Steering Committee

Megha Vasavada

Chair 2026-2027

Megha received her PhD in Neuroscience from Pennsylvania State University and completed her postdoctoral training at UCLA. She has a passion for how the brain works and loves sharing that knowledge with her daughter (3rd grader) and son (K).

2024-Present

Aaron Nazarian

Logistics Coordinator

Aaron Nazarian received his degree, in Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics from UCLA. Aaron is currently Principal Scientist in Small Molecule Therapeutic Discovery at Amgen, where he conducts research utilizing laboratory robotic automation to discover & develop new therapeutic candidates. Aaron has a son Elan in 4th grade & a daughter Lila in K at WWC as well as one younger daughter that will join WWC in the coming years.

2023-Present

Gislaine Martins

Parent Volunteer Coordinator

Gislâine received her PhD in Cellular Immunology from the University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil and did her postdoctoral training in Molecular Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania, and at Columbia University, NYC.

Gislâine is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Science and Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and an Associate Professor-in-residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.

Gislâine’s son is in 3rdat WWC.

2023-Present

Rahul Vasavada

Logistics Coordinator

Rahul received his BS in mathematics and biology at Stanford University and MD at Pennsylvania State University. He is currently an Internal Medicine Hospitalist physician (Assistant Clincal Professor) with UCLA. Rahul's daughter is in third grade and son is in kinder at WWC.

2023-Present

William Zeiger

External Volunteer Coordinator

William Zeiger obtained his MD and PhD from the University of Chicago. He is currently an assistant professor of neurology at UCLA. He specializes in the treatment of persons with Parkinson’s disease and runs a neuroscience research laboratory. William's daughter is in 2nd grade at WWC.

2025-Present

Deanna Pietersz

Communications and Publicity

2026-Present

TBD

Parent Volunteer Coordinator and Future chair 2028

2026-Present

TBD

Snack Bar/Shirt Sales

2026-Present

TBD

Data Entry and Forms

2026-Present

TBD

Treasurer

2026-Present

Christina Close

Teacher Representative

Christina is a Family 4-5 teacher and serves the critical role of liaison between the Science Slam steering committee and the teachers and staff at Westwood Charter.

2014-Present

Mary Susselman

Tech Support Only for 2026

Past Chair

Mary received her BS in Psychobiology at UCLA and completed her Nuclear Medicine Technology internship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. She is currently an Associate Chief Nuclear Medicine and MRI Technologist at the UCLA Brain Mapping Center. Mary's daughters are in 4th grade at WWC and 7th grade at Emerson.

2019-Present

Alumni Steering Committee Members

Ashley Alexpoulos

Treasurer/Snack Bar

Ashley received her BA in Psychology from UCSB and her MA in Secondary Education from LMU. She is an 8th grade math teacher in Santa Monica and has two small science experiments/daughters. One at WWC, in 4th and one alumni in 7th grade. Ashley is excited to apply her vast knowledge of snacks to the snack bar (6 years of restaurant management experience paying off) and to insert formulas into excel spreadsheets to balance the books (3 years at 20th TV as a financial analyst .) She also has a newly developed inferiority complex after reading the bios of the other Science Slam Committee Members.

2023-2025

Nina Nattiv

Chair

Nina has has a BA in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. Currently she practices dentistry at her own dental practice. She loves doing science experiments with her daughters who are now WWC alumni.

2019-2025

Carlos Alcala

Rocket Launch

Carlos has a degree in Economics from UC Irvine and is a licensed commercial Drone pilot and unmanned vehicle researcher. He received his flight and aeronautical training from the US Air Force as an officer, the FAA Wings program, and with other organizations such as NASA and the various government agencies. Carlos also has experience working for lab testing companies and is a certified gemologist.

He has a daughter in 5th grade at WWC who aspires to become a geologist and/or a veterinarian. Carlos and his daughter spent most of the pandemic doing difficult science experiments in search of new ways to use geological materials. Carlos and his daughter also firmly adhere to the NASA 8 step Engineering Design Process.

2021-2025