Urban welcomes new staff and teachers

This year, we have five new staff members ranging from technical support to service learning. As we welcome them into the Urban community, the following profiles aim to provide background information to prompt our conversations with these new faces. Unfortunately, Tess Varley, the new chamber music teacher, and Julie McPherson, the new outdoor trips coordinator, were not available for interviews. (Click through the slideshow to see more)


Seth Snyder

Place of Birth: Orange, California

Education: Two years at junior college in Southern California before transferring to San Francisco State University

Job Title: Technical Support Specialist and Webmaster

Favorite Part of Job: “I get to do a lot of dif- ferent things around the school. I am not just subjugated to the technical aspects. I get to go around and do creative things like video and photography and also I get to work with (stu- dents).”

Favorite Movie: “The Good the Bad and the Ugly”

Favorite Sport/Team: ” The Ducks. I like hock- ey. I am not huge of sports but if I had to pick one, probably hockey.”

Favorite Haight Street Desination: Escape from New York Pizza, Sparrow, and Memphis Min- nies

Favorite Place to Travel: “Probably Yosemite. I love to get out there and hike and camp and just be away from people”

Interesting Fact: “I play a few different instru- ments. I play guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass flute. I can dabble on piano. I am in a band. It’s called Mystery Flavors.”


Jennifer James

Place of Birth: Reno, Nevada Education: College at Yale University Job Title: Teacher of Service Learning

Favorite Part of Job: “My favorite part of my job is getting to have discussion on cool topics like race,and gender and class, that’s really fun for me.”

Favorite Movie: “The American President”

Favorite Sport/Team: “I am not huge into sports… In high school I played tennis. softball and soccer”

Favorite Haight Street Destination: Coffee to the People

Favorite Place to Travel: ” I spent a summer in India when I was in college.”

Interesting Fact: ” I really love documentaries on social and cultural issues.”


Trina Hyun

Place of Birth: Honolulu Hawaii

Education: College at University of Pennsylvania and graduate school at Colombia University

Job Title: English Teaching Fellow (2015-2016)

Favorite Part of Job: “Recently my fa- vorite part of my job has been to sub for some of the other English teach- ers and get in the classroom and get to know the students. and actually delving into the material.”

Favorite Movie: “You’ve Got Mail”

Favorite Sport/Team: “I do love tennis. It is the one thing I follow. I am a huge Federer fan.”

Favorite Haight Street Destination: Coffee to the People

Favorite Place to Travel: “I spent five month in London when I was in college and that was probably one of the best times in my life.”

Interesting Fact: ” I have been playing classical piano since I was five so it has been twenty years now and it is something I still take very seriously.”