Our board

Dr. Debbie Bereki is a founding member of GCSN and has served on the board since its inception in 1993. Dr. Bereki earned her Ph.D. in science education from U.C. Santa Barbara and her B.S. in nutrition from U.C. Davis. She has more than 20 years of classroom experience teaching K-16 science courses and has been continuously devoted to improving science education by providing professional development for teachers, coordinating various outreach programs, and through her work with GCSN and numerous other professional organizations. She was the Coast Geological Society Earth Science Teacher of the Year in 1999 and earned the Amgen Award for Teacher Excellence in 1997. 

Debbie Gray comes to teacher after working in the Health field for many years.  She teaches high school in Palmdale, Los Angeles School District

Michelle Lourenco is an elementary teacher at Santa Paula Unified School District who also serves as a mentor teacher and member on the district's ELA leadership team and technology cohort. She has embraced NGSS and is passionate about infusing science into all parts of the school day. Michelle has served as a Lead Teacher for the VC STEMposium providing NGSS training and coaching to other elementary teachers and is also an NSTA Picture Perfect Science Teacher Trainer. Michelle has served on the GCSN board since January, 2018. 

Laura Chua joined the board in 2017 and is a resident of Oxnard, born and raised.  She teaches middle school science at Lemonwood School (the school she attended as a child) in the Oxnard School District as well as coaches the school's boys' and girls' volleyball teams. She earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Forensic Science from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 2011 and her teaching credential from CSUCI in 2014. She has been a presenter at various VCOE conferences such as the NGSS Rollouts.

Kristin Majda is a STEM Educator and former STEAM Literacy Coach for Santa Paula Unified School District where she trained and mentored teachers to help them implement the the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), as well as coordinated special programs to promote student interest in STEM careers. She currently works as the California Academic Specialist for Accelerate Learning, publisher of STEMscopes, helping to develop high-quality STEM curricula and professional development for K-12 teachers. Prior to becoming an educator, Kristin worked as a technical writer in the computer industry. She earned a BS in biology from UCSB with a minor in professional communication, and an MBA and MS in biotechnology from CSU Channel Islands. In addition to serving on the GCSN board since 2009, Kristin is an active member of the California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); and serves on the operating Council of the Discovery Center for Science and Technology.

Nathan Inouye began teaching remedial college algebra as an instructor’s assistant and then served two years as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica providing elementary environmental education and youth development training. Upon returning to the U.S., Nathan began teaching secondary science in the Los Angeles area before spending over a decade working for Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD), where he has taught a variety of science courses, started the AP Biology program at Adolfo Camarillo High School (ACHS), was the gifted and talented education (GATE) coordinator for over six years, and worked as the district's science resource teacher. Currently Nathan serves as the Assistant Director of Instructional Services at Moorpark Unified School District. Nathan has served on the GCSN board since 2004. 

Sharon King taught integrated science at Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades, California before retiring in 2015. She has a masters degree in education from California Lutheran University (has both an elementary credential and single subject credential in chemistry) and earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Prior to teaching, she worked as a research chemist, computer programmer, and stay-at-home mom. Sharon has served on the GCSN board since 2009.