Doll Room
Doll Room
Meet Our Staff
Theresa Embry
Director
I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. For the past 12 years I have worked with The Outdoor Classroom Project in Santa Barbara County and nationwide, delivering workshops and training to increase the quality, quantity and benefits of outdoor learning experiences for young children. I have taught at Antioch University as adjunct faculty in the Nature-based Early Childhood Education Program. I've held teacher and lead teacher positions as well as the Preschool Coordinator at the University of California Santa Barbara Early Care and Education Program. Additionally, I've worked as a teacher and director for local non-profit and private child care programs. I have presented nature-based workshops for professional organizations such as CAEYC, NAEYC and Nature Explore. I earned my Bachelor and Graduate degrees at Cal State Northridge. I enjoy gardening, long walks on the beach with my husband and our two dogs, Sadie Sue and Bella Boo. Playing with my four grandchildren is the best! I love to camp and am looking forward to more camping trips throughout the United States.
Andrea Uzupis
Assistant Director
I was raised in Kansas and after college I moved to California and have called it home since 2006. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Kansas and then received my Director’s Permit in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from Los Angeles City College (LACC). I worked as a lead teacher at Wagon Wheel School in Los Angeles from 2006 until 2019, when I was hired as the assistant director of The Oaks PCW and ECE adjunct faculty at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC).
I feel very fortunate to be working at The Oaks, and on a daily basis I gratefully witness a community of kind and loving parents putting in extra time and effort to make The Oaks the special place it is. I am so passionate about the co-op model that my husband and I enrolled our eldest son in The Oaks when he became age eligible.
Two of my most impactful memories from preschool are my mother asking me if I wanted to drive or fly to school when I was dressed as a fairy for Halloween, and my class walking down the street to Pizza Hut to make our own personalized pizzas. One of my favorite parts of this job is that I get to witness so many children making their own first school memories every day.
When I am not working, I am spending time with my husband and two boys. We try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. We love visiting the local beaches, parks, S.B. Zoo and the Museum of Natural History.
Yasmine Gonzalez-Ibarra
Teacher, Afternoon Program
My name is Yasmine, but I also go by Yas. I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. I’m bilingual and currently learning ASL as well. Teaching children has always been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl. I remember all the wonderful teachers I was blessed to have as I was growing up. I have a Degree in Science, Degree in Art, and a Child Care Teacher Infant/Toddlers Certification. I am currently working on my Bachelors degree and plan to keep furthering my education. I have a passion for teaching and guiding children and I’m blessed to be a teacher at the Oaks.
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Corinne "CoCo" Rink
Teacher, Afternoon Program
I joined the Oaks Community as a parent with my child, but it’s been a joy to now step in as an additional teacher! I bring 15 years of varied teaching experience—from completing my student teaching at the Orfalea Early Learning Center at SBCC, to educating at a working farm in Orange County, to teaching biology, paleontology, and local history at a museum and on a historic oyster vessel in the Chesapeake Bay.
After returning home to Santa Barbara from Maryland, I had the meaningful opportunity to work in end-of-life care within our community. While this experience was life-changing, I’m grateful to be back in the classroom—especially now that I get to share this space with my daughter. Whether in my role as a teacher, a parent, or as a community member, I firmly believe that most things can be helped by a dance party!