The Aseltine staff is deeply committed to the progress of our students and the success of our program. Many of them have been with the school for ten years or more. This adds a significant level of stability to the school that has contributed greatly to its longevity and its effectiveness in meeting the needs of the children. They form relationships with these students that provide our kids with a level of support that many of them can’t get anywhere else, and for some, those relationships are what keep them in the classroom and off of the streets. The staff At Aseltine require that the kids who enter our halls be more than just good students; they want them to be good people as well.
May Padilla, Executive Director
May Padilla earned her undergraduate degrees (Psychology/Social Behavior and Asian American Studies) from the University of California, Irvine before attending graduate school at San Diego State University, where she earned her Education Specialist Credential and her Administrative Credential. Mrs. Padilla began her work in special education in 1998 and has worked in non-public schools since 2002. Since then, she has served students in the field of special education in several capacities: aide, teacher, principal and director. In spite of her years of experience, Mrs. Padilla believes learning never ceases and that her most important role is to always remain a student of her field. This philosophy has helped her stay inspired by and passionate about her work every day. Mrs. Padilla holds her work with students and their support staff in high regard; the most valuable lessons she has learned about education and life did not come from a book or university but from working in partnership with them. In 2013, Mrs. Padilla was excited to join Aseltine, where she found an amazing community in which she could continue her journey.
Kim Groulx, Family/Student Services Coordinator
Kim Groulx landed at Aseltine School in 1983 after completing her BS in Psychology at San Diego State University. She was hired as the school’s full-time bus driver, but soon took on other duties as well. Since that time, she has worked in a variety of positions within the Aseltine community, including classroom aide, substitute teacher, office support, home visit coordinator, medical officer and Family/Student Services Coordinator. She continues to function as the Family/Student Services Coordinator today. Kim is passionate about assisting and supporting students and their families at Aseltine School and within their communities. Her work with children precedes her time at Aseltine. She considers children and their education to be her life’s work and her greatest passion. She strives to live by Winston Churchill’s words: ” We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Nina Williams, Program Director
A native San Diegan, Nina Williams earned her BA in Social Science with a concentration in Education from Ashford University her Masters in Special Education at Alliant University. Ms. Williams worked as a behavioral specialist in a local non-public school for 9 years before arriving at Aseltine as a Conflict Resolution Facilitator in the Elementary Classroom in the spring of 2012. Ms. Williams has a strong passion for helping students learn to develop positive, healthy behavior and for providing students and their families with the support they need. Ms. Williams strongly believes that taking the time to get to know each student is vital to building the strong partnerships that help Aseltine students become successful in all aspects of their life. Ms. Williams’ work with our students and their parents/guardians is guided by Barbara Colorose’s philosophy that: “If kids come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important.”
Gwen Weil, Development Director
Gwen Weil earned her BA in English at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She soon put her writing skills to work for Aseltine students, first as a grant writer and then, beginning in 2011, as Development Director. Ms. Weil was immediately impressed with the school’s unique approach to partnering with students and with the supportive relationships and genuine interactions between the staff and the students. Since joining Aseltine in 2008, Ms. Weil has helped the school grow its fundraising income, including doubling its grant income in the 2011/2012 fiscal year. Based in the Southeast since 2018, Ms. Weil now works for Aseltine remotely. Although her official duties for the school have been in fundraising and marketing, one of Ms. Weil’s favorite parts of working at Aseltine was always her time tutoring students in the classroom: “Writing and learning about Aseltine’s unique approach is a treat in itself because it is simultaneously so different and so intuitive, but experiencing it – and, most importantly, how students respond to it – is truly inspiring.”
Carla Hancock, Chief Financial Officer
Carla Hancock arrived at Aseltine in 1999 from Athens, Georgia where she attended the University of Georgia. She worked closely with the Board of Directors, Program Director, and Executive Director as well as the Development Coordinator and office staff to help ensure Aseltine provided students with the most effective services and programs to address their diverse needs. She moved to the East Coast in 2005 before returning to Aseltine in 2008 as the school’s Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Hancock says she was drawn back to Aseltine by the strong sense of community the school creates for both students and staff – a quality she immediately loved, and which she strives to maintain every day in her interactions with students, staff, and community friends.
Yolanda (Yoe) Marmolejo Kusumoto, Ambassador – Program Liaison Coordinator
An officer of the Angels of Aseltine Auxiliary – a fundraising adjunct organization for Aseltine School – Mrs. Kusumoto’s scope of responsibilities intersects many of the school’s daily operations – with an emphasis on being a front-facing goodwill ambassador between Executive Director May Padilla, her officers and administrative staff – with the institution’s major benefactors and its board of directors. Mrs. Kusumoto is also among the leading planners and executors – of the school’s highest profile community outreach and fundraising events and programs. Since joining Aseltine in 2003, Mrs. Kusumoto also provides Spanish translation services and coordinates the daily census and operational flow of students, transportation and inter-school district personnel. Previously, Mrs. Kusumoto was a marketing and television public relations representative and retail department manager for Nordstrom in San Diego. She has an A.S. in retail marketing and fashion merchandising from Grossmont-Cuyamaca College.
At Aseltine, we ask a great deal of our students; we also demand a great deal of our staff – “we ask of our students what we ask of ourselves”. We are fortunate to have a talented group of teachers who are committed to Aseltine’s challenging work and our incredible students. Because of their different backgrounds, teaching experience, and areas of expertise, Aseltine teachers are highly effective with many different students. Aseltine teachers develop stimulating lesson plans to address a wide variety of interests and learning styles; they also ensure our students receive the support, understanding, and guidance that helps them overcome their learning disabilities and begin thriving in the classroom. All Aseltine teachers hold Special Education teaching certification from the state of California.
Aseltine benefits from the expertise of a number of staff members who have dedicated their talents to Aseltine students for many years:
Mary Ann Douglas, Speech and Language Therapist
Since 1989, Mrs. Douglas has helped Aseltine students overcome speech impediments; improve comprehension; master skills to manage processing disorders, and learn to read. Mrs. Douglas shows uncommon levels of patience and persistence in her work with Aseltine students, never allowing them to give up or declare a task “too hard.” The work she does with our students is fundamental in helping them gain confidence in their abilities so they can make incredible progress in the classroom. Mrs. Douglas is fully credentialed and licensed as a Speech and Language Therapist by the State of California.
Aviva Idell, Conflict Resolution Facilitator
Ms. Idell has worked with Aseltine students since 1993. Her impressive ability to connect with students is due in large part to her extraordinary generosity and capacity for understanding. In addition to her work supporting students in the regular classrooms, Ms. Idell has run the Culinary Arts program since 1996, helping students learn budgeting and cooking skills that help them lead independent lives and inspiring some students to pursue careers in the Culinary Arts
Kevin White, Conflict Resolution Facilitator
Mr. White has worked with Aseltine students since 1989. Students respond to Mr. White’s unique combination of playful personality, nurturing spirit and high expectations. Mr. White has an uncommon ability to connect with younger students, due in large part to his vivacity and his willingness to take the time to understand their world and view points. Recognizing the importance of connecting with students outside the school setting, he was a driving force in establishing the “Students in the Community” outreach program and continues to spend his time supporting Aseltine students in and out of the classroom. Mr. White also uses his impressive artistic skills and knowledge of sports to inspire and engage Aseltine students.