SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

John Loeser has been Head of Redwood Day School since 2011. Prior to Redwood Day, John was the Assistant Head of School at The Carey School in San Mateo, CA for seven years. He began his teaching career as a 5th-grade teacher at Chenery Middle School in Belmont, Massachusetts and spent eight consecutive summers as an advanced mathematics instructor and Academic Dean at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, teaching students in grades 5-8 and leading a diverse faculty in the development of a rigorous academic program.

John has written extensively for teachers in training and enjoys every opportunity to help new and veteran teachers hone their craft. He has led many initiatives in schools including those focused on differentiated instruction, curriculum development, faculty professional growth, diversity, social-emotional development, service learning and long-term sustainability. John holds a B.A. in Education and Psychology from Swarthmore College and a M.Ed. in School Leadership from Harvard University.

Deann is a career finance professional with more than 20 years of financial management experience developed in both public accounting and private sector environments. She joined Redwood Day as the school’s CFOO in July of 2018. Prior to working at Redwood Day, Deann spent approximately five years as the Finance Director of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi. She holds a BS in accounting from Colorado State University and is a licensed CPA.

Deann thoroughly enjoys working at Redwood Day and loves the energy and enthusiasm of the students. In her free time, she enjoys reading, travel, exercise and spending time with family and friends.

Tony Cifra joins us after serving for six years as Lower School Director at Presidio Hill School in San Francisco. Prior to this role, Tony served as Assistant Head of School and Curriculum Coordinator at Aurora School and taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades there, as well. He began his career as a 4th grade teacher at Greenwich Village School in New York, NY. 

Tony holds a BS in Human Development from Cornell University, an MA in Childhood Education from New York University, and an MA in Educational Leadership through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute in collaboration with The University of the Pacific Benerd School of Education. Tony is thrilled to join our community to help support a vision that nurtures innovators and co-creators of lasting positive change well beyond campus into the beautifully rich mosaic of Oakland. 

Jim has been part of the Redwood Day community for 23 years, bringing a total of 25 years of experience in education. He spent nine years in the middle school classroom, teaching sixth-grade math and science, as well as seventh and eighth-grade math.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Jim spent seven years serving as Middle School Division Director, providing leadership, support, and vision for the division. Jim has coached basketball, volleyball, and flag football, and he has guided students and families through the high school admissions process during the past five years as Director of High School Placement.

Jim earned his B.A. in History from Eastern Nazarene College and an M.A. in Education Leadership from St. Mary’s College.

Mrs. Breland is a life-long educator with 39 years of experience working with students in grades K-8, in both the public and private sector. She joined the Redwood Day community in 1996, as a first grade teacher, where she taught for nine years before becoming Lower School Director.

During her tenure, Mrs. Breland was an integral part of the expansion of the Lower School. She worked with faculty to provide students and families with academic and social-emotional support for seven years. As Director of Student Life, Mrs. Breland continues to provide social-emotional support for grades K-8, building relationships with students and families to create a positive and supportive community while overseeing all aspects of student life including: Assemblies, Back-to-School Nights, Character Education, Experiential Education, Middle School Advisory, Parent Education Events, Science Fairs, Service Learning, Social-Emotional Programs, Visual and Performing Arts Night, and Volunteer Opportunities. Mrs. Breland holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Keuka College as well as a certificate in Reading Recovery from the University of San Bernardino and has completed graduate work in Special Education at George Washington University.

Derek joined Redwood Day in 2009 after spending the previous 10 years as the Advertising Production Manager at Cost Plus World Market, Inc. and as the Manager of Production at Iridio, a pre-media company owned by RR Donnelley & Associates. Prior to that, Derek worked at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in the Digital Production Department.

Derek is a proud husband, father, and grandfather. Derek is also a musician and, in his spare time, performs regularly around the Bay Area, as well as in church. Derek also coaches several sports teams at Redwood Day and relishes the opportunity to help student-athletes reach greater heights through competition. 

Derek holds a BS in Organizational Communication from Northeastern University.

Sanjev brings 25 years of professional experience in Oakland nonprofits and East Bay independent schools. Prior to becoming Director of Equity and Belonging at Redwood Day, he served as Head of School for Northern Light School and worked for nearly a decade at The Athenian School as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice, a Humanities teacher, and more.

Sanjev holds a BA in International Relations and Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University. He also brings three decades of work in the music industry as a recording/performing artist in the genres of Hip-Hop and Reggae. His education work, activism, and music reflect the positive outlook and empowerment that he strives to bring to his communities. Sanjev's extensive background in promoting inclusive and restorative practices and fostering a sense of belonging for all students helps create a supportive and equitable school environment. 

Marsille Reed joins us after spending the past three years at The Waverly School as the Director of Enrollment Management and prior to that as the Director of Admissions. He is excited about returning to the Bay Area after previously serving in various roles at Drew School in San Francisco and Mark Day School in Marin County.

Marsille began his career at The Blake School in Minneapolis, MN, where he worked as a Teaching Assistant, Director of Student Services for Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake, and State Championship Varsity Football Coach. He holds a B.A. in political science from Loyola University New Orleans.

Katie Steele joined the Redwood Day community in 2018 and has held various positions in the Advancement department, most recently as the Director of Advancement. She is a Bay Area native with over 20 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, event planning, and relationship management at environmental, social justice, and educational organizations. 

She has a passion for organizing events and bringing people together, fostering a shared commitment to strengthening their community and making the world brighter and more joyful.

Katie holds a BA in Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.