Board of Directors

Miwa was born and raised in San Jose, and currently lives in Mountain View. She joined Preschool Family in 2019 in Teacher Becca’s Twos class with her older daughter. She loves and appreciates the support that PSF provides through the ups and downs of parenthood. 

Miwa currently works part-time teaching fitness classes and personal training for adults & kids. She loves being active and exercising is her way of stress management. She enjoys chasing around her two very energetic daughters, but also loves being a couch potato with her pug.

Jamie joined PreSchool Family in January 2023 with her son in Becca's 2's class. She quickly fell in love with the school's style and the sense of community PSF creates amongst our families. She attended Palo Alto High School, graduated in 2003, and recently returned to Palo Alto after living in various cities around Northern California. She attended UC Santa Cruz where she received a BA in Psychology, and was previously a Behavioral Therapist for children on the autism spectrum. She eventually moved on to own a shipping and printing franchise, which set her up with the tools to be a successful Treasurer for FoPSF! She now works for a SaaS company helping brands collect user generated content. When she's not trying to keep up with her son (which is most of the time!), she is a night owl who enjoys cooking and baking, exploring, watching comedies, and music.

Grace was first introduced to PreSchool Family as a teacher.  She met a toddler mom in a class who was thoroughly impressed by PSF's parenting and teaching curriculum, and together they formed a toddler bilingual playgroup.  The moms read Becoming the Parent You Want to Be and engaged in parenting discussions while the children rotated to each other's homes, playing and enjoying simple art projects led by the parents.  While leading the group, Grace was so intrigued by the PSF philosophy and wanted to become a student herself that she leaped at the opportunity to enroll her first born into the program.  Now in her 7th year in the program, and two sons later, she continues to love her time in the classroom with her second son, playing and learning together.  Grace is especially thankful for the warm and supportive community of families and teachers that she has met throughout the years, and look forward to continuing our parenting journey together as our children develop into teenagers and beyond.  If she is not at school, you may find Grace traveling, exploring new restaurants, and watching or producing a musical show or two.

Kristen is an East Coast native having called North Carolina and Massachusetts home before moving to California 17 years ago. Her career has been in higher and secondary school education, until her first son was born six years ago. Her oldest son Jack is a Preschool Family alumnus, and her second son Sam is continuing his preschool family adventures this fall with teacher Jenn. Kristen spends time entertaining preschoolers by any means at her disposal, and loves swimming, cooking, creative activities, volunteering at Menlo Church, and finding adventures, including travel. Kristen is very excited to be able to give back a little bit to Preschool Family, because her family has benefited so much from the wonderful teachers and community here!

Megan grew up in Palo Alto, and is an alumna of PreSchool Family. She returned to PSF in 2019 with her oldest child, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the large puddle in the 4 year old playground still appears every fall. Less surprisingly, both Megan’s children love the puddle as much as she did.

Megan enjoys cooking and being outside as much as possible. She is happy to be part of such a supportive parenting community at PreSchool Family.

Patty started at PreSchool Family with her oldest child in Teacher Karen’s 6-12 month class in 2017. She found an incredibly supportive and enriching community there. This year she attends the 3’s class with her youngest child. Originally from southern California, she loves hiking, camping, traveling, the beach, and reading parenting books.

Before moving to the U.S, Rina used to be a Preschool teacher in Japan for a couple years. She started PSF with her older daughter in toddler class in 2015 and graduated 4's class.Then she started PSF again with her younger daughter last year. This year, she attends the 3 year’s class. She’s excited to learn the respectful, thoughtful and interactive way to take care of kids in PSF.

Zoe believes in the critical role parents play in their children’s development. Her journey began with the PreSchool Family when she enrolled her child in Teacher Maria’s 12-24 month class. Through the teacher’s guidance, insightful books, and engaging discussions with fellow parents, and practice in her child’s class, Zoe learned about the children’s development and appropriate parenting techniques. This experience has provided an incredible opportunity for growth, both for her child and for herself. Zoe has a background in Electronic Engineering and Gerontology. She enjoys cooking, reading, trying new things with her kid and going to church.

Charlie joined PSF when daughter Charlotte was 3 months old, and has enjoyed being a part of PSF over the past 4+ years (with Teachers Elizabeth, Karen, Maria, Jenn, and Becca).  He is looking forward to Charlotte's 4's year and connecting and helping more within the community (juggling also increasingly active 8-month old baby Cameron, and full-time Sales Ops job).  Charlie is originally from the east coast (born in NY, grew up in NH), currently lives in Redwood City, and enjoys family road trips and travels, attending live sporting events, and trying to keep up with PSF and other homework.

Ashley grew up in the area, attending Mountain View High School before going east for college and adventures and eventually returning back to Palo Alto. Ashley became a kindergarten teacher while living in Germany and continued teaching kindergarten and Reading Recovery locally until her daughter, Adalyn, was born in 2020. 

Ashley was ecstatic when she discovered Preschool Family and knew she had found the school for her family after a tour with Teacher Jenn. She was able to join Teacher Maria’s Infant/Toddler class for the second semester and continued with Maria in Two’s. She loves the focus on the children, joy, parent education, and community and is excited to be joining Teacher Jenn’s Three’s class and serving as a General Board Member this year.

Outside of PSF, Ashley enjoys trying to speak Spanish, traveling, skiing, eating and reading.

Karla co-teaches the Fours Class at PSF. Karla has been teaching at PSF since 2011 after being a parent in the program for seven years with her two daughters. Before teaching at PSF, Karla taught kindergarten at Bubb Elementary school in Mountain View, as well as first and second grade in East San Jose and Baldwin Park, CA. Karla loves to eat dark chocolate, bake, run, read fiction, practice yoga, and teach at PreSchool Family.

Elena is a PSF alumnus with fabulous twin girls currently in their sophomore years in college. During their 3 years at PSF, Elena and her partner learned who they were and who they wanted to be as parents. The caring, supportive community comprised of and created by the teachers and families at PreSchool Family made the often daunting responsibilities and challenges of parenting seems a completely surmountable, if not always joyous, adventure. As a board member and alumnus, Elena hopes to provide some cultural continuity and creative contributions to supporting PSF’s overall mission.

Adriana is a Bay Area native, raised in San Jose. PSF has been a long tradition for her family, since her husband, Takis, was the first to attend when he was 4 years old. Adriana and family moved to Palo Alto when her son Gabe was to start the 2’s class with Teacher Lori and remained in the program until Gabe turned 5 years old and was ready for kindergarten.

Adriana has over 13 years in experience in Private and Retail Banking that range from leadership rolls, operations management, client services and sales. Actively, Adriana’s daughter Alessandra is enrolled in the 12-18 month class with teacher Jason and is enjoying being back with the PSF community. Adriana enjoys cooking and baking in her spare time.