Bill Snow
M. A. and PhD., History, University of California, Berkeley.
Co-Director, Social Sciences, Language Arts, Inter-disciplinary Studies

Bill is the co-founder and co-director of WellSpring School. As WellSpring's Headmaster and curriculum adviser, Bill brings a wealth of knowledge, diplomacy, and expertise to our school. Bill teaches the Social Sciences and Language Arts. He has been teaching college and high school history and political science since the 1960's, including eight years at the University of California, at Davis where he won the Golden Apple Award for his outstanding teaching. Bill was also solar designer and contractor responsible for nearly 1000 greenhouses and solarium installations. He is an accomplished wood sculptor and member of a local artists' studio. Bill's obsession is to help create the best school in the world."The faculty we have assembled is non-pareil."

Laurie Riskin-Snow
B.S. Recreational Therapy, Art Education. University of Iowa.
Co-Director, ECO HOUSE Coordinator, Health Education,
Classroom Assistant

Laurie is the co-founder and the co-director of WellSpring School.  She's school administrator, assists in daily classes, helps plan the inter-disciplinary projects and themes, and teaches health education.  Laurie's long-term commitment to the environmental movement has prompted her founding of WellSpring's ECO HOUSE-- a multi-educational center and model of sustainable systems. Within her 30-year career, she was director of Bellingham's Kids' Place Theater Arts Center and coordinated arts and science enrichment programs for the public schools and Whatcom County Libraries.  Laurie's current "project" is the development of a vocational education program which will include career apprenticeships for WellSpring students and the community at-large.

Michael Costello
ROSC., School of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland
Artist in Residence, Art History, Studio Art, Outdoor Education 

Michael has been on the faculty of WellSpring since the very first years! He enhances all of the studies with the spirit of art. Michael teaches Art History and the Studio Arts, and facilitates WellSpring's field studies to the region's art museums and artists' studios. His passion for history informs and vitalizes his classes.  Michael also leads the weekly outdoor club and retreat adventures. He is instrumental in the administration and leadership of the school. Michael is well-known and respected as a prominent painter in our region. In a recent local newspaper poll, he was selected Bellingham's best artist. He is also master of the microphone as the lead singer in a local Irish folk-rock band. His experiences as an art teacher extend to adults and children of all ages.

Matthew Wurdeman
B.A. Theatre and History, The Colorado College, Co. Springs
Science Education, Field Studies, P.E, Outdoor Leadership, Mathematics

Matt's passion for science and the outdoors brings enthusiasm and energy to the classroom and to the weekly science field studies. To coincide with WellSpring's Eco House project, Matt presents a weekly ‘EcoFocus” discussion that addresses current environmental issues. As the leader of WellSpring's Outdoor Club, Matt uses his vast experience to teach Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Backpacking, Camp Craft, Survival, Snowshoeing and Sea Kayaking. The Outdoor Club will be fielding a WellSpring team for the Ski to Sea Race in 2009! An avid world traveler, Matt has lived and taught in Korea, and in Switzerland, as a coordinator of an English/French school and as a mountain bike instructor. In Alaska, he worked as a trail and sea kayak guide and naturalist. Matt is a talented writer and has had his plays produced. In San Diego, he won Playwright of the Year in 2003.

Lisa Markowitz
M.F.A. Creative Writing, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language Arts, Outdoor Leadership, Dance and Performing Arts

Lisa is an accomplished and published writer and her passion for writing and literature is exemplified by the bright energy and enthusiasm she brings to her students. Her student-centered teaching methods support each of her student's personal interests and skill development. Lisa's own poems have appeared or are forthcoming in the Colorado Review, the American Poetry Journal, and the Mannequin Envy, among other journals. In addition to her language arts classes, she teaches dance and theater and helps to lead WellSpring’s outdoor adventure classes. Lisa has also taught English in Korea and has taught musical theatre, jazz and lyrical dance for the last eight summers in Southern California, Maine, and most recently, Switzerland, where she runs a dance camp. Lisa also helps out at BAAY during the week with their productions, and most importantly, she LOVES dogs.