On Saturday, June 1, we proudly honored 78 amazing leaders in the Emerging Leaders and Leadership CORPS Class of 2024 at the beautiful Library | Parks & Recreation Center in South San Francisco.

Who are these Graduates?

They came to us from all sectors of San Mateo County: from businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, commissions, councils, etc. They are Founders, Directors and Executive Directors, Managers, Elected Officials, Civil Servants, Pastors, and so much more.

They came committed to their jobs, their communities, their families, and their visions of the future, embracing learning from the start, from the moment they joined our two-day Opening Session last September.

The Class of 2024 for each Learning Day, engaged with expert speakers, and asked hard questions. They acquired new leadership skills, and leveraged their existing skills. And as part of Leadership Council SMC’s Community Acceleration Projects (CAP), they put their learning to work serving San Mateo County leaders and nonprofits.

Most importantly, they strengthened cross-sector relationships with leaders from around the County to increase their impact in tackling our most intractable challenges.

Graduation is not the end, but a transition. During the graduation ceremony, each graduate looked to the future, sharing their personal Commitment Statement with their classmates, families, and friends assembled. 

And now they are Leadership Council SMC Alumni. Thank you, Graduates, for this wonderful year. We are proud to be a part of your future!

Many Thanks!

Thank you to the City of South San Francisco for the generous use of the beautiful Library | Parks & Recreation Center, and to the staff that supported us.

Thank you to Heritage Bank of Commerce for sponsoring the Graduation Celebration refreshments.

Thank you to Vanessa Tapia (Emerging Leaders Class of 2023 Alumni) and Family for the delicious graduation cake.

‍Emerging Leaders Class of 2024

• Bryan Albini, Sustainability Specialist III, County of San Mateo
• Jordan Anderson, Graduate Student/Volunteer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Gabe Aponte, HR Manager II, County of San Mateo
• Edith Arias, Founder/Executive Director, Familias Tomando Acción
• Valerie Barnes, Legal Office Specialist/Assistant to Chief, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
• Priscilla Bermudez, Administrative Assistant II, San Mateo County Libraries
• Lilliana Cifuentes, Senior Management Analyst, City of Burlingame
• Nancy Cubias, Project Analyst, San Mateo County Office of Community Affairs
• Rachel Curtis-Robles, Public Health Education and Outreach Officer, San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District
• Kaila DeFries, Safety and Training Compliance Officer, City of Daly City
• Katie Donner, Management Analyst I, City of South San Francisco
• Araceli Efigenio, Community Program Specialist II, San Mateo County Libraries
• Denise Garcia, Management Analyst II, City of San Mateo 
• Eva Gaye, Transportation Program Specialist, City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County
• Leticia Gonzalez, Program Officer - Regional Agenda, Sobrato Organization
• Aracele Govea, Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation Director, Cypress Lawn
• Lauren Heminez, Grants Manager, StarVista
• Dominic Javellana, Sergeant, Hillsborough Police Department
• Kirsten Jensen, Associate Director of Community Relations, AbilityPath
• Kevin Joyner, Community Outreach Specialist, HIP Housing
• Tonaka Kendrick, Director of Volunteer Engagement, CuriOdyssey
• Manika Lall, Associate Director Public Affairs, Corporate Giving, Gilead Sciences
• Thao Le, Elementary Teacher, San Mateo-Foster City School District
• Maybelle Manio, Economic Development Specialist, City of Daly City
• Sarah Meier-Heredia, Development Officer, San Mateo Public Library Foundation
• Saul Miranda, District Representative, The Office of Senator Becker
• Sagana Mariambi Mohammed Anifa, Scientist, Genentech
• Alejandra Ortega, Fund Development Director, Puente
• Yajaira Ortega, Policy and Equity Manager, Thrive Alliance
• Teresa Perez, Program Manager, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
• Bobbie Reyes, Strategic Development Director, Lighthouse Silicon Valley
• Kate Rozzi, Director of Talent Acquisition, AbilityPath
• Sandra Sarabia, Site Director, Boys and Girls of the Coastside
• Audrey Shiramizu, Transportation Program Specialist, City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County
• Kenneth Stiles, Finance Manager, City of Half Moon Bay
• Carlos Tapia, Deputy Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff Association President, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
• Diego Terreros Arroyo, Project Developer, Eden Housing
• Anthony Tofiga, Senior Management Analyst, City of Daly City
• Makena Wong, Project Manager, San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Resiliency District (OneShoreline)

Leadership CORPS Class of 2024

• Delayzio Amerson, Senior Executive Director, YMCA of Silicon Valley
• Tim Anderson, Assistant Director of Building and Planning, Town of Hillsborough
• Ana Avendaño, Executive Director, El Concilio of San Mateo County
• Rafael Avendaño, Executive Director, Redwood City Together
• Cujo Bediako, Vice President, Global Program Leadership, Sutro BioPharma
• Christine Boles, City Council Member/Architect, City of Pacifica
• Stefanie Bruggeman, Senior Director of Development, Special Olympics
• Noah Christman, Partner, Lighthouse Public Affairs
• Rob Chua, Principal Consultant, Founder, Avenues Consulting
• James Coleman, Mayor, City of South San Francisco
• James Colin, City Clerk/Public Information Officer, City of East Palo Alto
• Halley Crumb, Executive Director, Retraining the Village
• Nicole Davis, Founder, Fortitude Careers
• Ann Duncan, Pastor, Burlingame United Methodist Church
• Jennifer Fenoglio, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Genentech
• La Saundra Gutter, Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women
• Ka'Ryn Holder-Jackson, Executive Director, ACCEL San Mateo County Consortium
• Sue Holland, Pastor, Coastside Lutheran Church
• Tanisha Hughes, Director of Programs, Child Care Coordinating Council (4Cs) of San Mateo County
• Alicia Isero, Executive Director, Hillsborough Schools Foundation
• Ravi Jagtiani, Real Estate Agent, Foster City Planning Commission
• Joanna Jeffs, Events Manager, Stanford University
• Jennifer Johnson, Owner and Principal, 454Marketing
• Juslyn Manalo, Mayor, City of Daly City
• Ivan Martinez, Executive Director, Pal Center
• Amy McHugh, Finance and Operations Director, Leadership Council SMC
• Greg Mediati, Director of Parks and Recreation, City of South San Francisco
• Teddy Newmyer, Associate Director of Real Estate Development, Eden Housing
• Karen Pace, Education Advocate and Strategic Projects Manager, Education Contractor
• Seema Patel, Program Manager, Google
• Quency Phillips, Founder and Executive Director, Lighthouse Silicon Valley
• Leslie Ragsdale, City Council Member, Hillsborough Town Council
• Jacki Rigoni, Senior Legislative Aide, Supervisor Noelia Corzo, District 2, County of San Mateo
• Irma Rodriguez Mitton, Founder/Executive Director, South Coast Sustainable
• Maria Saguisag-Sid, Human Resources Director, City of Burlingame
• Nell Selander, Economic and Community Development Director, City of South San Francisco
• Annya Shapiro, Executive Director, Daly City Youth Health Center
• Monique Wright Gory, Director of Programs, PCRC
• Alberto Zacarias, Head of Bay Area Strategic Management, AbbVie