Anna Waldman is a guiding light for families seeking the perfect educational fit for their children. With a profound dedication to fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment, she excels at building meaningful relationships that offer a welcoming and comforting experience for families navigating the complex education landscape. 

In 2005, Mrs. Waldman began her journey with LJCDS as an Early Childhood Educator. Her extensive experience in early childhood education has instilled a deep understanding of the developmental needs of young children, which she brought to her role as Associate Director of Admission in 2024. This background gives Mrs. Waldman a unique perspective, allowing her to understand that finding the right educational setting is crucial for a child’s growth and development. She is pivotal in guiding families with empathy and expertise, making the process seamless and stress-free.

Mrs. Waldman’s mission is to inspire greatness for a better world, one child at a time. She believes that by helping children find the right educational environment, they can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Her unwavering commitment embodies the qualities of compassion, understanding, and dedication to La Jolla Country Day’s mission of building a better future for each child and, by extension, a better world for us all.

Casey Walker joined the Design and Innovation team in 2021. She is passionate about using inquiry-based education to help students develop a critical mindset, personal agency, and a love of both learning and making.

Before joining LJCDS, Ms. Walker taught art, design and engineering for six years at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Edison, New Jersey. She helped to develop their STEM curriculum and established their educational makerspace. Ms. Walker grew up in New Jersey where she earned her A.F.A. from County College of Morris and B.A. in studio art from William Paterson University. She spent two years in Philadelphia, where she earned her M.Ed. in student personnel services from Widener University and learned to call long sandwiches “hoagies.” 

In 2018, Ms. Walker worked as a freelance contractor, assisting with product design and crowdfunding for a small tech-craft business. This intersection of design, technology and entrepreneurship primed Ms. Walker for her role in the Design and Innovation department at LJCDS.

Ms. Walker is a cat mom who enjoys roller skating, live music, meeting dogs, and all kinds of making; she has even dabbled in blacksmithing. Two of her favorite things to make are jewelry and food.

Chelsey Watkins joined the admission team in June 2020 as associate director of admissions. She is inspired by the passionate LJCDS educators who make it their mission to discover, cultivate and celebrate the unique gifts and talents of their students. Mrs. Watkins serves as the admission representative for students and families who are interested in joining the Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Lower School. One of the most important aspects of her role is to ensure that new families are aligned with our school’s mission, vision and values and that they are excited to partner with LJCDS in supporting the growth and development of their child along the way.

Mrs. Watkins earned her B.A. and teaching credential at CSU Long Beach and began her teaching career back in San Diego. In addition, she earned her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Diego and her CA Administrative Services credential from National University. She has taught all grades K–Grade 5 in three different states (CA, IN and NC) and has served in leadership as head of school and assistant head of lower school.

Mrs. Watkins is a rare, third-generation native to San Diego. Although she and her family have moved out of state twice, she has always found her way back home to San Diego. Mrs. Watkins is the proud parent of Kennedy, who joined the Torrey family in 2020. Her husband is a high school teacher and head varsity baseball coach, so she spends a lot of time at the baseball field. She also enjoys going to the beach, trying new restaurants, watching college sports, and spending time with her family, friends and french bulldog, Cali.

 

 

 

 

 

Andrés Wood appreciates bringing the concepts of dignity and integrity into the classroom. From this foundation, he has students jump into Spanish language learning, showing them language does not exist in a vacuum, instead, it is connected to communities and the culture of those communities. Mr. Wood encourages students to explore culture through hands-on activities and by speaking and deciphering Spanish as they enter new spaces. 
 
LJCDS is the latest stop on Mr. Wood’s life journey between his two countries of origin: the United States and Mexico. He grew up in a small town in southwestern Mexico where he attended Mexican public school and American homeschool. Mr. Wood earned a bachelor’s degree in education in literature and writing from Westmont College. Before joining LJCDS in 2023, he taught Spanish at Crane Country Day School and worked for World Leadership School leading student educational trips to Puerto Rico, Belize and the US/Mexico borderlands.

Mr. Wood is a book lover. He wishes he was a faster and more committed reader so his reading could keep up with the amount of books he purchases. One of Mr. Wood’s favorite books is The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Swimming, biking, hiking and walking are his preferred ways of getting in his steps.