CO-FOUNDER & PROGRAM DIRECTOR Sophie believes that we are at our best when ignited by purpose to serve the greater good, and she is committed to creating optimal conditions for change and flow at the systemic level. She works with educators and community members to support programs that foster curious, compassionate, and courageous people who contribute their gifts and talents to making this world a more just, equitable and peaceful place.

She currently serves as the Director of Accreditation & Licensing at Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools and as Co-Founder and Program Director for Shanti Alliance, a program that supports educators and students to create inclusive school communities of belonging through DEI work. She provides educational consulting services through FLOW Education, LLC.

She enjoys giving back to her community by serving on the Schools of the Future Conference Planning Committee, Pacific Buddhist Academy’s Board of Trustees and the YWCA Patsy T Mink Leadership Program Alumnae Council.

STEVENS SHANTI ALLIANCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR
My vision is to support and develop dynamic, positive relationships between communities, individuals, and educational institutions. I believe that self-understanding—and understanding of each other—is necessary for creating social change. After teaching for over 10 years, I pursued doctoral studies at the University of Washington in the field of Multicultural Education, and I am now the Dean of Equity and Social Impact at Drew School in San Francisco, California. I am so excited to be part of the team at the Shanti Alliance., which has deepened my understanding of place, community, and sustainability in Hawaiʻi while engaging with how Hawaiian cultural values can deepen discourse and support DEI work. I look forward to collaborating as we work towards supporting belonging and justice for us all.

STEVENS SHANTI ALLIANCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

I’m honored to join the Shanti Alliance team of educators. Prior to returning home to the islands in 2020, I spent the previous 17 years living in Seattle and Los Angeles. My career in independent schools is rooted in student support and advocacy. I strive to design inclusive programming that elevates student voice, while encouraging the examination of core cultural identities and the development of social, emotional strategies to increase self- and social awareness. I am an educator that strategically develops and enhances relationships within communities; with the belief that it is in connection with one another, that inclusive practices towards social change can thrive.

I am the K-12 Wellness Director at St. Andrew’s Schools in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The position of Wellness Director incorporates counseling, learning support and the coordination of wellness programming, i.e., social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. I am also a mom to two children and live in Kailua.

STEVENS SHANTI ALLIANCE TEACHER FELLOW

Creating community is at the core of who I am and at the heart of my work during the last 20+ years in education. I am honored to join the Shanti Alliance as a fellow this year and excited to work with other educators equally interested in social justice, community-building, and place-based DEI initiatives. I have a deep respect for this wonderful place I call home, Hawaiʻi, and eager to learn more about building inclusive schools while honoring the traditions and culture of this beautiful place. I am currently the Director of Music and one-of-two inaugural DEIB Co-Coordinators at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy (HPA) in Kamuela, on the Big Island. Prior to HPA, I served in various music teaching and administrative capacities at an El Sistema “Music for Social Change” non-Profit in Philadelphia and at various Independent Schools on the East and West Coasts of the US Mainland. In addition to my work as an ensemble conductor and teacher of music, I have supported GSA chapters, attended multiple POCC/SDLC conferences and NAISʻs Diversity Leadership Conference, and helped lead various DEI initiatives at multiple institutions. I hold a B.A. Honors in Music from Brown University (Providence, RI); an M.A. in Music Composition and Education from Teachers College of Columbia University(NY, NY); and, a Fellowship in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern Universityʻs Bienen School of Music (Evanston, IL). I grew up in Los Angeles, CA and reside in the beautiful hills of Kamuela on the Big Island.

STEVENS SHANTI ALLIANCE TEACHER FELLOW

A passionate advocate of promoting social justice, diversity, equity, and belonging by implementing a comprehensive approach that takes into account the complex intersections of identities and cultures, employing pedagogies that are responsive and sensitive to diverse cultural backgrounds, and applying Critical Race Theory to identify and address systemic inequalities.

STEVENS SHANTI ALLIANCE TEACHER FELLOW

Andrew (Dash) Marchetto-Ryan, Career-Based Learning Coordinator at Hawai'i Technology Academy, connects students with career experiences aligned with their post-high school aspirations. He identified the Shanti Alliance as an ideal match for the Human Services-focused Social Change student cohort. His upbringing centered on acceptance, understanding, and empathy steered him toward an Education career. Initially a Math Teacher, he ensured a secure learning environment, adapting teaching methods for all.

His educational journey encompassed roles like Dean of Students, College Counselor, and Emotional Counselor, demonstrating his commitment to diverse responsibilities. From Curriculum to Testing Coordinator, Grade Level Advisor, and NHS Advisor, Dash embraces lifelong learning and seeks growth as a global citizen, emphasizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Each year, he sets a goal to explore a new global destination, consistently broadening his perspectives.

COMMUNICATIONS & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

Born in Taiwan and raised in Singapore, Jingwoan Chang, Ph.D., conducted her doctoral dissertation research on social justice education in Hawaiʻi. She taught Mandarin Chinese for over 16 years, mostly in K-12 classrooms in Chicago and Honolulu, with a focus on research-based language acquisition pedagogies, proficiency-based assessment, and thoughtful cultural integration. As part of the Social Justice Committee at Hanahauʻoli School, she coordinated a variety of learning experiences for faculty and students around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, including a transition to gender-inclusive bathrooms and the collaborative drafting of a Social Justice Statement. She also has Master's degrees in history and East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and a strong interest in gender studies.