Board of Trustees
GATE Academy is a California non-profit corporation with Board members serving on a voluntary basis. The Trustees have oversight responsibilities for financial management of the school and governance according to mission.
Andrew Zakem
Andrew Zakem is a parent to two GATE students and an advisor to venture-backed technology companies. Before landing in San Francisco fifteen years ago, Andrew lived in Denver where he held leadership roles in several education-focused community organizations. A strong believer in the GATE program, Andrew wishes every child could have this type of learning experience. Andrew began his adult life as a naval officer and earned his B.S. in math and engineering from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Andrew also serves on GATE’s Finance Committee.
Andrew Zakem is a parent to two GATE students and an advisor to venture-backed technology companies. Before landing in San Francisco fifteen years ago, Andrew lived in Denver where he held leadership roles in several education-focused community organizations. A strong believer in the GATE program, Andrew wishes every child could have this type of learning experience. Andrew began his adult life as a naval officer and earned his B.S. in math and engineering from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Andrew also serves on GATE’s Finance Committee.
Douglas Wick
A veteran teacher with over 20 years of experience, Doug Wick started teaching at age 18 for a commercial SAT review service and has never stopped. He worked as a graduate teaching assistant at Duke University, served as science department chair at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, and is currently teaching physics and engineering at Branson. Doug is also co-director of the Branson Science Symposium, which is the culminating inquiry project for 9th grade physics at Branson and for the 11th grade science electives. He holds undergraduate degrees in music and physics from Princeton and UT Austin respectively, and master’s degrees in education and physics from UT and from Duke. His current area of professional growth is in learning robotics with arduinos and digital manufacturing tools and techniques in Branson’s maker space. Doug's two daughters have attended GATE.
A veteran teacher with over 20 years of experience, Doug Wick started teaching at age 18 for a commercial SAT review service and has never stopped. He worked as a graduate teaching assistant at Duke University, served as science department chair at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, and is currently teaching physics and engineering at Branson. Doug is also co-director of the Branson Science Symposium, which is the culminating inquiry project for 9th grade physics at Branson and for the 11th grade science electives. He holds undergraduate degrees in music and physics from Princeton and UT Austin respectively, and master’s degrees in education and physics from UT and from Duke. His current area of professional growth is in learning robotics with arduinos and digital manufacturing tools and techniques in Branson’s maker space. Doug's two daughters have attended GATE.
Sara Dawson
Sara Dawson brings a wealth of experience to GATE in small business administration and bookkeeping. In addition to her full time job and managing the books for several small businesses, Sara has dedicated endless volunteer hours to GATE Academy over the last six years, including founding and heading the Parent Coordinating Committee, organizing and handling logistics for field trips and overnights, and spearheading various activities and events. Sara serves as chair of the Finance Committee and implemented GATE's comprehensive technology upgrade. Sara’s critical thinking skills, extensive knowledge of business administration and bookkeeping, and passion for GATE's mission make her an invaluable asset. Sara is a principal of Omnirax, a custom furniture manufacturer in Sausalito, and her daughter is a recent Gate graduate.
Sara Dawson brings a wealth of experience to GATE in small business administration and bookkeeping. In addition to her full time job and managing the books for several small businesses, Sara has dedicated endless volunteer hours to GATE Academy over the last six years, including founding and heading the Parent Coordinating Committee, organizing and handling logistics for field trips and overnights, and spearheading various activities and events. Sara serves as chair of the Finance Committee and implemented GATE's comprehensive technology upgrade. Sara’s critical thinking skills, extensive knowledge of business administration and bookkeeping, and passion for GATE's mission make her an invaluable asset. Sara is a principal of Omnirax, a custom furniture manufacturer in Sausalito, and her daughter is a recent Gate graduate.
Steven A. Nielsen, JD
Steve Nielsen is a registered patent attorney writing patents in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering, optics and medical devices. Steve manages Nielsen Patents, a boutique patent prosecution law firm in Marin. A graduate of UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, Steve has also chaired the Marin County Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section, and is the author of several continuing legal education videos on patent prosecution, ethics, and elimination of bias. A former GATE parent, Steve served as chair of GATE's first finance committee, and continues to serve on that committee. Armed with a BS in Computer Science, Steve has been instrumental in GATE's continuing technology upgrades. Steve was enticed to return to GATE as a board member when his twin daughters matriculated into high school.
Steve Nielsen is a registered patent attorney writing patents in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering, optics and medical devices. Steve manages Nielsen Patents, a boutique patent prosecution law firm in Marin. A graduate of UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, Steve has also chaired the Marin County Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section, and is the author of several continuing legal education videos on patent prosecution, ethics, and elimination of bias. A former GATE parent, Steve served as chair of GATE's first finance committee, and continues to serve on that committee. Armed with a BS in Computer Science, Steve has been instrumental in GATE's continuing technology upgrades. Steve was enticed to return to GATE as a board member when his twin daughters matriculated into high school.
Jessica Pullins, PhD
Jessica Pullins is a licensed clinical psychologist. She has had an active career specializing in treatment of chronic pain and trauma disorders. Prior to establishing her thriving psychology private practice in San Rafael, Dr. Pullins worked at the UCSF Pain Management Center as a clinician and as an assistant clinical professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care. Dr. Pullins earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Oregon, an MS in counseling from Oregon State University, and an MA and PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Pullins is passionate about gifted education, having graduated from a public elementary school GATE program. She has used inquiry-based learning to develop her interests in baking, gardening, hand and machine knitting, running, swimming, and playing the electric bass guitar. Dr. Pullins has a daughter at GATE.
Jessica Pullins is a licensed clinical psychologist. She has had an active career specializing in treatment of chronic pain and trauma disorders. Prior to establishing her thriving psychology private practice in San Rafael, Dr. Pullins worked at the UCSF Pain Management Center as a clinician and as an assistant clinical professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care. Dr. Pullins earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Oregon, an MS in counseling from Oregon State University, and an MA and PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Pullins is passionate about gifted education, having graduated from a public elementary school GATE program. She has used inquiry-based learning to develop her interests in baking, gardening, hand and machine knitting, running, swimming, and playing the electric bass guitar. Dr. Pullins has a daughter at GATE.
Jack Strange
Jack Strange has made a career of providing exceptional learning opportunities to both the gifted as well as the economically disadvantaged within a framework of inquiry-based learning coupled with a highly integrated curriculum that stimulates students to seek to see the unseen… to be curious enough to ask questions that others don’t, and then get excited when you uncover the truth. After nearly two decades in high tech, Jack followed his bliss and changed careers to teaching. He is a professional educator now in his seventeeth year of teaching science, mathematics and economics to middle school and high school students. Jack is also the founder and director of the Sonoma Marin Debate Society; an acclaimed and unaffiliated interscholastic debating team. For nearly 20 years prior to teaching, Strange was both an innovator and entrepreneur in computer hardware and software technology that served the engineering, scientific and medical markets. He has held positions in product marketing up to, and including, the executive levels in start-up companies, as well as in well-known global technology firms such as Xerox, Canon and Autodesk. Jack earned a B.A. in economics with a minor in physics from Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT and has pursued courses of independent continuing studies in physics, economics and education at Stanford University, CalTech and UCLA.
Jack Strange has made a career of providing exceptional learning opportunities to both the gifted as well as the economically disadvantaged within a framework of inquiry-based learning coupled with a highly integrated curriculum that stimulates students to seek to see the unseen… to be curious enough to ask questions that others don’t, and then get excited when you uncover the truth. After nearly two decades in high tech, Jack followed his bliss and changed careers to teaching. He is a professional educator now in his seventeeth year of teaching science, mathematics and economics to middle school and high school students. Jack is also the founder and director of the Sonoma Marin Debate Society; an acclaimed and unaffiliated interscholastic debating team. For nearly 20 years prior to teaching, Strange was both an innovator and entrepreneur in computer hardware and software technology that served the engineering, scientific and medical markets. He has held positions in product marketing up to, and including, the executive levels in start-up companies, as well as in well-known global technology firms such as Xerox, Canon and Autodesk. Jack earned a B.A. in economics with a minor in physics from Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT and has pursued courses of independent continuing studies in physics, economics and education at Stanford University, CalTech and UCLA.
Victoria Talkington, JD
Victoria Talkington believes that GATE Academy’s inquiry-based educational model for gifted children sets a national standard. She currently also serves the school as its Executive Chair. Ms. Talkington graduated from Yale University with a degree in molecular biochemistry and biophysics, and obtained her juris doctor from Harvard University. She has clerked in Washington D.C. for the United States Tax Court, and began her legal career assisting emerging technology companies with financing, mergers and acquisitions, and stock option plans. She served as managing partner of a Marin County based law firm until her retirement from active legal practice. During that time, she also served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of Marin, was selected by the Marin County Bar Association to serve in a statewide, year long court/community planning outreach initiative (Courts and Their Communities), and was twice named the Marin County Legal Aid Society’s volunteer of the year for her pro bono assistance of indigent families. While raising her two children, Victoria chaired the Site Council for a local public elementary school, led the Mill Valley Planning Commission as its chair, started a community organization rebuilding the steps and lanes system of Mill Valley, obtaining a $1M grant funding for that program, and served as treasurer for a Marin County Supervisor campaign, among other activities. She was named Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Citizen of the Year for her civic work. Victoria's son is a 2013 graduate of GATE Academy, and currently attends UCLA. Her daughter is a highest honors graduate of University of California, Berkeley.
Victoria Talkington believes that GATE Academy’s inquiry-based educational model for gifted children sets a national standard. She currently also serves the school as its Executive Chair. Ms. Talkington graduated from Yale University with a degree in molecular biochemistry and biophysics, and obtained her juris doctor from Harvard University. She has clerked in Washington D.C. for the United States Tax Court, and began her legal career assisting emerging technology companies with financing, mergers and acquisitions, and stock option plans. She served as managing partner of a Marin County based law firm until her retirement from active legal practice. During that time, she also served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of Marin, was selected by the Marin County Bar Association to serve in a statewide, year long court/community planning outreach initiative (Courts and Their Communities), and was twice named the Marin County Legal Aid Society’s volunteer of the year for her pro bono assistance of indigent families. While raising her two children, Victoria chaired the Site Council for a local public elementary school, led the Mill Valley Planning Commission as its chair, started a community organization rebuilding the steps and lanes system of Mill Valley, obtaining a $1M grant funding for that program, and served as treasurer for a Marin County Supervisor campaign, among other activities. She was named Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Citizen of the Year for her civic work. Victoria's son is a 2013 graduate of GATE Academy, and currently attends UCLA. Her daughter is a highest honors graduate of University of California, Berkeley.
