 years of experience as a public high school English teacher, department chair, and instructional coach. She earned dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was also a Division I soccer player, before completing her Master of Education with an emphasis in Educational Technology. A National Board Certified Teacher, Sammy believes in pairing strong foundational skills with innovative, student-centered instruction. She is passionate about creating classrooms where students think critically, write with purpose, and engage with a range of perspectives. Sammy’s love of learning extends beyond the classroom. She has taught English in Chile and Argentina, speaks Spanish, and has traveled to more than 50 countries – experiences that continue to shape her perspective as an educator. Outside of school, she enjoys caring for her ever-growing collection of houseplants, playing pickleball, and planning her next trip.

K-12

Van Hong (Payroll Administrator)‘s mission is to keep the HR and Finance gears turning while ensuring that everyone gets paid accurately and on time! Professionally, she spent nearly 19 years in the non-profit and mental health sectors before joining Oakwood School. Off-the-clock, Van is an L.A. native who lives for coastal drives, seafood feasts, and the sound of the ocean. As a San Gabriel Valley local, she is usually found hunting for the best food and fun events in the area. She also enjoys volunteering for annual events and fundraisers at the Japanese Temple in Little Tokyo with the family, and she is always up for a quick weekend getaway to go hiking or biking with her husband and their small dog.

Breanna Washington (Admission Coordinator) recently joined Oakwood School and is passionate about creating welcoming, meaningful experiences for students and families throughout the admissions journey. Throughout her career, one thing has remained constant: a passion for investing in the next generation. After earning her Business Administration degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, her professional journey has included roles in admissions, nonprofit leadership, youth development, executive administration, and student success, all centered around supporting young people and helping them thrive. Whether guiding prospective families through the admissions process, mentoring students, leading community engagement initiatives, or coordinating events, she loves building relationships, creating meaningful experiences, and helping others feel seen, supported, and excited about what’s ahead. Outside of work, you will usually find Breanna dancing, spending time with friends, experimenting with new recipes, trying the latest DIY beauty trends, listening to music, traveling, or catching up on her favorite reality competition shows.