Core Staff
Grace holds a B.A. in Economics from Stockton University and an Ed.M. in Secondary Social Studies Education from Rutgers University. While she fully embraces her life as a Californian, she still thinks New Jersey beaches are better.
No longer playing “teacher” with her oversized chalkboard in her childhood home, Pam moved on to studying English and sociolinguistics, teaching real students with her own real-life classroom chalkboard, and earning an M.A. in Language, Literacy & Culture from U.C. Berkeley’s School of Education. With two left feet, she practices Dancer’s Pose and hopes to hold the yoga pose with confidence one day.
Tracy holds both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University. When not wrapped up in Center work, she is trying, with little success, to teach her rabbit new tricks. Advice is always welcome!
Having always been drawn to mission-driven work, Melissa holds a B.A. in Journalism from San Francisco State University and worked at the American Cancer Society and Red Cross prior to joining WestEd. She spends her free time keeping her toddler from eating cat food or reprogramming the TV remote.
Reino holds a Ph.D. in Measurement and Evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Education. In his spare time, Reino likes reading historical fiction and visiting the Bay Area’s many live music venues, and he spends an inordinate amount of time concerned with the fortunes of the Boston Celtics.
Patsy holds a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She spends her free time enjoying horseback riding adventures with her horse, Pal.
Before joining WestEd, Clay led communications operations for NewSchools Venture Fund. He received a B.S. in Journalism and Anthropology from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Clay spends most of his free time thinking about food, talking about food, growing food, cooking food, and especially eating food.
Center Contributors