Contacts & Directions

Born, raised, and educated in England, Grant worked in the Finance Industry in London and New York for 14 years whilst also earning his master’s degree in Business in Singapore before moving to Santa Barbara. In Santa Barbara, he owned and operated his own family restaurant for 7 years. His enthusiasm for Math stems from his unique blend of academic aptitude and real-world experience, and he particularly enjoys using this experience to help math come alive for his students. He believes that proficiency in math is one of the fundamental pillars of education and should be taught in a fun, relevant, and technology-infused environment that stimulates students and promotes success. He spent four years teaching math across various grades in Santa Barbara before making the move to Laguna Blanca to share his passion for the subject.

He is married to Kate, who was one of the founding employees at MOXI before becoming the Director of Development at Women’s Economic Ventures. Together they have three children and they all love camping, traveling, puzzles, and stories of any genre. Grant has coached various sports in town and especially enjoys playing, coaching, and refereeing soccer, as well as hiking, cooking, and spending time in nature.

Brian joins us from the Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, where he served as the Assistant Director of Facilities & Horticulture for the last 13 years. Prior to the Zoo, Brian worked as a project manager for Allen & Associates, a Grounds Lead at Isla Vista Park & Rec, and a senior faculty member at the School Down Under in New Zealand. Before Brian earned his B.A. in Political Science and Global Studies from UCSB, he achieved the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

He and his wife, Morgan, have a 7-year-old son, Jack, and a newly adopted dog, Mango. Brian and his family love the outdoors. When not hiking, camping, or biking, they are generally at the beach surfing, playing, and enjoying our beautiful town.

Master Journalism Educator Trish McHale currently teaches Journalism, Advanced Journalism and Public Speaking. A former member of the Board of Judges for Columbia, she has over 25 years of teaching experience and serves as the adviser of "The Fourth Estate," the national award-winning student newspaper and its website. Trish’s newspaper staff won a CSPA Silver Crown Award in 2011 and an NSPA Online Pacemaker finalist award this year.

As the director of the Senior Project Program, Trish helps prepare the seniors for their presentations, and she coaches students who participate in the Lions Club Speech Contest and the Optimist Club Oratorical Contest. She is also the Interact Club facilitator, a student club sponsored by the Santa Barbara Rotary Club.

Trish leads the School’s community service program, which she helped to develop in 1994. Ms. McHale is credited with starting a number of programs for the School, including the student club program; the Humanitas Service Honor Society to recognize and involve students who excel in service leadership; the Middle School Media Literacy Program; the Mock Trial program; and the School’s debate team.

She was honored with the School’s distinguished Walk of Fame Award in 2010, the highest award recognizing remarkable long-term dedication, generosity and commitment to Laguna Blanca. She is also the recipient of the Windward District Teacher of the Year Award, Kailua, HI.

A member of the Santa Barbara Cinema Society, Trish enjoys film and supports the arts by attending interviews with directors, cinematographers and actors.

Odalmis Molina has taught Grades 7-12 Spanish and Literature at the Vocational School of Arts in Camaguey Cuba for 10 years. After immigrating to the United States, she taught in various schools in Los Angeles. Her nine-year experience at the Westside Waldorf School gave her the opportunity to learn a different teaching philosophy in which Hispanic culture, including the foundations of the Spanish language, is at the center of it. After obtaining her master's degree in linguistics from the European University of the Atlantic, she taught Spanish for two years at the Archer School for Girls. Odalmis is the proud mother of her son, Jorge, who just earned his MBA. She is extremely happy to start a new journey at Laguna Blanca, which is close to home, and to continue learning while sharing her experiences with students and colleagues. In her free time, she loves to dance, cook, read, and spend time with her family.

Zack Moore developed a passion for STEM after high school physics and went on to study civil engineering, cum laude, at the University of North Carolina. He began his teaching career in 1997 as a physics instructor for Peace Corps-Ghana, where he headed a regional science center serving five local school districts. After his service, Zack undertook a Peace Corps fellowship and earned a master’s degree in multicultural education from San Francisco State University. He began his current role as a STEM instructor in 2007 at Laguna Blanca School and has developed an EK-12 vision for STEM infusion into a traditional liberal arts institution. Zack has served a wide range of students including English as a Second Language students, underrepresented students with learning differences, and ex-pats. He recently brought his career full circle by serving as a Fulbright distinguished educator in Ghana, focusing on STEM infusion for Islamic girls. He is a winner of the 2021 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for the state of California and has also served as a presenter at various events including NSTA, CA STEAM symposium, TEDx Laguna Blanca, and The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Material Research Experience for Teachers program.  Zack is currently directing Laguna Blanca’s summer programs, which focus on project-based learning and outreach to the broader Santa Barbara community.

Colleen Murray serves in our college counseling office as the Director College Counseling. She has more than 28 years of experience in college counseling, and she returned to Southern CA after serving as the Dean of College and Academic Advising at The Bear Creek School in Redmond, Washington. Colleen has overseen and successfully built college admissions programs at secondary boarding and day schools in California and Washington. She is an active member of NACAC, WACAC, PNACAC and has served on the Baylor University College Counselor Advisory Board. Colleen provides a comprehensive and personalized college counseling process for students and finds joy in getting to know her students well as she guides them along their college path. “It is extremely rewarding to come alongside students and families in helping them feel comfortable on this pivotal journey. It is incredible to see a student’s face light up as one is equipped to embrace strength, confidence, calm, and excitement in the college process. I look forward to shepherding students along their paths to college and beyond. It is a privilege to be a member of the spectacular Laguna Blanca community!” Colleen’s educational background includes a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Counseling from San Diego State University. She has her Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Diego State University and Certificates in College Counseling from the University of California, San Diego, and the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions. Colleen grew up in San Diego, where, as a young girl, she met her next-door neighbor: her future husband, Reid. They are now empty nesters to three lovely daughters.

Elana Muzzy hails from Colorado and holds a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she was also a dedicated member of the cross country and track teams. She continued her academic journey at UC Santa Barbara, earning an M.S. in Bioengineering. Elana is deeply passionate about inspiring curiosity and a love for science in her students. Outside the classroom, she enjoys running, swimming, reading, and spending time outdoors. In 2023, she served as the cross country coach for Laguna Blanca School.