Meet the Nea Board

Charlotte Pickett rejoined Nea as Lead Facilitator in 2022. She is excited to bring her administrative talents and her passion for academic excellence, equity, and innovation back to the Nea community. She looks forward to working in partnership with all stakeholders to ensure that every Nea learner is provided with an exceptional educational experience where academic excellence and social emotional wellness are priorities.

Ms. Charlotte was a Nea kindergarten facilitator from 2012 to 2018. She left to become an Assistant Principal with San Francisco Unified School District. During four years away, she worked at a comprehensive middle school of 700 students and at a PK-8 school, where she created systems and structures that were responsive to the needs of each unique school community.

Ms. Charlotte holds an MFA in Arts Leadership, an MA in Educational Leadership from UC Berkeley, and credentials in Administrative Services and Multiple Subjects. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, traveling and taking dance classes. She hopes to unite her love of creativity, collaboration and youth in her return to the Nea family.

Yesenia Ezell is in her 6th year as a Nea facilitator. From 2016 to 2021, she facilitated 3rd to 5th grade math. This year she moved into Nea's middle school and is facilitating 6th and 7th grade math.

Born and raised in Oviedo, Florida, Yesenia studied Elementary Education and Family and Child Sciences at Florida State University. She then moved to Miami, Florida where she began teaching 4th and 5th grade math and science.

Along with education, her passions include music, theater, and spending time in nature (particularly in or near a body of water!) California had always been a distant love, so she is happy now to call Oakland home.

Susie McKee brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Nea Governing Board. This is her 13th year at Nea and her 24th year in education.

Susie is currently Nea's ELD Coordinator and Art Facilitator for grades K-5. She considers this hybrid position to be her dream job, combining her passion for working with English Language Learners and her love of art.

Susie holds a BA and Multiple Subject teaching credential from UOP (Go Tigers!) as well as a supplemental ESL credential and CLAD certificate. Susie received her MA in Curriculum Development with an emphasis in ESL from SSU.

In addition to ELA and Art, Susie loves to get out into nature, backpack, run, garden, bake, paint, social distance with friends, paddle board on the Bay, and hang out with her family and their dog, Jake.

Danielle Pence has two learners at Nea, one in the Lower Village and one in the Upper Village. Danielle enjoys being a part of the Nea Community and has seen firsthand how parents and the school can work together to give each individual learner the best experience for them and the community at large. Her goal in serving on the Nea Governing Board is to bring more connection between Lower and Upper Village so as to support our learners throughout their Nea experience and as they venture into the world outside of Nea.

Danielle is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Career Counselor. She works in the Quality Assurance Department in Alameda County Behavioral Health Department. Prior to that she worked in community mental health with youth involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems as well as the API community.  In her spare time (when not not driving her kids around to their various sports and other activities) she is a professional dancer specializing in fusion and middle eastern dance, a labor and postpartum doula, a girl scout leader, and a Scouts BSA merit badge counselor. 

Elizabeth Douglas (Bio coming soon!)

Samantha Olmos

Zaakir Washington