Aurora School
Board of Directors
The Aurora School Board of Directors is a supportive and forward-thinking group comprised of Aurora parents and friends who care deeply about the school. This group of leaders volunteer their time and expertise to ensure that Aurora stays fiscally strong and that the Aurora mission continues to thrive for years to come.
John Brown, President
John has been a marketing professional for more than 20 years. He currently heads the marketing department of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a Silicon Valley law firm focused on technology and growth enterprises. His previous work experience includes positions with Robertson Stephens, Montgomery Securities, The Washington Opera, and The Kennedy Center. John received a graduate degree in Public Communication from American University in Washington, D.C. and undergraduate degrees in communication and theater from U.C. Santa Barbara. He and his wife Jenny are the proud parents of Sophie (Aurora alumna) and Alex (Aurora 3rd-grader).
Byron Kennedy, Treasurer
Byron is a seasoned information technology and business leader with over twenty years’ experience leading cross-functional teams through a variety of projects, programs, and operations, including large-scale technology transformation, finance, and customer service. Byron currently owns and leads an education-focused technology services business. Previously, as a technology and business consultant, he worked with small businesses, rapid-growth startups, non-profits, and large organizations including work with the Associated Press, the City of Fremont, and the US Navy. He received his BS from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and his MBA from the University of San Francisco where he graduated top of his cohort, receiving the dean’s scholarship award. Byron and his wife, Sung, are the proud parents of three children who have all had the joy of an Aurora education.
Brian Gleeson, Vice President
Since 2006, Brian has worked as a consultant for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan where he currently leads a regulatory affairs team addressing clinical and legal matters. He conducts ethnographic and historical research with California Indians and serves as Editor in Chief and Co-founder of the digital journal, California Cultures: a Monograph Series. Since 2015, Brian has taught Cultural Anthropology courses at CSU East Bay with an emphasis on the Indigenous Peoples of North America and California. Brian currently serves as President of the East Bay Council where he leads seven schools in the California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools. Brian has lived in Oakland since 2001, enjoys coffee, Futures studies, playing drums and guitar, and is the proud parent of Theo (Aurora 2nd grader) and Camila (a preschooler at Peter Pan).
Emily Geagan, Secretary
Emily grew up in Los Angeles where she spent over a decade working in television production. In 2008 she moved to Oakland to earn a degree in landscape architecture at UC Berkeley. Upon graduation she began a path as a landscape designer and quickly migrated to commercial construction. While working as an assistant project manager she facilitated projects ranging from $10 to $40 million. Currently Emily uses her experience to help revitalize Oakland’s parks and gardens. Most recently, she designed the front entry garden at Oakland’s Gardens at Lake Merritt, where she continues to assist and advise with construction projects.
Emily enjoys exploring many of the Bay Area’s natural landscapes with her partner and two children, Liam and Neila.
Tamika Henry
Tamika is a dedicated teacher and mentor. With over a decade of experience in education, she has devoted her time to single gender education at Holy Names High School in the areas of STEM, Psychology and Restorative Justice. A member of the PSI CHI Honorary Society, she received her BA from Holy Names University. Her passions are young people and social justice. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her husband, three children and sewing.
Sabrina Thong
Sabrina has worked in the finance industry for over 13 years—at both start-ups and large Fortune 500 companies. She currently works for Unity Technologies where she leads a team responsible for budgeting and reporting, operational performance, key investment decisions, and long-range strategic planning. Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia, she came to the U.S. in 2006 to earn her MBA from the University of Chicago. She also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne. She currently lives in Oakland with her husband (Eddy), two daughters (Madison & Cassidy), and two cats (Murphy & Conner). In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and feeling like a kid again with her children.
Josh Stern
With over 20 years in educational administration, Josh Stern draws on a combined understanding of school finance, management, and process improvement in his work at WestED. His specific projects include assisting districts in applying continuous improvement methodologies to leadership development, district-wide strategy, and school-based resource allocation processes. His current focus is assisting schools and districts in Southern California. Before joining WestEd, Josh was Head of School at St. Paul Episcopal School in Oakland, CA. Josh has a master degree in Educational Policy Analysis and Evaluation from Stanford University.
Meaghan Thomas-Kennedy
Meaghan is an Aurora parent, East Coast transplant, and attorney by day (and sometimes night too). She is a litigator at Latham & Watkins, LLP, where she handles all manner of competition and trade related matters, from government investigations to class actions. Before law school, Meaghan handled the marketing function for several New England boarding schools. She is a graduate of Smith College and University of Virginia School of Law. In her rare spare time, Meaghan enjoys spending time with her partner, Jackie, and their two kids.