Faculty
John Goulding
Humanities Department Chair
Ph.D. Political Theory, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; B.A. Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles. John teaches Government and Economics, U.S. History, and a senior honors course on Politics & Art. As department chair he has created a new Writing across the Curriculum program and clarified the standards of the Honors program. He also chaired the committee that lead to the strengthening and implementation of the current campus-wide program to deter plagiarism and cheating. From 1990 to 2001 he taught courses on politics and college writing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, and Bay Path College.
Shambo J. Carpenter
Humanities Instructor
M.A. Eastern Classics and M.A. Liberal Arts, St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM; B.A. Theology, Prescott College, Arizona. Shambo has been a guest lecturer at the University of New Mexico in the philosophy department and translator of various Tibetan and Sanskrit text in Dharmsala and Varanas, India.
Erin Latimer
Humanities Faculty
Erin Latimer is a lifetime Idyllwild resident and an Idyllwild Arts Academy alumna from the class of 2002. She has a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing and book art from Mills College, and has self-published several chapbooks of poetry, as well a full-scale edition artist’s book, entitled Mythology in 2008, under her private press name, Washtub Press. After two years as a studio assistant to world-renowned book artist, Julie Chen, of Flying Fish Press in Berkeley, CA, and as a marketing assistant at Mills College, Erin returned to Idyllwild Arts Academy as an employee in 2008 and now works in the capacity of Husch dorm head, college counselor, and part-time humanities faculty. She lives in the Husch west apartment with her vivacious maltipoo, Chewy.
Molly Newman
Humanities Faculty
M.A. English, Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College. B.A. English, University of Notre Dame, Magna cum Laude. Molly teaches American Literature and Honors American Literature as well as directing the Writing Tutors and serving as a dorm parent in Pierson West.
Karin Obermeier
Humanities/ESL Faculty
Ph.D. German Studies, University of Massachusetts; B.S., Rider College, New Jersey. In addition to teaching Karin enjoys working with students in the Peer Counseling program and sharing her knowledge of German language and culture. Karin has also organized our annual International Dinner, where our international students cook dishes from their homelands for the entire school community. She has lived and traveled throughout Europe and brings a cross-cultural
perspective to her teaching. Her love of language and literature is reflected in her work as a published translator and editor. In addition to teaching, Karin also worked in development and outreach at WFCR-FM, Public Radio for western New England.
Holli Plummer Humanities Faculty
M.A. Education, University of San Francisco; Double B.A. Theatre and Psychology, U.C. San Diego. Holli teaches American Literature and Psychology and serves as a dorm parent to freshman and sophomore boys in Small Dorms. Prior to joining Idyllwild Arts, Holli taught English, Video Journalism, and Theater Tech at George Washington High School in San Francisco. She is also a professionally trained chocolatier and owned a custom confectionery business. In addition to teaching Holli enjoys travelling, cooking, hiking, and the arts. She loves working with youth and is thrilled to join the Idyllwild Arts community.
George Pratt
Humanities Faculty
The product of a peripatetic childhood—a fact directly contradicted by the monochromatic geography of his educational background (B.A. Connecticut College, M.A.L.S. Wesleyan University)--George Pratt began his teaching career at The Thacher School in Ojai, California as an instructor in English and Theatre and a tennis and basketball coach, activities which are oddly complementary. Following this, he taught English in Beijing, PRC and Rennes, France under the auspices of the School Year Abroad program. In 2001, he took a position as Chair of the English Department at Sage Hill School in Newport Beach, California. A novelist and playwright, author of works with riveting titles like “Amphisbaena” and “NOx,” George is delighted to be at IAA for his second year with his wife, Sydney Robertson, daughter Carmen, and Annie the dog.
Sydney Robertson
Humanities Faculty
B.A. History, Stanford University; coursework for MLS, Wesleyan University. Sydney began working in independent schools at the Thacher School in Ojai, CA, where she taught history and English, coached soccer and lacrosse, was a dorm head, and worked extensively with the board of trustees. From Thacher, she went to Beijing, China and Rennes, France with the School Year Abroad program, serving as a college counseling. She then worked at the Sage Hill School in Newport Coast, CA as a college counselor, history teacher, and the Director of Service Learning. At Idyllwild Arts Academy she is currently teaching American Government and Economics, and U.S. history after serving as the Director of Residential Life for one year. She is the dorm head for Pierson East.