About
About Us
Faculty & Staff
Faculty & Staff
About
About Us
Faculty & Staff
Faculty & Staff
Diane Rich
Head of School
Boston College
B.A. in English
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Ed.M.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Diane made her way east to Boston College for
undergraduate studies, then to Harvard, where she earned her Masters in Education. Diane launched her teaching career on Cape Cod, and after five years in classrooms in the Bay Area, she settled in New Hampshire, where in addition to teaching she held leadership positions including dean and department chair. Prior to becoming Head of School at St. James’, Diane worked at Rocky Hill Country Day School (nursery-grade 12) in Rhode Island, serving as Dean of Faculty, Dean of Studies, Assistant Head of School, and Head of School for 6 years. Throughout her 30-year career, Diane’s love of teaching and empowering students of all ages has only grown stronger, and she thrives on the mixture of joys and challenges that she faces each day as a Head.
Diane and her husband, Tim, have four children in their 20’s. Outside of school, Diane is involved in her Episcopal church, where over the years she has served as a Vestry member, a church school teacher, and even the Cookie Room Director for the Christmas Fair. Her participation in the life of a church, and even that as a cookie lady, reflects her love not just for making cookies, but for making community.
Mei-Ling Leonard
Assistant Head for Early Child Education
Swarthmore College
B.A. in Theatre
Minor in Education
Wayne State University
MFA in Theatre Management
Mrs. Mei-Ling Leonard joined the St. James’ community in 2005. From
2005-2021 she guided first-graders into becoming their best version of an elementary school student. In 2021, Mrs. Leonard joined the administrative team as the Dean of Students & Belonging. Now, Mrs. Leonard serves as the Assistant Head for Early Childhood Learning.
Mrs. Leonard has been an active member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Committee since its inception, a mentor teacher, a math specialist, and a member of the Curriculum Committee. Mrs. Leonard is proud to have been the inaugural director for the Center for Belonging.
In addition to numerous other committee assignments she is most proud to call herself an advocate. A student advocate, a teacher advocate, an artistic advocate, a social, school, and community advocate; Mrs. Leonard has touched every part of the St. James’ School Community.
Elizabeth Desmarais
Assistant Head for Systems & Matriculation
Rhode Island College
B.S. in Elementary Education
Pepperdine University
M.S. in Administration
Certificates/Recognition
Clear California Credential
Elizabeth Desmarais joined the administrative team at St. James’ Episcopal School in July 2016. A native of Rhode Island, Elizabeth holds a B.S. in elementary education from Rhode Island College and an M.A. in Administration from Pepperdine University. Elizabeth spent the eight years prior to her arrival at St. James’ at Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she was a key member of the lower school’s implementation team. In that role, Elizabeth was instrumental in developing and implementing the lower school curriculum. Throughout her tenure, she held a number of roles including head of lower school, director of studies, chair of accreditation, and math specialist.
Elizabeth has a long history of working in independent schools in Southern California. She was the Assistant Head of School at the Westerly School in Long Beach, as well as its founding middle school head. Additionally, she taught middle school English, humanities, and pre-algebra. She also served as the assistant administrator and 3rd-grade teacher at the Village School in Pacific Palisades. Elizabeth is honored and excited to be a part of the St. James’ family.
Kara Leigh Powers
Director of Admission
Pepperdine University
B.A. in Sports Medicine and German Language
Columbia College
M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies
Certificates/Recognition
Post Graduate Certification in K-12 Education from Pepperdine
University, Certified examiner for Gesell at Yale Early Childhood, Member of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), educational honor society
While a native of Colorado and the southwest, Kara Leigh Powers gained the bulk of her experience as a teacher and senior administrator at the Chicago City Day School in downtown Chicago, IL. Her 28 years of experience stretch across multiple areas of education, including gifted education and learning challenges.
An avid outdoors person and scuba diver, during her tenure in Chicago she helped to launch the Bimini Field Research Program in 2003. Partnering with the Shedd Aquarium, the team led field study marine research expeditions, data collections, and surveys that were instrumental in naming North Bimini, The Bahamas a National Marine Protected Area and creating a collaborative partnership with Jean Michel Cousteau.
Kara earned her B.A. in Sports Medicine and German Language from Pepperdine University, a K-12 postgraduate teaching credential also from Pepperdine, and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts and Studies from Columbia College.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, she became a mentor for master’s degree candidates in the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and founded Spoonful of Sugar Educational Services which provides a range of support to families. Wishing to return to a school community, she joined St. James’ in 2021 as a third-grade teacher, and her natural talent with families led to her appointment as Director of Admission.
Kara is thrilled to be back in California and passionate about sharing St. James’ with future families.
Jules Leyser
Director of Advancement & Communications
Trinity College, Oxford
B.A. in English
M.A. in English
Jules has been a parent at St. James’ since 2017 and has served on the Advancement Committee as well as Co-Chairing the Annual Gala. In 2014 she co-founded the
Alliance of Moms, a non-profit which supports pregnant and parenting youth in Los Angeles County’s foster care system. As Co-President she developed the Alliance of Moms’ educational programs focusing on early brain development in addition to leading its communication and fundraising strategies. The Alliance of Moms was honored by St. Anne’s with their Angel Award, by The Bump magazine at their inaugural Movers & Makers awards and she was invited to The White House by the Obama Administration in recognition of her organization’s advocacy work with youth in foster care.
After graduating from Trinity College, Oxford with a B.A. and M.A. in English, Jules went onto work as an Account Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and Bartle, Bogle & Hegarty for clients such as British Airways, T-Mobile and the charity for at-risk youth, Barnardo’s. In the year 2000, Jules wrote and starred in her own one-woman show at the Edinburgh Festival. The following year the show transferred to London’s Soho Theatre in the West End. Jules and her husband moved to Los Angeles in 2003 where she racked up further acting and writing credits. Simultaneously she worked for the World Poker Tour, devising and teaching poker strategy seminars all across America.
Raised in a family of educators in her native England, Jules is honored to become a member of the St. James’ staff and to deepen her roots within the wider St. James’ community.
Laura petersen
Preschool Director
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
B.A. in Administration
Pasadena City College
Child Development
Certificates/Recognition
Responsive Classroom, Child Care Center Application, Outdoor Classroom
Laura is an experienced educational leader with more than 20 years of experience in education. Throughout her career, Laura has worked with children and families across a variety of educational settings, with a particular passion for creating nurturing, engaging, and supportive environments where children can thrive. Prior to joining St. James’, Laura served as the Director of a private school in Pasadena serving children from infancy through sixth grade. She also spent 12 years at Saint Mark’s Episcopal School in Altadena, where she developed a deep understanding of the importance of strong relationships between educators, children, and families.
Laura holds a degree in Business Administration, but has always had a passion for early childhood education. Laura believes children learn best when they feel safe, valued, encouraged, and genuinely known. Her approach to leadership centers on creating a warm and welcoming school community while supporting teachers in providing meaningful experiences for every child. Outside of her professional life, Laura is a proud mother of two children. She has also opened her home as a foster parent to multiple children, an experience that has strengthened her understanding of the individual needs, experiences, and strengths every child brings with them. Laura is honored to serve as Preschool Director and looks forward to partnering with families to create a joyful, supportive, and enriching foundation for each child’s educational journey.
Fernando Rios
Director of Plant Operations & Security
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Fernando Rios is deeply connected to his community and passionate about making a positive impact. Early in his career, he served as an After-School Coordinator for enrichment clubs, where he supported low-income
students at LAUSD Title I schools. His commitment to education and community empowerment led him to Aspire Charter Schools, where he worked for eight years, ultimately leading operations. During this time, he became OSHA certified and completed a rigorous project management course, honing his leadership and operational skills. In 2022, Fernando transitioned to St. James Episcopal Church as Director of Plant Operations and Security, where he continues to champion the safety and security of students and staff, ensuring that the institution’s vision remains strong and its environment safe. Outside of work, Fernando is a dedicated father of two young children and enjoys spending weekends at the family ranch, where he can reconnect with nature and unwind.
Amy Schlecter
Chief Financial Officer
University of California, Berkeley
B.A. in Political Science
B.A. Chinese Language and Literature
University of Michigan,
Ross School of Business
MBA
Amy Schlecter is thrilled to have
joined St James’ as Chief Financial Officer in Spring 2019. Amy brings a deep background in Finance, Accounting and Operations Management to St. James’ with her extensive experience working both with schools and private industry. Amy received her MBA from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business and studied both Political Science and Chinese Language and Literature at UC Berkeley as an undergraduate. Amy spent the first decade of her career helping to lead the financial operations of a large distribution center for an e-commerce retailer. After starting a family, Amy decided to pursue her passion for supporting high-quality education and shifted her professional focus to working with great schools. Amy loves traveling both within the US and internationally, and particularly enjoys traveling by train.