Our Board

The Christine Hickman Memorial Fund

Supporting the Christine Hickman Legacy Class of 2034

We honor the life and legacy of our beloved founding board member, Christine Hickman, who passed away on April 18, 2026.

Christine was instrumental in helping bring Horizons to life at Francis Parker, serving first on the exploratory committee focused on how the school could “meet the needs of the community,” and later as a founding board member of Horizons San Diego. She believed deeply that every child, regardless of circumstance, deserves access to the opportunities, support, and encouragement needed to reach their full potential.

Christine cared not only about academic success, but about helping young people feel seen, valued, and inspired about what their future could become. She understood the power of education and enrichment to open doors, build confidence, and change the trajectory of a child’s life.

In her honor, Horizons San Diego will name its 2026 kindergarten cohort the Christine Hickman Legacy Class of 2034. These students will grow with Horizons over the next eight years, carrying forward Christine’s belief in the promise and potential of every child.

Horizons San Diego is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing tuition-free academic and enrichment programming for under-resourced students. 100% of gifts to the Christine Hickman Memorial Fund will directly support the students and experiences Christine so passionately championed.

With profound gratitude for Christine’s leadership, warmth, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to children, we invite you to honor her memory through a gift supporting the future she believed every child deserves.

Donate to The Christine Hickman Memorial Fund

Carin Canale-Theakston
Board Chair

  • Carin Canale-Theakston is a seasoned entrepreneur and impact investor with over 25 years of experience helping organizations navigate a myriad of complex business strategies. As a seasoned life science executive, she has had a strategic seat at the table in over 500 life science companies, having helped shape countless strategies – and often business models – over the two-plus decades she’s been working in the sector. Carin is currently an Independent Board Director for two life science companies and is actively involved on several non-profit boards including serving as vice chair of the board of directors for Biocom California and chair of its nominating-governance committee; a member of the board of managers for Life Science Cares San Diego and a member of the national leadership committee; a member of the board of trustees for Francis Parker School; and the founding chair of Horizons San Diego, a position she has held since the program was launched at Horizons at Francis Parker. 

    Carin previously was the founder and CEO of Canale Communications, a national life science strategic communications firm. She sold the company to Inizio, a multi-billion-dollar strategic partner for health an life sciences companies in 2019 and maintained and executive leadership role until the end of 2024. Carin founded Canale Communications in 2010 after serving as president of the life sciences division of international public relations firm Porter Novelli. Under her leadership, Canale Communications received the Best Places to Work Award from the San Diego Business Journal on multiple occasions. Carin also was named an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year, a “Woman of the Year” by the California Assembly, PR Week’s Outstanding Agency Professional, and she has been named to the “San Diego 500” list of influential business leaders in the life sciences for the past six years.

Alana McNulty
Board Treasurer

  • Alana McNulty is currently an Independent Board Director for Janux Therapeutics (NASDAQ: JANX), where she serves on the audit committee, and Lipidio Pharmaceuticals.  She also serves on the Advisory Board and Grants Committee for Life Science Cares, a community service organization for the life sciences industry, and is a board member for Female Athlete Volunteers (FAV), a community service organization she helped found in 2012. Over her career, Alana has led or played a key role in transactions with an aggregate value greater than $3 billion, including private and public financings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate partnerships, and debt financings.

Claire Deeks van der Lee
Board Secretary

  • Claire Deeks van der Lee graduated with a BA in International Affairs from Emory University and an MA from The George Washington University in International Affairs and Development, Claire has worked with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation in Hanoi, and the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Erika Assadi

  • Erika Assadi is the founding Executive Director of Horizons at Parker and brings over 15 years of experience as an educator and school administrator. She currently serves as Head of Teaching and Learning, JK-Grade 12, at Francis Parker School, where she leads curriculum alignment, professional development, and the school’s approach to instructional excellence across four divisions and two campuses. Her prior administrative roles, including Assistant Head of Lower School, Head of Integrative Programs JK-12, and Associate Director of Admissions, reflect a deep understanding of school operations, program design, and community engagement at every level.

    Before joining Parker in 2018, Erika was part of a founding team that helped grow an independent school in San Francisco from an idea into a thriving institution, where she served as Spanish Language Director, Director of Educational Technology, and Lead Teacher. A native Spanish speaker, she also worked for Savvas (formerly Pearson K-12 Learning), translating K-8 Social Studies curriculum for the state of California, and also supports Harvard READS lab.

    Erika graduated Summa Cum Laude and holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Concordia University Irvine and a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies-Early Childhood Education from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Irene Kim Coppedge

Kevin Yaley, Ph.D.

  • Kevin Yaley, Ph.D., has served as Head of Francis Parker School since 2010. Prior to joining Parker, he taught history, ethics, and philosophy for a decade at the University of San Diego High School. He also coached cross country, track and field, and soccer. Kevin chaired four California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) accreditation visits. He was a fellow of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Edward E. Ford Fellowship for Aspiring Heads and was awarded a fellowship to the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership’s Heads of Schools Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also served on the CAIS Board of Standards from 2008 to 2016.

    Kevin received bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Notre Dame, an additional master's degree from San Diego State University, and his doctorate in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego.

Jenny Woo

  • Jenny Woo, Ph.D. is a Harvard-trained educator, university lecturer, Partner at Amplified, and Founder/CEO of Mind Brain Emotion. With an MBA from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Education, she is passionate about helping people realize their potential from classroom to boardroom.

    Jenny has worked as a Montessori school director, a human capital consultant at Deloitte, an executive coach at Cisco, a career coach at UC Berkeley, a cognitive science researcher, and a certified fitness trainer.

    She is the creator of award-winning card games and mental health tools to help children and adults build emotional intelligence and communication skills. Her bestselling card game, 52 Essential Coping Skills, are used in homes, schools, and workplaces in 50+ countries. Dr. Woo has been featured in PBS, Parents, CNBC, FORTUNE, Forbes, and Business Insider. She is a frequent speaker on the topic of “Human Skills in the Age of AI” at educational institutions, nonprofits, and companies.

Karen Deschaine

  • Karen Deschaine is a corporate partner at the international law firm, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she represents clients in the life sciences sector, primarily in the biotechnology and therapeutics space.

    Karen has a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, with a concentration in Business Law, an M.B.A from Auburn University, with a concentration in Finance, and a B.S. from The United States Military Academy (West Point), with a major in Economics.  Before she was an attorney, Karen served for more than 7 years as an active-duty officer in the U.S. Army and commanded two companies.  

    Karen has been honored among the San Diego Business Journal’s “Women of Influence in Law” (2025), “Top 100 Leaders in Law” (2023), “Leaders in Law – M&A” (2020), and “Women Who Mean Business” (2011) and San Diego Metro Magazine’s “Women Who Impact San Diego” (2014) and “40 Under 40” (2011).  Karen hails from the Midwest but called San Diego home for more than 20 years. 

    Karen has two children - her son is a game play engineer for a video game company in San Jose, CA and her daughter is a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps, currently in flight school training to fly helicopters.

     

     

     

Patsy Tomlin

  • Patsy Tomlin is attending Columbia University’s M.S. in Nonprofit Management as she has been an involved community member in San Diego. 

    She has served as Board Chair for the Elementary Institute of Science (EIS) and is passionate about educational equity and access.

Mary Taylor

  • Mary Taylor serves as the Associate Chief Diversity Officer for Outreach and Success at SDSU. In her role, Mary oversees Educational Opportunity Programs, Outreach and Success; Inclusive SDSU; and the Office for Restorative Practices. Mary has over 18 years of student services experience and a passion for student access and success In the non-profit sector. 

    In 2014, she was the recipient of the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award for creating and developing the College Apps Academy Program and was a Janet Chrispeels Doctoral Fellow in Educational Leadership at UCSD in recognition of her work serving low income/underserved students and families. As a scholar, Mary has a research agenda focused on educational equity and access for marginalized and underserved students, Black student success in higher ed, college access, success and completion, and non-profit collaboration with educational institutions.

Kartik Shah

  • Kartik Shah is an experienced industry leader and company-builder who works for and advises multiple life sciences companies as a fractional executive. He currently serves as Chief Business Officer of Senticell and Tactile Therapeutics. Over his career, he has contributed to more than $1 billion in transactions.

    Mr. Shah has prior experience in K-12 education. At Wireless Generation, an education technology company, he ran the Custom Solutions and Product Management team.

    Mr. Shah holds a BSE and an MS from the University of Pennsylvania, where he advises the Bioengineering Department, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

    Mr. Shah came to the United States as an immigrant with very little means. He knows firsthand how opportunity can change the course of a life. He is committed to Horizons San Diego’s work to close the learning gap in reading and math to help similar groups maintain and surpass grade-level education standards.