CSCE Administration

Dr. Ida Oberman - Executive Director & Founder idao@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org

Executive Director Dr. Oberman is the founder of Community School. Dutch born and German educated, she is an immigrant to the US and learned English as a foreign language.   She has planned for over twenty years to start a multiculutural urban public Waldorf school  and since 2008 she has worked closely with Oakland Community Organizations (www.oaklandcommunity.org),a growing body of parents, educators, community leaders, and public officials in its execution to launch.  

Since its 2011 founding, Dr. Oberman has raised just over $1 million for the school from committed funders and individuals. She has built and extended networks for this first-of-its-kind intercultural public Waldorf initiative at the local, state, national and international level with partners  ranging from Alliance for Public Waldorf Education, Envision Learning Partners Bay Area Performance Network, BELL Learning and Alameda County Food Bank. In addition, each year she guides a group to present at the National American Education Research Association  Annual Meeting on the school's cutting edge work.

Education

• PhD, Stanford University, CA
• MA, Stanford University, CA
• BA, Swarthmore College, PA
• CA Teaching Certificate, HS Social Studies Multiple Subjects, San Francisco State University, CA
• Waldorf Certificate, HS, Handwork and German as a World Language, Waldorf Training, Stuttgart, Germany
• High School Diploma, Tuebingen Waldorf School, Tuebingen, Germany

Ms Adrienne Barnes, Chief Business Officer
adrienneb@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org

Ms. Adrienne Barnes, CBO, is excited to join Community School for Creative Education as an Oakland native and experienced financial professional. After working as an external consultant to CSCE for four years, Ms. Barnes brings her experience in finance and management in-house to CSCE as its first Chief Business Officer. 

Prior to joining CSCE, she worked in higher education, then in the non-profit sector managing lending in the charter school, healthcare, and grocery sectors. Ms. Barnes then managed budgeting and compliance for a variety of charter schools spanning grades TK-12. In her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors and attending her family’s sporting events.

Education

• Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College, Oakland, CA Master of Business Administration 
• Mills College, Oakland, CA Bachelor of Arts, Political, Legal and Economic Analysis 

Additional

• Citi Leadership Program for Opportunity Finance 
• Toastmasters International: Past Area Governor, President, and Vice President of Membership 
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Scholar
   

Kimberly Palmore, Business Operations Manager

kimberlyp@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org

Kimberly Palmore is thrilled to work as CSCE's Business Operations Manager and is looking forward to many years of rewarding service to this wonderful institution! Born and raised in Oakland, Kimberly graduated from Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, CA, and attended the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Child Development. 

After operating a family child care for over 10 years, Kimberly transitioned into the field of Education where she has worked in all facets of administration. Prior to joining CSCE, she worked at other Oakland charter schools, serving in the area of Accounting and Finance Management. 

In her spare time Kimberly enjoys spending time with her children, serving as a Girl Scout Troop leader and working as a Youth Ministry leader at her church. 

Amy Gaerlan, Dean of Support Services

amyg@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org

As our Reading Intervention teacher, Ms. Amy brings a calm patience that many of our students need. She studied literacy and speech pathology at Missouri University and volunteered in the classroom for a number of years before becoming part of our staff. Ms. Amy works to not only bring kids up to speed in reading development, but to develop a love of reading outside of the classroom. She keeps her own mini library within her classroom so that her students have easy access when it comes to finding books to read. Ms. Amy is also our ELPAC LEA and works with all staff members to ensure proper classroom support for our English Language Learners. Ms. Amy is on various committees within the school to help ensure that all of our students have the best academic success possible.   

Raúl Alcantar, Dean of School Culture
raula@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org

From way of Los Angeles, California Raúl J. Alcantar has spent his adult life learning, expanding, and building in the Oakland community. As a first-generation Xicano he moved to the Bay Area to pursue his undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley where he became involved in addressing such issue areas of educational inequity, lack of resources faced by marginalized communities, the intersections of race, class, and sexuality, and the power of art. Raúl is passionate about developing culturally-informed youth centered programming to achieve meaningful community transformations. He takes a holistic approach when working with youth and their families that is rooted in the love of self and community. With years of experience working in out-of-school settings, he has developed techniques to inspire and engage adults to become positive youth allies. 

Prior to joining CSCE, he worked to influence positive learning environments within the Oakland Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Department. As a certified ‘David P. Weikart Center for Youth’ Program Quality Program Assessor and Trainer, his work focuses on topics such as trauma-informed practices, equity and inclusion, and developing non-oppressive climates for educators and youth alike through a restorative justice framework. 

Yolanda Cordova, Office Manager and Family Liaison

yolandaa@communityschoolforcreativeeducation.org 

Ms. Yolanda Cordova brings a bright smile and professionalism to our front office.  As office manager, she is your go-to source for many of the questions you may have and is often the first face your children will see. Ms. Yolanda brings a level of dedication to CSCE and is an asset to our administrative team with her insight. Ms. Yolanda is also a dedicated mother who is always looking to go on a new adventure with her boys.