We welcome Nikki Danos, a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans in Communications, as our new Leadership Development Program Manager.  Nikki comes to us from Windward School in Los Angeles after serving as the college counselor for six years.  Prior to her tenure at Windward, Nikki worked in the Office of Admissions for her alma mater, recruiting students and evaluating applications for high school students across the country.  After growing up in Southern Louisiana and then spending nine years in Los Angeles, Nikki followed her dream of living in Seattle, and moved here in mid-June.  She is excited about living in the Pacific Northwest and beginning her career with Rainier Scholars.

We also welcome Sumiko Huff as the new Academic Director. Sumiko joined the Rainier Scholars Team in June of 2009, after four years as a Seattle Public Schools Principal at Hawthorne Elementary. Her path to administration grew out of a desire to create positive change in education at the systems level, particularly for children disenfranchised by current models. Before her work as a principal, she taught for seven years in a full inclusion, multiage classroom at Gatewood Elementary, and spent a year as Assistant Principal at Wing Luke Elementary. As a principal, Sumiko focused her efforts towards developing and supporting a reflective, creative staff with a common belief in equity, inclusion, and social justice; restructuring the school budget, staffing, and collaborative systems to promote the school vision and mission; and continually working to create a culture of high expectations for every child, as well as every adult.
Sumiko has a BA in Studio Art from Willamette University, Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University, Administrative Certification from City University, and is a current doctoral candidate at the University of Washington in the Leadership for Learning Program.