Harini Senthilvasan
FOUNDER CEO AND PRINCIPAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGNER
Harini is an engineer and a social entrepreneur who cares about children, especially those from under-resourced communities, and their early education. She is a Stanford-certified Design Thinking educator and Project Manager. With a Master's Degree in Engineering from Texas A&M University, she was a STEM professional in her previous career, where she had the privilege of working with dream teams that designed wireless technology solutions for Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Logitech, and more that disrupted communities worldwide.
Since 2015, her priority has shifted to early education, and she founded Marshmallow Minds, where she serves as the CEO and leads the curriculum design and education outreach programs with a vision to empower and transform the future of children across diverse communities and help level the playing field.
ROHINI NAIK
PROGRAM/COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Rohini is an IDEO-U certified Design Thinking and STEAM facilitator and program manager with Marshmallow Minds since 2020. Her interactions with students during volunteering at school for design thinking developed her affinity for the program.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management and worked with various manufacturing companies in Chicago for designing products using 2D-3D modeling software.
She has volunteered with Project Cornerstone to help create healthy, responsible and caring environment for students. In the past, she has helped students with design modeling at a community college and assisted non-native adults to improve their english speaking and writing skills through an adult literacy program.
Jeehye lee
EDUCATION PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Jeehye has been a STEAM facilitator with Marshmallow Minds since 2019 and is currently managing the elementary grade STEAM program, CREATE.PLAY.LEARN. Jeehye was born and raised in South Korea and lived in New Zealand throughout her high school. Later, she moved to the Bay Area, attended De Anza College, majoring in Interior Design, and transferred to San Jose State University to study Illustration.
Before joining Marshmallow Minds, Jeehye worked as a Teaching Assistant for a speech class at De Anza College. In addition, she taught art classes as an assistant at the Hooso Art Institute in Santa Clara in tandem. She also has experience teaching English to younger kids abroad.
TUSHAR MOORTI
LEAD EDUCATOR - TREBUCHET DESIGN
Tushar is a technology leader with years of experience working in the fields of wireless communication and optical sensing after completing degrees from Stanford University and Stevens Institute of Technology. He began volunteering in his children's local elementary school since 2014, teaching math, science, and basic engineering both in-class as well as in after-school programs. Tushar believes that the Design Thinking approach of Marshmallow Minds gives students a more intuitive understanding to absorb STEM concepts more deeply.
Tushar is the creator of one of the most popular lessons among the students, Punkin Chunkin-Trebuchet Design, and leads the masterclass in Marshmallow Minds’ partner schools. Click here to learn more about the physics lesson with projectile pumpkins. By donating his time, talent, and treasure, Tushar plays a stellar role in shaping the education and community outreach program at Marshmallow Minds.
Alie victorine
LEAD EDUCATOR - LEGO ROBOTICS BIOMIMICRY DESIGN
Alie is a retired educator who taught in the Franklin-McKinley School District for 28 years focusing most of her career in 6th grade. She earned a bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences from San Jose State University, and then her master's degree in science education focusing on how the learning of science and language arts positively affect the learning of both subjects. She was chosen to be in the first cadre of Tech Fellows for the Tech Museum of Innovation, creating extensive design challenge lessons integrating science, history, and language arts. For several years she was a lecturer at SJSU, teaching the science methods course to aspiring teachers. In 2022, she was honored to be chosen Teacher of the Year for her district.
Alie's philosophy of teaching has always been that hands-on equals minds-on and solving problems is an integral part of developing students' minds dovetails perfectly with Marshmallow Minds Design Thinking program and currently leads the Lego Robotics Biomimicry Design masterclass in Marshmallow Minds’ partner schools.
Judy mol
STEAM FACILITATOR - CONSULTING PARTNER
Judy served as a STEAM Facilitator with Marshmallow Minds from Fall 2022 through Spring 2025 and continues to support the organization as a consultant. A proud East Side San Jose native and first-generation college graduate, Judy earned her Bachelor of Science in Organismal Biology from California State University, Stanislaus. Passionate about equity in education, Judy is dedicated to becoming a stronger science communicator and is committed to making science more accessible and inclusive for underrepresented BIPOC communities.
utthara shankar
STANDARDS-ALIGNED CURRICULUM DEVELOPER
Utthara, originally from India, moved to the USA to pursue her Master's in Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. With over a decade of experience in R&D, Utthara has made significant contributions to both the health and wireless sectors. Her work in the health industry was primarily focused on user research for wrist-worn wearables.
Certified in Design Thinking by IDEO-U, Utthara is passionate about making a difference. She is a firm believer in the "Marshmallow Minds" approach, which aims to introduce design thinking to young children, helping them grasp STEAM concepts while having fun.
Utthara began her journey with Marshmallow Minds as a volunteer in early 2024. She now plays a pivotal role in aligning lessons with California ELD standards and Math Practices to prepare children for future success.
Prerana rane
AI LEARNING/INTEGRATION SPECIALIST
Prerana Rane is an AI researcher and engineer specializing in signal processing and emerging technologies such as speech and multimodal AI. She brings a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to every project, blending technical rigor with creativity.
She holds a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech and has previously worked at Intel Corporation, where she advanced wireless systems innovations and contributed to the development of 5G standards.
At Marshmallow Minds, in the capacity of a dedicated volunteer, Prerana champions STEM education by connecting advanced AI concepts with accessible, hands-on learning for young innovators. Her work focuses on data analytics, automation, and leveraging AI to identify learning patterns and personalize educational experiences, helping students engage in real-world problem-solving. Guided by the belief that innovation thrives at the intersection of technology and curiosity, Prerana is committed to empowering the next generation of creators.
AURORA WOOD MOORE
EDUCATION INNOVATION DIRECTOR - CONSULTING PARTNER
Aurora Wood Moore, Ph.D., is an education research, policy, and practice expert with over 25 years experience in public education. She received her doctorate in Education Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University where she focused on educational innovation implementation and sustainability in public school systems and schools with schoolwide Title I programs.
She worked in San Francisco Unified School District as a policy analyst and data coach, and was instrumental in helping the district win a $50M school turnaround and transformation grant. During her tenure at Education Northwest, she was the State Coordinator for the Regional Education Laboratory and Comprehensive Center programs in Montana, providing policy consulting to the Office of Public Instruction and support for statewide innovation in areas such as alternative education, mathematics standards implementation, and collective impact. She currently serves as Senior Federal Fiscal and Policy Advisor at the Oregon Department of Education, overseeing $100M in statewide projects focused on addressing the educational impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic.
shannon davidson
EDUCATION RESEARCH DIRECTOR - CONSULTING PARTNER
Shannon Davidson, Ph.D., is dedicated to empowering educators and building strong community partnerships to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based practices in learning environments. Her early experiences as a classroom teacher ignited her passion for understanding how schools support not only students’ academic achievement but also their well-being, development, and health.
Since earning her Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education in 2015, Dr. Davidson has collaborated extensively with state education agencies, school districts, and community-based organizations to drive data- and story-informed decision-making that fosters positive, lasting outcomes for youth and families. She has led applied research and evaluation projects with partners including the Oregon Department of Education, the Association of Alaska School Boards, Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Omaha Public Schools, Astoria School District, Portland State University, and Challenge Success. A seasoned speaker and facilitator, Dr. Davidson has presented widely on trauma- and resilience-informed practices, inclusion, and belonging. She is passionate about complementing research with coaching and technical assistance to unite people in strengthening educational systems and practices.
Yiwei wang
CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR - CONSULTING PARTNER
Yiwei Wang, Ph.D., is an environmental scientist who has worked in conservation biology for over 20 years. She received her doctorate in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she focused on understanding how human activity and development impacted the behaviors of mountain lions and other wildlife in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
She previously served as the Executive Director for the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, where she developed conservation-focused STEAM modules in partnership with Marshmallow Minds and Santa Clara County Parks. She is passionate about advancing environmental education and bringing kids more opportunities to connect with and love nature.
Currently, she works on advancing nature-based solutions in the Asia Pacific for The Nature Conservancy. Her work supports teams in 10 countries and territories to facilitate directing finance towards conservation projects benefiting climate, nature, and people.