The Rooted Team
Meet the Team
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Steven Carney
Founding Executive Director and School Leader
My WHY is rooted in my unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice in education. I am driven by the desire to challenge and dismantle systemic inequalities, biases, and barriers that perpetuate disparities and marginalize students, families, and communities. By joining Rooted School Vancouver, I am passionate about contributing to a learning environment that prioritizes growth, preparation, hospitality, excellence, and community. My ultimate goal is to disrupt the cycle of poverty, empower students to achieve financial independence and create a better future for them and their families. As Founding School Leader, I aspire to be a catalyst for change, fostering a robust learning community that works together to become a national model of excellence in equity education and closing the opportunity gap.
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Adrienne Lee-Kernell
Assistant Principal
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Sandra Yokley
Founding Director of Operations
Why am I here? I am here to empower underserved and marginalized communities by challenging and dismantling institutions that systematically oppress and perpetuate inequity. I am eager to leverage my personal journey, educational experience, and professional skills to remove barriers to upward mobility and equip youth with resources that will not only alter the trajectory of their lives, but the lives of their families and communities.
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Angie Lundgren
Founding Director of Operations Fellow
My WHY is because I am deeply passionate about fostering a positive impact on young minds and empowering the next generation. I believe in the potential of every student to achieve greatness. I am driven to make a meaningful difference in their lives by providing the support, guidance, and motivation they need to be their best and reach new heights. Our students are the future, and they deserve every opportunity to build a life filled with success, purpose, and stability. My goal is to empower them with the skills and confidence to thrive, free from the limitations of financial stress, so they can create a life of fulfillment and possibility.
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Jackie Torres
Office Manager
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Frimpong Atta Junior Osei
Technology Coordinator, Computer Science Advisor
My WHY is rooted in my passion for empowering students through technology education, providing them with the skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world. At Rooted School Vancouver, I am dedicated to fostering growth, innovation, and inclusivity in the classroom while guiding students toward earning industry certifications and exploring technology-driven careers.
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Dylan Rossi
Founding Student Success Coordinator
Community is my why. It is when we connect with each other in inclusive environments that individuals find success, whatever that may look like for them. I am a passionate special educator advocating with the disability community for changes in educational, career, legislative, and community areas for equitable, accessible, and inclusive practices.
I am proud to join the Rooted School team to educate students about how to use the tools available to them and teach self advocacy skills to be utilized within their community.
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Jenessa Ocon
Founding Science Advisor
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Jamie Henneman
Founding Math Advisor
My "WHY" for working at Rooted School Vancouver is rooted in my unwavering belief in the transformative power of education, personalized learning, real-world applications, community engagement, and fostering equity and diversity which aligns perfectly with my values and aspirations as an educator. I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported, regardless of their background or circumstances. I am passionate about ensuring equal access to quality education and providing opportunities for underrepresented communities to thrive. I am inspired by the idea of empowering students to become active participants in their own education, fostering their curiosity, critical thinking skills, and creative problem-solving abilities. By providing students with a supportive and inclusive environment that nurtures their individual strengths and passions, enabling them to reach their fullest potential.By joining the team at Rooted School Vancouver, I am committed to making a lasting impact on students' lives and shaping the future of education in a way that empowers and inspires generations to come.
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Logan Froerer
Founding Humanities Advisor
My why comes from my core value: growth. I am a teacher because learning and improving alongside students is the most energizing and inspiring work. I am joining Rooted School Vancouver because I want to be part of a team that nurtures the skills students will need to excel in a dynamic future -- certainly the communication and critical thinking of the humanities, but also creativity and collaboration and problem solving skills that will help them in any field. I will work to strengthen my own practice so that we create the best school for our students, especially those who have not been well served by schools in the past and who are looking for that next step and support into the future.
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Nia Vaenuku
Founding Paraeducator
My why is deeply rooted in my passion for serving my community and engaging ALL students to an equitable education, one that meets their academic goals as well as their social/emotional needs. As a paraeducator, connecting students to their learning, giving them a safe space to grow, share ideas and work together, is what I find most rewarding at Rooted School. I believe that every student has the right to an education, regardless of their socio-economic background and our innovative teaching strategies as well as our academic support system, allows us to meet students where they are at and build them up to achieve targeted goals that will help them be successful here at Rooted School Vancouver and beyond.
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KayLynn Hanset
Founding Paraeducator
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Ana Gonzalez-Pulido
Paraeducator
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Ingrid Christensen
School Nurse
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Sienna Johnson
School Counselor
Become a Rooted Team Member
At Rooted School Vancouver, we are committed to hiring a diverse and inclusive team of mission-driven professionals who want to be a part of a Deliberately Developmental Organization.
As a member of our team, you have an incredible opportunity at your fingertips. You have the power to inspire; to drive institutional change; to not only take your turn to make history but, with the utmost care, lead the most underestimated young people to a faster path towards upward mobility.
This will not be easy.
Many will say that we can’t do it.
We hope that you’ll join us anyway.