Administrative and Office staff
Stacy Stoyanoff (he/him)
Head of School
stacys@willowwind.org
M.A. Classical Languages, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
M.S. Information Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
American School of Classical Studies, Athens
B.A. Biology and Classical Languages, Monmouth College
Stacy has been an educator for over 30 years, working in both K—12 and post-secondary schools. Throughout his extensive career, he has served as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, and administrator. However, most of his career has been focused on leading and shaping high-performing public, private, independent, and charter K—12 college preparatory schools. His expertise is in teaching, learning, and college readiness. Stacy collaborates with teachers, students, and parents to create the best academic outcomes and provide opportunities that lead to success in life. These pathways of success are crucial in developing future ready students, who can take ownership of their education, adapt to new environments, persevere through adversity, and embrace their individual excellence. His goal is to always be inclusive and increase the collective efficacy of students, teachers, and staff.
Stacy is an avid sports enthusiast, Sci-Fi fan, and SCUBA diver. He shares his life experiences with his spouse of 25 years, Dawn, and their two adult children Sydney and Sam. Stacy is a teacher, learner, and leader, who strives to make Willowwind School the best place for teachers to teach and students to learn.
Anne Ehlinger (she/her)
Business Manager busoffice@willowwind.org
Anne is our finance guru. After her time at Stanford and Northwestern, and having worked for a small, local biotech firm, Anne set her sights on Willowwind. Outside of work she loves to spend time with her family, enjoys checking out local events, and traveling. If people watching were an Olympic sport, Anne would probably have a good chance of winning a metal; she hones her skills on weekend mornings at Deluxe, her favorite neighborhood bakery.
Rachel Butler (she/her)
Office Manager
rachelb@willowwind.org
B.A. in French and Secondary Education, Beloit College
M.Ed. in TESOL, Seattle University
Rachel works at the front desk at Willowwind and also coordinates the admissions process. She can be found patching up scraped knees, coordinating upcoming events, and touring prospective families- all in one day! Before working at Willowwind, Rachel was a classroom teacher at the high school and college levels, where she taught English language classes for international students, immigrants, and refugees. Rachel finds working with young children to be "new and entirely delightful! Only at Willowwind have I had a student greet me by saying 'You look like a beautiful butterfly!'"
Emily Hill (she/her)
Communications and Engagement Coordinator
emilyh@willowwind.org
B.A. in Graphic Design, Mount Mercy University
Emily joined the Willowwind team in 2022 as the Assistant Office Manager. During her undergrad education, Emily participated in extracurriculars such as Student Ambassadors, Mount Mercy Activities Planning Board, and Dance Marathon where she was Co-president of Marketing. She brings with her a unique skillset and variety of experiences such as Montessori education, event planning, and social media management. Emily and her family are avid football, hockey, and baseball fans cheering for the Hawkeyes, the Blackhawks, and the Braves.
MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL
Kaye Lindsley (she/her)
Lead Preschool Teacher (Monarchs)
kayel@willowwind.org
B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Certificate in Human Rights, University of Iowa
Early Childhood Montessori certified, North American Montessori Center
Kaye moved to Iowa City in 2008, her work with community and caring for others started at a young age with childcare and her first job at a nursing home in her home town of Rock Island, IL. Since then she has acquired an eclectic work history developing skills in restaurants, as a private chef, on organic farms and being a full-time private nanny. Her passions are gardening, cooking, spending time with family; her husband Nicholas, her dog Grover, and cat Levon. She also enjoys being active outside with camping, hiking, and kayaking.
Veronica Armstrong (she/they)
Lead Preschool Teacher (Swallowtails)
veronicaa@willowwind.org
B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Museum Studies, University of Iowa
Studied Elementary Education with a focus in special education and instruction, University of Wisconsin-Superior
With a passion for early childhood education, special education and inclusion, Veronica has delved into many facets of early childhood education prior to coming to Willowwind in 2023. Veronica has a varied background in non-profit administration, special education, community development, preschool education and childcare administration. Her favorite things about working in early childhood education include collaborating with fellow educators, providing a safe and welcoming place for students and cultivating a community-enriched program. When away from the classroom, Veronica spends her free time working in local non-profit organizations, reading, playing board games and crafting. She also enjoys spending time with her partner, Randy, along with their child, Gabby, and two dogs.
Aneesa Housel (she/her)
Preschool Assistant Teacher (Monarchs)
aneesah@willowwind.org
Aneesa moved to Iowa City in 2022 to attend the University of Iowa and joined Willowind as an assistant teacher in 2023. Aneesa found her passion working with children as a family nanny in the Kansas City area where she grew up. She loves watching children grow through exploration and independence. As a perpetual learner, Aneesa is excited to continue to learn and grow through her time at Willowind and explore the field of child development and education. While attending the University of Iowa Aneesa was actively involved in the theatre department. She enjoys listening and creating music, reading, spending time outdoors, and cooking meals for others.
Jenna Allen (she/her)
Preschool Assistant Teacher (Swallowtails)
jennaa@willowwind.org
A.A. in Applied Science, Lake Area Technical College
Jenna joined Willowwind in 2023 after moving to Iowa City. Her background as an Occupational Therapy Assistant included some time in a sensory based clinic and years in a nursing home setting. Jenna made the transition to education first as a paraprofessional and now as a Preschool Assistant. She enjoys listening to children’s stories, encouraging their artwork, and reading stories. Outside of work Jenna enjoys spending time with her family, walking her three dogs, reading, and watching movies.
Hwida Awadalla (she/her)
Preschool Assistant (Monarchs & Swallowtails)
hwidaa@willowwind.org
Ms. Hwida has been part of the Willowwind community since 2015. She began as a BASP teacher. With a deep passion for children, her desire to take on a bigger role was made clear and she became an assistant teacher in the preschool program. Ms Hwida is loved and supported by her husband, Hassan Mohamed and three children, Mohamed, Fatima, and Feda.
K-6 TEACHING TEAM
Erin Traicoff (she/her)
Kindergarten (Cottontails)
erint@willowwind.org B.A. in Elementary Education with endorsements in Reading and Language Arts (K-8), and Talented and Gifted education (PK-12), University of Iowa
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in literacy, Western Illinois University
Erin began working as Willowwind's kindergarten teacher in 2017. She has a passion for teaching literacy and loves to watch her students grow as readers and writers throughout each school year. Her favorite part of teaching at Willowwind is the strong community that has been built among all students and teachers because it is so unique and can't be found anywhere else.
In her free time, Erin enjoys cozying up with her three cats, Princess Peach, Little Po, and Nugget, spending time with friends as well as her baby nieces and nephews, and reading all types of literature on her big blue couch.
Madison Kaiz (she/her)
1st-2nd grade (Racerunners)
madisonk@willowwind.org B.A. in Elementary Education, University of Iowa
Madison graduated from the University of Iowa in 2023 after completing her student teaching experience in the Fox classroom right here at Willowwind School. While attending the university, Madison gained experience working with children through babysitting, working at summer camps and after-school programs, and helping out in various classrooms. Her excitement for one day having a classroom of her own continued to grow during her student teaching experience as she quickly fell in love with the closeness of the Willowwind community. She is so excited to officially join that community this year as the first and second-grade teacher!
Christine Sobocinski (she/her)
3rd-4th grade (Burrowing Owls)
christines@willowwind.org
B.A. in Elementary Education with Reading and Language Arts endorsements, University of Iowa
Specialization, Minor in Spanish, University of Iowa
Christine has been a member of the Willowwind community since 2011. She received her bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Iowa, with a focus in reading and writing and a minor in Spanish. She has a wealth of experience with outdoor education and has guided kids in outdoor inquiries and adventures for the past 7 years with the University of Iowa Wildlife Camps. Her passion for the environment helped her facilitate a student-lead prairie planting at Willowwind in 2011. Christine taught fourth grade at DelCampo International School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras in addition to teaching for the Iowa City Community School District. Christine’s passions outside of school include camping, cycling, and playing outside with her family.
Ann Creasey (she/her)
5th-6th grade (Red Foxes) annc@willowwind.org B.A. in Psychology, Minor Communications, Truman State University
K-6 Teaching Licensure, endorsements in Language Arts, Reading, and Social Studies, University of Iowa
Ann is from Muscatine, Iowa and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Truman State University in 2007. After graduating Ann worked in retail management before moving to Istanbul, Turkey where she lived for nearly six years. While in Turkey she taught first and second grade English at a private school. The experience inspired her to seek her teaching licensure through coursework at the University of Iowa. Ann loves children’s literature and the unique conversations that evolve in a classroom as students explore text. Outside of the classroom she enjoys cooking, traveling, and building Legos with her son, Will.
Lisa Kavanaugh (she/her)
Curriculum Coordinator
lisak@willowwind.org
B.A. in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Reading, University of Iowa
Lisa joined the Willowwind community in 2018. Prior to stepping into her role as Curriculum Coordinator, Lisa taught first through third grades at Willowwind. Lisa graduated from the University of Iowa in 2015. After graduating, she spent time teaching in New Zealand and traveling. Before coming to Willowwind, she taught third grade at a nearby school. Lisa enjoys cooking, hiking, traveling, and exploring with family; her husband, Keegan, and two daughters.
Lisa hopes that she can instill in her students a lifelong curiosity about the world and the confidence to take risks. Lisa is passionate about inquiry-based learning, STEAM education and exploring relevant topics through childrens' literature.
Darla Burr (she/her)
Math and Interventionist Teacher
darlab@willowwind.org
B.A. in Psychology with Minors in Education, English and History, University of California, Davis
M.Ed, Alliant International University
Darla joined Willowwind’s teaching team in 2022 after she and her husband, along with their 5 sons, moved to Iowa from California. Darla brings several years of experience teaching first through fifth grades as well as experience running a home daycare that focused on providing care for children with special needs. Darla prides herself on being a lifelong learner and enjoys creating an environment where her students can thrive and be active participants in their education. When she is not in the classroom, Darla can be found spending time with her family, cooking, playing pool, and enjoying the outdoors with her three dogs.
Specials Classes
Alec Cassatt (he/him)
Music and Physical Education Teacher
alecc@willowwind.org
B.A. in Elementary Education, University of Iowa
Alec hails from the Quad Cities but quickly settled into Iowa City while attending the University of Iowa. Before joining the Willowwind preschool team, Alec was a substitute teacher, and was heavily involved in the After School Program at a local elementary school.
A sports fan, Alec enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on the Hawkeyes, and going to Mickey’s Irish Pub for their awesome grilled cheese. He also loves playing basketball and golf, and thinks that if Wii Sport had a place in the Olympics he would have a good chance of winning a metal.
Alec brings humor, patience and so much fun to the preschool program and hopes that the students will come away having grown; physically, emotionally, and socially.
Megan Bishop (she/her) Teaching Artist and Integrated Arts Coodinator meganb@willowwind.org Studied Art Therapy & Art Education, University of Iowa
Megan is an Iowa City artist, award-winning muralist, and art instructor. She studied under the guidance of Hani Elkadi, learning the importance of community and how it can be strengthened through art. Engaging in public art, such as the city’s Co-Sign and Benchmarks programs, and serving as a board member on the Artifactory, a local non-profit focused on art and community, solidified this passion for Megan. She has taught at the Muscatine Art Center where she hosted free art classes to cancer survivors and their families, and has been an art instructor at Oaknoll Lifecare Community for the past ten years. Megan believes that everyone can create art, that it is beneficial to society, and is a universal language that should be shared.
Enrichment and camps
Brett Burr (he/him) Director of BASP and Programs brettb@willowwind.org Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Ashford University
Brett served in the United States Air Force for 27 years as a C-5 mechanic and supervisor. He has extensive management training and credentials. He taught First Aid and CPR classes, managed as many as 150 Airmen at a time and led missions that served countries around the world. Brett has spent his career developing himself into a manager and believes that learning should be fun but also structured and engaging. He is passionate about revitalizing the BASP and enrichment programs and being a part of our amazing community of learners.
Brett has five sons (one of which he adopted with Darla Burr). Three of their boys live in Iowa with them but two of them are still in California. All of their children are now grown and Brett enjoys spending his time reading, working out, bike riding and watching movies. He loves Batman and is passionate about enjoying life and spending time with his family.
Awards
Roots award
The Business Partnership's Roots Award celebrates businesses with deep roots and investment in our community on their 50th Anniversary.
THE ROBERT E. YAGER ACTIVE LEARNING AWARD
The Robert E. Yager Active Learning Award honors outstanding educators who foster an active learning environment in their classroom and create opportunities for students to imagine, create, discover and explore.
2024-2025
Ann Creasey
2019-2020
Lisa Kavanaugh (Nominated 21-22, 22-23, 23-24)
2018-2019
Kaye Lindsley
2016-2017
Christine Sobocinski
Innovation in Education Awards
Innovation in Education is an annual awards ceremony that honors exceptional students and educators from all public and private schools in Johnson County.
2024
Rachel Butler, The Administrative/Support Staff Excellence Award
Brett and Darla Burr, The Impact Award
Ann Creasey, The Innovator Award
2023
Anne Ehlinger, The Administrative/Support Staff Excellence Award
Michelle Beninga, The Impact Award
Kaye Lindsey, The Early Childhood Innovation Award
2022
Christine Sobocinski, The Inspire Award
2021
Willowwind Red Foxes Class, The Student Innovator Award
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
President: Dawn Lyons
Vice President: Noah Stein
Treasurer: Steve Morenz
Secretary: Leah DeGrazia
Members: