MEET OUR TEAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kathleen Mautner
Since beginning her career as a high school teacher in New Orleans, Kathleen has dedicated her career to closing the opportunity gap in education. Kathleen has held district leadership roles focused on improving academic outcomes for all students. She was previously the Director of Community Reading Buddies at Aspire, where she brought her passion for literacy development and systems change to CRB. Kathleen holds a BA in Politics and Spanish from Scripps College and an MPP in Education from Vanderbilt University.
TUTORING PROGRAM MANAGER
Nathaly Basto
Nathaly’s passion for education equity began in high school, where she advised low-income students about financial aid and scholarships for college. She attended Yale University and graduated in 2017 as an Education Studies Scholar and with a B.S. in Cognitive Science. Since graduating, she’s worked as a college counselor, test prep tutor, and academic tutor and has taught in several continents. She's been managing Aspire's partnerships and tutoring program since the spring of 2022.
COMMUNITY READING BUDDIES MANAGER
Aaron Rubio
Aaron is a Los Angeles native who has a passion for community development, education and social work. Aaron is the program coordinator for Aspire’s Community Reading Buddies program. Prior to joining CRB, Aaron worked as a primary and secondary school teacher in Chiang Rai, Thailand and taught English, science, and math. He joined Community Reading Buddies because he believes every child should have equal access to a formal education. Aaron holds a BS in Sociology from Arizona State University.
EARLY LITERACY SPECIALIST
Mary Locker
Mary is studying Cognitive Sciences and Education at UC Berkeley. By understanding neural learning processes, Mary creates inclusive and accessible learning environments and ensures she effectively supports each student's unique journey. Mary strives to provide her students with the tools they need to excel both in the classroom and in their personal development as self-assured learners. With specialized training in advancing the literacy skills of children with neurocognitive disorders and learning disabilities, Mary has years of experience teaching and tutoring students with disabilities.
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIALIST
Zoe Eng
While working as a teaching assistant in college Psychology and writing classes, Zoe realized she had a passion for teaching. Prior to joining Aspire, Zoe worked as a social science researcher and completed her M.A. in Psychology at UC Irvine. She volunteers working with adult learners in a local adult literacy program. In her free time, Zoe loves to read and watches too many crime procedurals on television.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPECIALIST
Katherine Young
Katherine (Kat) is a pre-medical student who graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor's of Science in Global Disease Biology in 2020. She tutors mathematics, reading and writing to elementary and middle school students at the Sunnydale and Malcom X Boys and Girls Clubhouses in San Francisco. Kat is currently in the process of applying to medical school and hopes to become a pediatrician. In her free time, Kat enjoys running, reading fantasy books, and traveling abroad.
STEM SPECIALIST
Greg Castellanos
Greg brings an impressive 18 years of teaching experience to his role as a tutor at Aspire Education. With a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from Columbia College, Greg is dedicated to providing high-quality education across a range of subjects, including Science, Math, Technology, Engineering, and more. His student-centered approach, coupled with his passion for inspiring young minds, ensures that each student receives personalized instruction tailored to their unique learning style and needs. He is committed to fostering a love for learning and empowering students to reach their full potential.
STEM/TEST PREP SPECIALIST
Jennifer An
Jen (she/they) is an experienced and patient tutor that has worked in the Bay Area since 2017. Collaborating with students with different socioeconomic backgrounds has been a passion of hers since she began tutoring as a student at the UC Riverside, where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Pure Chemistry. She draws from her experiences as a student and offers different pedagogical approaches, mainly in math and science, to increase student confidence and motivation. She especially enjoys teaching test-prep courses with Aspire's non-profit partners, including Girls Inc and First Graduate. She is motivated by helping students set and achieve their goals, within and beyond academics.
STEM SPECIALIST
Mario Maldonado
Mario graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Chemical Engineering with an emphasis in Biotechnology. He has over 25 years of experience empowering his students to oustanding growth in STEM and Spanish. Mario enjoys spending time with friends and family, seeing the spark of understanding in student's eyes after comprehending a challenging concept, and contemplating the laws of physics while skiing.
MATH SPECLAIST
Ron Scott
After a remarkable journey spanning 27 years, Ron Scott emerged from a period of personal growth with a newfound passion for mathematics. During this time, he discovered a deep connection to the world of numbers, igniting a flame of curiosity and determination. Now, Ron Scott is dedicated to sharing his love for mathematics with others, particularly those who have faced challenges. Through mentorship and advocacy, he aims to inspire individuals to embrace education, unlock their potential, and discover the transformative power of mathematical thinking
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TUTOR
James Everett
James has loved and worked with K-8th youth for decades. He is a local photographer (www.photojames.com) and has a wife, daughter, and dog.
STEM SPECIALIST
Kate Bostow
Kate is a 53 year old graduating senior in Astrophysics at UC Berkeley. She will be working on a Masters Degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics at SFSU starting in the Fall of 2024. She loves math, science, poetry and diversity! She is a crossword puzzle fan, a marvel movies fan, and a rubiks cube fan. In her free time, she likes to play boardgames and take her two telescopes out to look at the night sky with her college aged children and friends of all ages and backgrounds.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TUTOR
Nicole Wilmont
Nicole has been working with Aspire for the past year. She has worked at both the Boys and Girls Clubs at the Civic Center and Tenderloin locations and has really enjoyed her time at both working with all the amazing students. She is a third year student at the University of San Francisco double majoring in both International Studies and Spanish with a minor in Latin American Studies. When not working or attending class, she enjoys hiking, photography, reading and traveling as much as she can!
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TUTOR
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Rosalie is a digital librarian who is currently working as a data management consultant. She previously worked for the University of California where she managed international digitization projects and collaborated with California cultural heritage institutions on a number of digital initiatives. Rosalie holds a Master's in Information Management and Systems from UC, Berkeley and a Master of Studies in Law from UC Hastings College of the Law.
STEM SPECIALIST
Anthony Long
Anthony is currently a 9-12 Engineering teacher and has been teaching science and math in the East Bay for over 10 years. He has taught in the classroom the following subjects: Biology, Physiology/Anatomy, Health, Algebra 2, Trig/PreCal, and Engineering design. He has also taught math privately and in brick-and-mortar facilities such as Mathnasium to students ranging in age from 5 to 15. His educational background includes a B.S. in Biology from UC Santa Barbara and a Master's in Education from UC Davis.
DESIGN AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS SPECIALIST
Stephanie Wilson
While working as a teaching assistant in college Psychology and writing classes, Zoe realized she had a passion for teaching. Prior to joining Aspire, Zoe worked as a social science researcher and completed her M.A. in Psychology at UC Irvine. She volunteers working with adult learners in a local adult literacy program. In her free time, Zoe loves to read and watches too many crime procedurals on television.
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Kelatztli Mendoza
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Patrick Chabot
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JACK WOODRUFF
Board Director
Jack is an Oakland native dedicated to improving education and childhood experience for all Bay Area kids. Once a Youth Mentor in Community Reading Buddies himself, he has also served as an educator and leader in classroom, international development, nonprofit, and corporate contexts. Jack holds a BA in Historical Studies from Bard College, and was also formerly the Executive Director of Aspire Education from 2014 - 2018.
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Board Treasurer
Nancy has an accounting and finance background. She worked at Price Waterhouse (briefly) and at Levi Strauss & Co. (20+years), including a stint as Finance Director in the UK. She joined the Board in 2019 because she believes strongly in the opportunities afforded by education and the need for more students to access higher education. An avid basketball fan (starting with the Knicks but graduated to the Warriors), she has some sports knowledge that might surprise you!!
DANA SHERRY
Board Member
Dana is an educator and storyteller who helps create inspired multi-cultural spaces for learning and community through her work with the Silk Road House (a cultural center dedicated to the traditional arts of Central Asia and the Caucasus), Eth-Noh-Tec (an Asian-American kinetic storytelling theater), and St. Mary's College of California. She is a Bay Area native but has lived in Russia, the Republic of Georgia, Poland, Hungary, and British Columbia. She has a BA and MA in Slavic Languages and Literatures (UC Berkeley and University of Washington), and a PhD in Russian History (UC Davis). Her two sons are her inspiration to help give all children access to a quality education.
LINDA PELTON
Board Member
Linda has lived and worked in the SF East Bay for 40 years— spending much of that time in the field of education. She believes that education is a key lever for social change and equity. Linda holds a BA from UC Berkeley, Multiple Subject teaching and Administrative Services credentials, a Masters and a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s College. Linda has taught, led schools from K through 12th, and served at the District level in Charter School oversight. She now shares time between travel by land and sea, service, consultancy work, friends and family.
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Board Member
Albert is an education policy researcher with deep expertise on secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce development. He has a PhD and MA in economics from Cornell University and has worked at Westat, Insight Policy Research, Mathematica Policy Research, and the Urban Institute. Albert and his wife Denise have lived happily in the Bay Area for almost 15 years and have two young children who are both avid readers. He serves on the Governance Committee and is very excited to support Aspire Education as it grows to better support the East Bay community!
GWYNETH HUTCHINGSON
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Gwyneth is deeply committed to literacy and education. She was first the recipient of literacy mentorship as a young child before beginning to mentor kids herself as she advanced. Gwyneth worked in literacy and educational mentorship throughout high school and during college at UC Berkeley, and she has a considerable background in non-profit work from her time as Board and Operations Manager. When she’s not working as biologist, she is living it up with her two dogs, reading and writing novels, and spending time outside on the coastline. She is thrilled to be a member of Aspire’s Board of Directors.
FATEMEH KHATIBLOO
Board Member
Fatemeh is a technology ethicist at Salesforce, leading Ethics by Design for some of the company’s largest products. Her work focuses on enabling innovation while mitigating harm and protecting human wellness and dignity. As a queer, first-gen immigrant, she’s especially interested in the role of identity in social and technical systems. Fatemeh studied journalism at GWU and SDSU. She’s also a potter and part-time amateur homesteader in the Sierra foothills.