New Owls for the 2024-25 School Year
Meet the new parliament of owls joining Overlake this year!
Madhu Alapaty
Front Office Manager
Madhu Alapaty is very likely the first person you talk to when you call or come on Overlake’s campus. As Overlake’s new Front Office Manager, she welcomes visitors in our new, temporary reception area in the lobby of the Whitten Math & Sciences Center while the new Student & Community Center is under construction. Alapaty joins Overlake after most recently working as a recruitment coordinator at CA-One Tech Cloud, and as a teacher’s assistant and office assistant at Synergy Learning Academy.
Jenni Baldwin
Director of Alumni Engagement
Jenni Baldwin is a familiar face at Overlake who is stepping away from her English classroom to transition to the Development Department. Baldwin is Overlake’s next Director of Alumni Engagement. Baldwin will marry her knowledge of Overlake students and alums with her passion for philanthropy in this new role that will engage our alums in the school’s many opportunities post-graduation.
Trista Barner
US Science
Trista will join Overlake for the first part of the school year and brings with her a wealth of educational experience from both public and independent schools in the Greater Seattle area. Most recently she has worked as a teacher and then later the Special Programs Coordinator at Open Window School and has served as a substitute teacher at Lakeside School. She has also taught at Mercer Island and Snoqualmie Valley School districts as a Science teacher. Happy to have you aboard, Trista!
Erin Belefski
Photography and Visual Arts Teacher
Erin Belefski joins Overlake in the second half of the school year to relieve during a sabbatical appointment. Belefski will assist in the Arts department as a Photography and Visual Arts teacher. With more than 20 years teaching experience, teaching visual arts in Austria, Belgium, Germany, as well as Colorado and California, Belefski brings a wide range of classroom experiences to Overlake. Please welcome her in January.
Ramie Bredl
Bus Driver
Ramie joins Overlake with lengthy experience driving. She managed delivery routes for Plantscapes for 11 years always prioritizing effective communication and safety. She has also spent the last four years driving student at Cedar Park. Welcome to the crew, Ramie!
Hailey Bungaroo
Development and Special Events Coordinator
Hailey Bungaroo joins the Development Department as Development and Special Events Coordinator. She comes to Overlake by way of most recently, Open Window School, where Bungaroo served as an associate teacher. Prior to her time in the classroom, she was a student herself, wrapping up her degree in Education, Communities, and Organizations at the University of Washington.
Jorge Cartagena
Bus Driver
Jorge Cartagena joins the Overlake transportation team having recently spent the last six years working as the Transportation Manager at Emerald Heights coordinating transport for the residents. He has also spent time as am Amazon shuttle driver and bus driver for TransWest. Glad to have you on board, Jorge!
Dan Cavallerano
US Chemistry Teacher
Dan Cavallerano comes to Overlake this year to teach AP Chemistry. He brings with him more than two decades of teaching experience in both secondary and college levels, educating in China and Norway, as well as University of Washington and Seattle Central and North Seattle colleges.
Imari Clinton
5th Grade Science
Imari Clinton is taking over the fifth grade science role for the fall. As an Overlake coach, she has been coaching the Girls Varsity Basketball team and JVC Volleyball teams this past year. She has a wealth of coaching experience having coached basketball teams and also helped manage events at a University arena. Welcome, Imari!
Ben Fischer
US Math Teacher
Ben Fischer joins Overlake’s Math Department as a new Upper School faculty member. Since earning his PhD in Mathematics from Boston University, Fischer has spent time as a teaching assistant and professor at the college level before transitioning to secondary education, working at The Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut, and most recently at Seattle Academy for Arts and Sciences.
Veronica Hellar
Spanish Teacher
Veronica Hellar is joining Overlaks’s World Languages department to teach Spanish. Hellar most recently has taught Spanish at St. Thomas and Eastside Prep schools, as well as Kennedy Catholic High School and schools in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Chile. Hellar looks to not only teach Overlake students Spanish, but to motivate students to learn about the culture and history of Latin American countries.
Zeya Kyaw
Experiential Education Coordinator
Zeya Kyaw joined the Overlake Admissions team as the Admissions Assistant in October of 2023 and has been welcoming new families ever since. This year, Kyaw will be stepping over to the Experiential Education Department as the new Experiential Education Coordinator. He is excited to engage with students in a new way as he helps facilitate the work of that department. Congratulations, Zeya!
Hannah Messinger
US English Teacher
Hannah Messinger joins Overlake’s English Department this year working in the Upper School. Prior to working here, Messinger’s previous teaching experiences were in various area high schools, teaching English and Social Studies at Roosevelt High School in Seattle and most recently teaching English at North Creek High School in Bothell.
Mike Mullen
Bus Driver, Sub, Learning Specialist Assistant
Mike joined Overlake back in 2022 as a member of the transportation team, athletic coach, and has subbed in classrooms as well. This year he will expand his role on campus to help out the Learning Specialist team part-time as the Learning Specialist Assistant. He is also Interim MS Athletic Director first semester. Mullen will once again be coaching US JV Tennis, MS Basketball, and MS Ultimate Frisbee.
Megan Schoening
Assistant Director of Development
Megan Schoening joined Overlake this summer as the new Assistant Director of Development with seven years of experience working in fundraising, event coordination, and donor relations. Most recently she served as the Outreach and Alumni Relations manager at the University of Washington. She started in July and has spent the summer getting acquainted with Overlake and looks forward to supporting the mission and vision of the school.
Chris Schwalm
MS & US Video Production & Design Teacher
Chris Schwalm is excited to join the Arts department as the new MS & US Video Production & Design Teacher. He brings a wealth of experience teaching Video Production to high school students as well as experience in marketing and social media management for the Bellevue School District. He is excited to return to the classroom to work with students. His approach to teaching is to provide opportunities for students to be challenged no matter what their initial skill level. Welcome Chris!
Liz Siarny
US Social Studies Teacher
Liz Siarny joins Overlake as the new Upper School English and Social Studies teacher. Most recently living in California, she has 17 years of classroom and school leadership experience and loves to foster a growth-focused, curious, inclusive, and joyful school community. Just a few of her past positions include Director of Service Learning and History Department chair at the York School in Monterey, CA, and Director of Community Engagement and History Teacher at the Branson School in Ross, CA.
Colton Umberger (’14)
Admissions Coordinator, Operations
Colton Umberger (’14) returned to Overlake as an alum, first as the Lacrosse Coach in 2018. Then just last year in fall of 2023 he joined the Admissions team as the Admissions Coordinator, Operations and is also the Assistant Coach for varsity Golf. He is excited to continue in his role on the team as well as continuing to coach Overlake’s Lacrosse team.
Forrest Williams
English and Social Studies Teacher, Assistant Speech & Debate Coach
Forrest Williams will spend time working in two departments at Overlake: Social Studies and English. Williams joined us second semester last year and wrapped up the school year helping in both departments. Williams will also continue to help coach Overlake’s highly successful Speech & Debate team.
Laurel Wilkinson
US English Teacher
Laurel Wilkinson comes to Overlake as the latest member of the English faculty. She joins us from most recently The Lakeside School and the University of Washington, where Wilkinson earned a MFA degree in Creative Writing, Poetry. She is a published poet who is active in many literary communities. Wilkinson will teach in the Upper School.
Lisa Wingard
Bus Driver
Lisa is joining Overlake as one of the newest members of the transportation team.
Min Yoo
Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
Min Yoo is Overlake’s new Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. Yoo bring a wide range of experience in admissions as the Associate Director of Admission at the Lick-Wilmerding School in San Francisco, CA but also in tech start up and nonprofit settings. He is excited to use his varied experience to bring data driven improvements to systems and processes while also providing a people centered experience to potential future owls.
Saba Ziadlou
Academic Data Manager
Saba Ziadlou is Overlake’s new Academic Data Manager. She brings more than six years of experience in educational leadership and data management. Most recently she has been teaching Geometry and Algebra at the Art of Problem Solving in Bellevue, and has also served as the Academic Data Program manager at a charter school in New York. We are confident that her experience in leadership and in the classroom will make her a great team member to help students navigate the complicated path of coordinating schedules. Welcome, Saba!