High School Team
Karen Bush, Science Teacher
Stanford University, BA in Human Biology
UC Berkeley, MA in Science Education
KB has been in teaching science since 1996. She earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University in Human Biology and Masters Degree from UC Berkeley in Science Education. She has worked in private, public and charter schools and has taught all ages, but most of her time has been with students from 11-15 years old. She is the mother of two boys who are now entering young adulthood, so she knows adolescents from the parenting perspective as well. KB is delighted to be working at a health and bioscience academy and in OUSD!
Somneng Chan Deneng, Literacy Specialist
UC Berkeley, BA in Ethnic Studies
Holy Names, MA in Urban Education/Special Education
Somneng graduated from Castlemont HS in 2001 and was an Incentive Award Program scholar. She attended and graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Ethnic Studies and minor in Education. She will receive her Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Disabilities Credential and Masters of Education in Urban Education with Special Education focus from Holy Names University (Spring 2023). When she is not working, Somneng can be found attending sporting events if not playing the sport herself! She enjoys a good urban fiction book, traveling to places with sunsets and sands, and spending quality time with her family.
G. Doug Dickens, Humanites Teacher
Ouachita Baptist University, BA in English
Northern Arizona University, MA in TESOL
Douglas is excited to be a part of the Life Academy faculty. He attended Ouachita Baptist University, where he earned a BA in English and Northern Arizona University, where he received his MA in TESOL. He is a recent Oakland transplant who moved here from San Jose. In addition to teaching in the Bay Area, has also taught English and English Language Development in Texas, New York City, and Washington, DC. Doug's extracurricular passions include song-writing, playing with his two kids, and working on vintage Made-in-Japan electric guitars.
Dr. Emily Frank, Health Teacher/Dual Enrollment Instructor
Dartmouth College, BA in Cell Biology
Alliant International University, Teaching Credential in Biology
Tufts University. School of Medicine, MD
University of California San Francisco, Pediatrics Residency
Dr. Emily Frank is an educator and pediatrician. Dr. Frank began her teaching career in Ecuador and the Marshall Islands and also taught for several years in Vallejo, California. Excited to help young people take control of their health, she decided to become a doctor and completed her residency in pediatrics at UCSF. Dr. Frank joined Life Academy in 2018. She is passionate about diversifying the healthcare workforce, improving health literacy, and using the energy and talent of young people to improve community health. When not working in the clinic or at school, she can be found hiking, playing ultimate frisbee, in yoga class, or dancing!
Rebecca Fulop, Physiology and Internship Teacher
Wesleyan University, BS in Neuroscience & Behavior and Spanish Language & Literature
Mills College, single subject credential in biology and earth science
San Francisco State University, MS in Biology Education Research
Originally from the East Coast, Rebecca (Becky) Malovany Fulop began her teaching career as a STIP substitute at Life Academy in 2002. After getting her teaching credential, she then went on to teach at Mission High School in San Francisco for 15 years. She has come full circle, returning to Life Academy to teach physiology and internship. Becky has partnered with various organizations to bring science opportunities to students of color and young women. On days she’s not at school, Becky is spending time with her partner, daughter, and friends exploring Bay Area gems like Fairyland, the zoo, the Exploratorium, the Oakland Ice Arena, and street festivals.
David Gardner, Math and Internship Teacher
University of Chicago, BA in Sociology
Mills College, MA in Education
David joins Life Academy after six years of teaching in San Francisco, and he loves working with students on rigorous, meaningful mathematics. He is excited to be part of a community of committed students, families, and staff who share his belief that all students deserve access to a quality education. When not at school, you can usually find him exploring with his son, reading, cooking, and discussing soccer as though it were the key to unlocking grand mysteries of the universe.
Serene Harb, Resource Specialist Teacher
Scripps College, BA in Middle East and North Africa Studies/Politics
Serene is committed to building an equitable and dynamic learning environment for all students. She believes in incorporating principles of restorative/transformative justice into her everyday practice. When not at school, she is typically cooking, reading, and exploring the East Bay.
William Juang, High School Science Teacher
UC Berkeley, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BA
UC Berkeley, CalTeach
As both a scientist and teacher, Mr. Juang (Mr. J) also practices what he teaches. Always looking for new knowledge, Mr. J’s most valued habit of LIFE is love of learning (and never stop learning!), and he hopes to share that with every student he encounters. Prior to starting as a teacher at Life Academy, Mr. J was studying for his credential under Mr. Rowan Driscoll in the CalTeach program and working in academic labs that deal with laboratory science curriculum development. One of Mr. J’s hopes is to build connections for students between what happens in the classroom and what happens in the real-world industrial and academic settings. As of now, he is teaching science and serves as a research assistant in a lab that does work around pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and other types of biopharmaceutical drug analysis.
Andrew Martin, Math Teacher
UC Berkeley, BA in Psychology
Andrew is a dedicated first-year teacher at Life Academy who joined shortly after graduating from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and minors in Global Public Health and Developmental & Learning Science. Born and raised in Southern California, Andrew relocated to the Bay Area in 2019. Prior to joining Life Academy, Andrew served LGBTQ+/Latinx youth and worked as a preschool teacher assistant for an early childhood education program for three years, where he also held the position of Youth Group Director in a non-profit organization. Andrew is deeply committed to fostering a classroom culture where students can experience love, recognition, and support while gaining a deeper understanding of their behavior and emotions. When not in school, he enjoys dancing in front of the mirror, exploring new food spots, traveling, spending quality time with friends and family, and immersing himself in music 24/7.
Heath Madom, Humanities Teacher
Heath joined Life Academy in 2021, after five year of teaching at Oakland Technical High School. Originally from Long Island, NY, he taught 7th grade English in Brooklyn for two years, attended law school in San Francisco, and then worked for a number of different labor unions (in California and NY) for almost a decade. When not at Life Academy, he enjoys reading, writing, traveling, making fun of the hapless NY Knicks, and spending time with his wife and two children.
Elena Martyn, Math Intervention Specialist
Univeristy of the Pacific, BA in History
Mills College, MA in Education
LMU and Diveristy in leadership, Aministration Program
Martyn joined Lifed Academy 9 years ago after working at Castlemont for 2 years. She loves working with students and helping them make sense of complex math problems. She work tiredlessly to ensure a safe space where student feel like they can learn and ask questions. She is happy to be part of a community focus school where students expereinces are highlighted in their education. When Martyn is not at school you can find her on her couch watching a sport game or trash tv. OR on a walk in the Oakland hills.
BMG, Math Teacher and Department Lead
UC Berkeley, BA in Mathematics with a Teaching Concentration
Charles Sposato Graduate School, MA in Education
BMG is from Riverside, CA. They went to school at UC Berkeley where they earned their Bachelors degree in Mathematics with a Teaching Concentration. After Cal, they decided to teach out of state in Boston, Massachusetts where they earned their Masters degree in Education. After 4 years they chose to come back to the Bay Area to work with Oakland youth. BMG believes that all students can experience success in their math classes with a little support and tough love. BMG has been at Life Academy since 2022. Some of BMG's hobbies include soccer, rugby, skateboarding and puzzles.
Camila Morales-Jimenez, Resource Specialist Teacher
Camila is a born-and-raised East Bay resident who graduated from Scripps College in 2021 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Middle Eastern and North African Studies. Before Life, Camila spent 6 years coaching speech and debate programs for elementary school students. Now, they enjoy the challenge of creating an accessible and supportive educational environment for all students. After school and on weekends, Camila can be found running, rock-climbing, or reading.
Asha Nidumolu, Humanities Teacher
Tufts University, BA in American Studies and Psychology
Boston University, M.Ed in Language and Literacy Education
Asha grew up in Santa Cruz, CA but started her career as a public school educator in the Boston Public School District. Now back in California, she h as spent the past three years at Life teaching English and Ethnic Studies to 9th graders. She is committed to supporting students in their critical consciousness and literacy journeys as well as holding them and herself accountable to the joyful, loving and often difficult task of learning in community with others. When not at school, Asha loves to collect books by authors she admires, dunk in the ocean, sing old jazz standards, write creative non-fiction and seek out the best gluten-free treats in town.
Natalie Pena Serafin, Instructional Support Specialist
Coming soon!
Elizabeth Sanchez, Resource Specialist Teacher
Sonoma State University, BA in Psychology
Elizabeth is a Bay Area Native and joined Life Academy shortly after graduating Sonoma State. She loves working with students and being able to support them in their academic journey as well as their personal journey. In her free time she loves spending time with family and friends and traveling to new places!
Pristine Shin, Instructional Support Specialist
Coming soon!
Rachel Talasko, College Writing and Dual-Enrollment Sociology Teacher
Florida Atlantic University, BA in Sociology
Florida Atlantic University, MA in Sociology
Johns Hopkins University, MS in Education
Rachel got her start in academia during graduate school. She taught undergraduate courses while she earned her masters in sociology at Florida Atlantic University. From there, she worked in the non-profit sector, which is when she realized how much she enjoyed being in the classroom. Rachel enrolled at Johns Hopkins University to earn her second masters in education. She then served as a teacher, coach, and restorative justice coordinator on the Big Island of Hawaii for six years. She taught through the pandemic in Portland, Oregon, and in 2021, she relocated to the Bay Area, landing at Life Academy in Oakland. When not in the classroom, you can usually find Rachel cooking, baking, roller skating, dancing, hiking, biking, reading, writing, or floating along in a giant body of water.
Revaz Ardesher, Humanities Teacher
Revaz joins Life Academy after teaching in Oakland for five years. His previous life was spent doing grass roots organizing and conducting policy research on issues such as public health, food justice, and urban policy in cities such as Nairobi, New York City, and Cleveland. He loves thinking about pedagogy, equity in education, and teaching history in a dynamic, engaging way. Besides teaching, he is passionate about self-care, laughing, getting down in the kitchen, making mixtapes, and dope conversations.
Michael Aponte, CE Teacher and Department Lead
UC San Diego, BA in Human Development
Michael graduated from UC San Diego in 2013 and has spent the last 10 years working with youth, starting his journey with Life in 2016. Since his first day in the classroom, Michael has strived to make sure students have the skills needed to be independent and critical thinkers, encouraging them to speak up and advocate for themselves and others. Despite a recent move, he loves the work and the community around these students so much so that he is willing to travel from Sacramento everyday to make sure these students have the knowledge they need to succeed. When he is not working, you can probably find him playing videogames with friends, reading comic books, or just hanging out with his wife and his dog watching Lord of the Rings or Star Wars!
Jose Gil, Humanities Teacher
University of San Francisco, BA
José joins Life Academy following a six year period in Washington, DC working for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. He is passionate about civic education and feels privileged to be a part of a community that values student empowerment and holistic learning. José was raised in Santa Bárbara, California, attended the University of San Francisco, and currently resides in East Oakland with his wife Jessica, their son Ezekiel, and dog, Apollo. José is a commissioned officer in the Army Reserves and is currently pursuing a secondary education teaching credential in history/social science from San Francisco State University. In his spare time, José enjoys running, hiking, reading, and cycling.
Samantha Solomon, Teacher Librarian
Northeastern University, BA in Rhetoric
University of San Francisco, MA in Education
San Jose State University, MLIS
Sam joined OUSD as a English Teacher in 2011, and came to Life Academy as a 6th grade Humanities teacher in 2015. In 2017 she had the pleasure of reopening the Calvin Simmons Library which serves students in grades 6-12 at both Life Academy and United for Success Academy. After being closed for 9 years, library now sees about 80 drop in students a day and partners with teachers and classes for lessons around research and media literacy. When not at school you might find Ms. Solomon on rollerskates, camping, or (surprise) reading while cuddling her cats, Albert & Gretchen.