Nia House Board Candidates

Meet the candidates hoping for your vote to serve on the Nia House Board of Directors for the 2023-24 school year. 

 by Friday, June 23, 2023

HOW:

  • Each family may submit 1 ballot. If two parents accidentally vote, the first submitted will be honored.

  • Vote online. Ballot will be available on Wednesday, June 23rd, 8am - 4pm.

  • Click "VOTE" button at bottom of this page.

WHO:

  • 4 Parent Representatives

  • 1 Staff Representative

  • 2 Community Representatives

Parent Representative Candidates

Nathan Hood (Jonah, Noelle and Eli)- Incumbent Parent Representative

Greetings Nia House Community, I am excited to announce my reelection campaign for the NH Board!

About Me: 

  • Proud parent of three (15, 4, 2), including two at NH! 

  • Born and bred in Detroit, but my partner grew up one block up from NH and I have come to truly cherish the program, staff and greater community

  • Committed to ensuring NH “stays around” so that others can experience it as well, by: 

    • Supporting staff materially and otherwise

    • Providing financial aid and other resources to attract a diverse population

    • Developing and enhancing long-term planning 

Current NH Involvement: Over the last few years I have ramped up my participation with the Finance Committee and have created and/or championed the following initiatives:

  • Aggressively increasing staff compensation to attract and retain the gifted people we entrust with our children every day 

  • Instituting opt-in additional tuition for very high income/wealth families, directly supporting teacher salary increases and aligned with regional Montessori pricing

  • Converting tuition paid during shelter-in-place school closures to tax-deductible charitable donations

Outside of NH:

  • EBMUD finance department, ex-BART Budget, Civil Rights and Planning departments, ex-non profit program management

  • Residential realtor and investor

  • First Congregational Church of Berkeley - Finance Committee Chair

    • Developed and monitored budget similar in size to NH

    • Co-managed major building fire damage, insurance claim and re-build

    • Navigated “interesting Berkeley personalities” 

  • IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program - Volunteer 

    • Prepared and filed low-income tax returns

    • Opened bank accounts 

    • Conducted credit report reviews

    • Led financial literacy workshops  

    • Represented the program at public events

Vote N.H. (me) for N.H. (you!)

Chrissie Bradley (Marie and Bay) - Incumbent Parent Representative

My husband and I frequently remind each other that enrolling in Nia House was the best parenting decision we’ve ever made. My son Bay started at Nia House in Amanda’s class in 2016, and my daughter Marie is currently carrying the family torch in Nicole’s class. Both of our (very different) children have thrived within the Montessori framework, and the collective wisdom and kindness of the teacher and parent community at Nia House has seen our family through so many triumphs and challenges over the years.

I feel strongly that quality childcare for working families needs to be accessible to all who need it, and I would love the opportunity to support Nia House’s work in maintaining a culture of equity and inclusion as a member of the Board.

And as we slowly emerge from the pandemic with Nia House’s core values strongly intact, I think we have an exciting opportunity to ramp up the in-person community-building and skill-sharing that so benefited the parent community before shelter-in-place.

Until recently I served on the Board of a small community organization fostering community and connections among Richmond families. Professionally, I do accessibility and communications work for an arts and disability organization in Richmond called NIAD, and I have a background in program management in higher education and non-profits arts institutions like UC Berkeley, SFMOMA and California College of the Arts. If elected, I would bring these skills and experience to my role as Board member with dedication and joy.

Sequoia Rodriquez (Dreu, Drea, JJ)- Current Parent

I would like a seat on the Board of Directors as a parent representative. I have been a member of the Nia House community for more than 4 years. My daughter Drea is an alumni of Nia House. After spending years at Nia House, Drea graduated and gave Nia House to her toddler sister, Dreu. Dreu is now thriving and enjoying life in her toddler program with teachers Cinnamon, Serena and Iris. 

The Nia House community is welcoming, understanding and accepting of all. My older son attended public elementary school, so he did not get the Nia House experience. Prior to becoming part of the Nia House family, we never experienced a love like this. Nia House provides families with such strong community bonding and family-like connections while still maintaining a structured yet free educational experience. 

I am currently the African Dance and Drumming teacher for the Berkeley Unified School District. I believe that my 17+ years of experience with the school district will support my contributions to the board. I have gained the skills and knowledge needed to help bring families in the school together. I have had a lot of experience putting on shows and performances for the district involving live music and dance to help bridge the gap between community and school involvement. 

I would be honored to serve as a member on the Nia House board to continue to support the Nia House mission. I would also like to provide my help to ensure that more families in the community are able to learn and become part of the Nia House mission as well. 

Adriana Penuela-Useche- Current Parent (Lucia, one more joining soon!)

Nia House has truly impressed my family, as a beacon of community and education since Lucia's enrollment almost 2 years ago. The deliberate focus on fostering sustainable and holistic growth in our children is exceptional. Education, a cornerstone for our family, cultivates complete individuals with a diverse mindset, equity lens, and a holistic vision of social and environmental sustainability. Nia House exemplifies these values, with a robust community that forges tangible connections between families, school, and the wider community. As active participants in events like the annual Yard Sale, we have experienced firsthand the unwavering commitment to building a strong, interconnected community that questions the status quo.

In my day role, I provide expert guidance and consultancy to visionary Climate tech entrepreneurs, empowering them with strategic go-to-market strategies, financial planning, and invaluable technical expertise. With over a decade of hands-on experience as a chemical engineer in the industry, I possess an understanding of the intricacies and nuances of this field. Furthermore, my recently completed UC Berkeley Haas MBA, focusing on Sustainable Business, entrepreneurship, and venture capital, amplifies my acumen in shaping sustainable ventures that drive real impact. As a seasoned professional, I am primed to navigate the dynamic landscape of Climate tech, propelling forward-thinking entrepreneurs towards remarkable success.

As a passionate advocate for holistic education and equity, I am eager to join the Nia House Board as a parent representative. With a strong background in business management, financial expertise, and innovative thinking, I am committed to driving meaningful change. I will challenge the status quo and explore how education can empower and shape our children's lives. With enthusiasm, a proven track record, and a dedication to making a significant impact, I am ready to serve as a valuable board member at Nia House.

Community Representative

Matteo Girard Maxon (Toscana and Matiz) - Community Representative Incumbent

Matteo served on the Nia House Board of Directors from 2019-23.

Matteo has been in the Nia House community since 2013 when his daughter Matiz started in the toddler program. Matteo is a father of two daughters, Matiz and Toscana, and partner to Aleishall Girard Maxon who gave two years of service on the Nia House Board. The Girard Maxon family is dedicated to Nia House! Matteo was active in Nia House's visioning of the school's 2015 expansion, and his youngest daughter, Matiz, was part of the first class of expanded primary (preschool/ K) classrooms and completed her Kindergarten year at Nia House before moving onto Rosa Parks.

Matteo is the owner of a local business (Ancient Organics) and if elected, will bring his HR skills, budgeting skills, and general business growth and management expertise to the NH board table, paired with his NH programmatic love and commitment to upholding the school's mission, vision and purpose.

Sonya Sanchez- Community Representative (Aria, Dashielle)

My goal in serving on the Nia House Board is to give back to the Nia House Community.  Nia House’s mission to bring together children from different socio-economic backgrounds to grow and work in harmony and cooperation resonates both personally and professionally. On a personal level, I have seen the deep and lasting impact that Nia House has had on  our two children (Dashiell, 14 and Aria, 10). Like all Nia House children, our children carry with them a deep sense of self-care, care of community and a strong educational foundation. I am profoundly thankful to the Nia House leadership and teachers for bestowing these gifts.

On a professional level, Nia House's mission also resonates deeply. As Senior Principal Counsel at the University of California, I support the University's efforts to ensure equal access to programs and activities for all. As a national leader in the Title IX legal arena, I draft policies and procedures, craft novel litigation strategies, and provide national thought leadership on Title IX related issues. More recently, I have led the University’s effort to revise its Non-Discrimination policies to ensure that all allegations of harassment and discrimination based on all protected class are handled effectively. I also had the honor and privilege of being a key contributor to UC’s DACA litigation culminating in the court’s granting a nation-wide preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from deporting DACA students and workers across the nations.

Ultimately, all these efforts are in service of ensuring equitable access to programs and activities. My hope is to use the skills, knowledge and insights gained through my work at UC to contribute to Nia House's critical mission. Through my work at UC and beyond, I have looked for opportunities to create an inclusive learning environment for the professional development of the diverse attorney members in the organization. I am humbled and energized at the prospect of supporting Nia House's vibrant and critical community.

Staff Representative

Nicole Dixon - Staff Representative

Serving as a staff representative on the Board has been a natural fit over the years with my role as head teacher and my level of responsibility. I continue to be inspired by the Nia House community everyday- by the awesome children, the dedicated parents, and the skilled staff. My love for the magic that happens here has driven me to become involved at deeper levels, so over the years I have earned my AMS Montessori Primary credential and Alameda County Site Supervisor permit. Learning how Nia House works, from the bottom - up, and the inside - out, has given me knowledge and experience. It would be an honor to continue representing the voice of the staff, while helping to uphold the vision of Nia House’s traditions and bright future.