Ms. Elizabeth Rodriguez Zarate serves as a Lunch Teacher and Supervisor at Stratford Prep Milpitas. A graduate of Alisal High School, Elizabeth brings five years of valuable experience in coaching and supervising children and young adults to her role on campus.

Elizabeth joined the Stratford community in 2025 and is now entering her second year as a Lunch Teacher. Known for her welcoming presence during lunch periods, she especially enjoys greeting students, interacting with their wonderful personalities, and fostering a positive, structured midday break.

Elizabeth deeply values the supportive and friendly atmosphere at Stratford, where faculty members share a unified mission to keep students safe, responsible, and kind. Dedicated to building confidence and resilience in youth, Elizabeth’s core advice to students is simple and empowering: never let anyone put you down, and always stay true to yourself.

Ms. Sian Russon brings over 35 years of rich educational experience to her role as an 8th Grade English Language Arts Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Russon earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Fu-Jen University. Her extensive teaching career spans instructing English as a Second Language to children and adults, teaching elementary grades 2–5, and guiding middle school students in grades 6–8 English.

Since joining Stratford at the Milpitas Great Mall Parkway campus in 2021 as a 7th and 8th Grade ELA teacher, Ms. Russon has been dedicated to guiding middle schoolers through pivotal academic transitions. Outside the classroom, her passions for music and travel deeply enrich her approach as an educator. Experiencing diverse cultures worldwide has shaped her open-minded, inclusive perspective, helping her cultivate a rich appreciation for diversity within her classroom.

Ms. Russon’s educational philosophy centers on creating a respectful, supportive environment where every student feels empowered to learn at their own pace. She believes that teaching requires patience, tailored encouragement, and room to grow. For Ms. Russon, the most rewarding aspect of her career remains seeing students discover their strengths and gain confidence. Her advice to her 8th graders is simple yet profound: stay curious, practice kindness, embrace mistakes as part of the journey, and always believe in your own boundless potential.

Ms. Allison Sebastian Romo serves as an Extended Day Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas, supporting Middle School students as a Study Hall Teacher. Allison holds an Associate in Arts for Transfer in Communication Studies 2.0 from San Jose City College and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from San Jose State University.

In their first year as an after-school educator, Allison leverages a strong foundation in communication to cultivate a welcoming, organized, and collaborative study environment. By helping students build effective habits, manage their time, and approach their coursework with confidence, Allison is dedicated to making extended day care both productive and supportive. Excited to begin this journey with the Stratford community, Allison looks forward to empowering middle schoolers to achieve their academic goals and develop essential lifelong learning skills.

Ms. Amrita Sood brings a quarter-century of distinguished global teaching experience to her role as a 9th and 10th Grade High School History Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Sood earned her Master of Arts in History from Lady Shri Ram College in India and her Bachelor of Education in History from the Central Institute of Education. Her extensive 25-year career spans diverse educational systems worldwide, including CBSE (India), the British National Curriculum and IGCSE, International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advanced Placement (AP) frameworks.

Ms. Sood joined the Stratford Prep faculty in 2025, and teaches AP World History, World History, AP United States History, and United States History. Beyond her deep subject expertise, her career includes serving as a Pastoral and Academic Leader for the IGCSE program at The British School in New Delhi, underscoring her commitment to both student academic progress and personal well-being.

In the classroom, Ms. Sood brings historical events to life, helping high schoolers analyze historical evidence and construct critical arguments, and understand global perspectives and the interconnectedness of our world. Her teaching philosophy centers on the core belief that “the whole child is the whole point”—prioritizing intellectual curiosity alongside emotional growth. Dedicated to building an inclusive, encouraging community, Ms. Sood offers her students a timeless guiding principle: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” Through her guidance, 9th and 10th graders develop into thoughtful historians, critical thinkers, and compassionate global citizens.

Ms. Tejaswini Sumanam serves as an Extended Day Teacher for middle school students at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Bringing a unique, analytical background to her role, Tejaswini holds a Master of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and previously worked at leading technology companies before transitioning into education.

Since joining Stratford Prep at the start of the school year, she has quickly embraced the campus community, taking on substitute teaching opportunities to observe, learn, and grow alongside experienced faculty and school leaders. Tejaswini brings a dedicated, thoughtful approach to supporting middle schoolers outside traditional classroom hours, ensuring a positive, structured, and enriching environment during before- and after-school programs. She continues to apply her problem-solving mindset and passion for learning to foster meaningful connections with students and colleagues alike.

Ms. Nimmy Thayil Joslin serves as an Extended Day Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas, working primarily with Middle School students. Her journey with Stratford began at the Milpitas Great Mall Parkway campus, where she managed extended day programs for students from Kindergarten through 8th grade before transitioning into her current role as a study hall teacher at the Stratford Prep Milpitas campus.

Holding a Master’s Degree in Biotechnology, Nimmy brings a strong academic background and more than five years of dedicated teaching and leadership experience to her role. She is passionate about creating a structured, supportive, and engaging environment where students can thrive academically and socially during after-school hours. Nimmy remains committed to empowering students to build strong study habits, foster curiosity, and achieve their full potential both in and out of the classroom.

Ms. Tessa Trautner brings versatility, creativity, and energy to her role as a 6th Grade English Language Arts Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Trautner holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Western Michigan University and a Child Life Certificate from UC Santa Barbara. This interdisciplinary foundation gives her a unique perspective on child development, wellness, and engagement in middle school.

Now in her fifth year at Stratford, Ms. Trautner began her journey at Milpitas Great Mall Parkway in 2022 as a middle school science and graphic arts teacher. Demonstrating remarkable adaptability across subjects, she expanded her repertoire to teach ELA and engineering in 2023, where she mentored a Future City engineering team to a remarkable 4th-place finish overall. Having transitioned fully into English language arts in 2025, she enters her fourth year of ELA instruction, where she combines rigorous literacy skill-building with vibrant storytelling.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Trautner’s competitive drive shines through her background as a former two-time state champion in volleyball. She brings that same dedication, teamwork, and passion to supporting her students as they navigate the transitional sixth-grade year.

Ms. Trautner is dedicated to cultivating a welcoming, supportive classroom where every student feels valued, confident, and capable of growth. Guided by her simple yet powerful motto—“Be Kind. It costs nothing to be a good human!”—she encourages her 6th graders to pair academic excellence with genuine empathy and integrity.

Ms. Nicole Wade brings 16 years of versatile experience in education to her role as a High School Physics and Math Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Wade holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees from San Francisco State University in Astrophysics and English Literature, alongside a Preliminary Multi-subject Teaching Credential. Her extensive background spans roles as a planetarium host, physics department grader, science curriculum designer, middle school math and science teacher, and now high school instructor, teaching AP Physics 2, Honors Physics, Honors Pre-Calculus, and Honors Algebra 2.

Having joined Stratford in 2025 during SPM’s inaugural year, Ms. Wade actively enriches student learning beyond the classroom. She serves as a mentor for both the Future Cities High School team and the Synopsys Science & Technology Championship, guiding students through complex engineering and scientific research projects.

Ms. Wade’s dual background in literature and astrophysics gives her a unique, creative perspective on STEM education. Her teaching philosophy centers on making math and science tangible, approachable, and directly relevant to her students’ daily lives. You can frequently find her leading hands-on physics labs or transforming abstract mathematical concepts into visual art in the high school classrooms. Ms. Wade is passionate about fostering a learning environment where 9th and 10th graders feel empowered to explore complex equations, ask big questions about the universe, and discover the creative beauty within problem-solving.

Ms. Flora Shengyu Wang brings deep linguistic expertise and cultural passion to her role as a Middle and High School Mandarin Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Wang holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Linguistics and Literature from Hubei University and a Master of Arts in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. With over eight years of global teaching experience across Hong Kong and California, she joined Stratford in 2023 and helped launch the Chinese program at SPM in 2025.

Beyond the classroom, Ms. Wang actively mentors students, guiding several to top honors in prestigious events like the Chinese Expo Competition, the CLASS Essay Writing Competition, and the CLTAC Speech Competition.

At the heart of Ms. Wang’s philosophy is the belief that language is a bridge connecting diverse communities and perspectives. Rather than focusing solely on rote memorization, she emphasizes active, inquiry-based learning where students ask questions, explore syntax, and build confidence as independent thinkers. Recognizing that language and culture are inseparable, Ms. Wang seamlessly weaves traditions, history, and everyday life into her curriculum to make learning authentic and enjoyable.

Ultimately, Ms. Wang aims to help her students view Mandarin not merely as a school subject, but as a lifelong tool to explore new ideas, appreciate global cultures, and engage meaningfully with the world.

Ms. Clare Yang brings five years of dedicated teaching experience and a strong quantitative background to her role as a 6th Grade Math Teacher, 7th Grade Engineering Teacher, and Math Club Coach at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Yang earned her Bachelor’s degree in Statistics with a specialization in education from East China Normal University, followed by a Master’s degree in Finance from Santa Clara University

Known across campus as a versatile educator who is “always ready to help,” Ms. Yang earned the “Enter and ready to teach in any classroom” Award for the 2025–2026 school year. Whether guiding 6th graders through foundational mathematics, leading 7th graders in hands-on engineering challenges, or coaching the Math Club to competitive success, she constantly explores and experiments with innovative ways to present complex concepts, creating fun, interactive, and meaningful learning experiences.

Ms. Yang prides herself on being an approachable mentor whom students feel comfortable turning to with any question. Her educational philosophy centers on continuous growth and curiosity for both teacher and student. She instills in her classes that consistency beats intensity and that great habits compound over time. Encouraging her middle schoolers to embrace intellectual challenges with resilience, Ms. Yang reminds them that confusion isn’t a dead end—it’s where real learning begins. She urges her students to be brave, ask questions, try again, and enjoy the transformative process of mathematical discovery.

Mr. Andrew Yunker brings over a decade of technical expertise and educational leadership to his role as a Computer Science and Business Teacher in the High School Computer Science Department. Mr. Yunker holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Computer Science from California State University, East Bay. With more than 10 years of experience teaching computer science across both university and high school levels, he provides students with a rigorous, college-ready foundation in technology and problem-solving.

Mr. Yunker joined the Stratford Preparatory Milpitas faculty in 2025, initially teaching AP Computer Science and 8th-grade Advanced CS courses. Building on that successful foundation, he continues to lead high school AP Computer Science courses while expanding his impact to guide Stratford’s DECA program, bridging computational thinking with real-world business and entrepreneurship skills. His distinguished professional achievements include being named a 40 Under 40 award recipient in 2019.

In the classroom, Mr. Yunker is passionate about empowering students to embrace complex technical subjects with confidence and creativity. He strives to build an innovative learning environment where students learn to break down intricate problems, think logically, and apply code to real-world applications. Guided by his core philosophy—“Challenge your limits, don’t limit your challenges”—Mr. Yunker encourages his students to step outside their comfort zones, pursue ambitious goals, and continuously push the boundaries of what they can achieve.

Ms. Qiu Zheng brings over a decade of expertise in Chinese curriculum design and language instruction to her role as a Middle and High School Mandarin Teacher at Stratford Prep Milpitas. Ms. Zheng holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology and a Master of Arts in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Beijing Normal University. Her rich career background includes three years as a college instructor in China and four years as a Content Specialist for a U.S. ed-tech company, where she specialized in developing innovative digital tools for Chinese language acquisition.

Ms. Zheng’s journey with Stratford began at the Blackford campus in late 2025 as a middle school substitute before transitioning to Stratford Prep Milpitas as a long-term substitute across middle and high school grades. In August 2026, she officially joined the SPM faculty as a full-time Mandarin teacher.

Ms. Zheng’s advanced background in educational psychology deeply shapes her approach to teaching, allowing her to understand diverse learning styles, foster meaningful connections, and tailor instruction to meet individual needs. She builds her classroom around the core belief that interest is the best teacher, creating engaging, learner-centered lessons that seamlessly blend language, culture, and interactive activities. Encouraging her middle and high school students to stay curious, embrace mistakes, and enjoy the journey of learning, Ms. Zheng is dedicated to cultivating a supportive space where every student develops confidence and lasting fluency.