Meet the OSA Team
Lori Peters, Executive Director & Educator
![Lori](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lori-300x300.jpg)
English, Geography, History
Lori Peters is the founder of One Spark Academy. She wholeheartedly believes in the principles of teaching the whole child– meeting students’ academic, social, and emotional needs– and inspiring students to be healthy, balanced, and globally aware. In July 2011, after 16 years in public alternative education, Lori decided to put her energy into helping students find their spark and enjoy the process of learning with like-minded peers in a truly unique learning environment. show more show less
Laura Erlig, Educator
![Laura 2](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Laura-2-300x300.jpg)
Math, Science, Food Fascination, Gardening
Beyond inspiring her students to love math and science, Laura Erlig is the mastermind behind our Food Fascination classes and our lunch program at One Spark Academy. A firm believer in whole child education, Laura’s experience includes 16 years in public education. Working with varied learners and in progressive programs helped Laura forge her educational philosophy, whereby students must have choices and experience in order to comprehend the whole meaning of what they are taught– this connection keeps them engaged in their learning process.
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Melanie Ware, Educator
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English, History, Creative Writing
Way back in the day, when the birds sang a little sweeter and there was still a chance for your Hogwarts letter to come in the mail, Lori Peters had a student named Melanie Ware. She ran wild, a barefoot child roaming the woods and the beach like some kind of fairy. She kept growing up, sprouting dreams, spanning miles until finally, she ended up at UC Santa Cruz. There, she spent four years studying Shakespeare, Kerouac, and Woolf, exploring Iceland and New Zealand and everywhere in between. show more show less
Jenni Buchanan, Educator
![Jenni with Books](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Jenni-with-Books-e1443986119119.jpg)
Journalism, English, Humanities, Science
Jenni Buchanan has always believed that the greatest gift we can give our children (and our society) is a love of learning and a feeling of investment in their own education. In order for this to happen we must respect and educate whole child: body, mind, and spirit. When she read the first sentence of the One Spark Academy philosophy, she knew her family had found a home. Daughter Gwenna attended OSA for three years (and now writes for the Panther Prowler at NPHS). Jenni also serves on the OSA Board of Directors since 2015.
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Sue Eaton, Educator
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Sous Chef, Food Fascination, Fitness Club
Sue Eaton was a part-time volunteer while her son attended OSA in 2015. She happily joined the Food Fascination family full time in 2016 and found her niche in the kitchen. She has a Culinary Arts degree from South Seattle Community College and is also a proud graduate of Washington State University. Sue thoroughly enjoys her time in the kitchen with the kids and loves interacting with the entire staff – the kitchen is where all the action is! In her free time, you can find her out on the many trails running and/or mountain biking, or at the gym taking a spin class or two.
Deneen Cienfuegos, Education Assistant
![IMG_3051](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_3051-180x180.jpg)
Gardening, Food Fascination, Study Sessions
Deneen Cienfuegos dove headfirst into alternative education when her boys first went to preschool. At Conejo Elementary’s Open Classroom is where she originally met Lori and Laura. As her philosophy of education continued to develop, this naturally progressed to homeschooling her boys for the last five years. Through teaching her sons, she caught a glimpse into the future of possibilities of authentic education. Learning by doing, teaching multiple subjects within a single lesson, encouraging discussion, and elongating lessons for true mastery are a few examples. show more show less
Rachel Ameche, Education Assistant
![Rachel Ameche headshot 2](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Rachel-Ameche-headshot-2-269x300.jpeg)
Math Assistant, MAYL, ELA Study Sessions
Rachel Ameche loves learning and sharing that joy with students. She has been working in education for eight years, teaching classes at an alternative education program, substitute teaching in public schools, and teaching middle school science. Through raising her four kids and her experience in education, she learned that honoring students as unique, precious individuals is key to inspiring lifelong curiosity. Her two oldest children have experienced the benefit of One Spark Academy’s teaching approach and she is eager to be a part of it. show more show less
Robin Lindsey, Education Specialist
![Robin 2](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Robin-2-300x300.jpg)
Body Talk, Crochet
Robin Lindsey loves to talk about anything dealing with how kids grow up, and appreciates the chance to present clear, factual, and honest information to teens. She has taught Our Whole Lives Comprehensive Sexuality Education for more than 14 years to students in grades 6th-12th privately and grades 4th-7th in public school. Besides Body Talk, Robin enjoys teaching kids to enjoy the art of crochet as much as she does.
Dr. Steve Yoshinaga, Education Specialist
![Steve2](https://www.onesparkacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Steve2-247x300.jpg)
Science
Steve Yoshinaga, Ph.D. is a molecular science researcher turned educator, and rejoins the OSA Team after working with us for nine years prior to the pandemic. He has published dozens of scientific articles, some in the most prestigious research journals in the world. For more than a decade, Dr. Steve has taught foundational homeschool science classes from middle school science to high school physics. His high school classes are accredited for University of California admission standards.