Leadership is governed by an all volunteer Board. The Board consists of community, business, and educational leaders, as well as representatives from the staff, the Parent Association, the Alumni Association, and the current student body. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the fiduciary oversight of the organization, for the hiring and evaluation of the Principal, and for fundraising.
In addition, Leadership benefits from the guidance of select community leaders who serve as Advisory Board members.
Ninive Clements Calegari
Ninive Clements Calegari is the CEO of 826 National and the founding executive director of 826 Valencia where she also serves on the board of directors. 826 Valencia and the six related locations of 826 National are a group of non-profit writing centers for students ages 8-18. Ms. Calegari is a veteran public school teacher who has had ten years of classroom experience. Before teaching in her family's hometown in Mexico, Ms. Calegari worked at Leadership High School, San Francisco's first charter school, where she also served on the Board of Directors.
Calegari is coauthor with Dave Eggers and Daniel Moulthrop of Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America's Teachers (The New Press, 2005), which argues that increasing teachers' salaries is a critical piece to meaningful school reform and essential to making sure that our students consistently get the quality teachers they deserve. In 2007, Calegari received Edutopia's 2007 Daring Dozen award. She has been the recipient of an NEH Fellowship, the William Coe Award for study at Stanford and the Andrew Mellon Fellowship. She holds a Masters in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Jennifer Chapman
Jennifer Chapman is Chief Operating Officer at Wild Planet Toys, Inc, a company dedicated to creating quality products that spark the imagination and provide positive play experiences for children. Her responsibilities include oversight of Operations as well as Human Resources and Organizational Development. Prior to joining Wild Planet in 1998, Ms. Chapman worked and traveled extensively in Asia during the 1980s, including stints as a teacher in China and Indonesia. Jennifer was founding Board Chair of Leadership High School, a charter school in San Francisco. She also served as Vice President of Social Venture Network from 1994-1998 and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Social Ventures Network.
Henry Der
For more than 20 years, Henry Der has advocated for equal opportunities in education, employment, voting rights and access to services for Asian Americans and other racial minorities and immigrants. As a senior program officer for the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, a private family foundation, Mr. Der led the Fund's efforts in supporting nonprofit groups that advocate for immigrant rights and reform. He also pursued the Fund's exploratory work on racial equity and worked to close the education achievement gap among minority students.
Mr. Der also served as state administrator for the Emery Unified School District and deputy superintendent of public instruction for the California Department of Education. His commitment to seeking equality for minorities at all levels has been demonstrated through his service with many organizations, including Chinese for Affirmative Action, for which he served as the executive director from 1974 to 1996; the National Coalition for an Accurate Count of Asian and Pacific Americans, which he co-founded in 1986 to advocate a more accurate count by the Census Bureau of Asian and Pacific Islander groups; California Postsecondary Education Commission, which he chaired; and the Greenlining Coalition and Greenlining Institute to improve the quality of life for low-income and minority communities.
Der is the recipient of the 1984 San Francisco Foundation Robert C. Kirkwood Award for exemplary community service, the 1988 Edison Uno JACL Civil Rights Leadership Award and the 1991 National Education Association's Ellison Onizuka Memorial Award for human and civil rights leadership.
Delaine Eastin
Currently, Delaine Eastin is Visiting Professor of Educational Leadership at Mills College. Prior to that, from 1994 to 1998, she served as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the highest-ranking official in California's elementary and secondary public school system and the first woman to be elected State Superintendent. Eastin started her career as a teacher. She taught political science at several California community colleges. After seven years of teaching, she joined Pacific Bell where, as a corporate strategic planner, she helped the company recast itself in response to the breakup of the phone system.
In 1980, she was elected to the Union City Council and later, in 1986, joined the California Assembly, where she authored bills to improve schools and education, increase use of recycled materials, improve transportation systems, and crack down on unlicensed contractors. As Chair of the California Assembly Education Committee, she authored and shaped legislation to reform California's public schools in order to make the state economically competitive. Her legislation has included bills creating charter schools, promoting parental involvement, enhancing school safety, and reducing the bureaucratic hurdles for approval of new school construction.
She received "Legislator of the Year" awards from the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, the California School Boards Association, the California Teacher's Association and the California Media Library Educators Association. The California Congress of the PTA and the American Electronics Association also have recognized Eastin for her efforts on behalf of children.
Seewan Eng
Seewan Eng serves as Research Associate in WestEd’s Innovation Studies Program, where she conducts and disseminates case study research related to education policies and practices at the classroom, school, and district level. Specializing in promising practices in school choice programs, including charters and magnet schools, Eng has managed the production of Innovation Guides contracted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement, such as the forthcoming Sustaining Successful K–8 Magnet Schools, as well as a companion guide on magnet high schools. Eng has also been involved in the production of an online toolkit for supporting district administrators and evaluators with rigorous evaluations of magnet schools, and conducting site-based research and developing multimedia products to illustrate evidence-based strategies for the Doing What Works website.
Eng taught at two start-up charter schools, Francis W. Parker Essential Charter in Massachusetts and Leadership High in San Francisco, both of which are now mentor schools in the Coalition of Essential Schools. She also was a humanities teacher at San Francisco Community K–8, a public, alternative, teacher-run school. She currently serves on the advisory board of Leadership High School and was the past-president of its Board of Trustees. She is also on the advisory board of the San Francisco Coalition of Essential Small Schools, which provides coaching, technical assistance, and professional development to a network of schools focused on equity, inquiry, and achievement.
Eng received a BA in educational studies and American history from Brown University, where she was presented with the Elmer R. Smith Award for her undergraduate thesis; an EdM in social studies from Harvard University; and National Board Certification.
Cristina Valdez
As a long-time advocate for children and youth, Cristina Valdez has worked to enhance educational opportunities for youth typically marginalized and underserved. Her commitment to supporting education equity has been evident in her work, from direct service for youth to advocating policy changes at the state level and in her current work as Director of Policy and Professional Development/SF Education Fund. Earlier in her career, as a Program Director at Latino Issues Forum (LIF), she lobbied state legislators to provide greater access to California‘s public colleges and universities for historically underserved communities. She conducted research for a publication by California Tomorrow on Multicultural Curricula, and has worked with youth in the Mission District of San Francisco to provide mentorship and leadership development programs through the YWCA Mission Girls Services and Coleman Advocate's Youth Making a Change Program (YMAC). In 1995 she was recruited to launch and direct the Cross Cultural Environmental Leadership Program (XCEL), sponsored by Audubon Canyon Ranch and located at San Rafael High School. The program successfully engaged youth primarily from the Canal Area of San Rafael and Marin City in learning about natural science and environmental justice. In 2003, after years of planning and collaboration with educators and a creative design team, she opened the Cross Cultural Environmental Leadership (XCEL) Academy, a college-prep charter high school in San Francisco designed to further engage students in natural science and environmental justice while preparing them for leadership.
Kevin Adams is an Oklahoma native who migrated to the Bay Area in 2002, and brings a diverse background of education experience to the board. He previously worked as a Team Leader and Site Administrator with Learning Forum Supercamp, which hosts academic and life skills programs for high school students at various college campuses around the U.S. This experience gave Kevin a powerful appreciation for the importance of alternative approaches to learning and positive school environments. Additionally, Kevin has extensive experience in Bay Area high school speech and debate, both as a coach at Leland High in San Jose, and a volunteer at numerous tournaments.
Kevin graduated Cum Laude from Santa Clara University in 2004 with a B.S. in Accounting, and currently works as an Audit Manager at Deloitte and Touche in San Francisco, where he resides with his wife.
Dr. Jamal Cooks is originally from Oakland, CA. Dr. Cooks works tirelessly to uplift the national, state and local communities.
Currently, Dr. Cooks is an Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University in the Department of Secondary Education. Dr. Cooks taught middle school and high school social studies and English (remedial coursework) at the junior college level. He earned his B.A. from University of California at Berkeley and a MA in Social Studies Curriculum Development from the University of Michigan. Dr. Cooks completed his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan with a dissertation entitled "Explicit Instruction, assumed skills, or something in the middle: Expository writing development in different learning environments with high school freshmen."
On the national level, Dr. Cooks has been a co-author of the Shades of Literacy Column in Voices from the Middle, a reviewer for the English Journal, and an active member of the National Council for Teachers of English, including a voted member of the Middle Level Steering Committee which provides insight about policy issues related to early adolescents.
Dr. Cooks serves on many Advisory Boards including Youth Together Student Center, Skyline High School Education Academy, and for a non-profit called Creative Education. As part of his continuous community service in support of education, Dr. Cooks is a Lead Educational Development Officer for Academics for Success (AFS), where he serves as a trainer, evaluator, and presenter to community based organizations, institutions and groups on educational programs. On the state level, Dr. Cooks has served as a member of the Center for the Advancement of Reading, the Secondary Literacy Task Force through the California State University system, and the California State University System Faculty Advisory Committee.
Dr. Cooks is a life member of the California Alumni Association-University of California at Berkeley, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Alliance of Black School Educators, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Chris Flood brings diverse leadership and development experience to the board of the Leadership High School. Currently a freelance writer in the Bay Area, he was the founding Executive Director of City Year Louisiana, a non-profit service organization for 17 to 24-year-olds committed to making a difference in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. During Mr. Flood's tenure, City Year Louisiana won the Community Partner of the Year Award (2008) from the Louisiana Department of Education and Partner of the Year (2008) from Volunteer LSU. He also served on the board of the New Orleans Kids Partnership and the Enhance Capital Development Corporation and worked at City Year Greater Philadelphia, where he recruited, taught, and led corps members. He has a Masters degree in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Swarthmore College, and his fantasy football team--the Man Children--dominates its league every season.
Michelle Florendo, Vice-Chair, is a bay area native whose passion for education stems from her own experience growing up in the California public school system and her time spent tutoring and mentoring high school students. This past summer she worked at the California Charter Schools Association as an Education Pioneers Fellow, helping the membership team understand the needs of various segments of their member base. She is currently earning her MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, where she is the Co-President of the Education Leadership Club and the student government VP of Diversity. Prior to business school, Michelle worked in brand management at Del Monte Foods. There, she supported the Del Monte Vegetables team and helped manage the growth segment of College Inn Broth. Before working at Del Monte, Michelle was a Business Associate at ZS Associates consulting, with a focus on market research and opportunity assessment projects.
Michelle has a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, and will complete her MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business in May 2010. In her spare time, she enjoys hip-hop dance, drawing comic strips, making costumes, and revelling in the experience of eating.
Flora Kuo is a Consultant at Deloitte Consulting in San Francisco where she focuses on technology strategy and implementing large-scale software applications for business clients. A Bay Area native, Flora grew up in California public schools where her interest in public education was first sparked by educators who were passionate about enabling their students to succeed. Flora cares deeply about the Bay Area education community and has served as a representative in developing an equity action plan for her local school district, tutored and mentored middle and high school students in several after school programs and has provided ongoing strategic and administrative support for a local education-focused non-profit over the last decade.
Flora graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with high honors, earning degrees in Business Administration and Psychology and a minor in Education. While at Berkeley, Flora taught a credit-bearing, student-run financial literacy course through the Haas School of Business. She also had the opportunity to introduce many high school students to the college experience and Berkeley campus as a campus tour guide, which she still maintains has been one of her favorite jobs to date. In her spare time, Flora enjoys running, learning languages, tending to her modest herb garden, and playing fun board games with good friends.
Carl Nichols, Treasurer, Carl has been a Managing Partner at Outlook Ventures, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco that he co-founded, since 1996. Carl helps define the firm’s strategy, assess opportunities and lead the pursuit of new investments. Carl has served on the Boards of numerous portfolio companies helping refine their strategies, build their management teams and efficiently scale their businesses. Prior to Outlook, Carl led corporate strategy for Pacific Bell (now AT&T), an $8 billion communications firm pursuing new growth initiatives while addressing the challenges of disruptive technologies, deregulation and new competition. Before joining Pacific Bell, Carl was Vice President at Scrivner, Inc., a $6 billion consumer products distributor and retailer where he led the company's new business efforts, including business partnerships, market expansions, new technology initiatives and operations improvements. Prior to Scrivner, Carl spent six years as a management consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton, where he provided guidance to his Fortune 500 clients.
Carl received a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard's Graduate School of Business. Carl lives with his wife and young son in San Francisco and enjoys sailing, scuba diving and skiing. Carl’s community activities have included teaching at the University of California-Berkeley and Stanford University, serving on the Board of the San Francisco Education Fund, volunteering with Big Brothers and Junior Achievement and supporting the Board of the San Francisco Symphony.
Loran Simon, Alumni Representative, is a native of San Francisco, California. He attended the best of San Francisco’s schools, including; Cathedral School for Boys, and Leadership High School, and is currently attending University of San Francisco School of Law. Loran graduated cum laude from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, receiving the Department of Political Science Chair’s Award. At SF State he was the Vice President of the University’s Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. In 2003 he was selected by Warner Bros. Television Network as an actor, producing, writing and acting in public service commercials addressing the needs of young people. Loran is an advisory board member for many organizations, including, KQED (San Francisco’s PBS affiliate) and The California Foundation. He graduated with honors from Leadership High School in 2003.
Cliff Staton was First drawn to politics through the anti-nuclear movement in the late 1970s, Cliff Staton has channeled his interests in environmental, education and social justice issues to become one of California’s leading direct mail and media relations strategists – crafting winning campaign messages for hundreds of candidates, non-profit organizations, public libraries and labor unions.
Since founding Staton Hughes in 1989, Cliff devised the successful national media and political strategy for the Screen Actors Guild in their 2000 commercial contract strike; helped design Delaine Eastin’s campaign to become California’s first woman superintendent of public schools (1994 and 1998); managed the media relations efforts for the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations (1995) and the 50th Anniversary of the US-Japan Peace Treaty (2001); and wrote and produced direct mail to help pro-choice Democrats take five swing Congressional seats from Republicans.
Prior to establishing the firm, Staton was Editorial Director and Vice President of The Kamber Group, then Washington DC’s largest independent public relations firm. His principal clients included the United Food and Commercial Workers, the Communications Workers of America and the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
Staton received his Master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and completed his undergraduate work at Indiana University. He lives in San Francisco with his wife Elizabeth Ozer and their three children.
Mike Vincent is a Consultant at Accenture, specializing in Customer Relationship Management. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Santa Clara University, where he majored in Finance and concentrated in Marketing and Retail Studies. At Santa Clara, Mike was a member of the Education for a Sustainable Future living community, the Santa Clara Community Action Program and two national honor societies: Beta Gamma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Nu. He also served as the Vice President of the Retail Studies Student Association. In his free time, Mike enjoys traveling with friends, playing sports and volunteering in his community.
Brian Williams, Chair, focuses on understanding and offering people hope in order to fulfill their dreams is a way each and every one of us can give back to our communities. Brian Williams is a dedicated human resources professional and utilizes his broad experience to enhance the lives of others. In 1991, Brian graduated from the Miami University Oxford, OH and was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy submarine fleet. Since that time, Brian has held many leadership positions in the financial services and healthcare industries where he has been a major team contributor. He has served on various boards and community involvement initiatives.
Pei-Yee Woo, Secretary, brings a decade of nonprofit experience and education to her work with Leadership High School. Her work with NatureBridge, a nonprofit dedicated to providing science and environmental education in nature's classroom and inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders, included designing and managing youth leadership and teacher professional development programs and raising the funds to support these efforts. She is passionate about empowering young people to be active leaders in their environment and communities. She is currently a non profit consultant and pursuing her dream of being a pastry chef. Pei-Yee graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College with a degree in Visual Arts and Art History and received her M.A. in Teaching from the University of San Francisco.