Benjie is the Vice President of Programs at Aim High, a Bay Area non-profit whose mission is to increase education equity by providing joyful, enriching learning experiences for middle school students, aspiring teachers and experienced educators. Originally from San Francisco, Benjie earned a B.A. from Macalester College while returning home every summer to work at Aim High. His work there inspired him to earn single subject teaching credentials in English and History as well as an M.A. in Education from Mills College. He taught middle school in Oakland for 10 years then joined Aim High full time. Prior to his current role, Benjie held multiple roles at Aim High including Lead Teacher, Site Director and the East Bay Program Manager.  In his current role he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of student programming and operations across Aim High’s 17 Bay Area programs. He cares deeply about educational equity, inclusion and providing all students with the intangible tools they can use to be successful in school and life.  Benjie lives in Oakland with his wife and 8-year old son.

I am a dedicated leader in youth development and community advocacy, committed to creating equitable opportunities for Black and Brown youth in the Bay Area. As a Director at The Richmond Neighborhood Center, I support programs that center identity, healing, and empowerment, working across schools and community partnerships to ensure young people receive the support they need to thrive.

With a deep passion for culturally responsive programming, I have led initiatives that provide affinity spaces, workforce development opportunities, and holistic student support. My leadership extends to managing multi-stakeholder collaborations, advocating for Black youth in education systems, and developing programs that foster self-determination, critical thinking, and well-being.

In addition to my organizational leadership, I have a strong background in coaching and mentorship, particularly through my work with high school athletics and youth affinity groups. I am committed to creating spaces where young people feel seen, valued, and equipped to navigate systemic barriers.

Through the Lead Bay Area cohort, I look forward to strengthening their ability to influence systemic change, refine collaboration skills, and build a network of like-minded leaders. My goal is to continue developing innovative solutions that uplift Black youth, ensuring that schools and community institutions are not just responsive, but truly transformative.

Following a 20-year career in local public service, Igor Tregub was elected as a Berkeley City Councilmember on May 28, 2024, and proudly serves the Downtown Berkeley community. Outside of City Hall, Igor is the Strategic Partnerships Director and Senior Policy Advisor at Reimagine Power, a women-owned boutique consultancy providing legislative and regulatory advocacy for renewable energy solutions benefitting renters and all who’ve been historically left out of the clean energy transition. Igor holds an M.A. in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco, M.S. in Engineering Management from Duke University, and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering/B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley.

Jacquelyn is a strategic community builder and education advocate with over 16 years of experience spanning education technology, nonprofit leadership, and social impact. Most recently, she led educator engagement at Prodigy Education, where she developed comprehensive advocacy programs that expanded the platform’s reach across American schools. Previously, as Director of Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships at iMentor, she orchestrated engagement strategies for 9,000+ volunteer mentors supporting first-generation Bay Area high school students and established partnerships with numerous local community and corporate organizations.

Jacquelyn’s career has focused on building purpose-driven communities and creating scalable impact. At NationSwell, she pioneered community programming that connected C-suite executives across multiple cities to drive social change. Her foundation in education includes roles at Teach for America, where she coached educators across New York City schools and launched innovative student advocacy programs, as well as serving as an elementary teacher for English Language Learners. She holds a Master of Science in Education from Pace University and a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Spanish from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, including studies at La Universidad de Sevilla.

Jake is the Portfolio Manager on Cisco’s Crisis Response team, focused on supporting non-profits with early-stage technology-driven initiatives to address issues around food insecurity, access to clean water, inadequate shelter, and disaster relief. 

Jake comes to these roles with a background in technology workforce development, community organizing and economic anthropology. Prior to Cisco, Jake was the Communications Director for Per Scholas, a national technology training nonprofit. Jake has a B.A. in Anthropology and French from Bates College and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. He lives in Oakland where he enjoys watercolors and wetsuits (Oakland hills and Pacific Ocean, respectively).

Jessica Ortiz leads initiatives at the Center for Care Innovations that help safety-net health systems drive digital transformation, strengthen data governance, and foster a culture of innovation – all in service of improving access and quality of care and advancing equitable opportunities to be healthy. Previously, Jessica worked at Kaiser Permanente for over fifteen years, where she provided direct care as a Nutrition Assistant and collaborated on initiatives to improve workplace safety and culture. She holds a master’s in public health from University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s in health sciences administration and management from California State University, East Bay.  Outside of work, she enjoys reading, strength training, and cherishes play time with her beloved Heeler-mix, River.

Karoleen Feng established MEDA’s Community Real Estate program to reverse cultural displacement and gentrification in the highest-cost neighborhood in the nation. She has changed the narrative of the future of the neighborhood and achieved the rebuilding of community assets in the Mission District after a decade-long absence of affordable-housing production in the neighborhood. Against the odds of the low-income, primarily Latino family’s neighborhood being decimated, she has been instrumental in jumpstarting MEDA being joint-venture partners for the Mission-Castro cluster of the San Francisco Housing Authority Rental Assistance Demonstration program, new construction of almost 500 apartments and preservation of dozens of small apartments off the private market.

Karoleen has also led the Mission Action Plan 2020 initiative to shape policies and planning regulations for land use in the neighborhood. She has built affordable housing for over a decade – rental and for-sale, family and senior, mixed-use developments and affordable commercial real estate at East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation and Little Tokyo Service Center.

Licette Montejano discovered her passion for education while working with young children and their families in her hometown of Sacramento. In her 16-year career, she has worked in several early care and education settings, supported early educators with degree attainment, been a community organizer, and developed and managed nationally recognized wage support initiatives. She’s also a proud first-generation college graduate and obtained her master’s in public administration from San Francisco State University. Licette enjoys spending time with her family and tapping back into her roots as a preschool teacher to explore the world with her two young children.

Luis Hernandez is an award-winning multimedia content creator and strategist with a zeal for tech and entertainment.

Currently, he serves as an Executive Producer for Storefront Media, a full-service communications firm. He manages the content strategy for several energy clients, including Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). 

Recently, Luis wrote, directed, and produced a digital advertorial series, 7 Saturdays to a More Fire-Resistant Home, which empowers Californians to take simple steps to protect their community during fire season. The series has amassed more than 1 million views. He also manages the Safety Action Center, an online emergency preparedness resource with more than 2 million unique users who have visited the site.

Previously, Luis has worked for NBC, KALW, Univision, and Alluma (a Social Tech Nonprofit). He holds a master’s in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s of communications from the University of Southern California.

Madison Thomas is the Deputy Director at the Oakland Unified School District Office of Charter Schools where she leads the oversight and evaluation of 27 charter schools with the goal of ensuring that all students in Oakland have access to a high quality public education. Madison began her career in public education as a high school physics and environmental science teacher and received her Masters in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she additionally served as a Dean’s Fellow working with NOLA Public Schools. Madison was born and raised in East Tennessee but is happy to now call the Bay Area home!

Margarita Kompelmakher, PhD, is an arts administrator, educator, and researcher whose work resides at the intersection of the arts and community development. Most recently, she served as the Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, where she led initiatives to expand access to the arts and foster meaningful civic engagement through theatre. Margarita holds a PhD in Theatre History and Cultural Studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and her research and writing have been featured in various scholarly anthologies as well as HowlRound Theatre Commons.

Mary Mattingly is a passionate communicator who thrives when creating high-value programs and communications that support mission-driven goals. Lately she works at the intersection of tech and communication, serving as the leadership face of technical engagement and support for MTC/ABAG’s incredibly tech-forward staff. MTC/ABAG serves the public by providing regional guidance and a structured approach to transportation, housing and the environment. Unexpectedly, she has found herself on the forefront of agency leadership grappling with the conundrum of AI’s promise and perils.

Before MTC, Mary spent over a decade crafting internal and external messaging and events for the East Bay Regional Park District. With a Master’s in Public Administration, organizational change, Mary has a diverse skill set that includes quickly adapting to varied organizational settings and managing diverse teams in executive administration, creative production, and technical office environments. A strong collaborator and accomplished producer, she is dedicated to coaching staff to set and achieve realistic, challenging goals that advance their skills along with an organization’s mission and vision.

Monisha Merchant is the Managing Director at Lotus Advisory. She brings her cross-sector experience to her clients, providing government affairs, consulting, and coaching services. She serves on the Contra Costa County Economic Opportunity Council and enjoys being an amateur horticulturist. Monisha earned an MBA at the Yale School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in engineering and political science from MIT.

A North Omaha native, Nicholas Banks is a strategic leader with more than 15 years of experience in program development, talent management, and community engagement. He has directed workforce initiatives, led special projects, and managed multi-year partnerships to drive organizational growth. Skilled in leadership, operations, and strategic consulting, he founded Bridge Builder Consulting, LLC in 2022 to help organizations strengthen talent strategy, innovation, and organizational effectiveness. He is a respected writer and creative, often times referred to as an “old soul”. A first-generation college graduate and proud life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Nick excels at bridging gaps, optimizing systems, and driving impact across industries.

Holding a degree in Architecture from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, I began my career as an owner’s representative, managing design and project management for high-rise residential developments, life science companies, and Fortune 500 technology companies. After a few years I transitioned into the single family residential market working for a general contractor and then began offering architectural design services independently. In addition to residential design, I’ve also held a position as a development, construction, and project manager for private equity in a variety of sectors across the United States, including housing, education, commercial, life sciences, and hospitality.

Steven Cong is a nonprofit leader with over 10 years of experience in leadership, youth, and workforce development. Prior to his current position, he has served in director level roles with organizations like AmeriCorps and Juma Ventures to serve underserved youths and young adults in gaining valuable work experience and navigating both career development and entry into the nonprofit sector. Steven is currently the Senior Program Manager, Climate Careers Bay Area at Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, and leads a team of three managers in implementing our annual Green House Call program in the summer and Fall externship with partners in the green economy.