Faculty & Staff Directory

Ali grew up in Lake Tahoe, California and then traveled to Eugene, Oregon to attend the University of Oregon where she met her partner, Levi. She received her Bachelor's degree in human physiology and general science with a minor in chemistry. She received her Master’s degree in teaching at the University of San Francisco and spent her first six years of teaching at a charter middle school in the Western Addition community. Ali is at home in Oakland, California with her partner and her 3 year old daughter, Kennedy Lou. 

Ali is annoyingly a perky morning person who loves books, being outside, laughing with friends, skiing, camping, talking, playing board games, crocheting and hugs. She loves unconditionally, generously and deeply - her students, colleagues, friends and family. In addition, she is also a bilateral (both sides) below-the-knee amputee. She wears prosthetics and is blessed to be able to teach her students about people with disabilities and prosthetic limbs and engage students in empathy and meaningful dialogue every year.

Mirna Salinas was born and raised in El Salvador. She earned her bachelors degree in Business Administration and Accounting.  She is a proud mom of two boys, one Gateway High School Alumni and the other a current junior at Gateway High School. Mirna really enjoys working with families and students, especially helping the Latino community. She love music and spending time with her family and dog, Otis. She is also a big Giants fan.

Donna Hyatt Scarlett is Gateway’s Induction Program Director. Donna’s expertise includes secondary-English teaching, curriculum development and design, teacher mentoring, instructional coaching, and teacher education preparation. Prior to joining the Gateway team, Donna was the Interim Head of Graduate Studies at Reach University (formerly known as Reach Institute for School Leadership). From 2010-2015, Donna was a Languages and English Education professor at Radboud University and the HAN University for Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and she currently is an adjunct professor of Teacher Education at the University of San Francisco. In her spare time, Donna enjoys running, hiking, singing, and hanging out with her family.

David is a Community-Centric Fundraiser and joined Gateway Public Schools as the Director of Institutional Giving in 2023. In his role, David talks to all kinds of people within the broader community to get them excited about the power and potential of students and the importance of equitable education programs. David ended up in the nonprofit world through his passion for working with young people in the community, first as a teen counselor at the Deer Hollow Farm outdoor summer camp and more formatively as a volunteer organizer in public K-12 schools during his college years at UC Santa Barbara. His other past experiences include co-founding a music mentorship nonprofit, serving as an AmeriCorps member, and fundraising for early education, arts, and out-of-school-time nonprofits. When David’s not in the office or talking about how nonprofits and foundations can build better partnerships, you can probably find him experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the city with his wife, or playing pickup soccer.

Ms. Sens moved to the Bay Area in 2018 to earn her teaching degree after living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 5 years. She grew up in the Washington, DC area and went to college at Georgetown University, where she studied Political Science and Portuguese and played on the Women’s Soccer Team. Outside of teaching, Ms. Sens loves running, playing soccer, hiking, surfing, and going to outdoor concerts.