La Vina comes to Menlo after eleven years at North Shore Country Day School just outside of Chicago, where she served as Middle School Director. In her time at NSCDS she accomplished many impressive things for the school, including establishing an advisory program, revising the schedule, adding a non-western language, expanding the arts program, and improving the service learning program. In addition, she was the lead coordinator of their Diversity Council and worked on numerous board committees. Lastly, and most impressively, she found a way to teach each year, maintaining her presence in the classroom and connection to students.

Prior to working at NSCDS, La Vina served in leadership roles for four years at the Wildwood School, which she helped found, and for twelve years at Campbell Hall School. La Vina is a Southern California native and earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her master’s degree from Pepperdine.

The hiring committee was impressed with La Vina’s experience, her wisdom gained through years in independent schools, her professionalism, and her sense of humor. Head of School Than Healy said, “La Vina has a compassionate, principled, and graceful manner that will help our Middle School maintain its excellent program, and her experience will help lead the school as it looks to become even stronger in the future .”

La Vina will begin work on July 1, 2015. Please welcome her!