Our Staff
Working to Break the Cycle of Poverty
United Way Bay Area staff members are committed to helping Bay Area residents connect to the careers they want, giving more people the chance to stay in their homes and thrive financially. Get to know the team behind our work.
Leadership Team
KELLY BATSON
Interim CEO & Chief Community Impact Officer
CHRISTOPHER BERINI
Chief Advancement Officer
SARA BRISSENDEN-SMITH
Vice President, Equity and Strategy
JACQUELINE CHAN
Vice President, Impact Strategies
WINNIE CHEUNG
Vice President, Transformation
LAURA ESCOBAR
Vice President, Safety Net Services
NICOLE HARDEN
Vice President, Economic Success
BRIAN KATAOKA
Chief Financial Officer
CAROLINA MARTIN
Vice President, Development
NINA VASQUEZ
Vice President, People and Culture
Staff Members
CRISTIAN AVILA
Program Analyst
PAOLO BANZON
Program Coordinator, Economic Success
SARAHVON BUENAVISTA
Director, IT Operations
TOMÁS CARRADERO
Social Media and Content Specialist
EMILY CHAN
Program Analyst, Community Impact
GRACE CHEN
Senior Director, Brand and Integrated Marketing
NORMAN CHENG
Senior Data Manager
SYLVIA CRATER
Executive Assistant
ROBERT G. CRUZ
Director, Marketing Partnership & Initiatives
VALINA CUTLER
Applications Specialist
Shariz Dizon
Corporate Engagement Specialist
LAILA E. DREIDAME
Senior Director, Institutional Partnerships
GABRIELLA GIANNINI
Director, Institutional Partnerships
NICK GOLDEN
Grants Manager, Institutional Partnerships
GEZCHE GRAVES
Senior Director, Free Tax Help
RITA GUPTA
Director, Corporate Partnerships
Melissa Fernandez
Program Specialist
Shase⠀Hernandez
Manager, Website and Analytics
JESS HUDSON
Public Policy Manager
TINGTING LAN
Staff Accountant
MELISSA LAURETA
Program Specialist, EFSP and 211
MANDY LEW
Program Manager, Community Impact
RAY LI
Administrative Assistant, Community Impact
GWEN LEONG
Community Engagement, Program Coordinator
Elizabeth Maggio
Director, Sparkpoint
EVA MALONE
Accounting Specialist
CLARE MARGASON
Director, 211
Lily Ana Marquez
Program Manager, Ambassadors
DANIEL MATTISON
Corporate Engagement Manager
KHAMMANY MATHAVONGSY
Partnership Manager
JASON MENDEZ
Editorial Content Specialist
Daniellle Molnar
Senior Generalist, People and Culture
KAREN NEMSICK
Director, Housing Justice
Eli Nevel-Tyler
Advancement Coordinator
FAUSTA NGENDANIMANA
Accounts Payable Specialist
STANI PEYCHEVA
Senior Director, Corporate Engagement
LINDSAY ROJAS
Program Manager, Free Tax Help
Monica Ruck
Program Manager, Free Tax Help
TOM RYAN
Labor Liaison - San Francisco
Cecilia Garcia Saldana
Director, Accounting
SOPHIA SELASSIE
Program Manager, Free Tax Help
ROSA SHIELDS
Labor Liaison - San Mateo
MONICA STRAUCH
Manager, Public Policy
LUONG TANG
Facilities Manager
KEEGAN VERBURG
Development Officer, Stewardship & Ops
THERESA WILSON
Senior Director, Community Engagement
Madelyn Wright
Development Manager, Individual Giving
TRACI YOUNG
Labor Liaison - Contra Costa
Carla Zuber
Senior Director, Individual Giving