At Brightworks, we believe learning is a shared journey. That’s why we call our educators “Collaborators”—they work alongside children as guides, co-creators, and fellow explorers.
Our Staff
Leadership & Administrative Team
MICHLENE COTTER - Head of School
Michlene Cotter is a grassroots educator and community activist. In 2014, she co-founded Ka-Lo Academy, a self-directed program for youth who do not wish to attend traditional high school. She has been teaching and facilitating independent learners in the Bay Area across various subject areas for over 20 years. As an adult, she thinks about all the possibilities that were unknown to her as a child - as an educator, she seeks to illuminate these possibilities for young learners.
In “education,” she values trusting children’s inherent desire to learn, developing communication with them, preserving their curiosity, and letting the idea of liberation lead. She has a passion for equity and equality as well as writing, gardening, cultivating mindfulness, and living in kinship with the Earth.
Michlene studied social science at the New School for Social Research in New York (New School University). Along with being an educator, she worked as a childbirth doula for 25 years and is the mother of three interest-driven, self-directed young people.
Michlene has lived in Trinidad & Tobago, England, Louisiana, New York, and California. She loves Prince, birds (especially ravens), large marine mammals, cool shoes, and dark chocolate.
GEVER TULLEY - Founder
Gever founded Tinkering School in 2005 in order to learn how children become competent and to explore the notion that kids can build anything, and through building, learn anything. A self-taught computer scientist with no formal education, Gever’s expertise is really in… thinking. Gever has taught workshops and made presentations to both kids and adults around the world. He has spoken at TED, twice, written articles for MAKE:, and authored the book Fifty Dangerous Things (you should let your children do).
LIBBY - Human Resources and Systems Manager
Libby has been hailed as the most gentle human to ever work in the office at Brightworks school. She grew up in San Francisco as part of a huge family of teachers and educators, and brings the spirit of kindness, true knowing of people, and full-hearted empathy to everyone she talks to. Libby has three amazing children and teaches us about patience and love above all, every day.
LISA - Director of Community Growth and Advancement
Lisa has long stood at the intersection of education, play, and human connection. Before joining Brightworks, she co-founded and led Recess Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing isolation and creating spaces where families could learn and grow together. There, she built networks of mutual support, designed intergenerational programming, and championed the idea that community care is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Today, as Director of Community Growth and Advancement at Brightworks, Lisa carries forward that mission as she leads admissions, storytelling, and strategic engagement with a focus on cultivating a vibrant, inclusive school culture.
ADRIAN - Finance Officer
Adrian is a San Francisco native who is grateful to have brought her gift with numbers to non-profits for over twenty-five years. As Finance Manager, Adrian works with the leadership team to maintain the financial health of the IAT and Brightworks School. Adrian values working with innovative, mission-driven organizations and she enjoys the puzzle-solving and meditative aspects of her work.
Having learned so much as an alumni parent at a cooperative preschool, Adrian is energized by communities of learning and is excited to return to the world of education and child development by joining the Brightworks team.
Adrian is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor and enjoys taking long walks in nature, working in her garden, playing Settlers of Catan, and spending time with her family.
MANDISA LYONS - Tinkering School Manager and Co-Curricular Coordinator
Mandisa began her educational journey at the HBCU Philander Smith College, where she was awarded a full academic scholarship. Her passion for learning and leadership led her to UOP, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a Master of Public Administration.
Mandisa brings a wealth of experience to BWX, shaped by a dynamic career spanning education, healthcare, and organizational leadership. She has served as an Executive Analyst to the Vice-Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at UCSF and as Assistant to the President of the National Sleep Research Society. Her five years working within the San Francisco Unified School District gave her firsthand insight into the inner workings of public education, where she contributed in Payroll, Personnel, and as interim Supervisor of the Substitute Teachers’ Office.
Before joining BWX, Mandisa was an integral part of the San Francisco Girls School, where she held multiple roles—Operations Manager, Executive Assistant, and 9th Grade Student Advisor—each role deepening her commitment to supporting students and their communities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Mandisa is a proud mother of four. Her dedication to education is reflected not only in her work but also in her family—three of her adult children have chosen careers in education. She remains closely connected to the BWX community as the parent of a current student and a proud parent of a BWX graduate.
KAREN THOMPSON - Admissions Coordinator and Registrar
Karen was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and went on to attend Hampton University—an HBCU in Virginia established to educate freed slaves and Native Americans. Though ultimately graduating with a degree in Computer Science, her early academic journey began in architecture, a passion she continues to nurture by exploring the unique and striking buildings throughout San Francisco.
With a deep belief in the transformative power of education, Karen has spent the past two decades working with organizations committed to serving the educational needs of underrepresented communities. Her work reflects a lifelong dedication to equity, access, and meaningful impact.
Karen lives in San Francisco with her husband, Al, and their three children, Maya, Trey, and Dyon. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, binge-watching great (and not so great) TV, and curling up with a good book.
ALEXANDRA OEFFINGER - Operations Coordinator
Alex is a community organizer with a background in systems development for at-risk youth in Oregon. It was through that institution (one very different from the Brightworks pedagogy) that she realized her work with kids was a serious and joyful endeavor. This experience, along with her background in office management, has brought her to Brightworks. She’s thrilled to be creating systems, organizing spaces, all while hanging out with the awesome kids of Brightworks.
STEVEN MATHIS - Director of Student Experience
Steven couldn’t be more excited to join a community that leads with curiosity, creativity, and heart. For almost 20 years, Steven has worn a lot of hats in education—teacher, dorm dean, principal, dean of students, equity coordinator—and at the core of it all has been his love for helping young people feel seen, heard, and celebrated. He believes in building joyful spaces, centering student voice, and making sure everyone knows they belong. Most recently, he's been dreaming up events like Beloved Community Day and supporting students through restorative practices and affinity groups.
When he's not in work mode, you can definitely find Steven making good use of his AMC A-List subscription, looking for dogs to play with (or “accidentally” re-home), baking cinnamon rolls, or working on the sequel to his YA sci-fi novel.
Steven is here to listen, learn, and help shape an experience where every student can thrive.
Lower School Collaborators
DANIELLE CONOVER - Early Elementary Collaborator // K-1st
Gever always says, “Brightworks aspires to be the best of pre-school and grad school combined.” Danielle is truly the best of preschool. In her over ten years as an early childhood educator Danielle has honed an approach to our youngest learners that embodies so many Brightworks values. She writes,
“I believe that if children are supported by grown-ups who are not afraid of their feelings, they can grow to trust themselves and rely on their internal compasses in all aspects of their lives. To build frustration tolerance, children need to be allowed to fail, fall apart, and recover. To learn generosity and sharing, children need to feel like they have enough. To learn empathy, children need to feel seen and understood by their grown-ups. To learn discipline, children need to feel connected…I consider my work as a teacher to be my activism. I believe that if children can experience a trusting and respectful experience of being at school, they may grow to expect and protect this experience for themselves and others in their communities.”
Danielle’s playful loving presence, attunement to her students needs, and commitment to parent education make our kindergarten students and families feel welcomed and inspired.
GEE MOLOI - Early Elementary Collaborator // 1st-2nd
Gee is an expert blanket fort builder and a strong believer in the power of imaginative play. Her teaching journey began with Montessori education, where she was inspired by the philosophy of following the child and focusing on whole-child learning. Gee strives to create a nurturing and engaging environment where curiosity thrives, empowering children to explore their world.
Gee is dedicated to nurturing independence and fostering a lifelong love for learning in her students. She finds immense joy in navigating the scenic Oakland hiking trails and shares this love for nature with her students, helping them develop a deep appreciation for the natural world.
“With a passion for theatre, my goal is to instill a love for the arts in every child. My background in Film and TV lends a creative edge to my teaching methods, making learning a captivating and imaginative experience. My technical Theatre training allows me to bring the magic of the stage into the classroom, creating an immersive learning environment.”
MARY CATHERINE MUNIZ - Lead Collaborator for Elementary School // 3rd-4th
Mary Catherine believes education should spark a child’s curiosity and desire to deepen their own understanding. She has been working in education for over 15 years in after school programs, nature centers, gardens, libraries, camps, and schools.
For her, scientific inquiry, the arts, and projects are powerful tools that allow students to create meaningful connections between their learning in the classroom and their world outside of school. She simply loves learning.
When not at school you might find her trying to get better at rock climbing, nerding out about botanical families, biking around town, trying to teach her old dog new tricks, or relaxing with her family.
CAMERON GAMBLE - Upper Elementary Collaborator // 4th-5th
Cam was born and raised in Scotland, the eldest of eight brothers. At eighteen, he earned college scholarships that enabled him to move to New York to study philosophy and English and play college soccer. Here, he also gained his first experiences of working with young people by volunteering at summer camps and coaching many soccer teams. Moving from the East to West coast, he began graduate studies at the University of Oregon, where he taught undergraduate philosophy classes for six years, while earning his PhD in philosophy. After recently moving to San Francisco with his wife and their two cats, Bennie and Bear, Cam realized that what he really loves to do is work with young people and teach, just like his mum. He feels really lucky to have the opportunity to do so at a special place like Brightworks. Cam loves soccer (mostly watching nowadays), reading and collecting books, baking bread, camping in NorCal and the PNW, cooking for friends with his wife, spending time with his cats and his eight (and counting!) nieces and nephews, and visiting his family in Scotland.
Upper School Collaborators
SAM PHILLIPS - Lead Middle School Collaborator // 6-7th
Sam has been helping kids make projects and trust in the power of their ideas since 2009. From facilitating video production workshops in movie theaters across the rust belt of rural Ohio to teaching 6th grade English in Mississippi and Tennessee through Teach for America to partnering with Northwestern University and the YMCA to build a free makerspace for middle-school students in northern Chicago, Sam’s career in education has been (literally) all-over-the-map, yet consistently focused on improving educational equity and leveraging the transformative power of the expressive arts. He has given presentations at the National Art Educators Association Conference and Argonne National Laboratory, was named a 2016 Fellow through the FabLearn program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, and was a contributing writer to Meaningful Making Vol. 2 published by Constructing Modern Knowledge Press. Over the past two years, Sam has juggled several roles at the IAT, including Aftercare and Park Collaborator and Site Manager of Tinkering School Overnight Camp, and is thrilled to be leading a Band this year. When he’s not at Brightworks, you might find him three rows from the front at the Roxie Theatre, catching up on the latest documentaries, drawing by Lake Merritt in Oakland, or volunteering at the Exploratorium.
SHIRVAN MAHTO - Middle School Collaborator // 7th-8th
After growing up in Trinidad and Santa Barbara, Shirvan moved to San Francisco in 2004 with the notion that he wanted to become a teacher and now here he is. He earned his multiple subject teaching credential from San Francisco State University in 2007 and immediately embarked on a teaching career with the San Francisco Unified School District spanning over thirteen years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grades. He is also a National Board Certified Teacher with a focus on the middle childhood years. 2025-26 will be his fourth year as a Brightworks collaborator.
Inspired by the Summerhillian philosophy that schools ought to be democratic in nature, Shirvan strives to create classroom communities that are based on collaboration and compassion rather than competition and authority. Although he is experienced in teaching all academic subjects, he is particularly fond of helping students uncover the hidden stories in American history. More generally, he seeks to nurture confidence, creativity, and critical thinking in all learners. In addition to teaching in a classroom setting, Shirvan has also led children in hiking groups, extracurricular clubs, and art classes at a local art studio.
When he's not working alongside children, Shirvan likes to relax with his beloved cat Josie while reading, listening to music, making art, watching hockey, and thinking about cats.
BEN JOHNSON - High School Collaborator and Special Projects Innovator
Ben is an empathetic, energetic, San Francisco Bay Area native committed to building interdisciplinary connections and ensuring meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for future innovators. Often described as “magnetic” by others, Ben is the connective tissue for people and knowledge.
Over the past six years, Ben has honed skills in mentoring, curriculum development, and iterative prototyping by guiding students across grades 5-12 from brainstorming to final presentations while fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Ben values the process of studio critiques and allowing time to synthesize feedback to evolve ideas into unexpected directions. As a Design Education Fellow with NuVu for four years, Ben’s collaboration with over 100 educators and administrators has enabled the development of fifteen impactful project-based studios that have reached over 600 students across the world, integrating real-world scenarios to deepen student empathy and engagement. Before delving into education, Ben practiced architecture in Italy and New York City for Carlo Ratti Associati, focusing on bringing nature back into cities and rehabilitating historical high schools.
Ben majored in architecture, minored in astrophysics, and focused on colonial organisms (specifically pheromone-based systems) at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California.
Ben is from Berkeley, California, and has lived in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, New York City, Vermont, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ben loves space and time. His favorite smell is petrichor (the smell after a first rain), his favorite material is nacre (also known as Mother-of-Pearl or opal), and his favorite shapes are the icosahedron, the torus, and the Möbius strip.
JUN YI - Upper School Math & Science Collaborator
Like so many great collaborators, Jun has had a circuitous path to Brightworks. From being an earth sciences researcher at Yale to working in museum education at the Exploratorium and American Museum of Natural History, to designing curriculum for companies in the US and China, and getting a master of education from Columbia University, Jun has always been led by her curiosity and commitment to inquiry-based learning. Jun truly became a classroom teacher at High Tech High, where she designed and implemented interdisciplinary projects that allowed her students to explore and master complex mathematical concepts. When she came for her demo lesson, she had students and collaborators alike at the edge of our seats as together we discovered the quadratic formula by describing a growing pattern. At the core of her teaching practice is the belief that her students are her most important project. We are so excited for all the ways she is going to continue to build and shape math education at Brightworks.
Support Collaborators
NATHAN SAVOY - Early Years Support Collaborator and Park Lead
Nathan is someone who takes life as a series of footsteps, one in front of the other. He obtained a Bachelors in Colouring Development (BCD) from Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After studying community design and environmental planning, Nathan came to SF in 2009 and found Brightworks through living in the neighborhood. For the next few years he honed his inner-child, helping kiddos try really hard to collaborate and treat each other well while making mistakes and building something bigger then themselves with Tinkering School, before beginning his role assisting the Brightworks Lower School. Nathan is looking forward to grow, move and sing with the students of the Brightworks community.
HAILEY NICOLE-WARNER - Support Collaborator & Lead Aftercare Collaborator
As a new assistant collaborator, Hailey is thrilled to begin this journey with such a special group of kids, artists, creators, and educators that is the Brightworks community. The sense of kinship, driven by a dedication to kid-centric learning, is something Hailey is excited to experience and cultivate this upcoming year. Hailey graduated from San Francisco State University with dual emphasis in English and creative writing. She believes that creativity is made possible through genuine curiosity. Because of their curious relationship to language, kids have the ability to render the ordinary in beautiful and unexpected ways. They are natural poets. When she's not writing, Hailey enjoys cooking comfort food for her friends, reading her book club’s pick of the month, caring for her plants, or simply walking around San Francisco and observing the movements of the city.
JAMES ALLEN - Support Collaborator & Aftercare Collaborator
James’s superpowers are his joy and his ability to connect with just about any young person that he comes across. For over ten years as a para-educator in SFUSD, James has built relationships with students of all learning styles and profiles and transformed their learning experience into something more fun than they could imagine!
Working with children is James' favorite activity. Over his years being in their classrooms, students have shown him ways to be a better teacher. He has also learned from coworkers how important it is to have kids want to come to school.
Some of his notable celebrity influencers include Rodney Dangerfield, Dick Van Dyke, and Werner Klemperer. Real-life influencers include Marc L.B., Beth G.S. Anthony C.C., and Amber L.F.
A quote James believes in: "I am every man, I am no man".
GRACE LEARY - Early Years Support Collaborator & Lead Aftercare Collaborator
Grace is a San Francisco native with a knack for keeping spaces organized. She understands that kids see the world in a wonderfully different way and values their unique perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. She’s committed to helping the youngest members of the community confidently think for themselves and develop their decision-making skills, acknowledging that mistakes are a vital (and valuable) part of learning. She enjoys helping students find a love for phonics and sparking their curiosity, creativity, and imagination through art and hands-on projects.
Grace first joined the Brightworks community in 2013 as a student herself, before pursuing higher education at San Francisco State University. She is set to earn her BA in Child and Adolescent Development, with a concentration in Community, Health, and Social Services and a minor in Juvenile Justice by December 2025. She draws on her own experience at Brightworks to foster a supportive, engaging, and joyful environment for young learners. 2025-26 will be Grace’s 11th year as a support collaborator, and she is thrilled to be working alongside Danielle with the K-1 band for a 2nd year.
In her free time, Grace is usually in the kitchen, currently flipping through Milk Street: Tuesday Nights and experimenting with gluten-free versions of her favorite recipes. She also enjoys trying new restaurants and revisiting favorite local spots (bonus points for a Michelin star or a pool table). She plays softball on the weekends, and when she’s not on the field, you can catch her at the Giants game—despite the emotional roller coaster their season has been!
Specialist Collaborators
ROB AIMAN - Art and Shop Collaborator
Rob is a professional artist who works with as many mediums as possible: wood, stone, and clay as well as paint, pastels, pencils, pen and ink. Drumming is his second love and he currently plays with three bands in the genres of rock, blues and instrumental surf music. He also studies reggae, Latin rock and jazz. In order to put in the 10,000 hours developing his art and drumming, he relied on a construction background to pay the bills. As a carpenter, his specialty was working on San Francisco Victorian homes. After 35 years of building homes, he shifted to work in the hospital setting at Kaiser Permanente.
Rob has been volunteering at schools in their art programs since 1998: at New Traditions Elementary School, at his daughter’s school as an art instructor and drummer for their school choir, and with the New School. During Covid, he taught a neighborhood outdoor art program, and did some volunteer work at Nomad Elementary.
Rob comes to us through Tinkering School and quickly joined the Brightworks family first as a support collaborator with the Lower Elementary students, and now leading Art and Creative Woodworking with Brightworks students. He is so grateful for the opportunity to work with the organization and has never been more happy than he is right now working for Brightworks School.
RICHARD PERENYI - Science Collaborator
Rich is a bilingual naturalist, artist, and educator from Michigan. A life-long animal lover, he has a Bachelors of Science in Zoology from Humboldt State University, and a California Teaching Credential with a focus on biology in secondary education. Starting in 2011, Rich worked as a research assistant at the renowned Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, studying the effects of climate change on pollinator diversity loss and flowering plant reproduction. Rich has worked as a naturalist at Camp Winnarainbow and the Mendocino Woodlands Outdoor Science School, and taught biology and physics at Mendocino middle and high schools. He loves the way Brightworks aims to create not only inventive thinkers, but also good human beings.
He would love to build you a super sweet obstacle course.
BETHANY HILLIARD - Learning Specialist
As a long time educator with a passion for fostering each individual’s unique path to learning, Bethany is thrilled to be a part of the Brightworks community as a Learning Specialist. During her nearly 20 years of work in special education, Bethany has encountered a wide variety of learners in a wide variety of settings. From public to independent to private tutoring and consultation, she has had the privilege of working with kids and families of all ages across the beautiful patchwork of neurodiversity.
She is inspired every day by the resilience, determination, and creativity she sees in each and every learner, and is passionate about empowering students to know themselves, advocate for what they need, and feel a sense of confidence, joy, and belonging in their learning space. Bethany has a particular passion for youth impacted by trauma, and for supporting families as they navigate raising and educating neurodivergent youth. Being a parent to 2 incredible young people who experience both gives her a unique insight, passion, and dedication for this work.
Bethany lives in San Rafael with her husband, 2 teenage “kids”, one sweet Bernese Mountain dog named Luna, and a desert tortoise named Susie. When she’s not teaching, she loves films, comedy, being outdoors - walking, biking, hiking, or doing yard work in this incredible corner of the world we call home.
TITO SCIORTINO - Shop Steward Collaborator
has been taking stuff apart for as long as he can remember, and making stuff for almost as long. He remembers fondly when a neighbor laundry detergent sales rep had too many cardboard store displays and gave them to Tito's family--an almost infinite supply of flat corrugated cardboard! With that and Elmer's glue, anything was possible (like Star Trek "computers" made from cardboard, grey spray paint, wax paper, and twinkling Christmas lights)!
Tito has probably too many degrees: BA, MA, MBA, MD. In graduate school, with limited funds, he had the option of buying furniture for his apartment, or buying a table saw and other tools to MAKE his furniture in his living room. Can you guess what he chose?
These days he is Shop Steward at Brightworks, but also does 3D design in Rhino, 3D printing, CNC milling on two mills at home and the one in the shop, PCB design in Kicad, laser cutting, and programming Arduinos and ESP32s. He programs in C and Python, and has had websites since 1998 (see for example Hieroglyphs.net). He has written musical scores; dabbled in 3D computer modeling, animation, and rendering; spent tens of thousands of hours with Excel in finance and consulting; worked at a famous croissant bakery in San Francisco; bakes Oreos, macarons, scones, bread, and pizzas at home; and he believes that all of this is the exact same thing, just with differences around the edges.
You're most likely to find him in the shop downstairs helping our young community members with their expression projects and their other personal projects.