Toby Bornstein, Executive Director Multicultural Learning Center  

Toby Bornstein has been involved in public education for the past forty five years as an elementary and middle school teacher, trainer of in-service teachers, district leader in mathematics professional development, and developer of a model parent volunteer program. She co-founded the Multicultural Learning Center in 2001 after receiving grant support from the California Department of Education and Walton Family Foundation.  

As the Executive Director, Toby advises the MLC Board on school policies, operations, financial status, and staff relations. She coordinates the work of school educators and volunteer staff, makes employment recommendations to the Board, directs staff activities, and evaluates staff members. In addition, she evaluates the educational program and curriculum with staff. Toby identifies sources of income and funding, maintains school records, manages budget reports and expenditures, and maintains safety and improvement of school facilities. She serves as liaison with the District on behalf of the MLC Board of Directors, informs the community about the school, participates in appropriate community organizations, and resolves controversies within the school community.  

Prior to developing the charter school, she was involved with national school reform initiatives, including charter schools, at the elementary and secondary levels in Kentucky, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and California. Her work with secondary mathematics teachers as part of a national Ford Foundation project provided the research base for many studies on the power of teacher networks in promoting school improvement and established models for industry-school partnerships. She also helped design and develop a systemic reform initiative that involved all school community stakeholders.  

  Gayle Nadler, Program Director, Multicultural Learning Center (MLC), has 20 years of collective experience in school and non-profit management, communications, fundraising, and school partnerships. She is co-founder of the Multicultural Learning Center, a K-8 public charter school in Los Angeles, which delivers a two-way dual language education program in Spanish and English and an integrated arts curriculum. As the Program Director, Gayle is responsible for supporting the teaching staff in their implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment and working closely with school partners to support the educational program. Through this work, Gayle identifies program needs and develops and manages grants to support professional development and programs at the school. For seven years prior to the creation of MLC, she produced a national newsletter on constructivist teaching, and has extensive experience researching and writing about teaching practices and classroom projects, creating and distributing public relations and press materials, generating grants and conference proposals, and coordinating special events and meetings. She gained much of her non-profit management experience by working with the Galef Institute, Los Angeles Educational Partnership, Santa Barbara County Office of Education, California Coalition of Mathematics, and in the public service department of KNBC-TV. Gayle graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Communication Studies.