The Little School with the Big Heart
ANNA LANKUTIS
Anna serves a vital and universally-appreciated role as our Kitchen Coordinator. Although Anna started in the fall, 2015, she is the parent of a 2003 graduate and has been somewhat associated with the school since 2001! Anna retired after 26 years of work in many phases of community social work and children’s programs. She loves working in the kitchen and serving students, and is delighted to be able to give back to the school in this special way.
BOB SCHLICHTING
Bob has a B.S. in Special Education K-12 and Secondary Psychology with a minor in Sociology/Anthropology. For four-plus years he worked at Aerie Academy as headmaster, counselor, and instructor. Prior to that, Bob worked in Lewiston, Idaho, at Northwest Children’s Home as a Special Education instructor dealing with socially and emotionally disturbed children. Bob has been teaching Math, Psychology, Human Sexuality, Music History, and other classes at Wellsprings since the fall of 2001.
BRAD GOSS
Brad first came to Wellsprings in 2013 to assist in Math and Writing classes. A University of Oregon graduate with a degree in English, Brad taught a popular Literature class throughout the 2014/15 school year. He began teaching full-time in the fall, 2015, offering a wide range of language arts classes.
DANTE ZÚÑIGA-WEST
Dante serves as Head of School. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in writing from The Evergreen State College and a Master’s Degree in writing from the Cal Arts MFA Writing Program. A former Language Arts teacher with a decade of classroom experience, Dante came to Wellsprings from Northwest Youth Corps where he served as Dean of Humanities for Twin Rivers Charter School (formerly known as The Outdoor High School). During his time with the Corps he also worked as a Youth Services Coordinator/Community Engagement Officer. He is passionate about environmental conservation, leadership, and exploring the natural world. A novelist, short story writer and journalist, Dante’s writing is frequently published in alternative newspapers, lifestyle magazines and adventure journals. He lives in the coastal mountain range of Oregon with his family and a large German Shepherd named Falcor.
DAWN MECKELSON
Dawn took on the challenging position as our Operations Manager in mid-September, 2014. She has over 15 years of experience in administration and customer service. Dawn has worked in both the health industry and the veterinary industry, and has volunteered for several years in programs that serve youth.
DEBORAH MALLERY
Deborah joined Wellsprings in 2018 as our Special Education Coordinator. She holds a Bachelor of Education degree with a minor in Special Education. Deborah has worked 31 years as a special educator, in California and locally. She retired in 2017 from the Bethel School District after serving there for 23 years. Her desire to continue to work with youth and provide support in special education is an area she is excited to return to.
INDIA JOHN
India eagerly joined the Wellsprings community as Dean of Students in fall 2020. Born and raised in Nashville, TN, India traveled to Wisconsin to earn a BS in Environmental Geology and a minor in Journalism. Since college, her path has largely centered around Outdoor/Environmental Education of one sort or another, from leading summer camp trips and working as an Environmental Educator on both coasts, to teaching middle and high school math here in Eugene. During her free time India can be found hiking, reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy books, or playing Ultimate Frisbee when there isn’t a global pandemic. In addition to her role as Dean of Students, India is excited to offer additional individualized math support, as well as teach the occasional improv or Cryptozoology elective.
KATE STOVER
Kate grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado. She has a B.S. in Geography and Environmental Science as well as a B.A. in Education from the University of Colorado. She moved to Oregon 5 years ago and has worked with youth in a variety of settings including teaching at Northwest Youth Corps, Looking Glass Family Services and other youth mentor programs. Kate joined the Wellsprings family in 2020 as a part time science teacher, where she is already making waves for her engaging classes. Kate is often exploring the outdoors and seeking adventure.
SAMANTHA LIM
Sam grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, finding her way to the Pacific Northwest to attend college. She has a B.S. in Psychology with focuses in child development and cultural psychology from the University of Oregon. Previously, she worked on various psychological research studies on child development and cultural psychology. As well she has worked in nonprofit fundraising for over five years. Sam joined Wellsprings as the Director of Advancement in 2020. In her free time she enjoys working out, being outside, cooking, and working on various art projects.
BRYAN JOCHUMSON
Bryan comes to Wellsprings with a wealth of skills to offer our students and community. Aside from graduating with his Bachelor’s in Education with honors, Bryan is an accomplished woodworker who specializes in making river tables, a thespian, a professional photographer with more than 25 years of experience behind the lens, as well a former basketball coach and bus driver. He grew up on a cattle ranch in Wyoming and brings that work ethic with him. He is dedicated to the personal growth of everyone around him and he tailors the delivery of his lessons with that kind of development in mind.