Joel serves as PDC's president responsible for operations, finance, systems, and strategy, keeping clear focus on the quality of the complete PDC experience. He wears many hats and maintains behind the scenes responsiblities, including the resident IT admin, and can often be seen sporting a toolbelt installing some new play contraption.

Prior to PDC, Joel operated an independent management consulting practice in the field of media and publishing technology. He led teams consulting on strategy through to implementing large enterprise systems, processes, and governance structures. His work led to many interesting experiences with Adobe, Amway, CanWest Media, General Motors, Getty Images, IBM, Nokia in the U.S. and overseas. Previously, he managed products for a series of media-related startup software firms and holds a degree in imaging science and publishing technology from Cal Poly.

Nicki strives to continually improve the play area and the various activities PDC offers such as our classes and special events. She is also the lead for community outreach, co-marketing and sponsorship programs. Nicki has implemented a customer care program to capture feedback from our customers to both improve our services and better support the greater Marin community.

She is the editor of three anthologies, Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers Reflect on the Mother-Daughter Bond (Mira, April, 2009); an as yet untitled father-daughter anthology (Mira, May, 2010); and The May Queen (Tarcher, 2006). The May Queen was excerpted and praised in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Bust, Daily Candy, and Babble. Nicki has worked for Thomson Publishing in London, Red Herring and Edutopia magazines, and McCann-Erickson in San Francisco. For the past six years, she has worked closely with the Marin Literacy Program as a tutor and a teacher with the Families for Literacy program through Head Start.

Susannah manages the day-to-day operations of the cafe and the staff. Her mission is to ensure every customer receives superb service and the highest quality products. An admitted 'foodie' she brings a dedication to the best quality ingredients with a specific focus on organic, locally produced foods prepared in healthy, and scrumptious, menu.

Susannah has been working with children and food for a long time in no particular order. She has been the Director of Performing Arts at San Domenico, directed with many local youth and professional theatre companies as well as been a chocolatier, pastry chef and manager of a number of local businesses and restaurants. In her spare time, she writes plays and screenplays and is currently working on a short story book for children and a screenplay for animation. She is combining her love for both here at Playdate Cafe.

Lauren Parker Bock taught ESL for many years in places as diverse as Egypt and Vermont as a way of supporting her travel habit. She then taught fifth-grade reading, writing, and social studies before moving to Marin from Baltimore.

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys watching funny shows, reading, cooking, making things, emailing her far-flung friends, and plotting more travel.

Aza manages PDC's IT systems and online calendar, and is a the mother of a lovely 5 year old daughter.

A Bay Area native going back generations, Aza brings her pleasantly eclectic background to PDC. Her wanderlust has led her to roles such as a face painter, lyricist for a popular children's DVD series, and just about everything in between. In addition to her work for PDC she is pursuing her love of photography and music, all while reveling in the daily adventures of motherhood.

Jen Subin brings to Playdate Café a love of working with young children, expertise in child development, and an understanding of issues that parents deal with on a daily basis. Jen is a certified early childhood educator, as well as being certified in First Aid and CPR.

She has been teaching preschool for over twenty years, and has worked with children ranging in age from birth to ten years. Jen’s experience includes directing a summer day camp, directing a cooperative nursery school, and working as a lead teacher in a variety of toddler and preschool programs.