Faculty and Staff Directory
At Creative Arts Preparatory School, we believe that exceptional education begins with exceptional individuals.
At Creative Arts Preparatory School, we believe that exceptional education begins with exceptional individuals.
Our faculty and staff are the heart of our institution, dedicated to nurturing and inspiring our students. With a diverse range of talents, experiences, and a shared passion for teaching, they create an environment where students not only excel academically but also grow as individuals.
Our devoted faculty and staff are here to guide and inspire our students. Meet the team that's shaping the future of education at our school.
As head of the school, Angie Peiris has steered Brighton Hall to the fully accredited, college readiness institution it is today. From its inception, she has been fully devoted to Brighton Hall’s success and continues to set ambitious goals for its future.
With a successful career in finance and training in college counseling, Ms. Angie combines her passion for children’s education with the pragmatism of corporate finance to lead the close-knit community of Brighton Hall’s students, parents, faculty, and staff in an innovative educational setting.
A seasoned educator at Brighton Hall, Ms. Garces boasts over a decade of teaching expertise across elementary and high school levels. Amidst a six-year sabbatical dedicated to raising her daughter, she established a homeschool program that blossomed into a thriving language immersion preschool. Additionally, Ms. Garces spearheaded a program teaching Spanish to grades 9-12, showcasing her versatility and dedication to language education.
Believing in the power of individualized learning, Ms. Garces enlivens her lessons through immersive, hands-on activities that empower students to effect positive change in their world. She ardently integrates technology into her teaching methods and employs highly interactive storytelling techniques to provide comprehensible input, fostering an immersion-like environment for second-language acquisition.
Beyond the classroom, enjoys outdoor pursuits like hiking, swimming, and exploring new vistas.
Mr. Park was born and raised in Texas and moved to California to study at USC where he received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. Mr. Park believes that math is a fun puzzle that anyone can learn to solve with enough practice and guidance. As for science, Mr. Park loves how learning about the pieces of the world around us can unravel new understanding and lead to deeper questions. In his free time Mr. Park enjoys hiking, watching movies, and rooting for USC football.
EMAIL: cpark@brightonhallschool.org
Ms. Hunt fell in love with the idea of teaching English in college, where she originally set out to study psychology. As she continues to grow as an educator, Ms. Hunt encourages her students’ individual interests to shape their learning experience while introducing them to unique topics and characters through a variety of texts. In her spare time, Ms. Hunt enjoys cooking, hiking, and traveling.
EMAIL: shunt@brightonhallschool.org
Mr. Springman is passionate about empowering students to understand the world and human experience through the study of history and the social sciences. As an educator, Mr. Springman encourages students to discuss complex topics, explore various viewpoints and engage the world as a leader and global person. Pedagogically, he prefers to teach through discussions, research projects and allowing students the opportunity to explore topics of their interests. Outside of teaching, his interests include tea, cooking, watching documentaries, exploring museums, traveling and reading.
Ms. Galles has a diverse teaching history that reflects her wide range of interests. As an avid surfer, martial artist, and youth counselor, Ms. Galles draws upon her rich background to inspire students to explore new concepts and new experiences. Ms. Galles complements her teaching by attending and speaking at various conferences around the country. Ms. Galles aspires to someday found a school of her own and in the meantime takes pride in her role at Brighton Hall.
Miss Sierra is a Southern California native who grew up in the small town of Wrightwood. She earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in biology and history from Southern Utah University, where she was awarded the President’s scholarship in academics all four years and was a Dean’s list honoree. She also completed biology graduate research at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. Sierra loves ecology and in particular, microbiology. In her free time Sierra enjoys swimming, horseback riding, reading and painting.
EMAIL: sball@brightonhallschool.org
Ms. Cruz is a native of Puerto Rico and she has over ten years of teaching experience. She has always wanted to be a teacher ever since she was a little girl. Ms. Cruz has previously worked at private colleges and understands the nuances and advantages of a small classroom environment. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, arts & crafts and exploring new hobbies.
EMAIL: bcruz@brightonhallschool.org
After her son graduated from Brighton Hall, Melonie returned as a vibrant member of our staff. With her warm demeanor and extensive background in journalism, Melonie makes parents feel welcome and ensures the office runs smoothly, while acting as Student Council advisor and occasionally filling in to bring gastronomic expertise to the Baking Club. Melonie enjoys writing screenplays, gardening, painting murals, cooking and visiting her daughter and miraculous grandchildren in France.
As Brighton Hall’s Program Director, Mike is responsible for making sure the school’s daily operations and special events run smoothly. Orginally from the east coast, Mike has several years of experience working with children, having taught and counseled at-risk youth at a group home in Washington, D.C. He’s also worked professionally in post production, and as a script analyst for various production companies in L.A. In his spare time, Mike enjoys writing, running and music production.
Sheryl Elola is responsible for assisting students with their daily needs, while helping maintain the campus. Sheryl has devoted her life to children and takes great joy in working with them. In her spare time, she enjoys tennis, swimming and horseback riding.
Alan Tooraen is a certified security professional and the father of a Brighton Hall alumna. Alan makes sure that our Brighton Hall family is secure on campus at all times, while delighting our students with his benevolent and helpful nature. He also teaches drums and helps with music production.
Brighton Hall admits students of any race, color, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to all students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation in the administration of its education, whether in admission policies, scholarship or other school-administered programs.