​Soundhari is in charge of all mental health and social emotional work at ChangeMakers Academy. She is a visionary in her dedication to using her mental health expertise to influence the culture and practices at our school. Soundhari has a Ph.D in clinical and school psychology from the University of Virginia as well as a Masters in Education. She is research based and data driven --- AND an incredibly caring and thoughtful leader. Caliber is very lucky to have Soundhari on our team! 

Words about Soundhari from her coworkers: 
"Soundhari is an incredible asset to the CMA family!  She has assisted in creating a school from ground 0, where we support the Social Emotional Development and Mental Health of all of our students.  Using her clinician background she has been able to contribute to supporting some of our most challenging students using a therapeutic mode.  Soundhari has been the leading woman in terms helping Caliber "Reimagine Education."  Thank you Soundhari for all that you do for staff, students, and families to create such a warm and welcoming environment for ALL!"

"Soundhari is always available and genuine. She remains consistent and present for not only the students but for staff as well. I really appreciate our discussions, laughs and feedback sessions. Soundhari checks in on me personally and professionally. She is a wonderful person and I am grateful to be working alongside such a grand professional. " 

"It's impossible to leave any conversation or interaction with Soundhari without a sense of joy. Her commitment to ChangeMakers extends far beyond just the students but to each and every teammate on campus, parent, and community member. Whether working with a student who's experiencing a challenging day to immediately pivoting and organizing an outstanding festival or fundraising drive with the Family Connections Committee, she helps bring the best out of all of us. And somehow, someway, she just knows the right snack to share to provide that afternoon pick-me-up." 

A recent interview with Soundhari! 
What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber?
This sounds cheesy, but everything!  The students, my colleagues, our families...what's not to love!  Every day a student will make me smile and laugh and to be surrounded by their joy and spirit is uplifting.  I also feel so grateful to be part of a team that values helping our students develop in multiple ways...in their academics, building their inner resilience, navigating conflict...working with educators who truly believe that students can learn and grow is a gift.   

What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?
So much of enjoying a class depended on the teacher for me, when they were positive and excited about the subject and about me as a student...those were the times I really got into a class.

What is your favorite memory associated with music (maybe a memorable concert, or playing an instrument yourself!)?
I played the violin for years and enjoyed the friends I made through my school orchestras.  Spoiler, I was a nerd.

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go?
So many options, what to choose?!  I've always wanted to go to Greece and sightsee and lie on the beach. 

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically Vallejo)?
Vallejo is rich in so many cultures.  My family is multicultural and I think the mixing and melding of cultures in Vallejo is beautiful.  Also, the food :) .     

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you?
In 2004, when I lived in Boston, a local furniture store had a deal that if the Red Sox won the World Series that people would get refunds on the furniture they bought.  We watched the Red Sox sweep the Cardinals and celebrated a World Series win and a free couch!

Andy Grossman is in his third year at Caliber, and has been teaching for 15 years total. He is a constant presence on campus at Caliber Beta Academy; he seems to be everywhere at once! Andy always has a smile on his face, loves our students to no end, and is incredibly committed to the Caliber model, heart, and soul. We are so lucky to have Andy Grossman as a leader of this team. 

Words about Andy from his coworkers: 
"Andy has become almost inseparable from the culture of Caliber: Beta. Every time he enters a classroom, there are students excited to see him, and curious to see what he will add to the environment. He has joyfully led the school in assemblies, risen the bar of the teaching practice, and worked hard to make us all more grateful to be a fire breathing, book reading Caliber Dragon alongside him." 

"Andy lives and breathes the SMART pillar and our professional ethics. He challenges us all to be better and do better because our kids deserve that from us. He has superhero capacity and is everywhere at once, usually voice to texting as he goes. I have learned so much about leadership from working with Andy." 

"Andy is an inspiration and a force of nature.  Every day he brings a deep love and care for the community that he expresses through being willing to do whatever it takes to make Caliber: Beta the best school possible.  There are many, many stories that exemplify his leadership and our values.  For months last year he drove students back and forth to school each day just so that they could continue to attend our school.  He rises and roars each day.  I feel blessed to be able to work alongside such a Dragon!" 
​
A recent interview with Andy: 
What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber?
The sense of community and commitment.  The feeling that we are all committed to pulling in the same direction and doing what is best for kids.  We ask each other hard questions, we push our practice rather than just accepting what is status quo and we do it in the name of figuring out how to best serve our kids and their families.
And I am going to cheat and give a second thing... which is obviously the kids.  I have been in education for 15 years and I have never been at a school where I get so many hugs, smiles, good mornings and just general love from kids. This really is a special community of students and I am thankful for every day I get to spend with them.
  
What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why?
I am going to answer with the opposite and explain my least favorite, which was math! Which ironically is now my favorite to teach and work with teachers on.  I felt like I was always just being asked to memorize rules and it didn't matter if I understood why those rules worked.  Now I love helping kids understand the reasons behind the numbers and getting to see the light bulb go off in their head when they understand why their answer makes sense.
I also love teaching and singing math songs.  Feel free to ask me to sing one for you sometime.

What is your favorite memory associated with music?
Besides math songs?
I once met Ice Cube outside a club in Barcelona.  We may or may not have beat boxed together.

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go?
It's mostly who I would go with, which is my wife, Christi, who I love to go anywhere with.

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically about Richmond!)?
Living in Oakland for the last 17 years, I can truly say there is really is no place like the bay. It is such a beautiful place. I find myself stuck in traffic on my way home from work and instead of being annoyed, I look out my window at the sun setting behind the Golden Gate Bridge and I think to myself, man am I lucky to be here.
I also love and feel lucky to be living in a place with so many different people from different cultures. I can walk down the street and hear multiple languages being spoken, smell food from anywhere in the world and meet people with so many amazing ideas and perspectives who teach me things that help me be a better version of myself.

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you?
I thought the Ice Cube one was pretty obscure... ok, let me see... this summer Christi and I went on a backpacking trip where we were dropped off in the wilderness by a bush plane and then picked up 3 days later. We managed to survive all while crossing over a glacier on foot by ourselves, fording the coldest river I have ever been in and sliding about a thousand feet down a the side of a mountain on our behinds because it was way to steep to even attempt to walk down.

Andy is amazing. Say hi and get to know him when you come visit Caliber Beta Academy! 

Meet Rui Bao! Rui is The Head of Data & New Schools at Caliber. She has been with Caliber from the early days in 2014.  Rui was born in China and grew up in St. Louis and then went to college at Yale where she graduated with a degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. Prior to  Caliber, Rui was a Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company where she worked closely with clients on a topics such as long-term strategy to improving and sustaining operational efficiency. Prior to McKinsey, Rui worked at United Way and America's Promise Alliance.  Rui LOVES to cook, travel and push her boundaries. You will often hear her talking about explorations and adventures like skydiving, improv classes, Game of Throne parties, and Escape the Room (she is an expert). Rui is also an organization and strategy guru who is known around Caliber for sharing her email classification system. Rui does A TON of behind the scenes work at Caliber and has her hands in almost every bucket. We are lucky to have her sharp mind and smiling face in our organization. Congratulations, Ru and keep up the amazing work! 

Words about Rui from her team: 

• Rui always pitches in. She takes on every challenge, even if it is outside of her technical job description. Last year she worked with our 8th graders to make sure they had good high school choices. She has recruited families, written grant applications and reports, and worked with our coding team. There's nothing she won't try to do if asked or if she sees it needs doing.
• Rui is a project manager extraordinaire! She excels at managing multiple work streams and keeps everyone focused on the task at hand with clear next steps and deadlines. From negotiating with vendors to helping define Caliber's strategic vision and model, Rui is the glue that holds Caliber together. Rui takes on so much behind the scenes and is a great ambassador for Caliber in the broader education community. Many people may not know that in addition to everything she does with Caliber,  she also leads a work group of innovative data leaders and participates in a prestigious leadership residency program. Finally,  she is an excel wizard and an awesome cook to boot! I'm so lucky to collaborate with Rui around data and have already learned so many things from working with her!
• In addition to being a data wizard and leader at Caliber, Rui is extremely genuine, warm, and caring. She brings a smile to everything she does and is always willing to be a sounding board for her coworkers. She is devoted to Caliber in a very serious way and is an absolute pleasure to work with. I can't imagine Caliber without Rui! 

All about Rui! 
1. What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber?
I have so many! On the top of the list is definitely the people. Everyone here is so passionate, thoughtful, hardworking, and intelligent.

2. What was your favorite subject growing up? 
It was always so teacher dependent. I particularly loved my American Lit teacher and my biology teacher, who both were so passionate about their subjects and challenged me every day

3. What is your favorite memory associated with music? 
I love musicals, and my first Broadway show was Wicked -- a musical I had been obsessed with for years. It was such an amazing experience!

4. What is your dream vacation + what would you do there? 
Antarctica! I went glacier hiking a few years ago and loved it, and think Antarctica would be stunning. Plus, it would be my last continent.

5. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area?
What's not to love? Great weather, proximity to amazing nature, amazing food.

6. What's a fun fact that most people might not know about you?! 
​English is actually my second language! I was born in China and moved to the US when I was six with zero English skills. Funnily enough, my forward-thinking elementary school actually had a Spanish class-- but I actually didn't realize it was a third language I was learning. I distinctly remember my Spanish teacher holding up a red circle and saying "rojo," and I knew the word "red" at this point, but I thought maybe something that was red and circular was rojo. So I would point at apples or red balls and say "rojo" and my teachers just thought I was really excited about my expanding Spanish vocabulary.

Rui, Caliber is so lucky to have you!