Our Management
These amazing people are around the shop working on the day to day operations.
Jenny Higgins
Executive Director
Bio to come soon
A personal statement will show up here!
Eric Hess
General Manager
A professional woodworker for last 10 years, focused on historic woodworking techniques. Works as a custom stair builder for Coyne Stairs, prior to that worked for i-Stairs Inc in Sacramento as an installer, as well as doing design, bidding and estimating.
An avid maker; I've built a CNC Router, and am currently exploring the world of Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Active with multiple non-profits teaching history and running Living History programs across California.
Sarah W. Kramer
Education Manager and Instructor
Born in Santa Clara and raised in Sunnyvale, Sarah is a lifelong local through and through. Sarah's primary creative outlet is in textiles and historic garment construction, but has expanded into watercolors, digital design, succulent gardening, and laser-cutting with some dabbling in wood, metal, and other media. Her dual professional background in administrative support and instructional design are well-utilized in managing and improving the education and training programs at Maker Nexus. Sarah holds a Master's Degree in Education Policy, Organization, & Leadership Studies (POLS) from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Human Sexuality from San Francisco State University.
Carmen Almlie-Martinez
Bookkeeper and Human Resources
carmen.almlie-martinez@makernexus.org
Growing up in Northern Minnesota, making was practical, necessary and key to survival. Carmen was one of the first girls to take algebra in her high school, but at that time and place girls were discouraged from pursuing STEM education. Moving to Los Angeles she worked for a wholesale art supplier while taking night classes in computer science, bookkeeping, and costume design at the Fashion Institute of LA. Nights were spent on costuming work for community theater and a small movie production company. After moving to San Jose she learned sculpting, metal smithing and lapidary, and volunteered with an art therapy program at the VA.
I love making all kinds of things. My passion is jewelry arts: enameling, lost wax casting, metal fold forming, etc. I enjoy helping other people grow their making skills. Ask me to help you.
Robin Salafia
Operations Manager
Robin's bio will be here.
And a short quote from her.
Board of Directors
These are the folks steering the direction of Maker Nexus in the long term.
Craig Colvin
President
A serial entrepreneur who has founded multiple companies over the years. His latest was The Sawdust Shop a maker space for woodworkers which he ran for 11 years. Also has an online business
FoamcoreStands.com
which sells a product he created at The Sawdust Shop. Prior companies included a dot-com startup, and numerous companies geared around portable handheld computers. Earned a BS in Electronic Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
"I love inventing new gadgets that solve my personal problems. I especially enjoy creating projects that utilize a mixture of disciplines during the construction, 3D printing, CNC routing, laser engraving, and electronics. I'm excited to help bring the Maker Nexus makerspace to fruition
Cara Stoneburner
Vice President
Adjunct Professor at Foothill College and elementary teacher, currently at PAUSD Former curriculum developer for NASA and the SETI Institute. Earned a BA in Environmental Studies and Education and MA in Educational Research from University of California, Santa Cruz. Helped establish the makerspace at Foothill College’s Krause Center for Innovation, including writing the curriculum for many of the machines and providing training to members and students.
I’m especially interested in seeing girls and women more engaged in making; it is empowering to make your own ideas come alive.
Barbara Clemmensen
Treasurer
Retired from a career in systems analysis, technical architecture, and large-scale systems implementation, primarily for Federal and State government clients. Currently a coach/trainer with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at the Fremont Family Resource Center. Earned a BS in Mathematics from the University of Tennessee and an MS in Operations Research from the George Washington University.
I dove into machine embroidery in 2011 as a wonderful confluence of computers and textile crafts. More recently, I’ve been branching out into other areas of sewing and textiles. In the process, I’ve discovered that one of my primary drivers is learning new things. I look forward to all the new things I will learn at Maker Nexus.
Jesse Johnson
Secretary
Former strategic planner and operational analyst in the tech industry, including work at Google and Forrester Research. Current board member at Keys School, with diverse experience in non-profit management and consulting. Earned a MBA from Dartmouth and a BA in Mathematics and French from Amherst College. Jesse is also a past president of the Maker Nexus Board.
I enjoy bringing together math, design, and art, and exploring maker projects with my kids, including laser cutting and running a tinkering club. I'm excited about the community-orientation of Maker Nexus, both in offering a chance for me to connect with other makers, and in making projects and classes more broadly accessible to local adults and youth.
Ed Yeh, P.E.
Board Member
Ed is a mechanical engineer specializing in mechanism design for entertainment and medical devices. Currently, he works in corporate sustainability where he leads a team for data, process, and strategy. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona and a Masters of Science in Business Analytics from Pepperdine. He is also a registered Professional Engineer, Certified AWS Weld Inspector with D17.1 Endorsement, and Certified ASNT ACCP Level 2 Inspector.
I am passionate about spreading STEAM education outside of major tech hubs.
Dr. Abigail Joseph
Board Member
Innovation strategist with an extensive career as an educator in the California Bay Area as a teacher, coach, facilitator, curriculum designer, program developer, and speaker. Currently the Middle School Director of Learning, Innovation, and Design at The Harker School in San Jose, CA. Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Equity Fellow alum serving on the CSTA Board of Directors. Earned a B.S.E in computer science from Princeton University and an M.S./Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
I am passionate about equity and access to all things STEAM to minoritized groups and helping professionals spark their creative confidence so that they can design home and professional lives filled with joy and purpose.
Justin Leathers
Board Member
A childhood affinity for creating objects with Legos eventually transformed into love of working with my hands. Whether it was creating installations for New York City museums, doing woodworking for restaurants, or even just taking apart and rebuilding machinery, I’ve always searched for that next great project; those new skills to learn and develop. However, I also realized that a large part of my passion for creating was teaching those skills to others. It’s an amazing feeling to see other people gain new abilities, sparking creativity they may not have known that they had.
I’m incredibly honored and excited to continue bringing this learning experience to Maker Nexus, to help everyone gain new problem solving skills, and expand their creative sides.
Jenny Higgins
Ex-Officio Member
Jenny is our Executive Director. Jenny is a non-voting member of the board.
Eric Hess
Ex-Officio Member
Eric is our General Manager. Eric is a non-voting member of the board.
Our Pledge to the Community
Maker Nexus is a registered California non-profit corporation and we have 501(c)(3) status. We vow to be a transparent organization, sharing everything from our financial plans and position, to our plans for development. We believe our maker members should know where their money goes, and have a say in how their monthly membership dues are being used.
A Place for Everyone
We are dedicated to providing an inviting and harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, physical appearance or size, religion, political beliefs, or affiliation. We will treat everyone in our community - members, staff, students, and visitors - with respect, and we will not tolerate harassment or racism in any form.