Staff

Ian Hadley – 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 Find Your Voice Program Manager. She has always been a writer, even since an early age. At six, she was crying over the idea of never being able to read, but by eight, she was referring to her trusted World Atlas to create numerous country reports on staple-bound scrap paper with detailed Crayola drawings of the geography and appropriate flag. This research experience became useful when Paulette discovered her love for reporting, which pushed her to become an editor of her high school’s newspaper, and eventually an associate editor and art director of Xpress Magazine at San Francisco State University (SFSU), where she graduated in 2011 with her bachelor of arts in journalism.

Paulette then continued her studies and received a Multimedia Certificate through SFSU’s College of Extended Learning. She was introduced to 916 Ink when she was suffering a major creative block and wanted to find inspiration. Volunteering as an Inspirator helped push her to achieve goals that she had previously been unaware of. She now serves as the Program Manager to 916 Ink, happy to be contributing to her community and helping youth realize their own imagination and potential.

Maria Gavia is 916 Ink’s Office 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.  

Jay Oatis is the After School Programs Coordinator at 916 Ink. As a Teaching Artist for both Dancing Classrooms Philly and Dancing Classrooms New York, Jay taught social skills through ballroom dance to over 2,000 students. After moving to Sacramento from Brooklyn, NY, he discovered 916 Ink and began working as a Wordslinger, teaching in person and virtual Find Your Voice workshops. Jay was integral to the development of Ink TV, a YouTube series produced by 916 Ink during lockdown. When not working at 916 Ink, Jay also performs as A La Mode, the current reigning Miss Gay Sacramento. A La Mode currently teaches monthly workshops for LGBT youth at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Miss Mode has hosted and performed at: the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Pride, Metro EDGE Emerge Summit, Q Prom and more.

Miranda Williams, Read On! Program Coordinator, has always had a passion for writing. She has been creating stories ever since she could properly hold a pencil. When she wasn’t writing, she was begging her parents for a new book to add to her collection. The stories she read inspired her to somehow help change the world through writing. 

Miranda grew up in the Bay Area and moved to Sacramento to attend Sac State. While working on her B.A., she volunteered for Reading Partners. This helped foster a love for teaching by getting to work one-on-one with students to help them achieve their literacy goals. After attaining her degree, Miranda began working with Reading Partners full-time and that only reinforced her love for the amazing work she was doing. She joined the 916 Ink team in 2020 with open eyes and an eagerness to learn.

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.