New Faculty 2025-26

By Opinion Editors Janet Guan, Vikram Mahajan & Sports Editor Michael Qu

The 2025-2026 school year introduces the class of 2029  as well as several faculty changes. The Smoke Signal interviewed 12 out of the 14 new staff members, warmly welcoming them to the MSJ community.

Erika Cabral (15)

Spanish Teacher Erika Cabral plans to put her master’s degree in Spanish to good use at MSJ. With three years of experience tutoring psychology and Spanish to college students, Cabral finds fulfillment in helping students grow their cognitive abilities, especially by learning a new language. She recognizes the students’ strong work ethic and hopes to equip them with practical knowledge. “When [students] meet people in the country that know a different language than them, they’re going to be able to understand each other better and make new connections,” Cabral said. Cabral passionately appreciates the language for its depth and beauty and reads Spanish poetry in her free time. In the future, she hopes to get a master’s in psychology and help people as a psychologist.

Favorite Book: La Ley Del Amor (The Law of Love) by Laura Esquivel

Vishruthi Kekre (14) 

Math Teacher Vishruthi Kekre began her teaching journey by tutoring her two sons at home in both humanities and STEM subjects. Enjoying the experience, she offered to tutor other kids in her neighborhood, and soon, Kekre realized her passion for teaching. In her five years as a teacher, Kekre has instructed math courses like algebra, geometry, and calculus, and now looks forward to teaching AP Computer Science A for the first time. “Computer science is logic. It helps students build their reasoning and critical thinking [skills],” Kekre said. So far, Kekre enjoys her time at MSJ, praising the students for their discipline and academic drive. In her own time, Kekre enjoys gardening, cooking, and singing Indian classical music. 

Favorite Book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter

Brian Soria (15)

Social Studies and PE Teacher Brian Soria attributes his teaching career to a stroke of luck. After running into a high school friend on maternity leave, Soria filled in for her PE class, with no credentials required. Previously, Soria explored the job field, not knowing what he wanted to do. However, at that point, he realized his joy for educating and obtained his teaching credentials in 2004. From there, he spent nine years teaching at elementary schools, one year at James Logan High School, eight years at MSJ, and three years at American High School as a PE  and history teacher. With over 20 years in the classroom and three years away from MSJ, Soria is now back teaching AP World History for the first time. He hopes to not only prepare students well for the exam but to also make his classes engaging and memorable. “When you walk in that door, you should be thinking, it’s story time,” Soria said.

Favorite book: Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis

Matthew Bullington (16)

Social Studies Teacher Matthew Bullington may be new to MSJ, but he isn’t new to the world of teaching; before moving from Mendocino County to the Bay Area last year to pursue a position at American High School, he was the only history teacher at the high school he taught at for nine years. Bullington considers himself a “student of the humanities” as well as a teacher and looks forward to new experiences teaching a new subject. “My biggest goal is to create an [Ethnic Studies] curriculum for the ninth grade,” he said. Bullington’s interests range far beyond just teaching — he has coached Little League baseball for four years and also enjoys consuming Broadway, listening to songs, and reading books. His favorites are Kurt Vonnegut’s due to their “blending of historical themes with some science fiction,” Bullington said.

Favorite book: The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

Malvin Liu (16)

Math Teacher Malvin Liu was inspired to be a teacher as early as middle school after his math instructors positively influenced him. His decision to enter education was further solidified by the support he received from previous piano teachers. Liu positively compared his time at MSJ with his previous teaching experiences. “The students are … very motivated and they care a lot. That’s a huge flip from how I was teaching last year, when I was struggling to fight for the students’ attention and care,” he said. Liu enjoys a vibrant range of hobbies outside teaching; he practices piano, dabbles in rock climbing, and plays video games such as Clash Royale and Minecraft. Liu’s most passionate interest, however, is Dance Dance Revolution; he takes pride in being ranked among the top 100 players in the Bay Area. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s good exercise and a sport,” Liu said.

Favorite book: 1984 by George Orwell 

Ladan Soroushian (15)

Math Teacher Ladan Soroushian worked as an electrical engineer for more than a decade before coaching for her daughter’s Science and Math Olympiad teams drew her to teaching.  Viewing math problems as puzzles that must be solved, Soroushian emphasizes learning over letter grades. “I know [grades are] your way to college, but … [once you enter college,] you have to see how much you actually learned,” Souroshian said. “To learn is a lot more rewarding, and to grow as a person … my goal is, first, for my students to [become] well-rounded people.” Outside of teaching, Soroushian enjoys hiking and sometimes indulges in binge-watching TV shows, particularly enjoying suspenseful dramas such as Breaking Bad.

Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

Shanti Venkateswaran (14)

Special Day Class Teacher Shanti Venkateswaran taught preschool and kindergarten in the East Coast and Tamil Nadu, India before receiving a teaching credential when she settled in CA 12 years ago. Teaching World History, Math, and English, Venkateswaran appreciates the unique perks and quirks of her profession. The highlight is “the extra nurturing and extra support” that goes into “kindling [students’] thought process,” Venkatesawaran said. “The thing that excites me the most about being at MSJ [is] the culture of MSJ…inclusivity is one of the main philosophies.” Outside the classroom, Venkateswaran is a music enthusiast, enjoying a diverse array of genres ranging from Indian classical to rhythm & blues.

Favorite book: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 

Hagar Liebermensch (15) 

School Psychologist Hagar Liebermensch’s interest in helping students began during the coronavirus pandemic. Originally a community mental health therapist, Liebermensch noticed that families were drastically impacted by the closing of schools. Her experience inspired her to become a school psychologist, an opportunity she has taken to assist students at elementary schools in Fremont and Sacramento. “I like helping [students] understand what [learning] supports they need so they can feel good about school and be successful,” Liebermensch said. This year at MSJ, Liebermensch is excited to support older students and their career goals. Alongside helping students, Liebermensch loves to spend time with her friends and whale watch at the beach. 

Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Ferney Sanchez (15)

When Spanish Teacher Ferney Sanchez told his high school principal that he wanted to be a teacher, she urged him to forget about it. Yet, after pursuing a degree in communications, Sanchez chose to teach anyway, discovering a love for teaching Spanish in particular after assisting his professors in college. “It was a lot of fun when I [saw] the students learning their first words and speaking phrases,” Sanchez said. Since then, Sanchez has taught Spanish at schools in East Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, and Hayward. For his first year at MSJ, Sanchez is looking forward to working  with enthusiastic students and understanding their diverse cultures. Outside of teaching, Sanchez enjoys watching TV and traveling, his favorite destinations being Thailand and Brazil. 

Favorite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

Nicole Correa (14)

Resource Specialist Program Teacher Nicole Correa has always been passionate about helping others, especially students struggling with learning needs. “Just because somebody has some sort of learning difficulty … doesn’t make them any different than anyone else,” Correa said. After graduating from college, she taught young children with autism for six years, an experience that inspired her to pursue teaching as a profession. Now, as a teacher, Correa’s favorite part of her job is watching the hard work of her students pay off and celebrating their successes. For her first year at MSJ, Correa is most excited about experiencing the diversity of the school. Outside of teaching, she loves to play with her two-year-old son and practice yoga. 

Favorite book: The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak

Rishi Dubey (13)

While this year is his first in a full-time position at MSJ, Speech-Language Pathologist Rishi Dubey has been a substitute for speech therapists at the school in the past. Having worked in schools in San Francisco and Redwood City, Dubey has been a speech therapist for eight years. This year, Dubey is also working one day a week at Chadbourne Elementary. His favorite part of his job is helping his students progress. “[Seeing] how we can improve their communication overall [is the] biggest motivation,” Dubey said. He looks forward to his first year at MSJ, differing from his previous positions because he is able to work and converse with older students. Outside of education, Dubey enjoys watching anime, including One Piece and Naruto. 

Favorite book: Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi

Beum Ho Chung (14)

With five years of teaching under his belt, English Teacher Beum Ho Chung eagerly anticipates his first year at MSJ. Chung’s journey in teaching was anything but linear. “I wasn’t a very successful student myself. Back in the day, I actually got kicked out of both high school and college at different times,” Chung said. But after working with video games on the East Coast and telecommunications, he realized his favorite part of every job was mentoring other employees. Tutoring solidified his interest in the field, so Chung pursued a master’s in education and began teaching in Arizona. Now, Chung aims to develop his students’ critical thinking skills and help them appreciate the applicability of the English subject.

Favorite book: Dune by Frank Herbert