Staff

Ian Hadley (He/Him/His)– Executive Director at 916 Ink – has been leading our organization since January of 2018. He has spent his entire professional career developing effective programs for underserved children and families, and he is eager to pick up the pen and help write the next amazing chapter in the 916 Ink story. Prior to working at Ink, his work involved building statewide programs that develop kindergarten readiness, youth life-skills development, as well as strong and healthy family dynamics. In ten years at the Child Abuse Prevention Center, he brought many innovative projects to scale with diverse partnerships including the First 5 Association, The Corporation for National and Community Service, and dozens of community-based nonprofits throughout California. His projects have been recognized at the local, state, and national level for their efficiency and impact.

Ian was inspired by 916 Ink for a number of years before joining the team, and he has also experienced the power of creative writing and self-expression first hand. Growing up in difficult circumstances while facing a number of early challenges, it was his connection to the written word that ultimately changed the trajectory of his life. He believes strongly that by helping youth experience that same positive connection to literacy, 916 Ink can continue to provide transformational experiences for youth throughout the Sacramento area.

Nikki Cardoza serves 916 Ink as the Director of Resources.  Before coming to 916 Ink, Nikki was active in the Sacramento writing community and as a volunteer for 916 Ink. She also worked full-time as an associate education lobbyist in state government, representing community colleges, school districts, and employee unions. 

Nikki’s experience working with nonprofit organizations began in 2003 when she started serving as a long-term volunteer for a faith-based aid organization in China. During this time, she also served as an editor and publication designer for China Compass Publishing. After a short sabbatical to focus on her education, Nikki returned to the workforce as a Volunteer Coordinator for International China Concern.

In 2015, she completed her undergraduate education at California State University, Sacramento, where she graduated with a degree in government. She continues to write for fun and is happily revisiting the best moments of her own childhood, reading all of her old favorite stories to her daughter Annie.

Paulette Greenhouse is 916 Ink's Community Program Manager.

Paulette (She/Her/Ella) is a bilingual (English/Spanish) writer, artist, and community leader, existing somewhere in between the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Mexico City. Creativity has always been at the forefront of Paulette’s life, driven by the intersection of her two worlds— cheeseburgers y tacos al pastor, Britney Spears y Selena, basketball y fútbol. Navigating creatively through her own exploration of self-identity, curiosity about the world around her, and a passion for storytelling has led her to where she is today.

Paulette graduated in 2011 from San Francisco State University with her Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism, followed by a Multimedia Certificate through their College of Extended Learning. She has helped 916 Ink grow for the past 8 years, having started as a volunteer and eventually graduating to her current position as Community Program Manager. She is passionate about live music, youth engagement, access to the arts, and her chihuahua Melvin.

Maria Gavia is 916 Ink’s Business Operations Manager. Prior to her work with 916 Ink, she taught English and Creative Writing at the high school level for four years. Maria holds a bachelor of arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as a master of fine arts and a secondary education teaching credential from San Jose State. She has served as a content editor for San Jose State's Reed Magazine and is an alumna of the VONA Voices workshop for writers of color. She has been working for 916 Ink since 2017, first as a Wordslinger and more recently taking on a myriad of essential responsibilities like assisting with book production, developing curriculum, and managing our facilities and inventory. When she’s not saving the day at 916 Ink, she can generally be found either at the gym, purchasing chocolate for her husband, spoiling her two cats, or professionally belly dancing.

Christina Nelson joined 916 Ink as the Read On! Program Manager in September 2020. She grew up in Pleasant Hill, CA where she was involved with working with youth and serving her community from a young age. Christina attended UC Davis where she earned her undergraduate degree in history and comparative literature, multiple subject teaching credential, and master's in education. She found her true calling in teaching reading when she served as an AmeriCorps member with Reading Partners Sacramento in 2014-2015.

Eventually she went on to work as a Program Manager with Reading Partners Sacramento from 2016-2020. It was during her time at Reading Partners that she became familiar with 916 Ink and co-facilitated a collaboration between the two organizations in 2017. Christina earned her reading certificate in 2018 and continues to enjoy learning all she can about literacy and its intersection with equity and social justice. Christina is eager to roll out the Read On! Program and continue to serve Sacramento students.  

When Christina is not teaching children to read she can be found rock climbing, hiking, cooking, reading (more often than not, children’s books), enjoying a bad SyFy shark movie, or spending time with her husband, family, and friends.  

Jade Rodgers, originally from Sacramento, CA, serves as the 916 Ink STEAM Academy AmeriCorps Manager. In 2008, she received a double Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Reconciliation Studies from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. Rodgers' philosophy is deeply tied to Ubuntu “my humanity is tied to your humanity.” She has made it her life’s work and commitment to positively impact BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and vulnerable communities through healing, authenticity, and empowerment.

Professionally, Rodgers has over 15 years of experience working in schools and youth development non-profit organizations in California, Minnesota, Louisiana, D.C., and South Africa. Rodgers' experience collaborating with educators, activists, and mental health professionals across the nation have fueled her passion for transforming systems and policies impacting disenfranchised communities, including holding space as a ‘Circle Keeper’ or Restorative Justice Facilitator. Rodgers is married to Gino and they have a beautiful two-year-old daughter named Indigo. In her spare time, she enjoys playing her ukulele, performing her original songs to small audiences, and traveling.

Angela De Claro serves as 916 Ink’s Find Your Voice Program Manager. She was born and raised in the East Bay and made her way to Sacramento State to study journalism, where she eventually became a D1 rower. After several years of being away from the Bay Area, Angela transferred to San Francisco State where she earned her BA degree in Journalism and International Relations. 

Early in her career, Angela worked as a freelance journalist and editor at several Bay Area publications, which led her to meet tech entrepreneurs, launching her career into the technology start-up industry. In 2014, she was a part of the team that led a start-up to a successful IPO, and onto the S&P/ASX 300 by 2016. She continued her SaaS sales career at TrustArc and Salesforce, where she introduced new emerging technologies to the market. 

After a fulfilling and successful career in the tech world in the Bay Area, she has returned to Sacramento and is eager to get back to her roots of storytelling by supporting 916 Ink's vision for inspiring the next generation of change-makers through the power of storytelling.

Jay Oatis is the After School Programs Coordinator/AmeriCorps Supervisor at 916 Ink. As a Teaching Artist for Dancing Classrooms Global, Jay taught social skills through ballroom dance to over 2,000 students in Philadelphia and New York. After moving to Sacramento from Brooklyn, NY, they discovered 916 Ink and began working as a Wordslinger, teaching in-person and virtual Find Your Voice workshops. Jay hosted and wrote Ink TV,  a 15-episode YouTube series from 916 Ink posted during COVID lockdown. They also hosted and co-wrote Scholar's Playground, an online 916 Ink workshop series in collaboration with Square Root Academy. They currently manage 30 programs a year across 7 school districts, bringing the joy of creative writing to students throughout the Sacramento region.

Zuzu Schmitke, Program Coordinator. Raised by two teachers, she has always had a passion for education and spent her elementary years holding "nature studies" in her room. After graduating high school, she moved to from her hometown Chandler, Minnesota to Sacramento to serve in Americorps City Year. As a City Year member, she developed a passion for student empowerment and advocacy both in and outside of the classroom. In 2019, Zuzu began volunteering with 916 Ink. She fell in love with the method and the opportunity provided to students to write without restraint. The Wordslinger she worked with while volunteering, Concepcion Tadeo, encouraged her to apply for the role. Outside of 916 Ink, she volunteers with an after school program in the Gardenland/Northgate neighborhood called the GreenHouse. Zuzu is also an activist and organizer with the Sunrise Movement and is dedicated to climate justice and a livable future for all people. 

Brooke Noble is the At-Promise Youth Coordinator. Shewas a student in the 916ink program during her 4 years of high school. She immediately fell in love with the program and attending the book release parties is what pushed her to want to work for 916ink. After she graduated high school, she became a Wordslinger. She now is 916ink’s At-Promise Youth Programs Coordinator and graduated from Sacramento State with a BA in social work.

Brooke has always loved to write and has a passion for reading as well. Creating newspapers for her elementary school, designing flyers for middle school programs, and volunteering with the elementary school next door by reading with them. She loves to teach and especially loves being called Ms. Brooke by her students.

In Brooke’s free time, she is most likely cuddling her cats, playing video games, or attempting to cook and/or bake something

Dan Barr is the Production Coordinator at 916 Ink. A lifelong student, Dan has been an archaeologist, a rare book dealer, travel journalist, frustrated writer, and free-range editor. But his first and greatest love has always been books and publishing. He’s excited to be able to help support the Sacramento area’s rich literacy future with 916 Ink and the young writers in its programs.

He attended the University of Maine, Machias, studying English and Book Arts, where he learned handset printing, bookbinding, and papermaking. While there, he did page design and typography for Julia and the Illuminated Baron and wrote the introduction for The Wreck of the Nottingham Galley, both published by the university’s Stone Island Press. He has won awards for his fiction writing. He’s always happy to give a book recommendation to anyone who asks . . . and occasionally people who don’t ask.