Faculty Bios

William Bento PhD

William has been an adult educator within the fields of human development for over 30 years. He brings a unique synthesis of sociological and psychological perspectives, as well as a depthful understanding of spiritual orientations to bear on almost every facet of education and therapy. William's work has led him to travel extensively as a speaker, teacher and consultant for many cultural, educational and therapeutic communities. He has authored two books and has been a contributing writer in many magazines and journals.

Torin Finser, PhD

A former class teacher for twelve years, Torin is the director of the Antioch University New England Waldorf Teacher Education Program, and is president of the Center for Anthroposophy. He regularly consults and advises over twenty Waldorf schools, specializing in the evaluation of teachers and programs, leadership development, and administration. Torin has a longstanding interest in parent-teacher collaboration. He is the author of School as a Journey, School Renewal, and his most recent book, In Search of Ethical Leadership.

Kim John Payne, MEd

Kim is an internationally recognized leader in the field and the originator of the Social Inclusion Approach, which is used by hundreds of schools and clinics worldwide. He has been a counselor, educator, and researcher for 25 years. He is the project director of Antioch University New England's Waldorf Collaborative Counseling program. Kim has given presentations in many countries around the world. He is the author of Games Children Play, and his latest book, Simplicity Parenting, is closely related to the content of these blocks.

Simplicity Parenting (Ballantine Books/Random House) has been featured in Time Magazine, BBC Radio and Television, ABC News television, NPR, Sirius/XM radio, Parenting, and Mothering magazines.

Alicia Landman-Reiner, MD

Alicia has practiced anthroposophic medicine combined with general practice, since completing her residency in family medicine 1985. She created and directs the anthroposophic physicians' training course in the US, and in the Medical Section/Goetheanum's international training. She serves on the board of the national anthroposophic physicians' organization, and is chairperson of the national anthroposophic physicians' certifying body. Dr. Landman has worked for many years with the faculty of the Hartsbrook Waldorf School and more recently the Washington Waldorf School. She authored a chapter on anthroposophic medicine for Holistic Health and Healing, by MA Bright, ed. She now lives in Moab, Utah, apart from her training and consulting work she loves to hike, and grow medicinal plants.

Margli Matthews

Margli is a biographical counselor and trainer with over twenty years experience in adult education and private practice. A former faculty member of Emerson College and the Centre for Social Development, she has many years experience in designing and running the Training in Biographical Counseling. She leads training courses and workshops and teaches in many courses and conferences throughout the world. She is a co-author of Ariadne's Awakening, a book concerned with a new consciousness of the feminine and masculine principles in our lives.

Nancy Mellon

Nancy teaches storytelling as a healing art in many settings in the United States and the United Kingdom. She is a psychotherapist, former Waldorf teacher, and author of Storytelling with Children and Storytelling and the Art of Imagination.

Karine Munk Finser

Karine is a painting therapist and has ten years of experience working with doctors and other professionals specializing in both children and adult needs. She launched two new courses, Living Arts and Healing Arts, at Antioch University New England in September 2004.

Jack Petrash

Jack is the founder and director of the Nova Institute. He is an educator with over twenty-five years of classroom experience and a teacher of teachers. He has written extensively on issues pertaining to innovative classroom instruction, is on the editorial board of the journal Encounter, and is the author of Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out. In addition, Petrash travels extensively to work with parent education. His parenting pieces have appeared in the Washington Post and on National Public Radio and he is also the author of Covering Home: Lessons on the Art of Fathering from the Game of Baseball, which received the National Parenting Publication's gold award. His latest book, Navigating the Terrain of Childhood: A Guidebook for Meaningful Parenting and Heartfelt Discipline was released in August of 2004, the Nova Institute Press' first publication.

Last Updated: 3/4/10