A Board of Trustees governs the Children’s Center. The Board consists of parents, staff, and members of the community who are elected by the general membership of the Children’s Center. The Board has full legal responsibility for the Center. The officers are voted in once a year and parent participation hours are waived for those serving as officers.
The Board meets at 6:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month through in person or through Zoom. Meetings are open to anyone wishing to attend. There are five standing committees of the Board: Governance, Executive, Financial, Development, and Task Force. Everyone is encouraged to serve on one or more of these committees, for which work hour credit is given.
Amador-French, Elena
Clark, Catherine
Cupka, Joe
Davison, Kim
Fischer, Woody
Franke, Jim
Garcia, Olivia
Gharib-Brady, Alma
Hathaway-Zepeda, Taylor
Hirsch, Alex
Jackson, Gregory
Lee, Anzela
Lee, Joann
McPeake, Pauline
Osorio, Jose
Tao, Zhen
Tejada, Vanessa
Villalobos Shaina
Wood, Susan
Elena Amador-French is a proud mother of two girls, Catalina (CCC 2024) and Amalia (CCC 2028). Along with her husband, Topher Amador-French, she feels incredibly lucky to be a part of the CCC community. The CCC has brought their family a safe and loving environment for the girls to develop their curiosity and creativity. Elena is a science systems engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she leads the science operations team for the Mars Science Laboratory mission and more generally supports architecting the exploration of planetary bodies in our solar system. In this work, she regularly leads interdisciplinary teams to find consensus under tight timelines. She has been a part of the Caltech community since
joining as a postdoctoral scholar in 2017, transitioning to a permanent position at JPL in 2019.
Elena looks forward to joining the CCC’s Board of Trustees, ensuring the long-term success of this vital community resource. Her hope is that many future students will benefit from the program for years to come.
Catherine Clark is the proud mother of a Penguin, Wilfrid, and a visiting associate professor of history and visual culture at Caltech. Her husband, Brian Jacobson, is Caltech’s Professor of Visual Culture. She and Brian met in PhD programs at USC, and while she is a tenured associate professor of history and French studies at MIT, Catherine is delighted to be back in Southern California.
Catherine’s father was a pediatric cardiologist turned University of Utah administrator who worked tirelessly to improve healthcare for all children across the Intermountain West. Her mother is a registered nurse who in the 1960s was part of the child psych team at Bellevue Hospital in New York City that contributed some of the earliest research about autism. Her own childhood was filled with conversations about the importance of child development and how both education and healthcare were needed to foster healthy, happy, socially engaged people.
Catherine feels fortunate that her little family has landed in a community that is constantly thinking about what high quality early childhood education looks like and about how to maintain the highest possible standards while also embracing and integrating change. Her child has thrived at the CCC. She loves watching him learn and deploy his natural curiosity (and passion for trucks!!). Catherine wants to bring her experience with fundraising and pedagogical oversight as well as analytic skills, project management know-how, and positive energy to help the CCC do what it does so well.
Joe Cupka is the father of two energetic boys currently thriving at the Children’s Center at Caltech. He brings years of professional experience at the intersection of strategy, stakeholder engagement, and community-building to his Board candidacy.
Joe currently serves as the National Organizing Director at the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), where he helps shape systems that support student chapters and advisors across the country. Prior to NSLS, he was the Director of Data & Communications Strategy at Eastman Music Company, overseeing stakeholder operations across four continents and guiding CRM growth and systems creation from the ground up. His early career includes political campaigns, public affairs consulting, and even a spell in Mongolia. No matter the role or location, he has remained rooted in his lifelong commitment to civic engagement and collaborative change.
Joe and his partner Julia, an enthusiastic advocate for STEM both professionally and at home, are grateful to be part of a community where curiosity and exploration are celebrated from the very beginning. He is honored to contribute to the CCC community that has given so much to his family.
Kim Davison is a senior program manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS) on the Training & Certification (T&C) team. Her work focuses on customer service and ensuring learners using T&C products and services are well supported in their journey to upskill or change their careers.
As the mother of Jack (Raccoon), Kim sees the lasting impact CCC has on the children that walk through the door. She and her family have found a community in CCC that welcomed them with open arms as they got situated after a cross-country move from Chicago in 2022. Kim appreciates the opportunity to give back to an institution that has given her so much in a short time.
Jim Franke is a retired entrepreneur and businessman who now spends his time raising his two boys and helping both private and not-for-profit organizations set, pursue and meet their goals. From an early age, Jim has been interested in childhood development and education; and he has pursued this interest both professionally and personally by serving on the Boards of Director of several non-profits as well as earlier in his career being a member of the non-profit practice at McKinsey & Co. Jim has a BA in Economics and Political Science from Duke University and an MBA from Stanford. Jim is focused on helping the CCC continue to provide exceptional early childhood education… he has served on the CCC Board since 2016 and has been the Treasurer since 2022. He is also dedicated, together with his partner Steve Bialecki, to raising their two young boys to be life-long learners.
I am Woodward W. Fischer, but often I’m called by my nickname, Woody. I have been a member of the Caltech faculty since 2009, and where I currently work as a professor in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences. I hold several professional degrees, a PhD from Harvard University and a BA and honorary doctorate from Colorado College. At Caltech I teach both undergraduate and graduate courses, and run a research lab. My research generally falls in the discipline of Geobiology—combining techniques from Earth science, chemistry, and biology—to understand and explore the relationships between life and Earth surface environments through diverse and fundamental transitions in the history of our planet. For example, I can tell you where photosynthesis comes from and why we have an atmosphere that supports our breathing. My wife Lizzie and I have three kids that have attended or currently attend the CCC (Henry 10yo, and twins Julian and Freya in Marlene’s Dolphin class). As a family we enjoy listening to and playing music of all kinds, hiking, fishing, and downhill skiing. We also love to cook and explore diverse and delicious foods throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Olivia Garcia – During the past 17 years Olivia has been working at the CCC which has a STEM based curriculum with children ranging in ages from 6 months to 5 years old. She believes in and supports The Children’s Center at Caltech. Olivia has been a constant dedicated and devoted champion for CCC while staying abreast of new STEM research, brain development and techniques to help not only bring it into the CCC classrooms but to enhance the understanding of these topics for the teachers, staff, and families.
Throughout her 20-year career in the field of Early Childhood Education, she has had numerous roles, Parent, Lead Teacher, presenter locally, nationally, and internationally. Additionally, she has had a previous role on the Board from 2017-2019. Due to many years of being in the classroom, Olivia possesses a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to meet the needs and requirements of a classroom, the various developmental needs of children and how to build and maintain partnerships with each child’s parents. This knowledge and experience will allow her to assist existing and incoming staff to have a better understanding of what it takes to be a teacher at the CCC.
Alma Gharib-Brady’s connection to CCC started as a preschooler enrolled at the center while her father attended graduate school and her mother worked as a staff scientist at Caltech. Alma also worked at CCC as a summer teacher’s aide after graduating from Polytechnic high school. She and her husband, Sean Brady, have a son starting in the Dolphin room and a daughter in the Raccoon room. Alma is currently a Clinical Research Director and Staff scientist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where she directs research studies examining the effects of toxic stress on child development, and the various conditions that influence resiliency in infancy and early childhood. Her research background includes visual behavior and eye-tracking. Alma earned her PhD from Caltech in 2015 studying social neuroscience in clinical populations such as ASD and completed a postdoc at USC. Prior to that, she earned an MA in Art History from Columbia University and a BS in Biology from UC San Diego. Sean leads a medical device company that was spun out of Caltech. Caltech and CCC are special to Alma and Sean, and their extended family. The Brady family values the influence of the CCC curriculum and staff on their children’s lives and loves being a part of the CCC community.
Taylor Hathaway-Zepeda is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where she advises companies and non-profit organizations on a variety of legal matters including mergers and acquisitions, governance matters and major transactions. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard University. After Harvard, she earned a master’s degree with a focus on international economics from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She then returned to Harvard Law School to earn her law degree, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Taylor deeply values CCC’s unique emphasis on early STEM learning and exploration, and her family is grateful to be part of the CCC community.
Alexander V. Hirsch is a professor of Political Science in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences at Caltech. He and his wife Melanie Thomas have been a part of the CCC community since their (now) five-year old son Gabriel joined Diana’s Dolphins; their younger son Benjamin later followed in his footsteps. Alex has felt extraordinarily fortunate to have his boys in such an amazing environment for early-childhood education, and has been impressed beyond words by the skills, dedication, and professionalism of its teachers, working under Susan Wood’s incredible leadership. He hopes to give back to the CCC community by contributing his skills and experience in financial planning, group decision-making, and education administration to the CCC board, as it seeks to maintain and grow the Center’s leadership in ECSTEM education in a difficult and rapidly changing educational and sociopolitical environment.
Greg Jackson brings a wealth of experience from an impressive career spanning consulting, entertainment, and technology. Originally from Metro Detroit, Greg completed his undergraduate studies at Michigan State University before launching into a robust consulting career with Deloitte, touching all industries. This was followed by a pivotal stint at Disney, where he led negotiations for marketing services and technologies across the entire suite of Disney brands.Greg was part of the launch team for the groundbreaking Disney+ streaming service, helping spearhead launches across Asia and South America. He went on to join the Disney+ leadership team as Chief of Staff, leading strategy and operations across marketing, programming, product, and internal communications. Currently, Greg sits on the Google Play Partnerships team at Google, helping leaders reach and enable partner success across the gaming ecosystem. Alongside his professional endeavors, he has served on multiple non-profit boards for the past nine years, underscoring his commitment to community engagement.Excited to be a part of the greater Caltech Children’s Center (CCC) community, Greg and his wife look forward to contributing their expertise and passion for authentic community building.
Anzela Lee, mom to Alexander (CCC 2022) and Zachary (CCC 2024), a dentist, and an anesthesiologist, was introduced to the Children Center of Caltech by her husband, Taison Tan (Caltech ‘98). She has been interested in education from a young age, working with children at summer camp, providing music lessons, and tutoring. During her time at the CCC, she experienced the incredible impact that early childhood education can have on children, truly creating small scientists and investigators of the world. Grateful for the sparks of curiosity and learning in her boys and the community of families that she now consider her village, she looks to give back by serving on the Board of Trustees.
Joann Lee is a proud parent and loves to see how her son, Conn, has grown over his last three years in this wonderful community. She is a mother of three children and a passionate worker in the art field as a local gallery owner. Not only does she care about her kids’ education and development, she also dedicates herself to providing education for all children, especially knowledge in the arts. Joann aims to provide art education to children in the Pasadena community through hosting CCC’s 50th Anniversary event at her gallery, Ai+ studio, and beyond. She would be honored to host further exhibitions and activities for the students to build their confidence and foster their own style of artistic expression. During the pandemic, her gallery provided virtual tours for the CCC community and was pleased to contribute hand sanitizers and masks for the ongoing protection for the CCC family. She looks forward to providing further help to create positive and memorable moments for the students. Joann is grateful for CCC’s dependable faculty and inclusive community, and appreciates the opportunity serve as board member.
Pauline McPeake has been an early childhood educator for over 20-years. Since 2011 she has served as the Executive Director of the Growing Place in Santa Monica, a non-profit organization with three NAEYC accredited infant/toddler/preschool programs. Pauline is also an adjunct professor at Santa Monica College and member of the Santa Monica Early Childhood Task Force. For 15-years, she has personally and professionally benefitted from sustaining a relationship with the ED, Susan, educators at CCC, and its exemplary curriculum for young children. While Pauline absolutely loves her career and also enjoys time with her family and friends, taking in the natural beauty of Southern California, and reading.
Jose Osorio is currently the lead teacher of the Beavers, and honored to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees. Before joining the CCC, he worked with children ranging from preschool to middle school age in a variety of programs. He has 12 years of experience as an educator and has served in leadership roles at every center he has had the opportunity to be part of. Jose obtained his degree in Child Development with a Multiple Subject Matter emphasis from California State University Los Angeles and found his passion to be in supporting young learners to construct their own knowledge through rich experiences. As a teacher and future CCC parent, his goal is to serve as a representative of both, and look for opportunities that will benefit all members that make up the CCC.
Vanessa Tejada brings a depth of experience in education and student support, with a strong commitment to fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments. She currently serves as the Director of Residential Experience at Caltech, where she leads initiatives that enhance student life and well-being.
Vanessa earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She went on to receive a master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California and later completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Her professional background spans residential life, admissions, outreach, advising and community engagement within higher education. Vanessa is deeply passionate about equity and student success and she brings this commitment to her work in supporting high-quality early childhood development and education. Vanessa lives in Pasadena with her husband Jaime, daughter Valentina, and their two dogs, Canela and Kylo
Zhen Tao is a Senior Partner at Third Square Capital Management with a focus on equity investments. With over 18 years of experience analyzing companies both domestically and abroad, she has a wide breadth of knowledge across industries. Zhen has a strong passion for community engagement and currently serves on the South Pasadena Finance Commission which advises the City Council on matters related to finance, budgeting, and investments. Zhen currently serves on the Finance Committee at CCC.
Having been at a few schools before landing at CCC with her two kids, Zhen deeply appreciates the sense of community and excellence in education that CCC fosters. Zhen is a graduate of the Wharton School with a degree in Finance and Information Systems. She also serves as an alumni interviewer for the University of Pennsylvania. Zhen has two boys currently in the Koala and Dolphin classes, with a third soon to join the Bunnies.
Shaina Villalobos is a Business Administrator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory managing multi-million dollar budgets and a large workforce. Shaina hopes to utilize her finance and facilities background to continue to protect and grow the CCC by maintaining the campus beauty, as well as functionality, using informed financial decision making. Her connection with the CCC began in 2018 while working as part of Caltech Facilities and Faculty Housing. In 2021, she became the proud mother of soon to be Dolphin, Marceline, and knew she would feel the most comfortable leaving her little one at the CCC as opposed to other centers.
Shaina and her husband, Gregory, can see and appreciate the exceptional impact the staff and CCC campus has had on their child. Watching their daughter grow here has given Shaina such confidence in Marceline’s current and future wellbeing and she would like to contribute in any way she can to continue to cultivate the CCC’s strong positive reputation within the community.
Susan Wood’s experience over the past 40 years includes serving as a classroom instructor overseeing classroom teachers, coordinating community college preschool practicum students, and providing developmentally appropriate activities for children.
After 20 years in the classroom Susan chose to work in an administrative level as a director of two university child care centers; as adjunct faculty teaching early childhood classes such as Curriculum Planning, Child Human Growth and Development; Child Psychology; as partner and trainer for the Center for Child and family Services Head Start; as a trainer for Los Angeles County Office of Education; and as a UCLA Extension instructor.
Susan’s passion to support early childhood educators in providing research based, high quality child education has led to the creation of community outreach programs which have included: workshops, a director support group, research projects, and study groups. She founded and hosts the Annual Early Childhood Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (ECSTEM) Conference. In 2022 the ECSTEM will celebrate 12 years. She is an active member of National Association for the Education of Young Children and National Science Teachers Association and has presented workshops on a national level in the areas of early childhood curriculum with an emphasis on science education.
She received a MA in Child Development from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA.