Abbey Gelineau, Program Manager
Abbey Gelineau is excited to join the Good For Kids staff as the Program Manager. Originally from the East Coast, she is a 2004 graduate of Skidmore College where she received her Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. She is currently working towards a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco. A previous counseling intern at A.P. Giannini Middle School in San Francisco, she had the opportunity to work one-on-one with a number of students needing extra support and guidance. As a prior pre-school teacher in Boston, MA, she realized that her true passion is helping today's youth lead successful and fulfilling lives.
Naomi Rifkin, Program Manager
Naomi Rifkin is thrilled to be a Program Manager for Good For Kids. Love for the creative process and the desire to mentor and inspire youth defines her passion and dedication to youth-centered programming. Central to her education philosophy is her belief that mentoring relationships are a powerful tool for inquiry in to the personal and phenomenal worlds. Naomi also expresses her interest in youth development in her work with Brush Fire Painting Workshops, a not-for-profit arts organization, she founded in April 2003. Her teaching experience includes positions as lead artist for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Zeum, Bay Area Discovery Museum, and a wide variety of schools and community centers. Naomi received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida State University and her Master of Arts in Journalism from The University of Florida.
Nicholas Wickes, Executive Director
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.
Coaches
Coaches are contracted for each scholarship session and are selected from a pool of local arts and sports professionals with experience in youth education.
