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Our Teachers

Brady Gill

Remote Health Educator

For the last 16 years, Brady Gill has been working to create safe and playful spaces for kids. This journey began with years of working at Camp Tawonga in almost every role possible (including last summer as an Assistant Camp Director), as well as 6 years being a Camp Director for Camp Galileo and directing the After School Program at Park Day Elementary. Brady has also traveled the country working for Playworks as a play consultant, teaching schools how to have a physically and emotionally safe and inclusive recess. Brady is overjoyed to be working with the Prep team again this year. He loves the opportunity to speak openly and honestly with kids about all the complicated parts of growing up and treating each other and ourselves with respect and kindness.

Justin Cutter

Remote Health Educator

Justin has worked in education for 8 years, first as a co-director of The David Lynch Foundation for Conscious-Based Education in Japan, and starting in 2011, as the Founder and Chief Educator of Compass Green with which he has taught over 53,000 students around the USA. Through Compass Green, Justin has focused on educating youth about the impact of conventional agriculture has on their bodies and the environment, and the ways in which they can use their power as eaters to positively influence the planet. If he’s not in the classroom or one of the many community gardens in Oakland that he manages, Justin can probably be found in the waves off Ocean Beach, or backpacking somewhere in the Sierras.

Simone Tift

Health Educator

Simone is a Southern California native who moved to the Bay Area 7 years ago and graduated from UCSC with a double major in Anthropology and History of Art and Visual Culture. After graduating, Simone worked as a museum educator at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz teaching children of all ages how perspective and appreciation can be gained from studying art. There she discovered her joy of working with youth and finding creative ways to engage their developing brains. Simone combines her extensive training at Well Beyond Academics with her passion for art and creativity to engage youth in age appropriate, fun and dynamic ways. Outside of work Simone can be found visiting museums and art exhibitions around town or somewhere outside in nature, hiking, camping, and backpacking whenever possible!

Elissa Asch

Health Educator

Elissa Asch is a graduate of Middlebury College. She majored in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies and is a fluent Spanish speaker. As part of her studies, Elissa conducted research at universities nationwide on the impact of student hookup culture, pornographic and romantic media on youth. In 2023, she founded Consent Wise, which offers consent education to young adults. Elissa is also trained in survivor centered and trauma informed approaches, having worked for a sexual/domestic violence hotline and in restorative justice. Elissa’s role on the management team at Camp Tawonga has given Elissa invaluable experience in a broad range of current adolescent health and wellness issues. In her spare time, Elissa likes to have homemade pizza nights with her friends, relax on blankets in the sun, and swim in any lake or river she can find.

Eileen O’Kane

Board Member

Eileen O’Kane was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She and her partner live in Daly City, CA with their two children and loyal dog. For the past 19 years she has been a high school teacher where she has taught in the SFUSD, SF Archdiocese, and SF private schools. Currently, Eileen is a student advisor and History teacher at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco. As a mother and educator, Eileen knows first hand how imperative it is for children to have the kind of comprehensive and well designed sexual and mental health education that Well Beyond Academics delivers.

Blake Simpson

Board Member

Blake Simpson has built and grown some of the world’s most iconic brands by harnessing the power of responsible storytelling and creating consistent and compelling inside-out narratives. With more than 20 years of experience, she has a deep-rooted expertise in supporting large-scale enterprise strategies, executive leaders, employees, consumers, and communities through impactful strategic communications. Simpson serves as senior vice president and Chief Communications Officer for Adtalem where she leads global corporate communications, including investor, government, and media relations, and sustainability. Simpson is responsible for the development and implementation of Adtalem’s enterprise brand and communications strategy, sharing the compelling story of Adtalem to customers, shareholders, employees, and communities worldwide. Prior to Adtalem, Simpson served as senior vice president, communications, impact, events, access, and creative at Under Armour, Inc. where she played a key role in strengthening Under Armour’s reputation and enhancing category global communications and event strategy, ensuring consistent and compelling message delivery across earned and owned channels, and contributing to increased sales. Her previous work includes serving in various strategic communications leadership roles for brands such as CKE, Levi Strauss & Co., Yahoo, and NBC news. Simpson is also one of the founding members of CHIEF, a TEDx speaker, was an advisor for Fetch Rewards, and was named to PRWeek’s 2021 Hall of Femme.

“I’m excited to contribute to the mission-driven focus of WBA. Ensuring children at all ages are equipped with the right information and tools when it comes to topics surrounding their identity, sexual curiosity and social interaction is critical not only to their mental wellbeing, but to empowering them to live, lead and support others with confidence and empathy- something we need more of in today’s world”.

Simpson earned her Master of Science in journalism from Boston University and her Bachelor of Science in comparative politics from the University of California at Davis.

Bryan Saalfeld

Board Member

Bryan is an attorney and shareholder at Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney, where he represents businesses and individuals in all phases of litigation, focusing primarily on real estate, construction, and business litigation. Bryan holds an A.B. in History with a minor in Economics from Bowdoin College, and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Bryan lives in San Francisco with his wife and 3 children, and enjoys coaching sports, playing basketball and golf in his spare time. Bryan is honored to serve Well Beyond Academics and its mission in educating and promoting healthy lifestyles for children through its wellness programs.

Sarah Shapers

Program Coordinator and Health Educator

Sarah, a San Francisco native, brings over 7 years of experience as a sex educator, with 3 years dedicated to her role at WBA, where she has become an integral part of the team. In addition to her role as a P.R.E.P. Beyond educator, she serves as WBA’s Program Coordinator, overseeing the organization of all our partner relations. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from UCSC, where she not only completed her academic pursuits but also conducted lectures and workshops on consent and sexual health for college students. Having been involved with various startups and advocacy groups committed to sexual health, Sarah passionately advocates for comprehensive, inclusive, and medically accurate sex education that involves both the students and the adults who raise them. Recognizing the importance of early education in this field, she shifted her focus from ‘response’ oriented education for adults to ‘prevention’ for children. Sarah finds great fulfillment in working with kids. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys cooking, reading, and swimming in the ocean.

Taryn Estebez

Lead Health Educator

Taryn Estébez Is a proud SF native who has lived in LA, Europe, and South America, but can never stay away from the Bay Area too long. With a background in education and public health, she has spent most of the last decade serving thousands of youth in classrooms and after school programs. Her passion is providing judgment free, compassionate education that supports healthy youth development, relationships, decision making, mental health and wellness. She is Well Beyond Academics’s Lead Educator who trains and supports all incoming WBA educators. Taryn is the kind of person who believes in a second stomach for dessert, and that there is no such thing as laughing too loud, putting a Christmas tree up too early, or being too old to have a dance party in your room. In and outside of professional settings, she holds the power and magic of vulnerability, connection, and community dear.