Meet the Team

Our Core Team

Chief Product Officer

Dean of Student Affairs

Kelli Sammis, Ed.D.

Dean of Student Success

Bianca Gasparri

Director of Educator Development

Jeff Fenchel

Director of Tech and Finance

Shania Sharma

Learning Experience Designer

Elizabeth Siliato Bailey

Product Operations Manager

Karen Walton

Educator Development Counselor

Mona Nesmith

Educator Development Counselor

Finance & Technology Administrator

Ilana Nankin, Ph.D.

Founder & Co-CEO

Dr. Ilana Nankin — Founder and Co-CEO of Breathe for Change — is an award-winning entrepreneur, teacher educator, and former public school teacher. Ilana earned degrees in psychology and education from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student learning, and the transformative impact of wellness and social-emotional learning on classroom communities.

Inspired by her research, she founded Breathe for Change — a movement dedicated to bringing wellness, inspiration, and community to every educator and student in the world. As one of the lead professors of this Human Intelligence course, Ilana weaves her expertise in embodied awareness, social-emotional learning, and systemic well-being throughout the curriculum. Her leadership and vision ground the course’s theory of change: empowering educators to transform themselves, transform their teaching, and ultimately transform the way students learn. Ilana lives in San Francisco, and is also the proud mother of two precious daughters, Aliya and Zoe, and applies everything she knows from being a pre-k teacher to her role as a parent.

Michael Fenchel

Co-Founder & Co-CEO

Michael Fenchel, Breathe for Change’s Co-founder and Co-CEO, is a transformative educator and social entrepreneur who has founded four mission-driven organizations at the intersection of education, well-being, and community-building. He brings over two decades of experience designing and leading programs that help individuals and communities develop the inner capacities needed to unleash their potential and foster meaningful impact. His work is grounded in a deep commitment to translating insight into action, supporting leaders in aligning personal purpose with collective transformation.

A lifelong learner of both science and spirit, Michael holds a degree in math and physics from the University of Michigan and has been a dedicated meditation practitioner for over 20 years. He is especially passionate about integrating rigorous analytical thinking with contemplative practice, creative expression, and embodied learning. Outside of work, he is an avid freestyle rapper, using improvisation and rhythm as a playful doorway into presence, creativity, and human connection–core elements of the Human Intelligence framework he brings to this course.

Sam Levine

Chief Product Officer

Sam Levine is the Chief Product Officer at Breathe for Change, a member of the founding team, and a Professor of Psychology and Mindfulness. He began his career as an educator, first as an ESL teacher in the Middle East and later as a middle school science teacher in Washington, D.C. Sam holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University with a concentration in mind-body and spirituality practices. A longtime mindfulness practitioner, Sam integrates contemplative practice with modern psychological science to cultivate awareness, compassion, and resilience. Over the past decade, he has taught social-emotional learning, wellness, and leadership skills to educators, organizational teams, and business leaders. His interdisciplinary background bridges evidence-based research with practical tools for embodied teaching and personal transformation.

Julia Bond

Chief Growth Officer

As CGO, Julia Bond leads growth marketing and sales at Breathe for Change, where she drives revenue to expand the organization’s impact while staying true to its values of developing the full human potential of every educator and student. She brings a rare blend of analytical rigor and creative strategy to advance what’s possible in the cultivation of human intelligence.

Before joining Breathe for Change, Julia was the co-founder and CEO of Yoga Ed., acquired by Breathe for Change in 2023. A lifelong learner who began coding at age 10 and practicing mindfulness soon after, Julia earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology: Brain and Behavior from Brown University, where she explored the intersection of neuroscience, education, psychology, and human connection.

Her unique expertise bridges science and humanity, turning data and insight into real-world impact. Julia lives in Honolulu, Hawai’i, where she finds daily joy in her children, her horse, somatic practices, and the natural world that continues to inspire her belief in humanity’s full potential.

Jason Bornhorst

Chief AI Officer

Jason is an entrepreneur based in Austin who has spent his career building software in regulated markets—travel, healthcare, and fintech. He led product at Mobiata (acquired by Expedia, 2010), and co-founded Patient IO (acquired by athenahealth, 2016) and First Dollar (acquired by Inspira Financial, 2025).

Jason studied computer science and entrepreneurship at Michigan, where he founded Michigan’s student startup incubator, TechArb, and co-founded DoGood (acquired by Tonic, 2010). He spends a lot of time with Michigan students, and received the University’s ZEAL award recognizing a lifetime of entrepreneurial service.

These days he is living on the frontier of AI development, tinkering on side projects, and helping founders navigate startup M&A at Exitwise. Find him at www.jbornhorst.com

Julia Cremin

Dean of Student Affairs

Julia Cremin is the Dean of Student Affairs at Breathe for Change, where she shapes a supportive and engaging student experience. With an education background, Julia taught elementary and middle school, designed academic and SEL curriculum, and as a certified yoga teacher and SEL*F facilitator, built and facilitated mindfulness programs for youth. This experience continues to shape the human-centered approach to her work.

During her tenure at Breathe for Change, she previously served in senior operations and leadership roles, where she was responsible for scaling systems, strengthening teams, and elevating the participant experience. In her current role, Julia is guided by a student-first philosophy. When systems are clear and support is intentional, students are free to focus on what matters most: learning, growth, and impact. Outside of work, Julia maintains a dedicated yoga and mindfulness practice and lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, an educator and soon-to-be graduate of the Breathe for Change master’s program, and their 11-year-old daughter.

Kelli Sammis, Ed.D.

Dean of Student Success

Kelli Sammis spent nearly 30 years in public education, serving as a classroom teacher, principal, and district Director of School Leadership. After earning her doctorate in curriculum from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, she designed induction and professional learning programs grounded in positive behavior, systems thinking, mindful practices, and social-emotional well-being. She is also a 500-hour E-RYT yoga instructor, a certified meditation teacher, and an Ayurvedic health coach—training that continues to shape her approach to educational leadership.

One of her greatest strengths is coaching and empowering school leaders to create environments of health and well-being for their staff so that ultimately staff are doing the same thing for the students and families they serve. She firmly believes that without wellness being kept as a priority at the leadership level, schools will never perform at the level of expectations that our state legislature is setting for them.

Bianca Gasparri

Director of Educator Development

Bianca Gasparri is the Director of Educator Development at Breathe for Change, where she oversees admissions and enrollment while supporting educators through a thoughtful, human-centered journey into the organization’s programs. Her work is deeply informed by her background as a middle school special education and general education teacher, where she witnessed firsthand how social-emotional learning and breathwork could transform classroom culture. Seeing students gain tools they could carry with them beyond school affirmed her belief that SEL and wellness are essential life skills, not extras.

In addition to her classroom experience, Bianca worked closely with school districts to leverage Title funding to design and implement SEL and wellness rooms and programs. She holds master’s degrees in Inclusive Education and Educational Leadership and was named Teacher of the Year in 2021. Bianca brings clarity, warmth, and high standards to her work, grounded in a deep respect for educators and the real challenges they face. Outside of work, she loves cooking, reading historical fiction (especially Kristin Hannah), and spending time with her dog, Ziti.

Jeff Fenchel

Director of Tech and Finance

Jeff Fenchel is the Director of Technology and Finance at Breathe for Change, where he leads the systems and infrastructure that support the organization’s learning platforms, financial operations, and long-term growth. His career spans education, nonprofit work, and technology, with prior roles in tutoring coordination, educational program support, and operations. Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Edgewood College and has additional training in computer science and programming, bringing analytical thinking and practical problem-solving to his work.

At Breathe for Change, Jeff supports leadership through clear financial modeling, thoughtful technical systems, and data-informed decision-making that helps the organization operate sustainably and with confidence. He is known for his adaptable, grounded approach and his ability to bridge finance and technology in service of mission-driven work. Jeff lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he enjoys spending time outdoors biking, kayaking, running, playing frisbee, and being with his family, bringing the same balance and steadiness from his life outside work into how he shows up on the team.

Shania Sharma

Learning Experience Designer

Shania is a Learning Experience Designer on a mission to creates courses that help people build fulfilling and connected lives. Her work centers on translating research in psychology and human behavior into practical, engaging learning that supports how people collaborate with and lead others.

She grew up in Mumbai, India and moved to the US to pursue an undergraduate degree in Organizational Psychology from Claremont McKenna College. Her interest in helping individuals thrive at work led her to Hone, where she designed leadership and people-skills training, and later to myPlace Health, where she collaborated with physicians to develop the What Matters Most training program—training healthcare professionals to identify patients’ priorities and align care and decision-making to those priorities. At Breathe for Change, she is working on building out a transformative Human Intelligence Curriculum for educators.

Outside of work, you can find Shania dancing at a bachata night, listening to music, or hosting gatherings at her home in Pasadena.

Elizabeth Siliato Bailey

Product Operations Manager

Elizabeth Siliato Bailey is the Product Operations Manager at Breathe for Change, overseeing the infrastructure of our learning platforms, live programming, communications, and more! Known among colleagues as the “encyclopedia,” Elizabeth has been a dedicated member of the team since 2018, supporting multiple phases of growth and evolution. Through this role, Elizabeth honors a deep commitment to wellness, education, and service. Her background includes caring for children with exceptional needs, earning a B.A. in Psychology, completing a service year with AmeriCorps NCCC, becoming a Certified Nonprofit Professional, leading Early Childhood Education classrooms while completing her M.A. in Education and Human Development, volunteering in a Relationships Studies Lab, and teaching yoga classes and yoga teacher training. She is also a part-time adjunct lecturer, teaching online undergraduate and graduate courses in Human Development and Family Relationships. Outside of work, Elizabeth is a wife, a mother of two, a dog’s human, a musician, and a lover of learning about all things health and wellness. Elizabeth approaches her work with care, precision, and a strong belief in the power of education to foster individual and collective well-being.

Karen Walton

Educator Development Counselor

Karen Walton is an Educator Development Counselor who supports educators through a thoughtful, human centered journey into professional learning and development programs. She brings more than 23 years of sales experience into her work, which shows up as strong listening, clear communication, and a steady ability to help people make confident decisions.

Karen is known for creating clarity and momentum. She asks great questions, understands what matters most to each educator, and helps them map a path that feels aligned, realistic, and empowering. Her approach is warm and relational while still being highly organized and outcomes focused, so educators feel both supported and guided.

Outside of work, Karen loves personal growth, community, and meaningful conversations that help people reconnect with their purpose.

Mona Nesmith

Educator Development Counselor

Mona is a results-driven admissions and student services professional with 10+ years of experience in higher education, progressing from Senior Admissions Representative to Student Manager and Manager of Admissions. She specializes in guiding students through the full enrollment lifecycle, supporting onboarding, financial aid readiness, and academic success.

Mona is also a proven leader in team development, delivering one-on-one coaching, call evaluations, and performance-driven trainings that elevate results. She has experience in on-ground admissions for BSN programs, managing onboarding, student engagement, recruitment, and HESI exam coordination.

Mona holds a Master of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management. Outside of work, Mona is the proud mother of three sons.

Tayler Moore

Content Manager

Tayler Moore brings a decade of education experience to Breathe for Change, including seven years as a middle school teacher and three years designing online curriculum for students across the country. Now leading social media and content management, she translates the principles of Human Intelligence into accessible, inspiring content that reaches educators around the world. Tayler helps amplify the voices and stories of teachers transforming their practice through wellness, community, and whole-person learning.

Her work is grounded in the belief that education and sustainability are deeply connected, that when we support the well-being of educators, we create the conditions for students to thrive, and when we cultivate mindful, intentional communities, we contribute to a healthier planet. This philosophy shows up in how she approaches storytelling, always looking for ways to connect individual transformation to collective impact.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where she still lives today, Tayler is a proud mother of two and passionate about building connections both online and off. When she’s not crafting content that supports educator well-being, you’ll find her exploring new coffee shops, spending quality time with family, and finding small ways to live more sustainably every day.

Jordan Betito

Support Specialist

Jordan is the Support Specialist at Breathe for Change. She is a huge advocate for Social and Emotional Well-being, with her career beginning as a kindergarten teacher in Columbia, MD. She has over five years of experience as an educator, where she worked with diverse students and provided mentorship, guidance, and SEL support. Her goal is to impact more individuals with the importance of SEL and to transform the learning experience for students all around the world – starting with supporting our amazing students in the Breathe for Change program.

Alex Garner

Finance & Technology Administrator

Alex Garner is the Finance & Technology Administrator at Breathe for Change. In addition to building and maintaining important data structures, overseeing impactful B2B & B2C financial arrangements, and teasing vital indicators out of custom data analysis, Alex contributes to his community through free Yoga and Music lessons, and organizing events to celebrate collective creativity.

Currently living in a beautiful valley in the Ecuadorian Andes, Alex’s diverse professional background includes designing hardware upgrades to the LHC at CERN, owning and operating businesses in foreign markets, and being a featured performer for over 50,000 people as a professional Magician. His years contributing to the mission and impact that Breathe for Change has driven in the education space are a source of immense pride.

Our Faculty

Allison Briscoe-Smith, Ph.D.

Faculty, Mental Health and Education

Michael Jacob, M.D., Ph.D.

Faculty, Neuroscience

Khushali Narechania

Faculty, AI & Learning

Barbara Malkas, Ed.D.

Faculty, Educational Leadership

Beth Schreiber

Faculty, Educational Leadership

Michelle Cordero, MFA

Faculty, Yoga

Adriana Robertson

Faculty, Somatic Practices

Allison Briscoe-Smith, Ph.D.

Faculty, Mental Health and Education

Allison Briscoe-Smith, PhD, is a child clinical psychologist and educational leader who has spent over two decades helping schools, nonprofits, and media organizations design environments of belonging, emotional safety, and equitable support. She earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard and her PhD in clinical psychology from UC Berkeley, and completed specialized postdoctoral training in trauma and ethnic minority mental health at UCSF. In her work she addresses how children—especially those from marginalized backgrounds—experience identity, bias, trauma, and resilience, and she helps educators and leaders translate psychological insight into practice.

She is currently serving as the Diversity Lead for Student Life at the University of Washington and as a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, where she works on bridging differences across communities. As a consultant, trainer, and speaker, Allison brings a rare combination of clinical depth, pedagogical skill, and cultural fluency to support organizations in navigating conflict, identity, and healing. Her expertise in trauma-informed practices, belonging, and child development makes her a powerful subject matter expert for curriculum, student well-being, and inclusive learning systems.

Michael Jacob, M.D., Ph.D.

Faculty, Neuroscience

Michael Jacob MD, PhD, is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and an affiliate of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. As a physician-scientist, he studies the dynamic relationship between the brain and body, particularly how heart–brain communication shapes emotion, cognition, and human intelligence. His research on mind–heart coherence explores how synchronized neural and cardiac activity supports focus, emotional regulation, and well-being, providing new insights into the biological basis of resilience and mental health.

Using advanced brain imaging and heart monitoring techniques, Dr. Jacob studies how the body’s internal rhythms—such as heartbeat and brainwave patterns—work together to shape perception, emotion, and behavior in both healthy individuals and those with mental health conditions. He brings deep expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry, and human performance to help design curriculum that bridges science and practice.

Khushali Narechania

Faculty, AI & Learning

Khushali Narechania is the Director of Learning at aiEDU, where she leads the design of AI literacy curriculum and professional learning for educators. A former high school math teacher, she has built scalable, practice-based teacher training models and led national content and methods programs at Relay Graduate School. Her work bridges artificial and human intelligence, exploring how AI can enhance teaching and learning —including skills like critical thinking, memory, metacognition, and creativity.

Khushali believes AI should serve as a collaborator in learning, helping students and teachers deepen understanding rather than replace human thinking. She brings a strong background in both pedagogy and educational innovation, with experience in designing tech-enabled teacher development programs. Her vision centers on empowering educators and learners to engage with AI as a tool for expanding human potential and transforming the future of learning.

Barbara Malkas, Ed.D.

Faculty, Educational Leadership

Barbara Malkas has served as an educator for over 36 years in the roles of science teacher, school administrator, district administrator, deputy superintendent, and superintendent. In each of her districts and roles, she has strived to improve the quality of education for all students, particularly those representing underserved populations. Her own experiences in education contribute to her belief that education is the key to lifelong satisfaction and meaning. Barbara Malkas holds a Bachelor of Sciences in Chemistry from St. Joseph’s College of Brooklyn, New York, a Master of Science degree in Science Education from St. John’s University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Sage Colleges of Albany.

In 2024, Dr. Malkas was awarded the Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year. In 2025, she was the recipient of the Christos Daoulas Award, the highest honor bestowed on a Massachusetts superintendent and the Women in Educational Leadership Network award. Dr. Malkas has also served as the President of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, President of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, and treasurer of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. Dr. Malkas resides in Clarksburg, MA with her husband, also an educator, and their three rescue dogs. She is the proud parent of two gainfully employed adult children, her daughter, Kristin, is a Lieutenant Commander and aviator for the United State Coast Guard and her son, Eric, is a video game developer and quality assurance engineer for bungee.

Beth Schreiber

Faculty, Educational Leadership

Elizabeth Knapp Schreiber is an accomplished educational leader and specialist based in Stevensville, Montana, currently serving as the District Curriculum and Title 1 Director for Stevensville Schools. With a career spanning over two decades, she has held diverse roles ranging from elementary and middle school teaching to high-level administration, including serving as a Full-Time Administrative Designee and acting primary school principal. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to systemic improvement, having facilitated district-wide initiatives for technology planning, curriculum alignment to Montana Core Standards, and the implementation of positive behavioral models (MBI).

A recognized expert in wellness and social-emotional learning (SEL), Elizabeth holds a Master of Science in Education in Yoga, Mindfulness, and Social Emotional Learning, as well as a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. She translates this expertise into practice as an Adjunct Professor and Lead Instructor for Breathe For Change, where she mentors educators and facilitates professional development focused on trauma-informed strategies and self-regulation. Her influence extends to the state level, where she has served as a keynote speaker and presenter for the School Administrators of Montana (SAM), advocating for resilient leadership and regulated learning environments.

Beyond her administrative and academic achievements, Elizabeth is driven by a profound personal mission: the inspiration and healing of teachers. She believes that by empowering educators to become the best versions of themselves, they can serve as catalysts for broader change. Her work is dedicated to fostering teacher wellness as a fundamental strategy to help heal a wounded educational system, ensuring that both staff and students can thrive in safe, regulated, and compassionate environments.

Michelle Cordero, MFA

Faculty, Yoga

Michelle Cordero, Breathe For Change’s Head Trainer, has devoted the last 3 decades to deepening her connection to and sharing the powerful practice of yoga with the world. Michelle has led retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings internationally, and was voted “Best Yoga Teacher of the East Bay” by Oakland Magazine. She is certified at the highest level with the Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 & YACEP credentials.

Michelle’s greatest passion is inspiring educators to teach yoga in an inclusive and accessible way. She teaches with a sense of humor, curiosity and compassion. Michelle’s classes are inclusive, gender affirming, trauma-informed and uniquely tailored to meet the needs of each student regardless of experience, age, gender, or body shape.Michelle has contributed greatly to the development of Breathe For Change’s 200-hour Training, 300-hour Training, Professional Development offerings, and Educator Collective events.

Michelle has her Master’s Degree, a certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and is a Certified Wellness Coach and Craniosacral Work practitioner, and has trained with the Trauma Center’s Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TC-TSY) program and the Trauma Informed Resilience Oriented Approach (TIRO). She also completed a 75-hour Skill in Action training with Michelle C Johnson, focused on the intersection of Yoga and Social Justice. Michelle is inspired and honored to be guiding you along your yoga teaching journey.

Adriana Robertson

Faculty, Somatic Practices

Adriana Robertson is an entrepreneurial educator whose holistic programs have helped thousands of people find purpose, wellness, and belonging. She is co-founder of the conscious leadership company PRDX, and lead faculty at Soma+IQ, a world-leading breathwork certification. She also serves individuals and relationships as an embodiment coach.

Adriana is currently enrolled in Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing training, deepening her expertise in trauma-informed, body-based healing. Her roots are in K–12 education, where she led an after-school leadership program for under-resourced high school youth in Washington, DC, and taught yoga in elementary and middle schools. She later served as a Leadership Trainer at Harvard, where she developed the university’s first institution-wide training on belonging.

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When teachers come alive, students do too. When educators remember to breathe, the whole system begins to change.
This is a revolution in education. And it starts with you.

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