Welcome, New Trustees!

This past fall, Polytechnic School welcomed a distinguished group of four new trustees to its board, bringing diverse experience and expertise to our community. Annie Deng, James “Jim” Franke ’86, Jeff Keltner, and Amber Tyson ’94 are leaders in their respective fields, demonstrating a strong commitment to education and excellence. 

In the words of Board Chair Alec Hudnut, “It is an honor to partner with our 23-member Board of Trustees and Head of School John Bracker. As we begin 2025, I look forward to our important work ahead. Together, the board ensures that Poly remains one of the premier K-12 independent schools in the country and that we continue to provide an academically rigorous and enriching education to all of our students.”

Thank you, trustees, for your invaluable insights and contributions this year and in the years ahead!

Annie earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of California, San Francisco. Making the leap from the healthcare industry to real estate, she found the most significant similarity was the trusting bond she established with each person. With a heart for service, she is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of those around her and instilling a sense of unity and empathy within her community. Beyond her family and career, Annie has served on fundraising boards for Arcadia Methodist Hospital (now known as USC Arcadia Hospital), Kidspace Museum, and The Unusual Suspects. Annie serves as the Chair of the Poly Fund and collaboratively raises Ava ’25 and Alex ’27 alongside Allen Teng.

James “Jim” Franke is a retired entrepreneur and businessman. Jim graduated from Polytechnic School in 1986; he attended Duke University as an A.B. Duke Scholar and then completed his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Jim joined McKinsey & Co., where, among other things, he worked in the non-profit practice, helping charities and not-for-profit organizations set, pursue, and meet their goals. After McKinsey, Jim started a customer service business, which went public in 2007. Since then, Jim has devoted the majority of his time volunteering with non-profit organizations focused primarily on childhood education and wellbeing, including serving as a Board member for RIE (focused on early childhood development ages zero to two), the Children’s Center at Caltech (focused on early childhood STEM learning), and Hillsides (focused on at-risk children). Jim currently serves as the Treasurer for the Children’s Center at Caltech. Finally, and most importantly, Jim and his partner, Steve Bialecki, spend their time raising their two young boys to be lifelong learners. Together, they have been volunteering at Poly, with Steve notably leading the Poly Pet & Hobby Show from 2022 through 2024.

Jeff Keltner is the co-host of the podcast What the AI?! and advises a variety of startups. Jeff was a founding team member at Upstart, the leading AI lending marketplace, where he led business development, strategic partnerships, and new initiatives from the company’s founding through the 2020 IPO and beyond. Prior to joining Upstart, Jeff spent six years at Google, where he helped launch what has become the Google Cloud business, including building out Google’s Education initiatives. He spent several years in sales at IBM and was a founding engineer and lead UI developer at SSB Technologies (now Level Access). Jeff received a BS in Computer Systems Engineering from Stanford University in 2002. His wife, Ivy, has been a valued Lower School Parent Organization chair and continues volunteering at Poly regularly, where Ryan ’27 and Sean ’30 are students. The family enjoys traveling, designing projects (like an electric guitar) with their 3D printer, and debating the opportunities of AI tools in society. 

Dr. M. Amber Tyson was born and raised in Pasadena and is a Poly lifer. Amber earned her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Stanford University in 1998, her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 2003, and went on to complete her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UCLA in 2007. She is founder of Crown City Rehabilitation Institute, focusing on Sports Medicine and Pain Management. In addition, she is an entrepreneur and serves on the Board of Directors for Call the Car, her sister's healthcare transportation company. Her innovation and dedication continue to evolve both Crown City Rehabilitation Institute and Call The Car, ensuring they better serve patients needs. Amber has previously served on the Polytechnic School Alumni Board and the Board of Directors for the Children’s Center at Caltech. She is a member of the Annandale Golf Club and the Altadena Town and Country Club. She has two daughters at Poly in the Lower School and comes from a proud Poly family, with six nieces and nephews currently enrolled and three alumni. Amber loves to travel with her family and friends.