Faculty & Staff Directory

Velina Brown is an actor/singer/director who is pleased to join the amazing Gateway faculty and staff and share her 25 years of theater arts experience with this community. Ms. Brown is a member of Actors Equity Association and the ScreenActorsGuild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Her artistic home is the San Francisco Mime Troupe with whom she acts, directs, co creates and co artistic directs. She has toured across the country and to Europe and Asia with the Troupe. You may have also seen her at ACT, Berkeley Rep, Cal Shakes, SF Playhouse and many other theaters around the Bay. You may also find her on film and television and voicing video games and meditation apps. Brown attended SF State on a vocal scholarship and earned a BA in Psychology and an MS in Marriage Family Child Counseling. She also enjoys living life and going on adventures with her husband and son.

Ezra was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, but his mother’s family is Chetco (Southern Oregon coast) and Morongo (Southern California). He attended the University of San Francisco for his undergraduate degree in English as well as his Master’s in teaching. He is the grandchild and cousin of Indian Boarding School survivors, and is passionate about making school a place where Black and Native students in particular feel safe, integral, and scholarly.

Christopher “X” is a resource specialist teacher at Gateway for 9th grade students. He is from Providence, Rhode Island and earned his B.A. at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst before moving to San Francisco. He taught English as a Second Language for several years and was previously a resource specialist teacher at Independence High School. He is a California native plants enthusiast and enjoys cycling, swimming and backpacking. He also loves watercolor painting, cooking and baking and is especially fond of dark chocolate. 

Amanda was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She attended Saint Louis University, where she majored in economics and mathematics. She began teaching in 2019 and received her teaching credential in secondary mathematics education from Loyola Marymount University. She advises a Girls Who Code club and is involved in leading and planning advisory.

Calamia does lots of things at Gateway– from international travel to work on the Equity Coalition Team to health education! They are super excited for the inaugural Yearbook and Journalism class, which will support students in developing practical skills in photography, design, and journalism. Other passions include poetry, marathoning, run coaching, the management of a non-profit organization that supports gender-expansive youth, piecing together a second book, and activism for more gender-inclusive spaces in sports and beyond.

Calla Chenelle is the substitute & support teacher at Gateway High this year. She grew up in San Diego going to charter schools just like Gateway! She started out as a TA at her local community college, then went on to facilitating a queer theory class at UC Berkeley, and last year taught 5th grade in Daly City. Calla is passionate about uplifting students and helping them reach their goals.

Elizabeth joined the Gateway Middle School team as a founding teacher in 2011; though some may say she rejoined the Gateway team as she is a proud alumna of Gateway High School. Elizabeth has a degree in History with an emphasis in United States history, and a Masters of Education from Whittier College. In her many years at Gateway, she has coached volleyball, served as the advisory lead and student council adviser. While not teaching, you can find her spending time with her daughter, running the trails of Golden Gate Park, practicing yoga, reading a good book or traveling to a new place.

Devin was born and raised in Ventura, California. She attended University of San Francisco where she earned her BS in Mathematics and Masters in Teaching. Devin joined the Gateway community in 2019 as the math interventionist and will now be teaching 8th grade math. She is eager to share her love for math with her students!

A longtime Bay Area educator, Jai has worked with young people since 2002 as a mentor, camp counselor, public school science teacher, teacher leader, and administrator. She describes her approach as driven by love, equity, and justice, and one that is unapologetically “anti-racist, pro-Black, pro-Women, pro-Trans, and pro-people.” Jai is committed to decolonizing education for all young people, especially those who have been marginalized and oppressed by white supremacist culture. She leads with the unwavering belief that people and systems can change given the optimal environment, resources and a powerful vision.
 

Jai (or Principal Jai) is a youth-serving BIPOC leader from the Bay Area who fervently, passionately, and relentlessly anchors her approach towards education for liberation in abolitionist practices. 

She has worked with young people since 2002 as a mentor, camp counselor, public school science teacher, teacher leader, national conference presenter and workshop facilitator, and an administrator.

She leads with love, equity, and justice at the center and is unapologetic about her anti-racist, pro-Black, pro-Women, pro-Trans, and pro-people principles. She is committed to decolonizing education for all young people, especially those who have been marginalized and oppressed by white supremacist culture. Jai leads with the unwavering belief that people and systems can change given the optimal environment, resources and a powerful vision.

In her spare time, Jai loves reading, spending quality time with loved ones, being outdoors (running, walking, hiking), swimming in the ocean (not the Pacific), and being a song selector!