Faculty & Staff Directory

Ken Angelo is thrilled to be the School Counselor at Gateway Middle School. After working as a crisis counselor for over 10 years at schools throughout the East Bay, Ken is looking forward to getting to know the students and families that make up the Gateway community. Ken spent eight years as a private practice marriage and family therapist before earning his school counseling credential at St. Mary’s college in 2012. Outside of school, he enjoys working in his garden, cooking with the vegetables he grows, listening to music, and rooting for the Oakland Athletics.

Therese is a founding teacher at Gateway Middle School.  She currently works as a Math and Science Instructional Leader at Gateway Middle School.  She is an active member of Gateway Public Schools Board of Trustees and serves on the Facilities Committee. She graduated from Simmons College with a degree in nursing and from Elmira College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education with masters' degrees in educational leadership.  Therese is a member of the Exploratorium’s Teacher Leader Institute where she works as a mentor teacher to San Francisco science teachers.  When not working, Therese enjoys traveling, spending time with her two sons, and reading.  Originally from the east coast, she currently lives with her husband, David, in Petaluma.

Anna was born and raised in Redondo Beach, California. She attended Santa Clara University, where she majored in Art History and Communications. She began teaching English abroad in 2016 and then received her teaching credentials (Social Science and English) and master’s in teaching from the University of San Francisco. She is eager to share her love of history, reading, and writing with her students!

Ezra was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, but his mother’s family is Chetco (Southern Oregon coast) and Morongo (Southern California). He attended the University of San Francisco for his undergraduate degree in English as well as his Master’s in teaching. He is the grandchild and cousin of Indian Boarding School survivors, and is passionate about making school a place where Black and Native students in particular feel safe, integral, and scholarly.

Amanda was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She attended Saint Louis University, where she majored in economics and mathematics. She began teaching in 2019 and received her teaching credential in secondary mathematics education from Loyola Marymount University. She advises a Girls Who Code club and is involved in leading and planning advisory.

Kia is a native of the Bay Area.  She graduated from Loyola Marymount University where she earned a B.A. in Communication Studies with minors in African-American Studies and Studio Arts, as well as, a Master of Arts in Education. Prior to Gateway she taught 6th grade English in OUSD, and worked in the District of Columbia as a teacher and curriculum writer. In her free time she enjoys attending sporting events and concerts.

Elizabeth joined the Gateway Middle School team as a founding teacher in 2011; though some may say she rejoined the Gateway team as she is a proud alumna of Gateway High School. Elizabeth has a degree in History with an emphasis in United States history, and a Masters of Education from Whittier College. In her many years at Gateway, she has coached volleyball, served as the advisory lead and student council adviser. While not teaching, you can find her spending time with her daughter, running the trails of Golden Gate Park, practicing yoga, reading a good book or traveling to a new place.

Devin was born and raised in Ventura, California. She attended University of San Francisco where she earned her BS in Mathematics and Masters in Teaching. Devin joined the Gateway community in 2019 as the math interventionist and will now be teaching 8th grade math. She is eager to share her love for math with her students!

Jai (or Principal Jai) is a youth-serving BIPOC leader from the Bay Area who fervently, passionately, and relentlessly anchors her approach towards education for liberation in abolitionist practices. 

She has worked with young people since 2002 as a mentor, camp counselor, public school science teacher, teacher leader, national conference presenter and workshop facilitator, and an administrator.

She leads with love, equity, and justice at the center and is unapologetic about her anti-racist, pro-Black, pro-Women, pro-Trans, and pro-people principles. She is committed to decolonizing education for all young people, especially those who have been marginalized and oppressed by white supremacist culture. Jai leads with the unwavering belief that people and systems can change given the optimal environment, resources and a powerful vision.

In her spare time, Jai loves reading, spending quality time with loved ones, being outdoors (running, walking, hiking), swimming in the ocean (not the Pacific), and being a song selector!