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Mr. Mertes holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science. He joined BASIS Independent Fremont in 2021 and previously held the role of Associate Director of Admissions. In the summer of 2024, he took over as Director of Admissions. Mr. Mertes is passionate about education and enjoys actively engaging with students across all grade levels, from Transitional Kindergarten to High School. He loves observing classes and fostering a vibrant school community. When not at his desk, you can often find him outside, enthusiastically joining a quick game of dodgeball with the students.

Dr. Min started her journey in education by earning a teaching credential at CalState East Bay, later obtaining both a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree from the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Min comes to BASIS Independent Fremont following her tenure as the dean and humanities teacher at a local public charter school. She has also taught as an elementary school teacher in schools across the East Bay.

In addition to her experiences as an instructor and administrator, Dr. Min developed a rigorous and innovative K–8 science curriculum with the Learning Design Group at Lawrence Hall of Science at U.C. Berkeley. She also previously worked as an Instructional Reform Facilitator in San Francisco Unified and has supervised professional development for teacher education students at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Min’s past roles honed her expertise in optimizing the functionality of school systems and addressing the ever-evolving needs of students and instructors to provide communities with the best educational opportunities available.

Dr. Min joined the BASIS Independent Fremont community as Director of Student Affairs. Throughout her career in education, she has been committed to the goal of achieving equitable outcomes for all students. Dr. Min looks forward to continuing this work and collaborating with teachers to foster the social and academic growth of students.

Outside of work, Dr. Min enjoys spending time with her family and son, doing creative projects, and traveling.

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Ms. Peterson attended the University of California, Davis and graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature and a minor in Psychology.

Following graduation, she worked as a Scheduler and Constituent Services Representative for Congressman Eric Swalwell’s District Offices. In 2018, Ms. Peterson entered into education, to explore a field she had always been curious about, as a Long Term Substitute Teacher at Alum Rock Unified School District working with fifth graders. Her experience there convinced her that education was a path she wanted to continue.

“The students and families of BASIS Independent Fremont are dedicated to their educations, and that commitment is reflected in their attitudes and performances,” she says. “It is refreshing to work with students and be a part of a team that not only performs at a high level, but also displays eagerness and enthusiasm every day.”

When she is not at work, Ms. Peterson enjoys reading, yoga, hiking, and traveling. She loves exploring new places, and spent her most exciting year of college abroad in Madrid!

Ms. Ruelas Hidrogo graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management Economics. She joined BASIS Independent Fremont in 2019.

“I am excited to work at BASIS Independent Fremont because I enjoy working with children!” says Ms. Ruelas Hidrogo. “Getting to know everyone and the different personalities of all the kids is a fun adventure. Everyone has been so welcoming and caring.”

When Ms. Ruelas Hidrogo is not at work, she spends time with her family, especially her daughter and niece! She also takes care of her two dog babies, Oreo and Penny. She loves hiking, camping, and traveling any chance she gets.

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Ms. Singh earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from St Xavier’s University, Mumbai, India, in 2010. She earned her Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Analysis in 2012 from Kings College in London.

She has always enjoyed working with children, and began working at a special needs high school in the United Kingdom in 2015. This experience inspired her to continue to work in the field of education. For the majority of the 2010s, Ms. Singh was a social worker in the United States and the United Kingdom, helping various non-profits and government agencies achieve their goals.

In 2020, Ms. Singh joined the admissions team at BASIS Independent Fremont.

“Not only is BASIS Independent Fremont an excellent school that fosters smart, innovative, kids, it is also a wonderful place to work and has some of the most passionate and intelligent people I have had the pleasure to work with,” she says.

When Ms. Singh is not at work, she absolutely loves to travel and hopes to be able to do more of it each year. She is also quite interested in home décor and home improvement. But mostly she spends her free time with friends trying out new restaurants or watching movies!

In 2014, Ms. Sutherlin graduated from Humboldt State University, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. In 2015, she received a certificate for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. In January 2016, Ms. Sutherlin traveled to Moscow, Russia, and taught English to Kindergarten students.

Ms. Sutherlin’s goal as an educator is to provide students with a safe and fun environment in which to learn and thrive. Ms. Sutherlin chose to work at BASIS Independent Fremont because of the unique curriculum and environment where students can grow and become independent learners.

“I know that I am preparing students for the challenges that will happen in the real world. I look forward to creating a teaching environment that incorporates different teaching methods. I believe in creating a multicultural community environment and integrating creativity in a variety of subjects.”

“A classroom is a small community and that is how it should be run; students should learn how to act as, and support, a community. I hope to create a learning environment that is helpful and creative,” says Ms. Sutherlin.

When Ms. Sutherlin is not in the classroom, you can find her visiting art museums, cooking, reading a good book, or exploring different parts of the Bay Area.

Mr. Thorp graduated from Livermore High School in California. For over fifteen years, he worked in the construction industry, where he had the opportunity to operate a variety of heavy machinery and help bring complex designs to life. He enjoys his current role at BASIS Independent Fremont. “I have three boys; I’m a family man, so I like getting to be around the kids and know I’m maintaining a safe environment for them to learn in,” he says.

In his free time, Mr. Thorp enjoys spending time with his family, whether that’s on a trip, at one of his son’s sports games, or cheering on the Oakland Raiders!

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Head of School Wagoner is a career educator with a wealth of experience in a broad range of educational settings, from elementary school to university. He earned a Master of Arts in Reading Literacy from Ashford University and two Bachelor degrees from Cornell College, one in Elementary Education and another in Sociology. Mr. Wagoner spent several years in Asia instructing scholars across all grade levels in Korea, Japan, and Thailand.

Mr. Wagoner has experience as a Professor of Education, an educational administrator, and as an elementary school teacher. Outside the school building, he was a senior project manager in the educational publishing industry, creating English Language Arts textbooks for the Middle Eastern and Asian markets. He is also an accomplished public speaker, crowned the Korean National Champion of Public Speaking in 2012.

In these roles and throughout his education and career as an educator, Mr. Wagoner has always focused on elementary learning and development. As a Professor of Education, Mr. Wagoner nurtured the young careers of future teachers, training them to implement the latest educational best practices. As the Associate Head of School and Director of the Primary Program at BASIS Independent Fremont, he became known as an empathetic administrator who always puts the needs of students first. As a Dean of Students and LET, Mr. Wagoner displayed exemplary qualities of working with young students to engage and connect students to their academics and guide them in good decision-making.

In addition to his experiences inside the classroom, Mr. Wagoner is a well-practiced educational content creator as the co-author of Powerful Presentations: 6 Steps to Success and Foundations of Education for Mokwon University. He is also a contributing writer and editor for multiple language arts textbooks for young learners. These experiences taught him about the myriad of available resources to meet the diverse needs of learners.

“My strength is in helping students to reflect on how they can and should make good choices to become good members of our community and good citizens of the wider world,” says Mr. Wagoner. “That is what we’re doing here, after all: helping kids grow into responsible adults.”

When he’s not on campus, Mr. Wagoner loves spending time playing board games, reading a good book, or improving his physical and mental health with yoga. His favorite books are science fiction and fantasy because “books have the power to take us to amazing places that can exist only in our minds.”

Born and raised in China, Ms. Yue Yu earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from Sichuan University, located in Wuhou, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Upon completion of her undergraduate education, she came to the United States to pursue her graduate studies; in 2016, she earned her Master of Arts degree in Dual Language Education from San Diego State University.

Ms. Yu was attracted to BASIS Independent Fremont because of the advanced curriculum and the high expectations that are very similar to the schools she attended in China. Her teaching philosophy is greatly impacted by her own personal experiences, and she firmly believes that motivation and hard work will make students life-long language learners. Ms. Yu’s main priority is to make our school “a place where students can stay motivated and inspired.”

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Yu enjoys cooking, watching movies, and traveling. She also likes to explore good food in the Bay Area, and her homemade Sichuan dishes are always popular on the table!

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