Faculty & Staff

Robin earned her BS from College of Idaho and her PhD from Colorado State University.  She discovered her passion for teaching when she was assigned to be a TA as a graduate student. Robin was drawn to PCDS by the Outdoor Education Program, but has stayed for the school's values-based culture. She loves PCDS because it has given her sons an exceptional education and the confidence to be a force for good in the world. Robin enjoys hiking, biking, camping, reading, and painting.

Corrine LoValvo earned her BA in Elementary Ed and Special Ed with a focus in autism from Grand Canyon University. The most rewarding moment of her teaching career was teaching students with autism in an inner-city Houston public school because the students were so full of life.  She loves working alongside amazing educators and very kind and sweet students at PCDS.  Corrine enjoys cooking, baking and traveling in her free time.

Lesa Hudgens earned her BS Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from the University of Utah.  Lesa owned and managed a preschool in her home and then brought her program to a local cooperative space where she was the Director of Education for ages 2-12 for over fifteen years. Lesa loves PCDS for the experiential learning and the welcoming community.  In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, including her parents and siblings who live in the area, and visiting Bear Lake.

Ellen Blike earned her BS from Kent State University. She is drawn to PCDS because of the care, consideration, and heart that staff and teachers put into their work with students and coworkers. In her free time, Ellen loves to read and spend as much time in the mountains as possible with her two dogs.

Andrea Hoppe earned both her BS and MS from University of New Hampshire.  She enjoys working with young children to draw a vibrant connection between the information learned in the classroom and the natural world around them. Andrea lives for the mountain lifestyle.  She spends her free time running, snowboarding, hiking, and snowshoeing.  She enjoys it all with her husband, two kids, dog, and two cats.

Gaby Carreras earned his BS from Boston University.  Gaby loves learning everyday, thrives on interacting with students, and enjoys when he sees his students internalize the lesson and practice Spanish outside the classroom. He loves being a Dad, hiking, and listening to music from all genres, including Waylon Jennings, Dave Brubeck, Bob Marley and the Beastie Boys.

Julie Beistline earned her BA from Brigham Young University and her MM from The Cleveland Institute of Music in Violin Performance. Julie loves helping students connect with music by combining active listening with movement as well as broad exposure to different genres including engaging arrangements of popular songs. Julie cherished her time teaching in the Virgin Islands as Director of Strings for the V.I. Montessori where she was was able to expand her teaching and performance styles and witness first hand how powerful music can be for community connection and positive social interactions. Currently residing in Salt Lake City, Julie regularly performs with touring broadway shows, live, private and corporate performances along with studio work for Warner Brothers Netflix series, various video game soundtracks and other musical projects contracted from around the world. Outside of music, Julie enjoys yoga, rollerblading, making wheel thrown pottery and attending live music concerts.