Todd and Nicole met while in college at BYU; coincidentally, they were both from California. Although they were young, they jumped in, got married quickly, and as Nicole reflects, “Honestly, we just got lucky with each other.”
Todd grew up in Orange County; after graduating from BYU with a degree in economics he earned his MBA from UC Irvine. He is now working with Stacy Witbeck as their CFO. Nicole grew up in the Bay Area and attended six different elementary schools. Todd says, “This is probably why she has such a big heart for kids going through divorce and other hardships and has the philosophy of ‘Be the person you needed when you were a kid.’” It’s probably also the reason Nicole pursued a career in teaching and chose to work at a Title 1 school in Bay Point. Nicole says, “I knew I wanted to be a teacher at a very young age. I find teaching to be deeply rewarding, although also very challenging.”
The Steinerts moved to the Northgate neighborhood in 2020 from Southern California for Todd’s work. Nicole adds, “We bought our house sight-unseen right when the world was shutting down for the pandemic. We settled on the Northgate neighborhood because of the great schools, quiet suburban life, trails, kids, and friendly neighbors. I insisted on a street with lots of kids…We love where we live…We could not ask for better neighbors and schools.” They truly found a community on Cafeto Drive. A favorite tradition is all the neighbors shutting down the street to cars on Halloween to allow hundreds of families to come in costume and enjoy a safe holiday. Nicole adds, “We have a great mix of people; everyone looks out for each other. This past year when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my neighbors rallied around us, bringing meals for weeks during chemo and surgery. They were incredible.”
Nicole is also grateful to the entire Northgate community for their support of her school in Bay Point. So many have reached out to
make life better for her students. Two Northgate seniors chose to do their senior projects to help her students. Her son Luke collected sports equipment so the kids could have soccer balls, basketballs and baseball mitts. Her friend Heather goes weekly to her class to volunteer and read one-on-one with students. Another Northgate student named Sophie collected school supplies and books. And Nicole’s class was chosen by the non-profit HerSTEM to receive lessons in science by yet another Northgate student who started HerSTEM, Angie. In addition, Nicole’s friends at M’Powered Bootcamp (a fitness group) adopted a family from her school at Christmas and collected hundreds of toys to donate to the kids in Bay Point. Nicole reflects, “It has been truly remarkable to be the recipient of so much goodness and generosity.”
The Steinert family includes three kids. Luke is beginning his 2nd year at Santa Barbara City College where he plays volleyball. He played for Northgate High School and graduated in 2024. For his last year, his dad joined the coaching staff. The Broncos went on to win NCS that year, and Luke was honored as MVP of the league. Nicole shared a quote from one the player’s parents Alacia Broussard, “Todd came to Northgate thinking he was going to be able to coach his son in a sport he loves. Not only did he do that, but he also gained the respect, admiration and a few more “sons”, as he has become an important piece of the Northgate coaching staff!”
Maddox, 16, is a junior at Northgate HS. He enjoys spending time with friends, watching movies, riding his bike, and wrestling. He is on the Northgate wrestling team, and Nicole says, “The team is super inclusive and supportive…We could not have picked a better coaching staff and group of kids for Maddox…It’s been a game changer for him.”
Danica, 12, is the performer in the family. Her acting, singing and dancing began with Curtains Up at Walnut Acres Elementary School. She is now living her best theater life at Starlight Performing Arts. In the past year she has performed in Elf the Musical, Alice in Wonderland, and The Lightning Thief, as well as in many competitions for both theater and dance.
“Our happiest place,” adds Nicole, “is watching our kids doing their activities and sports. They work really hard and push themselves to be the best they can be.”
The Steinert family is also very committed to raising awareness and fundraising for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Maddox was born with NF1, a condition that causes tumors to grow throughout the body. In the 12 years since his diagnosis, there have been major advancements in the field of NF, including new drugs, thanks to fundraising through events like the Undie Run in San Francisco. “It’s a ridiculous and funny race that we’ve been doing for about 10 years. We are super grateful to friends and family who come out to run alongside us in their undies each February.” This past year their team took Top Fundraising Team, raising just under $10k for the foundation.
Willow is the family’s 8-year-old white English Labrador. You can find her sitting in the window watching the neighborhood with her paw resting on the back of the couch or jumping in mud puddles or any water she can find.
Nicole reflects on their five years in Walnut Creek. “We always want to be surrounded by people who care about each other… Life is about touching lives and making a difference wherever you go. We are grateful to be in community where so many people do this naturally, every day.”
By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991; Photos provided by the Steinert Family