Clarus Academy After-School Program

Chess4Life Founder Elliott Neff

- Over eighteen years teaching/coaching chess
- National Master in chess
- Founder of Chess4Life Center
- Coach of multiple national champion individuals and teams
- Personal statement: "My desire and objective in developing Chess4Life is to make a positive difference in as many children’s lives as possible, combining chess expertise with my love for children to achieve this result."

Chess4Life Enrichment Director Liz Gasper

- Over 20 years experience in teaching, building and administering children’s programs.
- Golden Acorn award-winning Bellevue Schools PTSA President, volunteer coordinator, staff and faculty roles in gifted, arts and computer skills education at Bellevue College, U of Alaska, Antioch University, others.
- Creator of Kent Kids Art Day, Apple Computer Arts Network, fine art events and other innovations as Executive Director of SE Alaska Arts Council and other Pacific Northwest agencies at the city, state and regional level.
- Commissioned art, design and children’s activities for Bellevue Montessori, Open Window, Little School, Forest Ridge, Arbor, Overlake, and International schools, Sierra, Corum and other high-tech companies.
- Fellow, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington DC; Artist-in-Residence, OR; juried exhibitions.
- BA cum laude, Studio Art, Linfield College, OR; post-grad work includes Certificate in Desktop Publishing.

Chess4Life Enrichment Director Kristen Dawson

2009-2011 Clarus Director, Kristen is helping transition to our new Clarus director Liz Gasper for 2011-12. Kristen has made this decision in order to better support her family, especially her youngest son and his afterschool activities. She will miss being with the students on a daily basis but looks forward to seeing the children through this transition process.

- Nine years experience as a youth program coordinator for ages 5-14
- Youth Liaison Coordinator, City of Tukwila Mayor’s Office (1994-1995) managing a team of 8+ staff with the City of Tukwila Mayor’s Office to create programs for teens
- Youth Program Coordinator, City of Tukwila from 1989-1994, coordinating youth programs, supervising staff, and working hands-on with kids
- BA in Recreation and Leisure Services from Washington State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude
- Ten years experience in various teaching roles

Chess4Life Enrichment Teacher Jennifer Almasy

- Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Integrated Mathematics Education from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and taught 8th and 9th grade mathematics at Cavelero Mid-High in the Lake Stevens School District for the 2008-2009 school year. Following that, she and her husband moved to Hong Kong to teach Chess to primary school students. Along with assisting her husband and coaching a few Chess classes herself, she worked with the high school youth at her church and took Cantonese language classes. In her free time, she enjoys photography, baking breads and sweets, playing Chess with her husband Roy, sewing, cycling, and hiking in the mountains! Teaching kids is one of her passions and she delights in challenging students to reason, learn and solve problems.
- Objective in working with Chess4Life Enrichment: to “use my math skills and enjoyment of chess along with my love for children to make a positive difference in children’s lives”