Holly Bayes

Holly is a born-and-raised southern Californian who has spent her whole life living in VenturaCounty. Holly has worked in various aspects of administration. She has been an Enrollment/Academic Advisor at Laurel Springs School for four years. Known around the office for her cheerful disposition and helpful nature, Holly brings heartfelt caring to her role aiding students in the active pursuit of their dreams and educational goals. She is particularly passionate about working with students with developmental disabilities because she witnessed the challenges of her older sister who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. She lives with her husband and two daughters, and hopes to pursue longboard surfing again when her children are a little older.

Tamara Honrado

Tamara was born and raised in a small Colorado town. She has a passion for traveling, indigenous culture and purposeful living. While attending Taylor University, she was able to spend a semester studying in Israel, and worked on the Tohono O’odham reservation in southern Arizona. After graduating with a BA in international business, she lived and studied on the Hopi reservation in northern Arizona. Herself a native Mohawk, she has a passion for individual origins, history and culture. Living among the Hopi people, she was able to discover the power of experiential education through outdoor adventures and the potential for learning outside of the classroom. She currently lives in Ventura, California, and loves running, biking and spending time with her husband, dog and cat.

Maxi Kogoi

Maxi comes from an international background. Born in Germany and raised in Italy, he attended high school in England and graduated from HampshireCollege in the United States. He has a wide range of experiences, from studying politics and economics at Duisburg University in Germany to retail management in a small store and working for Greenpeace. From 2006 to 2007, he headed the Enrollment Department of Laurel Springs School. He currently serves the school by managing the introduction and operation of new programs and services. He enjoys the connections he makes with LaurelSprings students and families and finds helping young people achieve their educational goals very rewarding.

Christi Ross

For the past 15 years Christi has dedicated herself to children and education. Before arriving at Laurel Springs School in 2002, she worked as a preschool teacher for nine years. Born in New Hampshire, Christi now lives in sunny Ventura, California, with her husband and their two children. Christi especially enjoys time spent with her family and friends, especially at sushi bars, concerts or sporting events. She loves playing with her two dogs, Kobe and Zoe. Christi has been at Laurel Springs School for six years and enjoys being an Enrollment Advisor and assisting families from all over the world.

Diane Soule

Diane is a life-long learner, competitive athlete, soul-surfer and an avid photographer. Her love of taking pictures led her to Brooks Institute of Photography, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in visual journalism. As a California native, Diane takes advantage of the perfect climate with endless outdoor adventures. In her free time, she believes in giving back and helping others through volunteering. Of the many organizations she is involved with, helping with the Special Olympics has given her the greatest joy. She has also worked as a life coach for adults with developmental disabilities. Diane believes that education is so important and feels blessed because “Every day I get to help our youth gain knowledge, so they can follow their dreams.”

Sarah Wade

Sarah graduated in 2008 from California State University at Channel Islands, where she majored in sociology and minored in psychology. She graduated with university honors, Cum Laude, and was a member of the Gamma Beta Phi National Collegiate Honor Society. She has two young daughters who are actively involved in softball, basketball and soccer. Sarah and her husband spend their free time coaching youth sports teams. Sarah has called Ojai, California home for more than 30 years. It is an honor for Sarah to have the opportunity to assist students and their families achieve their educational goals.       

Suzan Williams

A southern California native, Suzan made her way to Ventura County in 1981.  She lives in Ojai with her cat, Cosmos. A lifelong learner, she is currently in a master’s program for Consciousness Studies and will become a licensed minister in 2009. Suzan has been with Laurel Springs School since 2002 as an Enrollment Advisor and has also represented the school in the local community. She enjoys the opportunity of serving Laurel Springs’ families and seeing the students’ goals come to fruition.

Deborah Wolk

Deborah was one of Laurel Springs Schools’ original employees, working as an office assistant while still in high school. Many years and multiple adventures later (including attending Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, teaching kindergarten and English while living in Germany, and working full-time as the primary caregiver for a high-functioning autistic boy) she returned to Ojai to raise her dynamic son. She has worked for the school in various capacities since 2004, returning to the position of Enrollment Advisor in 2007 shortly after receiving certification as a Level 3 LearningSuccess™ Coach. Deborah draws largely on her own early experience, having been homeschooled for the first 10 years of her academic career, when advising Laurel Springs families. She is grateful for the opportunity to provide support for an ever-growing population of alternative learners and their families.