Advisory Board
Pradeep Gidwani
I am an MD, MPH, FAAP and a pediatrician and community health leader who work at the American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3, San Diego and Imperial Counties (AAP-CA3). I am on a team that provides Countywide Coordination and Support for two large scale community initiatives - Healthy Development Services and First Step Home Visiting funded by First 5 San Diego. Over the last 16 years, these communitywide programs have reached over 350,000 children and their families. I am a Past President of AAP-CA3 and a leader in San Diego’s Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) community. I am a frequent keynote speaker, and my expertise includes child development, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, childhood trauma, parents’ perception of childhood behaviors, and cultural issues in health care.
Jeremy Hodges
I have been working for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance since 2004. For many years I managed the avian conservation projects, working with some of the most endangered species in the world. For the past 12 years I have worked as a zookeeper for the vet hospital, currently functioning as the lead. I have two children, a 6-year old daughter and a 4-year old son.
Alex Mazloom
I am the co-founder and executive director of Mind Treasures. I escaped from Iran after the persecution of the Bahá’ís started in Iran in the early 1980s. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. I co-founded several start up engineering companies that were acquired by fortune 500 companies such as Qualcomm and Apple.
In 2006 I co-founded Mind Treasures (a US-based NGO) which focuses on eliminating Financial Illiteracy throughout the world. Since inception, Mind Treasures’ ABCs of Wealth, Character-based, Financial Literacy curriculum has been adopted in many countries globally and translated to different languages.
I started the “Transforming a Century-Old System” initiative in 2021 after noticing major effects of this derogatory system and how it prevents individuals, families, and communities to fully recognize and utilize their inherent community building potentials.
Charissa Melnik
I am co-owner of a BIPOC, women-owned lifestyle production company San Junipero Productions. My network of clients range from major networks to everyday brands. I have directed numerous series for Food Network, HGTV, MAX, PBS, Cooking Channel, YouTube and others. Not only do I serve as Director for these projects, but also as Producer. I have been recognized three times for my achievements with Emmy nominations for Outstanding Directing in a Lifestyle/Culinary Program. Branded Content is one my favorite mediums for story-telling and I've been able to spearhead exciting campaigns for Kroger, Miller Lite, Wayfair, GMC, Maybelline and others.
Ji Orloff
I am a certified AMS (American Montessori Society) and have taught at Montessori schools in San Diego and Shanghai before my family moved to Boston in 2013. I joined Concord Montessori School in Concord, MA as Admissions Director in early 2014 and became the school director five years later. I was glad to find Montessori 20 years ago when I was searching for a school for my then 3-year-old son. Sharing and promoting Montessori practice and philosophy has been my passion since.
Andy Ribner, PhD
I am a developmental scientist whose work focuses on early childhood cognitive development and education. My work is guided by the overarching goal of setting children up for success as they enter school and improving educational outcomes for all children—particularly children whose lives have been negatively affected by systemic inequity. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Chatham University and Research Associate in the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh. My primary area of study is on the development of children’s self-regulatory skills and their role in math learning in and out of classroom settings. Additionally, I study the antecedents and consequences of screen-based media use in young children. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, baking, hiking, camping, and giving into the demands of my 70lb canine son (Jax) and my human infant son (Beckett).
