Mission Statement

The OCSA Social Science department strives to help students embrace a multicultural perspective with the goal of developing informed, active citizens. This will be accomplished by:

  • Focusing on historical literacy and research

  • Engaging with primary and secondary sources

  • Working collaboratively with peers

  • Integrating technology as a classroom tool

Our students will also be imbued with the intellectual creativity to ask questions, grapple with real-world problems, and respond intelligently with reachable solutions.

Christine Allcorn

Christine Allcorn

Instructor

Christine.Allcorn@ocsarts.net

Christine Allcorn holds a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from California State University Long Beach.  She earned two single subject teaching credentials in social science and English with a CLAD certificate.  She holds a Master's degree in secondary education from California State University Fullerton.  She is also a trained PAL( Peer Assistance Leadership) advisor.   She joined OCSA in 2011 as a middle school teacher and enjoys working with OCSA's 7th and 8th grade students.

Brett Andrews

Brett Andrews

Instructor

Brett.Andrews@ocsarts.net

Brett Andrews holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo. Mr. Andrews earned his single subject teaching credential in Social Science from National University. Currently, he teaches 7th grade World History and 12th grade Government and Economics at Orange County School of the Arts. When Mr. Andrews is not molding young minds, he enjoys reading, watching sports, and playing video games.

Sharon Browne

Sharon Browne

Instructor

Sharon.Browne@ocsarts.net

Sharon Browne holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from California State University, Fullerton. Ms. Browne earned a K-12 teaching credential and a master’s degree in teaching Social Studies from the University of LaVerne. She joined Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) in 2002 and serves as an academic instructor of the Social Science department; she teaches 7th grade World History and 8th grade U.S. History classes.

Whitney Coates

Whitney Coates

Instructor

Whitney.Coates@ocsarts.net

Whitney Coates has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Michigan and earned her single subject teaching credential in social science from California State University Long Beach. She joined OCSA in 2015 and teaches SOAR, which combines geography and current events. When not at school, Ms. Coates participates in historical costuming shows and reenactments. 

Carrie Combs

Carrie Combs

Instructor

Carrie.Combs@ocsarts.net

Miss Combs holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and her Single Subject Social Science Teaching Credential from California State University at Long Beach. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Concordia University in Irvine. Miss Combs joined Orange County School of The Arts in 2006 and has taught 8th grade U.S. History, 9th grade Geography and currently teaches 11th grade U.S. History and 12th grade Government & Economics. She is also the mother of two successful OCSA Alumni.

Chris Dion

Chris Dion

Instructor

Chris.Dion@ocsarts.net

Chris Dion’s story begins in 1987 when he graduated from Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia and headed south for a glorious 13 week stay at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island South Carolina. From there he spent 6 years on active duty as a Marine helicopter mechanic, travelling to far off places and eventually ending his service in 1993 at the rank of Sergeant.

Soon afterwards, Chris began his educational journey at Orange Coast College before transferring to Chapman University. At Chapman, Chris earned his B.A. in European History with a minor in English. Eventually, he returned to Chapman to earn his Single Subject Teaching Credential in Social Studies. Since Chris had already greatly enjoyed giving Chapman University his money, he later returned to Chapman and in 2014 earned a Master’s in Leadership Development. In the fall of 2004, Chris was hired to join the Social Sciences department at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) to teach Economics and Government. The following year he was asked to also serve as one of the advisors to OCSA’s Leadership class and still serves in that position. When not teaching, Chris enjoys spending time with his family and admiring his collection of board games.

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Jack Dowsett

Jack Dowsett

Instructor

Jack.Dowsett@ocsarts.net

Jack Dowsett has been with the Social Science department at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) since the 2013-2014 school year. He currently teaches AP World History and, in his first two years, taught Government and Economics. While earning his bachelor’s degree in history and teaching credential at California State University, Long Beach, he developed a keen interest in Asian history, specifically that of South and Southeast Asia.

In his classes, Mr. Dowsett works to hopefully instill a long-term interest in historical study in OCSA’s exceptionally talented students. As Mr. Dowsett also has a deep fascination with the America political system, he serves on campus as a teacher advisor for the Junior Statesmen of America club, and is currently working with a colleague to develop a class on international affairs and comparative world politics.

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Caroline Fleet

Caroline Fleet

Instructor

caroline.fleet@ocsarts.net

Caroline is a proud OCSA alumnus (Class of 2012, Visual Arts Conservatory), and holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Haverford College, where she also minored in Fine Arts. She earned a teaching credential and master's degree from the UC Irvine School of Education and joined OCSA's Elective and Conservatory faculty in 2017.

Currently, Caroline teaches AP Art and Design, AP Art History, and 8th grade VA 2D Art and Design, and serves as an advisor and coordinator for OCSA's annual Winter Market. Caroline is also a freelance artist, and specializes in biology-themed prints and designs.

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Zoe Kline-Koenig

Zoe Kline-Koenig

Instructor

Zoe Kline-Koenig holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Fullerton. After completing her undergraduate degree, Ms. Kline-Koenig pursued her love of education, completing the Master of Arts in Teaching and Single Subject Teaching Credential program at the University of California, Irvine.

Ms. Kline-Koenig joined Orange County School of the Arts in 2021. She currently teaches 10th grade World History and is passionate about developing historical literacy and intellectual curiosity in her classroom.

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Maya Kohn

Maya Kohn

Instructor

maya.kohn@ocsarts.net

Maya Kohn has been a part of the OCSA Social Science team since 2016. Ms. Kohn graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University and received her teaching Credential from California State University Long Beach. Ms. Kohn teaches 11th grade U.S. History and AP Psychology. She also co-coaches the OCSA Mock Trial team. In her free time, Ms. Kohn likes to travel abroad and hike around Southern California.

Bianca Nield

Bianca Nield

Instructor

Bianca.Nield@ocsarts.net

Bianca Nield has been with the Social Science department at Orange County School of the Arts since 2015, and is passionate about teaching AP United States History. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach, and has plans to develop her interest in early American history with a masters in history education.

She maintains her interest in US politics by serving as a teacher advisor for the Junior Statesmen of America club on campus. Ms. Neild was selected to attend the National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks workshop on the Cold War, where she learned the effects of the massive cold war aerospace industry on southern California’s economic, social and cultural development.

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Carolina Osorio

Carolina Osorio

Instructor

carolina.osorio@ocsarts.net

Carolina Osorio holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles, as well as a Law Degree from Southwestern School of Law.  She earned her teaching credential from California State University Long Beach and a BCLAD certificate from California State University Fullerton.   

Ms. Osorio practiced immigration law for a number of years helping families much like her own.  Having always had the ability to connect with students from diverse backgrounds, she desired to work with students directly to make real life connections to understand and analyze Economic, Political and Social topics so that they may go out and enrich the lives of others and their own communities.  After working with students in a private school setting, Ms. Osorio joined Orange County School of the Arts in 2020 and is passionate about teaching AP Government, AP Economics and U.S. History.  

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Lana Sawalha

Lana Sawalha

Instructor

lana.sawalha@ocsarts.net

Lana Sawalha brings to OCSA a diverse background, having lived in 5 countries and 5 different U.S. cities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in International Politics from Cal State University Fullerton and went on to work for the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as a translator and researcher in the European Union & Counter-Terrorism division.

 

Always a life-long learner, she went on to earn a master’s degree in International Relations from Webster University in London where she also worked at the Foreign Press Association. Years later while living in Chicago, she earned a certificate to teach English as a foreign language. She moved yet again, to San Francisco, and pursued her passion for education by earning a second master’s in teaching and her single subject credential in social science with a certificate in Gifted Education from USC. 

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Anton Striegl

Anton Striegl

Instructor

Anton.Striegl@ocsarts.net

Anton Striegl started teaching History/Social Science classes in 1997. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at CSULB in 1988, but went back to CSULB to pursue his teaching credential in History. Mr. Striegl has devoted his career to teaching historical thinking in a high school setting. He started his career teaching AP U.S. History, later becoming a teacher of AP European History, and then shifted to teaching AP World History in 2001.

Mr. Striegl has worked for College Board in varying capacities since 2000. He started with College Board as a reader back in 2000 and has since moved into various leadership roles related to scoring exams, designing instructional materials, and training new AP teachers. Mr. Striegl also teaches a course in the CSULB Social Science credential program, where he guides prospective teachers through all aspects of teaching. Anton Striegl came to OCSA in 2006 and has woven all of these life experiences into his classes.

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Josh Stump

Josh Stump

Instructor

Josh.Stump@ocsarts.net

Josh Stump graduated magna cum laude from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in History and a minor in Business Administration. After three years of working in the film industry as an actor, Josh pursued his passion for education by completing the Single Subject Teaching Credential and Master of Arts in Teaching programs at the University of California, Irvine. Josh joined Orange County School of the Arts in 2016 where he currently teaches 9th grade Global Studies and AP U.S. History.

Rachel Trask

Rachel Trask

Instructor

rachel.trask@ocsarts.net

Rachel Trask holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Whittier College and the Catholic University of Paris as well as a Master’s degree in teaching History/Social Science from University of California, Irvine. She earned her teaching credential through UCI’s School of Education’s Master’s of Teaching Graduate program. Ms. Trask began her teaching career in the creative classrooms of the Orange County School of the Arts by student-teaching 8th grade United States History under the mentorship of Stacey Leimkuhler in 2016. It has been her enormous pleasure to call OCSA home since then. Ms. Trask has taught AP World History to OCSA sophomores and the history elective Global Studies to OCSA freshmen since 2017.