OUR STORY

Oakland Leaf was founded in 2001 by a collective of East Oakland educators intent on empowering youth voice. At the time, Oakland was experiencing a surge in crime and violence, the country was about to enter a war, and many kids in Oakland didn’t have an outlet or a platform to examine and express their fears, anxieties, hopes and dreams. Oakland Leaf’s first program was the All Oakland Youth Talent Show. More than two decades later, we have evolved into a highly regarded leader in the fields of youth development and out-of-school time learning.

 

 

OUR TEAM

OAKLAND LEAF STAFF

Melissa Mendez Ochoa

Melissa Mendez Ochoa
Executive Director

Kamilah Henderson
Director of Finance and Administration

Isabel Gonzalez
Director of Programs

Cindy Mora
Intern Director

Headshot of Nayeli Melchor

Nayeli Melchor
Development Operations Manager

Samantha Liapes
Development Director

Jessica Ozuna
Love Cultivating Schoolyards Manager

Blanca Bustamante
LWL Afterschool Program Manager

Alana Reyna
Bret Harte Afterschool Program Manager

Ana Pena
ICS/TCN Afterschool Program Manager

Ma-Rya Reyna
Think College Now Afterschool Program Manager

Jake Tane
Cleveland Afterschool Program Manager

Jocelin Pulido
ASCEND Afterschool Program Manager

OAKLAND LEAF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Marina Ortega, Board-Chair
Physician Assistant, UCSF Health

Gail Camacho, Vice Chair
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Informing Change

Leo Kremer, Treasurer
Co Founder, Founders Restaurant Table Group

Kim Bronson
Sourcing Manager, Genentech

Shaelyn Dawson
Attorney, Morrison & Foerster

Kim Duff
Director of Product Marketing, Rally Health

Monica Guzman
Vice Principal, Mt. Diablo Unified School District

Liz Kim
Investment Banker and M&A Advisor

Debra Levinksy, Founding Board Member
Retired Medical Doctor, Private Practice

Jose Luis Rodriguez, Alumni
Project Manager, Growing Together

Scott Sillers
Board of Trustees, Health Professions Education Foundation

Steven Tindall
Partner at Gibbs Law Group LLP

Stephen Walrod, Founding Board Member
Retired Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice

Audrey Yang
User Experience Research Consultant

Melissa Mendez Ochoa, Executive Director

Melissa grew up in Napa Valley and made the move to the East Bay when she decided to attend the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a minor in Education and in 2020, Melissa earned her Masters in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.  As an undergraduate she became involved with many different organizations targeted to change the educational system and help students of color reach higher education. Upon graduating from UC Berkeley, Melissa decided to stay in the East Bay and began working with Oakland Leaf. As an Administrative Assistant and later HR and Finance Director, she developed the infrastructure and direction of the organization and programs. Melissa planned and hosted Oakland Leaf’s 12th and 13th Annual All Oakland Youth Talent Showcase. In the of Spring of 2019, Melissa became Oakland Leaf’s Executive Director.  In her free time, Melissa is in active alumna of TRENZA UC Berkeley and an avid sports fan of the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, and San Francisco Niners.

email: [email protected]

Sara Rousseve, People and Culture Manager

Sara comes from a family of educators, artists and social service professionals. Being the oldest of three, she spent many days in her backyard creating spaces for curiosity and play for her siblings. These early experiences planted the seeds for her lifelong love of learning and teaching. Sara earned a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in Theatre Arts from Loyola Marymount University. Upon graduation, she joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps,  where she worked as a middle school After-School Program Assistant in an environment that centered social justice, creative expression and social-emotional development. This experience motivated her to earn her MA in Education, with an emphasis in Cognitive Development and Arts Integration, at UC Berkeley. Since 2006, she has been working with youth and families in the Bay Area as a teacher, reading intervention specialist, literacy coach, and consultant with children who have learning challenges. She is a proud mother of her daughter Mayla, and adores the time she gets to be a “kid” again with her, whether in the form of an impromptu dance party or pretending to be talking dragons while on a local hike.  

email: [email protected]

Kamilah Henderson, Finance and Operations Manager

Kamilah grew up in Hayward and Oakland, CA and earned a B.A. in Education Studies and a minor in Sports and Recreation Management from Ashford University. After 10 years of working with youth in schools and in educational programs, Kamilah decided to earn a M.A. in Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction from Ashford University. Her experience in education and youth work drives her passion for Oakland Leaf’s community impact. As a parent, and former after-school instructor, she knows how much families rely on quality out-of-school time programming. When she’s not at work, Kamilah enjoys road trips, beach days, and studying music.

email: [email protected]

Isabel Gonzalez, Director of Community Programs

Before transitioning into her current role, Isa served as the Program Manager at one of Oakland Leaf’s afterschool programs. As a minority in Oakland she has been labeled as a female who is statistically designed to fail, and lives in a city labeled as a “malignant place.” But Isa refused to let others define her, and always was eager to realize her dreams. Isa discovered her passion for equity in education and Feminism through an Oakland Leaf critical media afterschool program. In 2011, she attended the University of California Santa Cruz as an undergraduate scholar and in 2015 received her Bachelor’s degree in Feminist Studies. Isa is a life-long learner and is passionate about sharing her knowledge with those who surround her. At Oakland Leaf, Isa continues her mission of providing youth with the resources that they might not be able to attain elsewhere, and gives them the tools to be active agents of change in our communities.

email: [email protected]

Audacious Wilson, Director of Afterschool Programs

Audacious has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit program development, creative arts, and social justice work. She has a Bachelor in Sociology from Rust College and Master of Fine Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from Mills College. As an educator, writer, and program director, Audacious has provided services and leadership for programs of Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Oakland School for the Arts (named Greater Bay Area Teacher of the Year, 2016), Mills College and, most recently, the YMCA of the East Bay. In her role with the YMCA, Audacious led the daily operation and success of six Before and After School Programs in the West Contra Costa School District. Audacious fosters a creative educational, team building, hands-on, and visionary approach to leadership and learning.  In her spare time, Audacious enjoys spending time with her family, watching basketball, reading poetry, jamming out to some good music and catching a sale at Nike Town.

email: [email protected]

Samantha Liapes, Development Director

For nearly a decade, Samantha served as the Development and Communications Director at Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth in San Francisco, a leadership development and community organizing institution focused on education equity. Before working at Coleman, Samantha was the founding Director of a national alliance of progressive youth and student organizations working to build power in communities of color. Early in her nonprofit career, Samantha served in several staff leadership positions at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, including Project Director of both Bay Area PoliceWatch and NYC PoliceWatch and National Development Director. As an independent fundraising and communications consultant and a certified co-active and somatic coach, Samantha has provided capacity building and leadership development support to dozens of nonprofit organizations and leaders. She has also served on several volunteer committees that helped to launch housing justice, immigration rights, and other social change organizations. Samantha is the mother of twins who teach her daily lessons about what it means to live life courageously and unselfconsciously, and to feel (and in their case, loudly express) all the feelings.

email: [email protected]

Headshot of Nayeli Melchor

Nayeli Melchor, Development Operations Manager

Nayeli served Oakland Leaf as the Program Assistant for the ICS/TCN afterschool program for five years before joining the development team. Before joining Oakland Leaf, she worked for several years with Oakland Parks and Recreation, in various youth development roles. Since Nayeli was a young child, she has loved, and been deeply curious about, science, nature, animals, and ecosystems of all kinds.  These passions motivated her to get her degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from UC Santa Cruz.  In her spare time, Nayeli loves doing arts and crafts and DIY projects, hiking, spending time outdoors, exploring new places, and spending time with her dog (Cookie) and lizard (Diny – short for tiny dinosaur).
email: [email protected]
Headshot of Nayeli Melchor

Dureana Murphy, Operations Manager

Dureana grew up in Oakland CA . She has always been a catalyst for change in her community and enjoys making a positive impact on those around her. Dureana is also passionate about helping people and children find safe and healthy ways to express themselves. She spent her teenage and early adult years working at the East Oakland Youth Development Center as a youth leader and instructor for the after school computer program. Currently she is in school studying to obtain a sociology degree. When she is not busy making a difference in her community, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her children and reading.

Erika Cardona, Learning Without Limits Afterschool Program Manager

Erika is currently the Site Manager at Learning Without Limits. She has been with the Oakland Leaf as of 2016. Erika has over 10 years’ experience in academic development, programming and implementation in the public sector, particularly in under-served communities. Erika also served as a liaison for non-English speaking families; her responsibilities included assisting with academics, implementing new programs to develop Youth Empowerment, leveraging community relationships, and developing the potential of young people while maintaining and operating an After School Program serving over 160 students daily. Erika continues to pursue her passion, to encourage and support the public by cultivating, welcoming, supporting, and being inclusive to all communities. When she’s away from LWL Erika enjoys reading, taking trips, and spending time with her family.

email: [email protected]

Genesis Rodriguez, Roots Program Manager

Genesis earned his Bachelors Degree in Communications from California State University, East Bay. He was raised in Oakland and is extremely proud to work in the community that supported and inspired him to live his life with passion and purpose. Genesis is motivated to help youth in his community develop valuable skills that will help them achieve success in their future and overcome the socioeconomic barriers that they face daily. He is thrilled for the opportunity to lead a brand new high school internship that will instill confidence in the youth of his community. Genesis has a deep knowledge of Oakland Leaf programming- he was an after-school program participant, a Love Cultivating Schoolyards (LCS) intern, an After-School Program Instructor, a Program Assistant for LCS, and is now the Program Manager of Roots.

email: [email protected]

Ana Pena, ICS/TCN Afterschool Program Manager

Mexican born and Oakland raised, Ana is a community leader and educator deeply informed and inspired by her early experiences in a number of local youth development and youth organizing programs, including Oakland Leaf’s Youth Roots program.  Before transitioning into her role as Program Manager, Ana served as a Restorative Justice Facilitator for Oakland Leaf,  supporting the integration and implementation of restorative practices and social-emotional learning  in the ICS/TCN afterschool program. Ana earned an Associate’s Degree in Social and Human Behavior from Merrit College and a Bachelor of Arts in Chicano/Chicana Studies from UC Riverside.  Ana is wholeheartedly dedicated to serving her community by creating safe, loving, and intentional spaces for youth to develop the tools they need to succeed in their academic and personal lives.

Jake Tane, Cleveland Afterschool Program Manager

Jake started his career in youth development and leadership nine years ago at East Bay Asian Youth Center, growing and developing programs at Bella Vista and Cleveland Elementary. Jake grew up in Redding, California, and has been living in Oakland, California since 2012.  

Ma-Rya Reyna, Think College Now Afterschool Program Manager

 

Before transitioning into the role of Program Manager, Ma-Rya served as an Oakland Leaf Program Instructor and Restorative Justice Facilitator for almost five years. Born and raised in Oakland, she knows firsthand the critical importance of youth programs that provide a sense of safety and community and promote voice and leadership. Ma-Rya is an older sister to seven siblings and has always been driven to be a positive role model and advocate for young people. Outside of work, she enjoys being a mom, spending time with family, and getting outside, especially t0 places that are close to water.   

Jessica Ozuna, Love Cultivating Schoolyards Co-Manager

Jessica is a former LCS youth intern and program assistant. After graduating from high school, she went on to get a degree in Environmental Science and Management from UC Davis. While in college, she continued to work for Oakland Leaf, writing a blog about the activities and accomplishments of interns. After college, Jessica was hired as an Oakland Leaf program assistant and in 2021, she was hired as a Program Manager. 

Cherry Arellano, Love Cultivating Schoolyards Co-Manager

Cherry was an LCS Program Instructor before being promoted to Co-Manager. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management with a concentration in Soils and Biogeochemistry. At UC Davis she interned with the student farm, teaching kid about food, nutrition, and garden ecology, and she also worked in the U.C. Davis farmers market and reuse store. Cherry carried out similar educational programs at the Davis Garden to Fork and Yolo Farm to Fork. Her love of nature and plants started as a young child exploring the garden her grandfather planted in their backyard. The support and encouragement she received during high school in her Sustainable Earth Systems class from her teacher and peers inspired her to want to work with gardens and the youth.

Alana Reyna, Bret Harte Afterschool Program Manager

Before transitioning into her role as a Program Manager, Alana was a Program Instructor and Program Assistant with Oakland Leaf for 5 years. Born and raised in Oakland, Alana has witnessed and experienced, first-hand, the lack of safe spaces and resources for youth. Alana first worked with Oakland Leaf as a youth intern, where she observed the positive impact that student-led and enrichment-based learning has on afterschool program students. Alana is currently studying Child Development at Merritt College. Outside of work, Alana loves to do paper and vinyl crafts and spend time with her 3 dogs.

Jocelin Pulido, ASCEND Afterschool Program Manager

Jocelin first joined the Oakland Leaf community as an afterschool program instructor. As a former Ascend student, she brings first-hand experience and connections to her role as the Ascend afterschool program manager. When she isn’t working, Jocelin loves spending time outdoors with her family.

Cindy Mora, Intern Director

Cindy graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Major in Legal Studies and a Minor in Education. Her career has been devoted to working at nonprofits that support underrepresented communities facing economic, educational, and immigration hardships. Cindy grew up in Oakland and attended Ascend, the school site of one of Oakland Leaf’s afterschool programs. In her free time, Cindy enjoys trying new coffee shops, working out, and traveling with her partner. 

Blanca Bustamante, LWL Afterschool Program Manager

Before taking on the role of Program Director, Blanca served Oakland Leaf as a Restorative Justice Facilitator and a Program Assistant. Blanca has had a passion for education and youth development since she was a child herself. At the age of thirteen she began volunteering with afterschool programs in her community.  Blanca is committed to creating safe and loving spaces where youth can develop their voices to advocate for themselves, others, and their community. Outside of work, Blanca enjoys spending quality time with her family and two children.