Faculty & Staff
Brittany Botta
Head of School
Brittany Botta is the Head of School at UP Academy. She brings over a decade of experience as an elementary educator with a background in both childhood and special education. She has taught in New York and Tennessee and now leads UP Academy with a vision rooted in joy, inclusion, and collective care.
Brittany previously served as UP Academy’s Director of Teaching and Learning for three years, where she helped shape the school’s approach to project-based learning, differentiated instruction, and teacher development. Before that, Brittany taught UP Academy's K/1 class.
At UP Academy, Brittany is dedicated to building a school community where every child feels loved, celebrated, and empowered. She believes all students deserve access to a rich, engaging curriculum filled with authentic learning experiences that spark curiosity and deepen understanding. She is the author of the REBEL Project Literacy Curriculum, a framework that engages students in purposeful, interdisciplinary learning while helping them grow as readers, writers, speakers, and thinkers.
In addition to her work with students, Brittany facilitates professional learning for educators on topics such as social-emotional learning, student resilience, and project-based teaching. She also brings training as a registered yoga teacher to her approach, weaving mindfulness and character development into classroom life.
Brittany is also known for her talent in designing school environments that feel warm, welcoming, and a little bit magical. These spaces reflect her pedagogy and nurture students to feel seen, valued, and inspired.
She holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Elementary and Special Education from Mount Saint Mary College, a Master’s Degree in Childhood and Special Education from Touro College, and a California Clear Teaching Credential. Outside of school, Brittany enjoys exploring nature, practicing yoga and Pilates, tackling DIY projects, and traveling with her family.
Tiffany Johnson
Educator
Philadelphia native and dedicated Philadelphia Eagles fan, Tiffany Johnson, is a third-career educator with a rich background in special education, inpatient mental health care, and large-scale event management and operations. Her journey includes hands-on experience working with students with multiple disabilities, serving as a preschool teacher in low-SES areas, and eight years of teaching and instructional coaching in China, where she also became a wife and mother of two.
After gaining her dual certification in Special Education and K-8 General Education, Tiffany spent time in Beijing, China. After navigating the pandemic in China, Tiffany and her family landed in the beautiful Bay Area. As a late-diagnosed Neurodivergent adult with a 2E child and husband, Tiffany has continued to push to advocate and create classroom environments that model how education systems could be more accessible and inclusive. Her passion for practical, sustainable solutions drives her collaboration with Kaiser Permanente. Tiffany serves on a patient advisory council, which aims to provide a lens and voice of the patient experience to the organization’s senior leadership, physicians, and executive administration. Tiffany is energized and fulfilled in the classroom. She loves striving to continue learning and growing to become the teacher she and so many kids wish they had.
Tiffany views this profession as the most delicate artistic piece and handles every detail with thought and intentionality. Tiffany enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including learning through podcasts, singing, dancing, painting, TTRPGs, board games with her family, and exploring the beautiful landscape in California.
Grace Minlend
Educator
Grace Minlend is a passionate educator who brings creativity, curiosity, and compassion into every classroom experience. Originally from Wisconsin, she earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville and has been a proud member of the UP Academy community for four years. Grace currently serves as a TK/K teacher, the school’s Innovation Teacher, and both the Competitive and Rookie Robotics program leader. Through these roles, she fosters hands-on learning environments that encourage students to explore, experiment, and think critically about the world around them.
With a deep commitment to design thinking, Grace guides her students to approach challenges with empathy and ingenuity. Her goal is for every learner to become a thoughtful, kind, and resilient problem solver—ready to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. She takes great joy in inspiring students to grow emotionally, socially, and intellectually as they strive to reach their ultimate potential.
Outside of school, Grace enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
Ilana Ingber
Arts Integration Specialist
Ilana brings over 10 years of dynamic experience working with children and a unique blend of educational expertise and wellness passion to UP Academy®. She holds a Master's degree in Art & Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has taught in diverse settings including private and public schools, museums, and her own yoga and art mindfulness camp on a farm in Santa Cruz, California.
As a certified yoga teacher, professionally certified life coach (through the International Coaching Federation), and a trained hypnotherapist, Ilana approaches physical education with a holistic mindset that supports students' physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Her coaching experience spans from kindergarteners to CEOs, bringing vast perspective to her work with children. She has provided professional development to educators around teaching SEL, art, and mindfulness, and has coached countless teachers and parents in creating supportive learning environments.
Ilana's innovative curricula seamlessly blend physical education with creative expression, helping students develop mindfulness practices and body awareness while discovering the joy of movement through artistic exploration. She is a natural community organizer who believes in the power of play and authentic connection, whether leading yoga retreats in Mexico or creating transformative learning experiences for children.
When she's not at school, you can findIlanataking cold plunges in the ocean, walking her dog Frankie, or hosting Pizza Club. She is excited to bring her passion for wellness, creativity, and joyful learning to the UP Academy® community.
Ready to learn more?
Irene
Educator
Irene is an elementary educator from Taiwan. She received her B.S. in elementary education and Illinois teaching credential from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Irene also holds a master’s degree in Social Sciences and Comparative Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. As an international student and third-cultural kid, Irene has spent the past year researching about the identity of third-cultural kids and how schools can better accommodate them.
Irene aims to create a warm and welcoming classroom community where every child gets to learn and be curious. She is enthusiastic about bringing in what she has learned about third-cultural kids into the classroom, so that students can learn about themselves and about others. Irene is excited to learn about the amazing students at UP Academy®, and for the students to learn from her.
Outside of the classroom, Irene loves spending time with friends and enjoys traveling. She loves visiting and learning about new countries and their cultures. Irene has also started playing golf in the past few years, so she likes to visit the golfing range or play a round of golf occasionally.
Hua Xie
Mandarin Educator
Hua is a dedicated educator with extensive teaching experience in Mandarin kindergartens, public and private elementary schools. Her passion for teaching is reflected in her careful research and development of early childhood intellectual development programs. She has been teaching Chinese in the United States since 2007, and has 18 years of teaching experience, providing the best teaching services to students of different ages.
In her teaching practice, she attaches great importance to the psychological and emotional growth of children. She utilizes intellectual games to engage learners of all ages and create a positive and interactive learning environment. In addition to her teaching commitment, she actively pursues personal growth and eagerly meet challenges to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Outside of the classroom, she enjoys various recreational activities, such as solving a complex Rubik's cube with 180 different shapes. She also uses her spare time to tutor various subjects such as Chinese, mathematics, Go, chess, Rubik's cube, table tennis, dance, etc. She loves her students!