Rising Leaders Cohort

My career has spanned the higher education, for-profit, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors. This have given me a unique and diverse perspective on the experience of work and workplace culture. 

I have held roles in student services, employee development, human resources, talent and organization development, and more. As a practitioner and consultant, my work is inspired by the research and frameworks of positive organization psychology, the visual arts, movement, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, appreciative inquiry, and applied improvisation.

I am constantly learning and evolving my practice. I appreciate multi-disciplinary approaches and the unique solutions that are created as a result. I love creative problem solving, using my wisdom, intuition and varied art forms to support self-awareness, growth and well-being. 

Claudia is a coach, mentor, creator and facilitator who has worked to amplify people's leadership for over a decade. Her impact has benefited folks in multiple sectors and across the nation. A formerly undocumented immigrant from Peru, Claudia was educated in East Bay public schools, holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine University. Claudia is a perpetual student of leadership development and believes in the power of individual and collective growth as a means to equity and liberation.  

Claudia is currently the Senior Director of Training at Coro Northern California. In this capacity, she leads the Coro programs that focus on creating brave and powerful spaces for women-identifying individuals. Claudia has previously worked with the San Francisco Foundation, Coro New York, and the Greenlining Institute.  

Brittnee King is a program associate at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. In her role on the Civil Society and Leadership Initiative, she guides grantmaking operations in support of strong leaders, organizations, movements, and a thriving civic space for environmental and human rights defenders across the globe.

Prior to her time in philanthropy, Brittnee spent most of her career as a facilitator in community-based organizations focusing on leadership development, racial equity, and environmental education. Guiding groups through processed-focused facilitation, positive behavior support, and trauma-informed care, her work has supported folks of all ages to embrace our individual role in the collective community. Brittnee deeply believes that we have enough between us to build a more just, affirming, and sustaining world that allows for people and planet alike to thrive in liberation. Her work is driven by her faith that civil societies and communities, both large and small, can overhaul the systems that tell us otherwise.

Outside of work, Brittnee is dedicated to laughing deeply, reading slowly, and wandering around the woods often. Her favorite things are hobbits; sunny, autumn days; swimming in Michigan's many fresh waters; and catching a good sunrise with her favorite people. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College.
 

Caleb Matthews joined GreenLight Fund in April 2023 as the Program Manager on the San Francisco Bay Area Team. While at GreenLight Fund, he has led a diverse community advisory council and spearheaded research in local issue areas facing Bay Area communities. He has built his career on creating equitable opportunities for disadvantaged communities across the Bay Area, including juvenile youth, the formerly incarcerated, and disenfranchised black and brown communities.

Most recently, Caleb has worked as an Assistant and Project Specialist for Supervisor Nate Miley, introducing legislation to the County of Alameda to create a commission focused on studying systemic disparities for disenfranchised African Americans and creating solutions to build a more equitable county. In this role, he led interdepartmental working groups within the county and formed public engagement strategies to generate collaboration between public officials and residents.

He has also served as the Operations and Program Manager at the non-profit organization GWC Community Development, where he successfully aided formerly incarcerated adult men secure permanent housing and managed the County Juvenile Hall spiritual care program focused on mentoring juvenile youth.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, with areas in Engineering, Political Science, and Sociology, from San Diego State University. Matthews also has a certificate in Project Management Skills for Leaders.

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Casey Tran (she/her) has dedicated her career to resourcing social justice movements. She was a 2023-2025 Multicultural Fellow at the San Francisco Foundation (SFF), focusing on learning and evaluation. As part of her fellowship, she conducted a retrospective evaluation of SFF’s Koshland Young Leaders Award, a scholarship program that supports underserved high school students to attend college. Previously, Casey worked at the Chinese Progressive Association and Asian Law Caucus where she led resource mobilization and grassroots fundraising efforts. Casey holds a Master of Public Administration from San Francisco State University.

Chris Cooper, a native of South Sacramento, is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and fostering youth-led change. As a K-12th grade educator to a violence prevention professional, he has worked with communities nationwide that are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. His roles include serving as a hospital-linked violence intervention specialist, directing violence reduction initiatives, acting as a national training officer for the Oakland-based non-profit Youth ALIVE!, and authoring the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime published brief, How to Support Male Survivors of Violence. 

Chris is now leveraging his community-based expertise as a Program Officer at Sierra Health Foundation and The Center where he leads the California Funders for Boys and Men of Color, a network bringing together the state’s leading philanthropic CEOs and institutions to invest in and create a brighter future for boys and men of color. 

Chris is passionate about fostering connections through collaborative research and learning. He is an alumnus of the Alpha Chi National College Honors Society, City of Sacramento Management Academy, the FBI Citizens Academy, and he holds a Master of Public Administration in Government and Policy from Grand Canyon University. 

Driven by a strong belief in evidence-based solutions, Chris aims to tackle the underlying causes of inequity in marginalized communities. Outside of work, he enjoys quality time with family, indulging in barbecue, cheering for the San Francisco 49ers, and traveling internationally.

Holly Victoria Wong is a Program Associate of Housing and Public & Private Partnerships at Crankstart, where she supports grant management and philanthropic initiatives. Drawing from her family's immigrant story and her upbringing in San Francisco, Holly channels a passionate, nuanced approach to philanthropy.

Her professional journey reflects a dedication to social change. Prior to her current role, she coordinated critical community outreach efforts that helped pass San Francisco's $487.5 million Health & Recovery Bond. Her work spans nonprofit and social impact sectors, consistently demonstrating a strategic approach to addressing community needs.

Holly's commitment to community extends beyond her professional work; she serves on the Alumni Advisory Board of 826 Valencia, which nurtured her love for storytelling during her childhood. When not championing causes close to her heart, she enjoys exploring San Francisco's vibrant community spaces.

Born in Southern California, Irene graduated from UCLA and began her career in philanthropy at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. She gained further experience in grants administration while at the Annenberg Foundation, and currently is at Maddie's Fund where she is a Senior Grants Specialist. She recently served as a Co-Chair for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Caucus for PEAK Grantmaking. She lives in Northern California with her dog, "PJ."

Jawno is a writer, creative organizer, and gardener on a mission to cultivate empowered, regenerative futures through accessible cultural experiences and inspiring creative works. In philanthropy, they work to connect Black, Indigenous, and other folks from the Global Majority with the tools and resources to enact sovereign change toward a regenerative, balanced world.

Kirsten is the Temporary Program Manager for the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering, which provide flexible funding for early career scientists to take risks. She recently served as a Program Officer at the California council of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where she widened access to humanities education through grants, programs, and partnerships with public radio stations.

Kirsten enjoys helping institutions and families invest in community life and believes deeply in the public spirit behind our libraries and national parks. She is a passionate advocate for writers, artists, and cultural spaces, helping their work flourish and reach the widest audience.

Early in her career, Kirsten managed programs for art museums and Historic New England, specializing in family engagement. Her entry into philanthropy was inspired by a year assisting Alice Waters plan a gala for Governor Jerry Brown’s Climate Action Summit, where a group led by Al Gore announced a commitment of $4 billion to climate change. She believes deeply in the power and promise of philanthropic partnerships.

Kirsten holds a B.A. from Bennington College, where she co-founded a scholarship to support working-class students pursuing unpaid internships. In her spare time, Kirsten loves an afternoon in the garden and jumping into the ocean with her family and friends.

Lilia (she/her) is a proud Tejana who is grateful for the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations that highlight and celebrate the resilience of low-income and marginalized communities, like the one that raised her. The eldest of three sisters, Lilia grew up on the border with Mexico in El Paso, Texas, and experienced firsthand the need for social safety nets built upon the wisdom and experiences of the people they serve. Because she learned the importance and need to listen to her family and community, Lilia leads with curiosity, communication, and flexibility, and she hopes these values can spark the conversations and work needed to create a society where all people can contribute their strengths and brilliance.
 
In collaboration with her colleagues on the grants management and program teams, Lilia is supporting the needed infrastructure for the foundation’s trust-based philanthropy approach. She provides reliable and consistent service, rooted in the understanding that the key to working well together is building trust-based relationships.
 
Lilia loves to play guitar and sing, eat good food with good friends, be outdoors, shop at the farmer’s market, and seek as many opportunities as possible to use her Spanglish.

Born in Vietnam and working for her family’s small businesses all her life, Lisa understands the importance of community, wearing multiple hats, and innovation. Her journey inspired her to study the sciences and commit to a career rooted in social impact.

“As an immigrant woman from a low socioeconomic background, I’ve seen firsthand how access to resources like education can change a life. I’m excited to learn and do my best to support social impact work,” says Lisa. As the Program Associate supporting both the Climate Solutions and Equity in Education program areas, Lisa’s focus is to communicate openly and clearly with grantees, facilitate trust-based philanthropic grantmaking, and conduct due diligence to ensure Skyline’s resources are stewarded to serve the global community well.

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species from Columbia University. Her diverse career includes supporting donors at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, as well as producing public educational STEM programming at the Zuckerman Institute-Columbia University.

Out of office, Lisa loves to sail and serves as the DEI chair of Co-Op Cal Sailing Club. As the youngest in a family of eight, you can find Lisa surrounded by loved ones, enjoying the arts, books, and being in nature. She lives in the beautiful Bay Area with her partner.
 

Megan Linquiti, Senior Consultant, is a project manager at FSG, with experience in philanthropy, economic mobility, workforce development, and systems change. She has worked with clients across sectors on projects related to strategy development, strategic evaluation, and learning.

At FSG, Megan serves as a project manager on a variety of projects across different topics and client segments. She has led projects with clients such as the Rockefeller Foundation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation, the Missouri Foundation for Health, and many others.

Prior to FSG, Megan worked in philanthropy where she managed grants related to a range of issues, including digital government, the social safety net, and racial equity. Most recently, she worked on a portfolio of grants focused on using data and technology to shape an effective and equitable response to the Covid pandemic. Megan received her MPP from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government where she served as a student consultant to public sector clients on projects including improving access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and evaluating workforce development programs. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Washington University in St. Louis.
 

Mia is a Program Research Analyst on the Families and Communities team at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Mia's work is primarily focused on national policy dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of families, children, and birthing people. As an applied researcher, Mia believes in advancing health equity by bridging the gaps between research, policy solutions and community voice. Prior to Packard, Mia worked in public health research and consulting at JSI, focused on efforts to improve health systems and advance health equity through California's safety net. She also worked as a Policy and Research Associate at the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, leading qualitative research with survivors to inform policy recommendations. Mia holds a Master’s in Public Health in Community Health Sciences from UC Berkeley and received her BA from Harvard College in Psychology and Global Health.

Hailing from the rebellious state of Guerrero, Mexico, Miguel Albarran Fernandez (he/him) draws inspiration from his mother’s grit and perseverance as a domestic worker to advance racial, economic, and gender equity. Previous to joining philanthropy, Miguel was a labor rights organizer supporting immigrant communities and low-wage workers in San Francisco. As the Lead Organizer for La Colectiva and the SF Day Labor Program, Miguel led leadership programs, advocacy campaigns, and workforce development initiatives for domestic workers and day laborers. His enduring commitment to building worker power continues through his volunteer work, where he supports the organization’s strategic planning and fundraising efforts.

Now an emerging leader in philanthropy, Miguel serves as a Multicultural Fellow at the San Francisco Foundation, where he oversees a portfolio focused on advancing worker rights and economic justice. Through close and trusting relationships with grantee partners, Miguel works to amplify their insights and advocate for grantmaking strategies and practices that center the voices of those on the frontlines. His capstone project, “Quality Nonprofit Jobs,” reflects his deep commitment to nonprofit staff wellness and organizational resiliency. Through every facet of his work, Miguel is driven by a mission to channel resources toward transformative movements and invest in the resiliency and wellness of those leading the charge for systemic change.

Raquel Jacquez Sharp (she/her) is a senior program manager for Blue Shield of California Foundation, where she leads special projects under the direction of the chief program director. She is responsible for programmatic support that cuts across approach areas, including: economic security and mobility, breaking the cycle of domestic violence and aligning systems with community priorities. Raquel is deeply committed to supporting the health and safety of all Californians, and particularly those most in need.

Raquel has spent the majority of her career focused on health promotion in schools, libraries, and other community organizations. Prior to working in philanthropy, Raquel was the deputy director of The Charlie Cart Project, a national food and nutrition education nonprofit.  Raquel led the national program strategy, including the training of a national network of health educators, scaling operations, and bringing essential resources to community health efforts. In this role, Raquel led program development with an emphasis on community collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. Raquel brings her expertise in building community partnerships, designing and executing programs, and leading operations to the Foundation. 

Raquel holds a double bachelor’s degree in philosophy and ethnic studies from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s in health education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and two kids.

René Casas is a Program Officer at Sobrato Philanthropies, focusing on the Silicon Valley Strengthening Communities initiative. With extensive experience, he previously served as Deputy Director of Programs at Youth Alliance, where he advocated for policy reform to improve upward mobility for communities of color, inspired by his family's legacy in community organizing.

Before Youth Alliance, he worked at California State University Monterey Bay as an Administrative Analyst II and Community Partnerships Specialist. He co-founded MILPA, which empowers system-impacted individuals and advocates for social equity through a culturally holistic lens focused on culture, consciousness, and movement building.

In 2015, he received the National Juvenile Justice Network Fellowship, developing a youth justice policy approach in California’s Central Coast. Since 2017, René has consulted on youth justice, community organizing, and economic development, while also holding advisory roles with various organizations and serving on Monterey County’s Juvenile Justice Commission.

He earned a Master of Social Work from California State University Monterey Bay, focusing on research related to Latinx youth in the juvenile justice system, and holds a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from California State University Chico. René is committed to combating systemic racism and promoting racial equity through social work.

Sandy Carter works as the Program Manager for Policy at the Energy Foundation (EF) where spearheads special projects; drafts and synthesizes materials for proposals and strategy documents; develops and fine-tunes systems and processes to improve internal and external collaboration; and supports grantmaking, trainings, and budget management. She previously served as the Senior Program Associate for Clean Power at EF.
 
Prior to joining EF, Sandy served as a utility analyst with the Power Enterprise at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, where she led strategic planning efforts and developed strategies to ensure San Francisco moves toward 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025. During her graduate studies, she interned with the California Public Utilities Commission on woody biomass and worked with Southern California Edison on economic modeling for charging electric vehicles. Sandy also spent three years working for The Nature Conservancy on Great Lakes conservation projects. Sandy has a bachelor’s of environmental studies and political science from the University of Chicago and a Masters of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In her free time, Sandy can be found roaming Golden Gate Park, playing a board game with her partner, or traveling to a new place. Sandy lives in San Francisco.

Summer joined Women Donors Network (WDN) in 2017 as an intern and now leads WDN's donor-involved grantmaking initiatives. She cultivates meaningful relationships with grantees, drives 501(c)(3) resources to the field, and designs impact-centered programs to uplift movement partners and WDN members' expertise. She emphasizes trust-based and participatory practices that truly shift power. Summer is an unabashedly AuDHD (autistic/ADHD) leader passionate about donor activism, creative storytelling, movement building, and resourcing.

Born and raised in Stockton, CA, Summer is a first-generation college graduate with a B.A. in English and Media Studies from UC Berkeley and eight Associate Degrees. When she's not mobilizing resources for collective liberation, she enjoys live music, crafting her latest crochet creation, and immersing herself in her special interests. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two cats (who frequently attend Zoom meetings).
 

Whit Guerrero (he/him) Is a Housing Justice Advocate, Transgender Activist, Mediator, Facilitator and Capacity Coach. He serves as a Commissioner for the Homelessness Oversight Commission for the City and County of San Francisco, is the Co-Founder of the first Transgender housing portfolio Our Trans Home, Designed and opened the first Transgender Navigation center in San Francisco, and has served as an Expert Witness on Transgender issues for the Public Defenders Office of San Francisco. Whit utilizes his personal experience as a formerly housing insecure and undocumented transgender person to implement cultural competence through a de-colonial, racial justice and gender justice lens. He has participated in many community-based economies through and survival-based work such as seasonal migrant work. He aims to use this experience to advocate for removing barriers that his community faces in accessing social and public services.