Nicholas Wickes, Executive Director and Board Chair
Nicholas Wickes is the founder and principle consultant for Tracebase Solution, LLC, a San Francisco based software quality consulting firm. In January 2006, he founded Good for Kids with Jessie Simms and Joyce Taira. Outside of work Nicholas is a certified ski instructor and tennis instructor for Tennis for Kids, a San Francsico based youth development non-profit. He serves on the board of Tennis for Kids and works closely with other local arts and sports organizations. Nicholas is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Jessie Simms, Secretary
Jessie Simms is a Child Life Specialist at Children's Hospital Oakland where she helps to reduce the stress of hospitalization and promote growth and development through therapeutic play and activities.. She has worked with children in a variety of settings throughout her life, including as a teacher in a school with primarily ADD, ADHD and Tourette’s Syndrome students, and in an affluent private school. She has worked at a preschool with children who were prenatally drug exposed and at a Lab School for graduate students earning their Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Jessie holds a Master’s Degree in Child Life.
Joyce Taira, Treasurer
Joyce Taira works for the Sierra Club, the nations largest nonprofit environmental organization. She also volunteers her time building homes with Habitat for Humanity. Joyce holds a B.S. degree from Boston College in Accounting. She is dedicated to the mission of Good for Kids and to providing children with hope for a brighter future, opportunities to succeed and exposure to the arts.
Thomas Rousseau
Thomas Rousseau is an administrator with the San Jose Unified School District. He serves as a middle school Assistant Principal. Previously Mr. Rousseau has served the students of San Jose Unified as Technology Resource Teacher, Elementary Classroom Teacher, and District Title 1 Resource Teacher. Prior to becoming an educator, Mr. Rousseau was Marketing Director for several media companies, consulted in Poland, and worked in advertising. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a BA in Psychology and a MBA. He received his teaching credential from San Jose State and is certified in Gifted and Talented Education. He is an advocate for all students' learning.
