Board of Directors
Jonathan Thomas, Founding Member
Born in the Bay Area, Jonathan grew up in East Palo Alto during some of its worst years. He went to grade school and high school in East Palo Alto before going to Harvard University to obtain his undergraduate degree in English. Since Jonathan was thirteen, he has worked in a multitude of educational settings, working with children between the ages of preschool and high school. Jonathan found out about Thiebaut Method (formerly 10 Books A Home) through its founder Paul not long after its creation in July 2009. He has been an active member of the organization ever since, serving as a board member and tutoring three children. Jonathan’s commitment to his community and his passion for education makes him a perfect fit with the mission and goals of Thiebaut Method. Currently, Jonathan is employed in the education and health care sectors.
Jessenia Solorio, Chief Financial Officer
Born and raised in Mexico, as a child, she moved back and forth between Mexico and California, finally settling in the Bay Area when she was 14. As an immigrant and first-generation college student, she pursued her dream of graduating from the University of California in Santa Barbara. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Economics with an Emphasis in Accounting and a Minor in Spanish. Since then, Jessenia has worked in the Finance field, while volunteering to bring quality schools/education to her community. As a mother of three children, she understands how critical it is to bring excellent education to under-served communities. After spending a few minutes with Jessenia, you quickly realize that she is an excellent example of someone who has grit – the term that describes the quality of perseverance in the face of challenge.
Kevin Ahlstrom, Legal Councel
Born and raised in Southern California, Kevin recently moved to the Bay Area, where he is an attorney at the law firm of Paul Hastings. Kevin developed a love for books as a child when he and his dad read "The Chronicles of Narnia" together. Books have shaped his life, and he wants to help others experience the same excitement and satisfaction that he has found in reading. He believes that the most effective (and maybe only) way to help a person change his or her circumstances is to help that person learn how to read. Kevin is honored to assist Thiebaut Method however he can. He has an undergraduate degree from BYU in electrical engineering and a law degree from The George Washington University.
Kurtis Kludt, Member
Coming soon
Victor Shin, Member
Victor has over 20 years of experience in the Finance industry in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with being a Senior Adjunct Professor since 2013. Currently, he is the Vice President, Branch Manager for Bank of the West in downtown Oakland. He has held various senior positions amongst major institutions, such as Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo, Comerica Bank, and First Republic. He also serves on the board of the Asian Business League of San Francisco and The Presidio Dance Academy and in the past The Natural World Museum and Museum of Craft and Design. He graduated with an Executive MBA from Golden Gate University in 2004 and BA in Management and Accounting from Sonoma State University in 1996. Victor is an avid restaurateur, loves to travel, cook, read, run and spend time with his wife and two daughters.
Victoria Schultz, Secretary
Victoria, originally from a small town in Germany, has spent a good chunk of her life living in the Menlo Park, Redwood City, and East Palo Alto areas in California. She developed a love for reading at an early age, devoured the Harry Potter series so fast that her parents didn’t believe her, and taught herself how to read in German. This passion translated into later life where Victoria worked as a Student Librarian during her four years at Menlo College. Victoria joined Thiebaut Method (formerly 10 Books A Home) in March of 2015 with the hopes of giving back to the community she calls home to encourage more children to find the joy and value in reading. Victoria currently leads Marketing for a small start-up that provides a Learning Management System to businesses and other organizations.