Administration
Karina Haedo
Director
Karina Haedo is a proud Waldorf school graduate who brings over 25 years of experience in education to her role as Director at SunRidge School. She earned her BA in Liberal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, from Purchase College after attending Oberlin College, and she completed her Waldorf Elementary Teacher Training and a Master’s Degree in Waldorf Remedial Education at Sunbridge College. Karina also holds a California Multiple Subjects Credential through the Dominican University of California, as well as an Administrative Credential from the North Coast School of Education.
Karina was raised in a Muslim household in New York and is deeply rooted in her Argentine heritage. She is the mother of four children. Karina is committed to inclusive, whole-child education and is passionate about creating school communities that honor diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Theresa Thomasson
School Manager
Ms. Theresa has been with SunRidge School from the very beginning - 2002! She holds the school, the students and community with great regard and caring. While she is a bit camera shy, she is not shy about saying hello if you should stop by the office. You will most likely find her at her desk with a smile.
Donna Becchetti
Office Assistant
Donna is a Sonoma County native, who currently calls Sebastopol home. She graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies, and Psychology, from CSU Chico. Her family is a founding family of Sequoia Village CoHousing Community. She raised her two children in local Waldorf schools.
Donna has many years experience working in various office settings. Her office experience includes customer service, inside and outside sales, account management, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Working at SunRidge is special because Donna gets to combine her education, work, and life experience as a mother of two adult children, to support this amazing school community.
When she is not working, Donna enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her hobbies include cooking, entertaining, walks in nature, gardening, and crafting.
Jillian Horton
Meal Program Coordinator
Jillian has been providing meals to SunRidge students since 2022, bringing her passion for nutrition and early childhood education to school each day. She believes in nurturing the whole child - head, heart, hands and stomachs - and that providing students with nutritionally balanced, consistent meals is essential to student health and academic success. Outside of school, Jillian enjoys gardening, cooking, playing sports with her kids and spending time with family. She feels grateful to be part of the SunRidge community.
Taylor Matthews
School Counselor
Taylor Matthews serves as the School Counselor at SunRidge School, supporting students, families, and staff in creating a safe and nurturing environment for learning and growth. She brings a compassionate and collaborative approach to her work, drawing on a diverse background in child development and mental health.
Taylor has worked with children in various roles for over seven years, including as a Registered Behavior Technician supporting children with autism, a Pre-K teacher, and most recently, a counselor trainee in the Santa Rosa Mark West School District. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy from the University of San Francisco.
Taylor is a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and is currently supervised to complete her hours. She is passionate about fostering emotional well-being, resilience, and connection within the school community.
Education Specialist
Rose has been teaching at SunRidge School since 2020, bringing her passion for whole-child learning, building student independence, and fostering personal growth to her work as an Education Specialist. She holds a Child Development Teacher Permit and an Education Specialist Credential, and has a background in traditional Waldorf education, art, and sports. Rose believes deeply in collaborative teamwork and has helped strengthen communication between General and Special Education programs through tools like group emails and Student Study Team (SST) meetings.
Prior to joining SunRidge, Rose taught in a wide range of educational settings, including Becoming Independent, Beth Ami, Green Acre, Miwok Elementary, her own in-home daycare (Roots, Rocks, Artgarden), Cypress School, and Casa Grande High School. She has experience across diverse classroom models, including Special Day Classes, Resource Specialist Programs, and Autism Full Inclusion settings. Throughout her career, she has developed strong skills in documentation, data collection, and meeting facilitation.
Rose’s teaching approach is rooted in positive reinforcement, student self-responsibility, and personalized learning. She supports students in building independence and self-advocacy by encouraging the use of personal checklists, visual/verbal supports, strategic breaks, and reflective tools like progress graphs and work portfolios.
Outside the classroom, Rose enjoys gardening, writing, painting, singing, and playing sports—all of which inspire her creative approach to curriculum development. She feels honored to be part of the SunRidge community and is passionate about supporting student growth, a positive learning environment, and the lifelong journey of self-discovery.