Solomon Wilkins

Oakland, CA

Solomon Wilkins is a corporate executive, executive coach and keynote speaker who’s worked with and for some of the world’s biggest brands. His passion and perspective on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) has allowed him to help companies realize that “Diversity Without Inclusion is an Illusion.”™

In addition to working in corporate America, Solomon is passionate about his family and making a difference in Oakland, the city he was born and raised in. As a student who spent K–12 in the Oakland Unified school district, Solomon knows firsthand some of the challenges students face. His passion for helping kids and his focus on giving back to Oakland brought him to Soul Shoppe.

Fun fact about Solomon: in the mid-2000s, he spent about a year as one of Soul Shoppe’s big-hearted facilitators, delivering Soul Shoppe’s programs to kids across the Bay area.

vicki abadesco!

(she/her)

Co-Founder & Director of Infinite Possibilities

vicki abadesco! is an internationally-recognized leader in the field of social-emotional learning, anti-bullying and creating a more empathy-based world. She brings over 30 years of experience teaching life skills and conflict resolution tools to young people and adults. As an educator, speaker and facilitator, vicki! is known for creating fun, safe and transformative environments.

She’s the author of Free to Be: Untold Stories of Going Beyond Bullying, co-author of Cool Tools for Schools and The Empty Balloon as well as two activity card decks: Mentor Magic and Leadership: Truth or Dare.

vicki! is a fellow for the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT. She co-founded Soul Shoppe in 2000.

Judith Alcalá

Concord, CA

Judith’s core belief that “every person deserves the opportunity to develop as a whole person so that they may find their way to living a fulfilled life” guided her, whether her role was as an educator in a clinic, a classroom teacher or as former principal.

It was during her principalship that she had the opportunity to partner with Soul Shoppe over the course of three years. During that time, her school community not only learned how to impart wellbeing as an act of social justice but also to embody it.

After 20 years as a public school educator in the East Bay, Judith has returned to the non-profit sector as an Associate Director for the Sobrato Early Academic Language Model, an organization that provides professional development, curriculum support and technical assistance to school systems to prepare all English learners and dual language learners in California to learn, thrive and lead.

Additionally, her roles as a field instructor for Loyola Marymount University’s Administrator Credential Program and as an instructor at Cal State East Bay’s Teacher Credential program both fulfill her love for teaching and her motivation to close the opportunity gap by adequately supporting and preparing the educators that serve the students of California.

Judith balances her life by spending time with her family, staying active and enjoying the outdoors, having a good laugh with friends and regularly quenching her curiosities with new experiences that feed her mind, spirit and soul.

Natasha Ickes-Saman

Bay Area, CA

Natasha Ickes is a Resilience Strategist, award-winning author and multi-passionate entrepreneur whose work spans across leadership development, coaching and community service. As a 4x TEDx speaker and holder of a Professional Communications Certification from Harvard, Natasha brings her expertise in resilience and leadership to help individuals and organizations navigate change and thrive in the face of adversity.

As the founder of Shear Passion Salon in Oakland, Natasha combines her passion for beauty with her commitment to community. She provides free haircuts for the unhoused and mentors young women of color, guiding them to overcome societal challenges and embrace their full potential. Her dedication to service has earned her numerous accolades, including a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the California Senate and a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

Known for her belief that “to whom much is given, much is required,” Natasha brings this philosophy to every aspect of her life. She’s committed to creating lasting, positive change.

In her spare time, Natasha embraces adventure as an avid traveler and adrenaline junkie. Whether skydiving over the Bay Area or ziplining through the jungle with her children, she continually seeks new experiences that challenge her and expand her horizons.

Prakash Bhaskaran

Danville, CA

Prakash is a seasoned CFO with experience in start-ups, publicly-traded companies and non-profits. As a CFO, he’s successfully participated in taking three tech companies public. In his capacity as CFO and finance committee member, he’s had broad experience working with various boards in several organizations.

He brings a broad perspective to the boardroom, combining deep financial and operational expertise along with strategy and governance expertise. This broad experience enables him to provide meaningful insights that help drive informed decisions. Having worked in diverse industries, including high-tech, manufacturing, governmental entities and non-profits, he’s able to draw on a wide range of experiences which allows him to collaborate effectively with senior management and with fellow board members.

Having had a successful “first half” of his career and having grown up in Oakland CA, he’s developed a strong passion for the non-profit sector. In this “second half,” he wants to use his expertise and skills to help organizations that work with children and families of poorer and underserved communities. Following his heart, he pivoted to the non-profit sector, serving as CFO at a community Charter School in East Oakland and a Counseling Center in San Jose. He continues this passion by serving on the Board at Soul Shoppe.

As a young teenager, Prakash moved with his family from India to the Bay area, where he’s lived since that time. He loves photography, vegetable gardening and taking long walks during sunrise and sunsets. He currently resides with his family in Danville, CA.

Ken Scheible

Bay Area, CA

Ken currently works at encouraging and reminding adults to play, creating opportunities for them to participate in scavenger hunts, game shows and team-building games. Think “summer camp” or “elementary school field days” but for grown-ups — because he believes the world can be a little kinder and more connected if we all remember what it’s like to let our inner child out to play.

Ken has also worked as a diversity workshop leader and facilitator for Challenge Day, a violence prevention program that delivers heartfelt and life-changing programs to middle and high school students across the United States. The program promotes messaging and lessons of inclusion, acceptance and celebration of differences, similar to the Soul Shoppe philosophy but aimed at older students.

Ken has always been committed to giving voice to those who may not know how to speak up for themselves. He not only believes in empowering young people to have the courage to defend themselves and others but in equipping them with the tools to do so. This is why he has been a long time advocate and supporter of the Soul Shoppe mission and vision, since its inception. He’s deeply honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

Ken has devoted much of his spare time to volunteering at his daughter’s school on the PTA Board, as well as coaching her volleyball teams, although she has recently surpassed the skill level at which he can meaningfully contribute!

Soul Shoppe‘s work is made possible by donors and partners who care deeply about the young people in their communities! We can’t do this work without you. Support our work in classrooms and on playgrounds across the nation by donating here.

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Board of Directors

Solomon Wilkins

Bio

Judith Alcalá

Bio

Natasha Ickes-Saman

Bio

Prakash Bhaskaran

Bio

Ken Scheible

Bio

Solomon Wilkins

vicki abadesco!

Co-Founder & Director of Infinite Possibilities

Judith Alcalá

Natasha Ickes-Saman

Prakash Bhaskaran

Ken Scheible

Soul Shoppe‘s work is made possible by donors and partners who care deeply about the young people in their communities! We can’t do this work without you. Support our work in classrooms and on playgrounds across the nation by donating here.

CHECK OUT OUR 2025–26 SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMMING

Board of Directors

Solomon Wilkins

Judith Alcalá

Natasha Ickes-Saman

Prakash Bhaskaran

Ken Scheible

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