Executive Director

Susana was born in San Francisco and raised in Berkeley. She received a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley and an Ed.M. from Harvard University. As a graduate student Susana worked as a Play Therapist with preschoolers in a Boston Head Start program. Before joining the Step One team, she worked as a teacher trainer for the Life is good Playmakers, training and supporting teachers in implementing therapeutic play into their classrooms, and leading therapeutic playgroups for children dealing with trauma and stress. Susana lives in Berkeley with her husband and their two boys that both attended Step One.

Board Member since 2013

Board Chair

Jenny Herbert Creek is Chair of the school’s Finance Committee along with being co-chair of the board. She and her husband, Condy, are thrilled to be a part of the Step One community. Their daughter has attended Step One since 2015 and their son enrolled in 2018. Jenny has more than 15 years of experience in the educational services industry, including serving as CFO of two educational companies. She is currently a member of the Professional Faculty of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, where she teaches financial modeling and leadership communications. Jenny lives in El Cerrito and enjoys traveling with her family, reading and cooking.

Board Member since 2017

Alison was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She brings more than two decades of experience in higher education, with expertise in academic affairs, budgeting and operations, and student support. Alison earned her B.S., M.B.A., and Doctorate in Education from the University of San Francisco and currently serves as the Director of Finance and Operations at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (the d.school).

Alison is a proud Step One parent and lives in Kensington with her family. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and unwinding with British mystery series.

Board Member since 2026

Angie has worked at Step One full-time since 1999 first as a teacher and then assuming an administrative role in 2024. “Step One is a very special place to me. It’s a supportive, talented, diverse group of people who ooze with commitment to teaching young children. I knew this was the place where I wanted to stay for a long time.”

Board Member since 2024

Maureen Nandini Mitra is the editor of Earth Island Journal, an award-winning environmental magazine based in Berkeley. A journalism graduate from Columbia University, she started her career at The Statesman, Kolkata, and has worked with several US and Indian publications over the past two decades. In addition to her work at the Journal, Maureen occasionally writes for other magazines and online publications in the US and abroad, and co-hosts Terra Verde, an environmental issues talk show on KPFA public radio in Berkeley.

Board Member since 2020

Mike and his wife Jennifer have two children, Owen and Quinn. Mike has been in the Step One community since he was a student. He is both an alumni of Step One as well as a current parent. Mike is passionate about paying forward the help and mentorship he received to the next generation of students, teachers, and families. Professionally, Mike is an entrepreneur and executive with over 20 years of experience in technology, product design, and gaming. He has held senior leadership positions at gaming companies Playdom, Crowdstar, and FunPlus. In addition, he founded his own gaming companies Red Robot Labs and The Label. He currently serves as a board director for gaming firms Sirvo Studios and The Label. Mike earned a BS Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics and a minor in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University. Mike is an avid sports fan, gamer, and an active angel investor.

Board Member since 2023

Raquel and her family joined the Step One community in 2022. Professionally, Raquel has spent the majority of her career promoting health equity and education, primarily in the corporate philanthropy and nonprofit spaces.

She currently works at the Blue Shield of California Foundation, where she leads special projects and manages the Act Now portfolio, a rapid-response grantmaking initiative to support the health and safety of Californians most in need. Formerly, she was Deputy Director of The Charlie Cart Project, where she led its growth strategy and scaled its national operations. She began her career with the Chez Panisse Foundation, as an educator at the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, CA.

Raquel holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in health education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Raquel and her husband, Justin, have two children, Zora and Rafael. She loves to play tennis with her family, launch weekend cooking projects, and tend to her family's herb garden.

Board Member since 2024

Raquel has been working in the field of Early Childhood Education since 1999. She enrolled her son at Step One in 2008 then later joined Step One’s faculty in 2012. Alongside her study of Early Childhood Education at Contra Costa College, she is very interested in diversity and inclusion issues, and she incorporates Spanish into her teaching role.

Board Member since 2022

Robyn’s career in Early Childhood Education began in 1999. After 8 years of teaching, mentoring, and directing in San Francisco, she took a break from her career to raise her family of 3 boys (2 of whom attended Step One). Robyn returned to Step One in 2015 and loves connecting with children in deep and meaningful ways through art and literature.

Board Member since 2024

Ted and his wife Dervla have 3 amazing girls and have been in the Step One community since 2015. Originally from Manhattan and now living in Berkeley, Ted is the CEO of award-winning global marketing company, Park & Battery. Over a 20+ year career, Ted has been focused on helping hyper-growth start-ups, global enterprises and non-profits activate their brands – telling their stories in meaningful and compelling ways. Ted has led engagements with Boeing, Columbia University, Oracle, The State University of New York (SUNY), US Department of State, Weight Watchers and Western Union. Ted earned his B.A from Dickinson College and his M.S. from Columbia University.

Board Member since 2021