EMILY SKELDING
Emily was born and raised in Salem and graduated with a degree in English from Columbia University. She began her career as a middle school teacher in public and private schools in Phoenix, Arizona, and Oakland, California. She earned a Masters in School Leadership with a focus on Teacher Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Emily moved to New Orleans nine months after Katrina and worked in charter schools there as a teacher, teacher developer, and curriculum coordinator. She has professional experience working with all ages in elementary, middle and high schools, and through her involvement in a cooperative preschool, homeschooling communities, scouting and youth groups, and summer camps.
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Emily serves as both a teacher and as the Director of Heritage School. Her guidance and vision support children and families, as well as teachers and Board members. She is a writer and her essays on family life have appeared in several parenting websites, such as Literary Mama and Hip Mama. Emily is married and has four children.
ANGELA OBERY
Angela began her career as an elementary school teacher. After serving as an elementary school principal, Angela joined the faculty of the School of Education at Willamette University and taught undergraduate and graduate level Education courses. She served as the Inservice Coordinator for the Oregon Writing Project for almost ten years, providing professional development in the area of literacy for certified teachers throughout Oregon.
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Angela's family joined the Heritage community in 2008. Since 2013, Angela has worked as a writing mentor and teacher at Heritage School, as well as through a variety of local education programs. Angela has experience working with preschool children through adults (within public and private schools, community groups, online, and in private consultation). She holds a current State of Oregon teaching license and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education, a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Ph.D. in Education: Teacher Leadership.
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A long time resident of Salem, Angela is married and has two sons (who previously attended Heritage School). Outside of school, you’ll see the Obery family at the library, cooking for family and friends, and traveling, so as to learn more about this beautiful planet and its people.
ANNETTE BAUTISTA-FELIBERTI
Annette is overjoyed to be a part of the Heritage School Teaching Team and is grateful for the opportunity to connect with students and see them blossom into curious, capable people that take care of their community. She received her BA in Chemistry from Willamette University in 2020 and has been active in formal and informal education since that time.
From 2021-2022, Annette was the Lead Outdoor Educator from Straub Outdoors where she designed and delivered place-based lessons for students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. After Straub, in 2022 she became a math and science tutor through Varsity Tutors and volunteered as a Science Educator at Queen of Peace School in Salem, leading field trips to various beloved nature hubs in Oregon. She has a passion for stirring curiosity in students, encouraging the big questions to be asked, especially in an outdoor setting.
Annette has a love for math and science and a drive to help students realize their potential as not only an academic but also as an engaged community member. She loves sharing how civic engagement and education can bring communities together, while furthering creativity, knowledge and empathy.
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AIMEE LLEWELLYN-ZAIDI
Aimee (Aims) is delighted to be joining the Heritage School Teaching Team as a Teaching Artist. Aims is looking forward to bringing the technical skills, inspiration, and art appreciation to equip students to explore the world through an artistic lens and find new ways of expression and communication. With more than 20 years working locally and internationally as a part-time artist Aims brings expertise across a broad range of media: painting, fiber arts, illustration, etching, technical illustration, paper sculpture, and hand-building pottery to name a few!
Art has informed every step in Aim’s career. Her first full-time professional artist work was for the Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK as a botanical illustrator. Struggling to choose between a path in the sciences or the arts, she forged her own way working in the plant sciences at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire, England then bringing her unique creativity to her role as the Head of Health and Research for The Kennel Club in the UK. It was here that Aims honed her teaching skills making complex genetic health concepts easy and informative to students of all ages. Never able to put her art aside, she continued to undertake commissioned artworks, and teaching painting and illustration. While it isn’t always easy to integrate fine arts through a scientific research-based career pathway, Aims’ proves that life is better when you balance science and art.
MAUREEN FOELKL
Maureen enthusiastically embraces the opportunity to teach science at Heritage School after years of documenting wildlife through photography within the Pringle Creek area. Her teaching journey began in the public school setting, spanning over thirty years. Maureen has engaged students with high interest, standard-based instruction using science as a foundation.
Maureen's authentic lesson submissions contributed to achieving the honor of National Teacher’s Hall of Fame member, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and runner-up for Oregon State Teacher of the Year. The next passage of her adventure steered her toward developing and teaching environmental education lessons for a private K-5 school. During those five years, she not only taught lessons with an emphasis on our natural world, but she also introduced units of study including future technological advances that addressed worldwide problems.
Maureen believes that having a passion for innovative place-based science engages students in their community. Students build communication and inquiry skills to gain a better understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Most importantly, students feel empowered to be their true selves. Maureen welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with Heritage educators, to create high-interest units of study intertwined within all subject areas.