2022 Summer Keynote Panelists

Laura Radefeld has served as Administrator of Green Meadow since August 2020. She has taught in Waldorf schools throughout North America for 26 years, has decades of experience as an educator and involvement in every aspect of school life, including school leadership, Board membership, and Parent Council work. She also serves as a member of the Pedagogical Section Council of North America. Laura has been on the faculty of the Waldorf high school teacher training at the Center for Anthroposophy for 15 years and directed the Eurythmy Spring Valley pedagogical training for eurythmy teachers for 10 years. She also serves as a member of the Pedagogical Section Council of North America.

Melanie Reiser is the Executive Director, Membership for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). In this role she oversees membership processes for schools and institutes with special attention to ensuring that the foundational philosophy of Waldorf education informs each institution’s whole environment. Prior to her current role, Melanie served as Enrollment Director at two Waldorf schools, and was a class teacher at Detroit Waldorf School.

Marshunda Smith grew up down south in Chattanooga, TN and began her love of music because of a crush on a boy who played cello, too.  After the completion of her Masters Degree in Orchestral Conducting and Education from the University of Southern Maine, she settled outside of Boston where she found her community in the Waldorf School for the past 8 years. When she's not wearing at least 8 different hats at school, she is the founder and conductor of the Cherry Hill Chamber Orchestra, the No-Name Orchestra and you can find her dancing and sharing her quirkiness with others.

Jeff Spade, a member of the music and drama faculty at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, has been teaching music in Waldorf schools for over three decades. Prior to joining RSS, he was music director at Chicago Waldorf School and Kimberton Waldorf School. He has also worked as a guest teacher, mentor, and consultant with Waldorf schools across the U.S. In addition to working in the classroom and conducting choirs and ensembles, Jeff is a composer (Eureka! The Life and Times of Archimedes: A Musical Play in One Act for grades 5-12) and a teacher of teachers, having led music classes at several Waldorf teacher training programs.

With a diverse and eclectic background, Kenya Strong finds her greatest joy in helping others reach their potential. She has taught for more than 25 years in various settings including lock-up juvenile facilities in upstate NY, preschools in Virginia, adult transitional services in Michigan, and as a Waldorf school lead teacher in California. She carries all of her experience into her work, bringing equality and social justice to the forefront of education. During her Waldorf teaching years, Kenya founded and chaired the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to help move her community into relevant and timely transformation. She is currently teaching a combined grade 7/8 class in a hybrid homeschool, and has joined the Sound Circle Center for Arts and Anthroposophy as a teacher training assistant and diversity consultant.

Frances Vig is currently an art teacher and class advisor at the Chicago Waldorf High School, and a Core group member and faculty member of the Waldorf Institute of Chicago.  She has experience as a class teacher and special subject teacher at CWS, has been a member of the Board of Trustees and worked with governance issues as well as mentoring. Research into the intersection of science and art has been a lifelong passion. Frances completed her studies at Christ Church College Canterbury, Kent in the UK where she focused on secondary education. She then studied arts with a focus on sculpture at Emerson College, Forest Row, England. She and her husband are the parents of Noah, Cymen and Halin Vig , all three of whom attended the Chicago Waldorf School. They are currently highly entertained by the delightful antics of two lively grandchildren, Kai and Roar.