Benvenue Children's House

DIRECTOR/ Head TEACHER - IRIS DESERIO.

IRIS WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. Iris has been teaching for more than 10 years. She earned BOTH HER CALIFORNIA TEACHING CREDENTIAL AS WELL AS A MA IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION FROM THE BAY AREA TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE (BATTI), through the UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC IN STOCKTON. She was an assistant teacher in a 4th/5h grade classroom for two years while receiving her degree. Afterwards, she taught for two years each as a lead teacher in both a 1st/2nd grade classroom and then kindergarten classroom.

Iris GREW UP ATTENDING CAZ FAMILY CAMP WITH HER FAMILY. SHE IS A MUSICIAN, ATHLETE, AND ENVIRONMENTALIST. SHE ATTENDED BERKELEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PLAYED COMPETITIVE SOCCER, SOFTBALL, AND FIELD HOCKEY. IRIS STUDIED CELLO UNDER THE LATE MILLIE ROSNER AND PLAYED IN VARIOUS ENSEMBLES AND QUARTETS WITH THE OAKLAND YOUTH ORCHESTRA (OYO), YOUNG MUSICIAN’S PROGRAM AT UC BERKELEY, AND SAN DOMENICO HIGH SCHOOL’S VIRTUOUSO PROGRAM. AFTER GRADUATING UC SANTA CRUZ WITH A DUAL-DEGREE IN EARTH SCIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, IRIS TAUGHT GARDENING AT WILLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BERKELEY AND AT HUNTER’S POINT BOYS & GIRL’S CLUB IN SAN FRANCISCO EACH FOR TWO YEARS. IN 2013, SHE COMPLETED A THREE MONTH INTERNSHIP AT GREENSTRING FARMS IN PETALUMA, CA WHERE SHE LATER SERVED AS A TEACHING ASSISTANT. Iris then decided to go back to school to get her teaching credential.

Teacher - patrizio Pellouchoud

Patrizio was born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Berkeley. Patrizio is an artist, musician, and actor. He has lived all over the world and studied in Peru and Indonesia. He earned a BA in Art at UC Santa Cruz before pursuing a career as a visual and performing artist. Patrizio has appeared in feature films as well as on stage and his art has been featured across the United States. In 1999, he furthered his studies in early childhood education and has been working as in early educator for the past 25 years.

founding director (1949-2020) - Rosemary Richie our beloved Founder, Friend, Mother, and community Activist passed away in 2020. ORIGINALLY FROM AKRON, OHIO, Rosemary EARNED HER BA FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. AFTER STUDYING AND WORKING ABROAD IN ROME AND TOKYO, SHE MOVED TO BERKELEY TO PURSUE TEACHING AND RAISE HER FAMILY. ROSEMARY completed her Montessori training with Ursula Thrush in San Francisco. She was certified in both the Kodaly Method and the Orff levels of teaching principles of music to young children. ROSEMARY worked for many years under master children’s folk musician Nancy Raven. She founded Benvenue CHildren’s house in Berkeley over 40 years ago.