As Partnership and Alumni Engagement Manager, Angel is the liaison to Coro’s key community partners and supports the External Affairs team in meeting revenue targets and connecting the Coro network.

Angel has a background in community organizing and nonprofit work. She is a founding member of the Tri-Valley chapter of YIMBY Action, led a peaceful anti-hate protest in her community, and continues to work on political campaigns to elect diverse voices. She previously worked at Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) on the Economic Justice Team. Angel is a proud Oakland native, a graduate of Coro’s Exploring Leadership Program, and holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and a minor in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

Leadership development allows people to reach their full potential and create lasting ripple effects in their own lives and communities. 

What’s your favorite leadership quote? 

“When you help someone, you help everyone.” – Aunt May in Spider-Man No Way Home 

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

You’ll find me eating at my favorite restaurants with family and friends, weightlifting, and volunteering in my community. 

As Coro’s Director of Program Management, Angela Pang works with the program team to deliver innovative leadership development programs, such as the Partnership for the Bay’s Future, Affordable Housing Leadership Network, and Water Solutions Network. Angela has deep experience as a media, community relations, and event planning expert. She previously served as the Director of Operations for the Asian Business League of San Francisco, managing the nonprofit’s efforts to engage, inspire, and connect leaders within the Asian American/Pacific Islander business community. During her time with the AsianWeek Foundation, Angela also helped organize the largest Pan-Asian celebration nationwide, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration, and coordinated the street fair’s publicity, media sponsorships, social media, and more. She is formerly a member of the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign, a citywide effort to raise awareness about the importance of screening and vaccinating all Asian and Pacific Islanders for hepatitis B. She volunteers on the Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Committee, which organizes San Francisco’s official celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month each May. She’s a Bay Area native and holds a B.A. in English and Communication from the University of California, Davis.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I am passionate about doing work that makes a positive impact in our community.

What’s your favorite leadership quote?

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie.

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

I love making my friends and family smile with personalized artwork and handknit scarves, homebrewing beer, hiking, traveling, playing board games, and spending time with my loved ones.  I also have a passion for dim sum, boba, and sriracha!

Claudia supports others to leverage their wisdom and expertise to make positive impact through daily practices and intentional choices. For over a decade, Claudia has worked as a leadership development practitioner in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in California and New York City. 

To honor her Andean ancestry and belief in generational power, Claudia gave her daughter the middle name, Ayni. Ayni is a core principle of reciprocity and mutualism. 

Claudia holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine University.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

Leadership development is a means to liberation. I live with the belief that we are all connected and we enact our leadership through our actions and choices. Our actions have immediate and generational impact. I trust in our human capacity to learn, unlearn, and relearn for the purpose of being mutually responsible and sustainable.

What’s your favorite quote about leadership? 

“Liberated relationships are one of the ways we actually create abundant justice, the understanding that there is enough attention, care, resource, and connection for all of us to access belonging, to be in our dignity, and to be safe in community.” — adrienne maree brown

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Somewhere fun with people I care about. Sometimes that is at home with my immediate family and sometimes that is a place with good food, wine, music and energy.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Cliff has over 20 years of experience in leadership development, community organizing, and nonprofit management. For the past 11 years with Coro, Cliff has provided established and emerging leaders the blueprints to design their own vehicles for change. Cliff has trained high school students, mid-level managers in the federal government, survivor leaders working to prevent human trafficking, C-suite nonprofit leaders, and more.When Cliff is not hanging out with his partner and two kids, he serves on three local boards and was elected as an Assembly 19 District Delegate for the California Democratic Party.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I am inspired by my mentors who have invested in my growth and paved the way for me to grow in my confidence to initiate positive change. My role at Coro gives me a similar platform to support individuals (from a 14-year-old high school student to a mid-level manager in federal government) to discover their full potential and leverage their confidence to impact communities. 

What’s your favorite leadership quote?

“You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.” – Grace Lee Boggs

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work? 

Spending time with my family or trying out new restaurants.

As Marketing and Recruitment Manager, Elizabet helps spread the word about Coro’s work and leads outreach and recruitment efforts for Coro leadership development programs. Prior to joining Coro, she worked in public education and workforce development in Oakland.

Elizabet is originally from the Pacific Northwest. She holds a B.A. in Painting from the University of Washington.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I am passionate about connecting leaders with the resources they need to thrive.

What’s your favorite leadership quote or book? 

“When I am afraid to speak is when I speak.
That is when it is most important.

— The freedom in fear”
― Nayyirah waheed

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Hiking out in nature, tending houseplants, or hanging out in one of my favorite East Bay cafes.

As Administrative Manager, Eve supports the VP of Finance and Operations in managing the internal workings of the organization. They are responsible for maintaining an efficient and supportive work environment for the team at large ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to succeed. 

Eve brings experience in executive administration, project management and agricultural systems. They most recently worked as the Business Manager for Diaspora Co. Spices, a Berkeley-based company dedicated to growing a more equitable spice trade. Before that, they worked as a farmer and outdoor youth educator at a non-profit in Los Altos. 

They grew up in the South Bay and received a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Seattle University. 

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I am a firm believer that education is the key to liberation and loving communities.  Giving folks the opportunity to invest in themselves and their personal and professional development makes for happier and more secure individuals, which in turn creates happier and more secure communities. 

What’s your favorite leadership quote or book? 

“Bringing love into the work environment can create the necessary transformation that can make any job we do, no matter how menial, a place where workers can express the best of themselves. When we work with love we renew the spirit; that renewal is an act of self-love, it nurtures our growth. It’s not what you do but how you do it” – bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Somewhere in the Sunset! Be it yoga, the beach or GG park, you’re bound to find me moving my body or reading a book in the sun (when it’s out).

As Managing Director of Institutions, Grace (she/her) oversees Coro’s programs
designed to strengthen institutions and foster cultures of collaboration, including
partnerships with higher education institutions and the federal government. Grace
brings over two decades of experience designing and facilitating leadership training
programs, primarily in the health and education sectors. With fifteen years spent
specializing in leadership development at UCSF and UC Berkeley, as well as her role
as a certified professional coach, she has honed her expertise in cultivating effective
leaders across diverse industries. Additionally, Grace is an active member of the
Advisory Council for Home for a Home, a 501(c) organization dedicated to building
homes for historically underserved families in Guatemala.

Grace holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado
Denver and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from The
Pennsylvania State University.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?
I am deeply passionate about empowering individuals with the essential tools and
knowledge to lead positive change within their organizations and communities.
Witnessing leaders align their passions and skills with the pressing needs of their
surroundings is a uniquely rewarding experience, one that continually inspires me to
support others on this transformative journey.

What’s your favorite leadership quote or book?
“A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go
out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being
directed from behind.” – Nelson Mandela

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?
When I’m not at work, I’m likely cooking at home, going on a run, journaling, or on
the soccer pitch with my kids.

Kaitlyn Quackenbush manages the Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fellowship, supporting the leadership development of affordable housing professionals across the Bay Area. Her experience includes leading policy development, building community-based programs focused on social equity, and fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders.

As a former Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fellow in Richmond, Kaitlyn introduced the city’s first Equitable Public Land Policy, prioritizing permanently affordable housing and community ownership.

Previously, Kaitlyn was the Director of Policy and Research for Tenant Rights at Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), where she led the Los Angeles Renters’ Right to Counsel Coalition. She holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and a Bachelor’s in International Development from UC Berkeley.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I find joy in mentoring individuals, helping them find their power, and enhancing collective impact.

What’s your favorite leadership quote or book? 

“Building community is to the collective as spiritual practice is to the individual.” – Grace Lee Boggs

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Cooking at home or exploring restaurants with my partner.

Under Laney’s leadership, Coro has created more than 20 new programs and partnerships, increasing our program reach and impact across Northern California. With more than 20 years of experience as a social impact leader in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, Laney has a rich history with Coro. She graduated from the flagship Fellows Program in Public Affairs in the 1990s and was Director of Community Programs in the early 2000s. Before returning to Coro as CEO in 2016, Laney was a founder and executive in the tech sector. She frequently speaks and writes about leadership, social impact, and value visibility. Laney lives in San Francisco with her husband, two children, and one mischievous dog.

How do you create impact in your role at Coro?

I support my team and board to do their best, most transformative work — and I strive to get Coro training to more people.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

The possible. Most of us don’t have formalized opportunities to practice and refresh our toolbox for the most essential leadership tools. Coro provides these opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds.

What’s your favorite leadership book?

Negotiating at Work by Deborah Kolb. This book transformed my view of negotiation, from something to feel intimidated by to seeing it as creative problem solving. It opened my eyes to the many ways I negotiate every day.

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Playing board games with my family.

As Senior Director of Development, Laura (she/her) leads the fundraising, communication, and alumni engagement strategy for Coro. She partners with the board of directors to raise awareness of and support for Coro’s programming. 

Laura holds a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and History from the University of Miami. 

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

Throughout my career, I have worked at organizations that supported the growth and development of young people. Seeing them grow as people and develop the tools to show up in their communities inspires me to work to create more leadership development opportunities. 

What’s your favorite leadership quote or book? 

“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” Sara Blakely

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

When I am not at work, you can find me baking, enjoying a walk around Lake Merritt, or playing with my nephews.

As Coro’s Vice President of Finance and Operations, Lauren supports the administrative and financial operations of the organization. Lauren brings a strategic lens to Coro’s finance and operations by identifying opportunities to enhance existing processes and systems. She has worked in the public sector for over 15 years, with a focus on financial and budget management. Her experience includes eight years as the Finance Director for the UCSF School of Dentistry. Other highlights of Lauren’s career include her role as Director of Finance and Operations for Marin Montessori School, Chief of Budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles, and Management Analyst for the Department of Justice, Office of Planning, Budget and Evaluation in Washington D.C. 

Lauren earned her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University. She is a graduate of Coro’s 2018 UC Women’s Initiative for Professional Development, Northern Cohort.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

Throughout my career, I have always found purpose in promoting professional development opportunities for both myself and others. Through these professional development experiences, I’ve developed a level of personal growth that I believe has not only improved my abilities as a professional, but also as a friend, a mom, a wife, a sister, and more. I am so excited to support the Coro team in providing these opportunities for so many in our community.

What’s your favorite leadership quote? 

“Humble inquiry is the fine art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not already know the answer, of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person.”
— Edgar Schein in Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling  

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Running around with my husband and kids! We love exploring different parks, playgrounds, and museums. 

As Civic Leadership Director, Omar works closely with Coro’s Programs Team and leads our Fellows Program in Public Affairs. As an alum of the Fellows Program himself, Omar understands the impact that targeted leadership development and the Coro tools can have. Before joining Coro’s staff, Omar worked across different sectors and organizations, focusing on power building, equity, and organizational leadership.

Omar holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Macalester College in International Studies and Anthropology, and a Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I am inspired to build strong and lasting relationships by investing in the potential and aspirations of others. Coro’s leadership development approach allows for this, prioritizing self-awareness and critical thinking, and challenging and supporting leaders to move forward.

What’s your favorite leadership quote?

“Though we tremble before uncertain futures, may we meet illness, death, and adversity with strength, may we dance in the face of our fears.”
– Gloria Anzaldúa

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

I love to cook, explore new restaurants, and learn interesting food history facts. On a nice day, I like to get outside to be in nature, preferably around mountains and/or the ocean.

As Emerging Leaders Facilitator, Silvia (she/her) leads hands-on leadership development training programs in collaboration with various youth-serving organizations and the Coro Programs Team.

Before joining Coro, she worked for a faith-based college organization, crafting holistic leadership programs that fostered cultural awareness and nurtured youth’s ethnic and spiritual identity. She holds a fervent dedication to liberate financial information, aiming to foster greater financial equity for women and communities of color. Silvia earned her bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies from Mills College and her Masters in Social Entrepreneurship from Pepperdine University.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I’m passionate about journeying alongside youth, empowering and equipping them to become future leaders of tomorrow. Our world needs more accountable, equity-driven leaders in every field, capable of upholding our collective future and the wellbeing of our planet.

What’s your favorite leadership quote?

“True resistance begins with people confronting pain … and wanting to do something to change it.”
– bell hooks

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Find me raising two little munchkins and building community with my neighbors, making kimchi on the weekends, or indulging in marathon sessions of K-dramas.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

I’m inspired by the capacity for growth and change that is within all of us. I am privileged to witness people engage in this growth in Coro programs as they take time to reflect on themselves, to make meaning of their work and goals in a community, and to harness the energy of that community for positive change.

What’s your favorite leadership quote?

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anais Nin

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

At my kitchen table eating dinner with my family, playing a board game, or creating some crafty seasonal decorations for our home (#nailedit).

Erika is passionate about leadership training and development to serve the public good.  Prior to joining Coro she worked at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she oversaw nine leadership development fellowship programs and the launch of the U.S. Latino Leadership Fellowship and the Lisa Garcia Quiroz Fellowship. She previously held positions at Rockwood Leadership Institute and has served on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance and the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Vesper Society, a private operating foundation. She is an alumna of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs and the Institute for International Public Policy fellowship.

Erika holds a BA from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Divinity with a focus on meditation, mindfulness, and leadership from Harvard Divinity School.

What inspires you to work in leadership development?

We spend so much of our time and energy at work. Sometimes the work that we do professionally has meaning, and other times we may struggle to find that meaning. I work in leadership development to walk alongside leaders as they seek to find a deeper meaning in the work they do, and do that work more skillfully.

What’s your favorite book about leadership?

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership by Ronald A. Heifetz, Marty Linsky, and Alexander Grashow (Grashow is an alum of the New York Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs).

Where are we most likely to find you when you’re not at work?

Spending time in nature, remaining active, enjoying time with my loved ones, and hanging out with my two black cats, Yuri and Kahlo.

Gina has spent the past 15 years in the corporate sector and is pivoting her career to focus on social equity. Her corporate social responsibility internship at Reebok and time on Macys’ Sustainability Committee significantly furthered her passion for developing policies and strategies to produce positive social impact. For the past 7 years, Gina worked for fast-growth startups in San Francisco, leading people, strategy, and teams in building award-winning work cultures. She has volunteered with the International Rescue Committee, iMentor, and serves on the board of the San Francisco Public Health Foundation. Gina loves apple picking and flea markets.