About Us
Board Members
Mi Escuelita’s volunteer Board of Directors is responsible for establishing the mission, goals and policies for Mi Escuelita, while ensuring that the school is well managed and financially responsible.
To reach out to the current board members directly, email us at
Andrea Ortiz
Co-Chair
The mother of 2 Mi Escuelita children, Andrea started serving on the board in 2021 and is currently the Co-Chair. Andrea is a native Ecuadorian that came to the United States in 2004. She was an Au Pair for 2 children and has since attended college locally, worked as a banker, and currently is a local Real Estate Broker in Charge for Movil Realty. She loves being part of the cultural exchange at Mi Escuelita, and seeing kids prepare to start Kindergarten with the advantage of multiple languages.
Robin Kusel
Co-Chair
Robin joined the board in May 2022 and currently serves as Co-Chair. Robin has a son in Cometas at Mi Escuelita and has another son in the Solecitos class. She works as a digital editor and content strategist and also has prior experience volunteering with various groups, including Girl Scouts of the USA and Back on My Feet, a national nonprofit that combats homelessness through the power of fitness, community support, and essential employment and housing resources.
Jeff Glick
Treasurer
Jeff joined the board of directors in November 2022. He has a son in the Lunitas classroom and another son who graduated from Cometas in 2022. He has professional experience as a software engineer, data scientist and US Army Officer. While serving in the military in leadership positions, he gained experience planning and managing organizational budgets. Jeff previously served on an advisory board for a non-profit that provides transitional housing for homeless families. Jeff and his family live in Chapel Hill.
Andrew Ofstehage
Secretary
Andrew joined the board in March 2022 and now serves as the Secretary. Andrew's son Henry is a Solecito and loves coming to Mi Escuelita to see all his friends. Prior to joining the board, Andrew had board experience as the chairman of the Wageningen Student Organisation, secretary-treasurer of the Culture & Agriculture section of the American Anthropology Association, Founder and President of South Dakota Students for Fair Trade, and President of the UNC Society of Anthropology Students. He is currently a program coordinator in the International Programs Department at NC State, but he's still a Tar Heel.
Derek Miller
Derek and his wife Jennifer joined the Mi Escuelita community in 2016. Since then, two of their children have graduated from ME and gone on to dual language programs in elementary school. Their youngest two children attend ME now, in Estrellitas and Solecitos. Derek works as a nurse educator and burn outreach & prevention specialist for UNC Hospitals. He joined the ME Board in September 2022.
Mark Coupland
Mark has served on the Board of Directors at Mi Escuelita since 2017 in multiple roles including Treasurer. Residing with his wife and 2 children in Chapel Hill, Mark is a senior executive at Dallas-based financial technology company GDS Link, and has over 20 years experience with capital markets, finance, financial risk management, and business development. Having managed financial analytics organizations as well as business development and sales teams, Mark has a wide range of experience contributing to the Mi Escuelita board and has assisted with committees surrounding fundraising, operations, teacher pay and more. Mark and his family love fostering community which is one of the reasons they are so passionate about Mi Escuelita.
Gabrielle Torres
Gabi Torres joined the Board of Directors in April 2023. She is from Curacao with Venezuelan roots. Gabi does not have children at Mi Escuelita but is the proud mom of two daughters. Gabi is a behavior analyst who has worked with children and adolescents for almost 20 years in homes, schools, clinics and community settings. After owning her own therapy clinic for 10 years, she now focuses on mentoring, training, and supervising people pursuing their careers in behavior analysis. She also works as an organizational behavior management consultant for small-to-mid sized organizations, and enjoys volunteering on non-profit and professional boards. She previously served as the VP of Teachers for a cooperative preschool in Virginia. She is excited to join the Mi Escuelita board and hopes to use her experience to support the Mi Escuelita community.
Lisbeth Hickey
Lisbeth Tengono Hickey joined the Mi Escuelita Board in April 2023. Lis is from Bogotá, Colombia. Her extended family immigrated to Brazil (25 members), and USA in Utah and North Carolina (10 members) . Lis has not had children in Mi Escuelita, but is the proud mom of Valentina who resides in Charlotte. Lis and her husband Robert have resided in Pittsboro, NC for 17 years. Lis was a Physical Therapist in Colombia and 1 year in Florida. When she moved to North Carolina she worked at Chatham County Schools for 10 years in the Dual Language Program (k-5 Elementary School). She worked as Project Covid-19 coordinator for region 4 at El Centro Hispano for 1 year and at present she is working for El Centro Hispano as the Education Manager. Lis collaborated and committed with the community, working with children and families with diverse cultures and traditions. She understands and has compassion for marginalized populations, specifically for families, and women who have experienced poverty, trauma, and homelessness. She is committed to and understanding of the role education plays in breaking the cycle of poverty. Lisbeth is very sensitive to student’s past history and current circumstances while in elementary school, and most importantly, understands what is needed for their success.
.jpg)
Michelle Martin Romero
Michelle (she/her/ella) joined the Board of Directors in June 2023. Michelle is a health equity researcher with developmental science training. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Public Health Education at UNCG. She also helps to run Amún Shéa School in El Salvador through her role as Board President of Perkin Educational Opportunities Foundation. Michelle’s son is currently in the Estrellitas classroom at Mi Escuelita and she’s excited to support Mi Escuelita’s vision and growth as a board member.