Our Team
Brinda Ghiya
Founder, Executive Director
Brinda has long been driven by a passion for helping people realize their full potential. Her journey into education is deeply personal. When her daughter Ameya - a micro preemie with cerebral palsy - turned school age, she found herself advocating for her right to a quality education. Inspired by Ameya’s courage and drive, Brinda is now dedicated to expanding inclusion where children live, learn, and play. “Ameya’s name means ‘boundless,’” she says. “And that’s what I envision for all children—a world where every child feels boundless. Where belonging, support, and high expectations coexist. Where relationships across differences are the norm. And where systems enable, rather than limit, what’s possible.”
With this vision, Brinda founded Beat Roots Academy. Drawing on pioneering models like CHIME Charter, UP Academy, and the work of Drs. Connie Lillas and Mona Delahooke, she is building a school grounded in inclusion and the science of how children thrive.
Brinda’s career spans investment management and philanthropy, and she serves as the parent voice on the California Department of Education’s Impact Inclusion Working Group. She holds an MBA from Stanford and a BS from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work she is a mom to two young girls, a forever student of yoga and lineage medicine, and a lover of tea and the ocean.
Charlotte Cook, M.Ed.
Founding Lead Teacher
Teacher Charlotte is an educator, community-builder, and curriculum designer with over a decade of teaching experience in inclusive, diverse-by-design, project-based schools. She brings a deep commitment to equity, child-centered education, and social-emotional learning. Fluent in Spanish and trained in trauma-informed practices, Charlotte designs interdisciplinary curriculum that honors neurodiversity and cultural heritage.
At Beat Roots Academy, she fosters a learning environment rooted in joy, belonging, and growth.
Teacher Charlotte has a BA in Child and Adolescent Development, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Master’s Degree in Education.
Outside of teaching, she is a mama, a neuroscience nerd, a lover of nature, art, and animals (especially elephants). She is passionate about picture books and plans to write and illustrate one with her mom one day.
Mary Christianakis, Ph.D.
Educational Advisor
Dr. Mary Christianakis, a professor at Occidental College, is an experienced educator, educational researcher, and national voice in inclusive and justice-centered teaching. She has a California Credential K-12 and a specialization in Cross-Cultural Language Acquisition. A longtime professor of critical pedagogy and literacy studies, she brings a deep commitment to child-centered, trauma-informed, and equitable learning environments. As an educational advisor to Beat Roots Academy, Dr. Christianakis collaborates with the leadership team to shape curriculum, teacher practice, and school design that align with the academy’s core values: high expectations, genuine inclusion, and joyful learning. Her expertise in Universal Design for Learning, critical literacy, and the integration of therapeutic supports helps ensure that every child—regardless of background or ability—is seen, challenged, and supported to reach their full potential. Her work reflects a lifelong belief in education as a site of joy, connection, and transformation.
Outside of her professional life, she has raised two children (now adults), is a 4th degree Black Belt in Kenpo, organizes refugee supports, and practices yoga daily.