Pacifica Stories

Before coming to Pacifica, Dr. Nyabadza was very much immersed in the academic world. She earned her MA in European studies and her Ph.D. in Italian language and literature at Yale University. As a doctoral student, she taught Italian to undergraduates. Although she had quite a bit of tutoring experience, that was her first full exposure to teaching in a classroom. Dr. N fell in love! She knew that she wanted to continue in the classroom after her graduate work was completed.

Dr. N loves playing in the waves at the beach with her daughter or going on a hike. She finds being outside in natural beauty to be very restorative. Her husband and she also enjoy exploring California. Although they have lived here for several years, they have barely scratched the surface! Big Sur and Yosemite have been some of their favorite destinations. 

As an undergraduate at University of Washington, Dr. N discovered her love for history and European studies. Her first history class focused on Rome. It was an incredible course that persuaded her to switch from the premed track. Dr. N then proceeded to study abroad as much as possible. First stop: Rome! Being able to eventually take Pacifica students on a trip to Italy was a bucket list moment for Dr. N. Her travel experiences and the teachers she studied abroad with made a profound impact on her, so the opportunity to share her love of Italy with her own students was such a joy!

Dr. N appreciates many, many things about Pacifica. Pacifica’s mission to guide students to think and live well and the pursuit to do all things in service to the glory of God gives such rich meaning and joy to her work at Pacifica, which is really a calling. Being a transplant from Washington State, Dr. N also deeply appreciates the community of our school, and she loves working with our stellar faculty and staff. The way that they seek to model Christ to our students is inspiring and beautiful. And, of course, she appreciates our students! Pacifica has a diverse student body, not only from all neighborhoods but also with a wide range of extracurricular and academic interests and diverse faith backgrounds. She has had so many wonderful connections with her students over the years. Each student is unique. 

Dr. N and her husband, Godwin, have been married for seven years. They met in a small church in Redondo Beach. They are both a bit obsessed with their little two-year-old daughter, Ruwa! She’s joyful, funny, and adventurous. They cherish family time, whether it’s enjoying a plant-based meal together or exploring a new neighborhood park.