Program Staff
ESLI Staff:
Amy DePree
Program Assistant / Washington High School Educator
Amy@cessf.org
Amy DePree, a native of New Mexico, came to the Bay Area to study at the University of San Francisco, where she graduated in 2008 with a B.A. in International Studies and Latin American Studies. During her time at the University of San Francisco, AMy lived in El Salvador studying environmental issues while teaching youth and women. Also during her time at USF she lived in Tijuana where she studied environmental racism and inequalities specific to the border regions. Upon her return to San Francisco, she continued her work with youth and women in the Mission district. Building from these experiences, Amy is excited to expand her teaching skills and knowledge of the environment with ESLI.
Elsa Calvillo
Mission High School Educator
Elsa was born and raised in Central Mexico and Southern California. She received her B.A. in Environmental Studies from SF State University and immediately put her education and passion into action working with Literacy for Environmental Justice as an intern at the restored wetland Heron's Head Park, and then Youth Development Coordinator. While at LEJ she became familiar with the environmental justice issues in Bay View Hunters Point, while further strengthening her experience in restoration and teaching environmental curriculum to elementary-college aged students. She hopes to take a large part in strengthening the education our youth receive by the public school system.
Vanessa Carter
Lincoln High School Coordinator
Vanessa Carter was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and received her BA at Swarthmore College. After 6 years of direct service in the classroom and beyond while earning her MA and CA Single Subject and BCLAD Teaching Credential, she left California to teach in Guadalajara, México and at La Universidad de los Andes in Mérida, Venezuela. As her profound commitment to environmental education and permaculture grew, she moved to Brazil to live at an ecovillage dedicated to land restoration and community education of sustainable practices. With November's election requiring more local support that she could offer from South America, Vanessa returned in August to join the ESLI team.
Kristia Castrillo
Galileo High School Educator
Kristia Castrillo is a San Francisco native with a love for travel. She spent her formative years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hawaii and throughout the Philippines with her globe-trotting mother. She received her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology with a concentration in Race and Ethnicity from Bard College in upstate New York. Since then Kristia has worked with middle and high school-aged youth both in and out of the classroom, practiced anthropological research on a variety of topics from hip hop language to Southeast Asia tourism, and was a community organizer in manila and Filipino neighborhoods from Sf and NY. She has a real love for the land, and is determined to help other city folks find their own inner tree hugger.
Ellen Choy
Youth Engagement Coordinator
From the Bay Area to international arenas, as a community organizer and youth educator, Ellen is dedicated to global change through grassroots advocacy and creative youth development. She has fought for representation of low-income, people of color in local, national and international climate change debates through her work as a lead community organizer and the director of the Climate Literacy Training Program with the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC). She has also been a central figure with the Mobilization for Climate Justice and two initiatives – www.checktheweather.net and Project Survival Media, both aimed at increasing the voice of young people of color in the green movement. As an aspiring independent hip hop/funk DJ and a graphic designer, Ellen has also found a strong, effective vehicle for change and expression through music and art. She's a recent graduate with honors of UC Berkeley's Conservation and Resource Studies program.
Carlos Julio Gonzalez
Philip & Sala Burton High School Coordinator
Carlos Julio has been integrating environmental education and youth empowerment into his approach with San Francisco youth for the past seven years. He states, "The most empowering and fufilling transformation a young person will experience, is their own understanding of where they come from, and their relationship with all of life's source: Nature." Carlos Julio's work with youth ranges from case management, and violence prevention to organizing, outdoor education trips and service learning projects. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Spanish Literature from U.C. Santa Barbara. A Southern California native, originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Carlos Julio actively lives and gardens in the Mission District.
Eiei Khin
Galileo High School Coordinator
Ei Ei Khin's latest manifestation is a Green Warrior. With her warrior partner at Galileo High School, Kristia Castrillo, they battle ignorance and apathy about Environmental Justice. Ei Ei holds a B.S. in Biology, a B.A. in American Religion, a graduate certificate in Conflict Transformation, and an M.S. in Leadership and Change Management. She moved to the Bay Area from Myanmar as a youth and has been shaped by various communities in California. She makes intentional efforts to indigenize herself to the land by continually learning from its inhabitants about medicinal plants, animals, ceremonies, and waters.
Jay Jasper Pugao
Mission High School Coordinator
Jay Jasper Pugao has been a seasoned community organizer, youth worker, alternative artist and holistic health educator for over 10 years. He participated in the strategic planning and design of numerous small schools through out the East Bay and has worked with over 15 schools and organizations throughout the Bay Area designing and delivering cultural awareness and youth strategies curriculum. Most recently, Jay has blended his passion and skills together, becoming a leader in our green movement focusing on environmental justice and sustainable life styles. He is grateful to the schools, and organizations that opened their programs to him.
Pandora Thomas
Curriculum Manager
Pandora Thomas is currently completing an MA from Tufts University in Environmental Policy and Planning. She received her BA in Religious Studies from Youngstown State University and a Teaching Credential from the New College of California. She has over 10 years of experience teaching K-12 as well as differently-abled adults. Pandora researched, wrote and edited a collaborative project called, Shades of Green, a Green Construction manual for a youth. She received human rights advocacy training as a visiting scholar at the Center for Study of Human Rights at Columbia University and has created and delivered curriculum to diverse audiences around the themes of human rights, environmental justice, and environmental education. She has traveled to over ten countries learning and sharing from the diversity of experiences the world has to offer and her life purpose is to share all that she has learned with people who do not currently have access to the resources they need.
After School Program Staff:
Johanna C. Masis
Youth Program Coordinator, Gordon J. Lau Elementary
I'm Johanna C. Masis and am the current youth program coordinator at Gordon J. Lau Elementary. Prior to my arrival to CES five years ago, I completed my post-graduate work at Holy Names University, under-grad work at UCSB, and several years in the Bay Area working with after school programs. A year of Americorps service introduced me to the vibrant and important world of after school programming. I sandwiched in a year in Japan to put my TESL credential to good use. I am appreciative for the opportunity to influence and help guide the young lives in the Chinatown community.
Kelvin Chin
Youth Program Coordinator, Chinese Education Center
I've been working at CES since 2005 in the elementary after school programs. I began in 2005 as an AmeriCorp member working with CES after school programs. Following that year, I began my endeavors as a program leader and as a coordinator within after school programming. I have been at Chinese Education Center as the after school program Coordinator for 2 years and strongly believe the assistance we provide helps our students succeed in their futures. Chinese Education Center is the only Chinese Newcomer school in San Francisco and provides a transitional program for youth to come and learn about American culture and gain some English background before they transition to other schools in the District. I also am an avid Ultimate Frisbee Player and have been playing competitively for over 9 years.
Yan Chan
Youth Program Coordinator, Garfield Elementary School
I'm Yan and currently, I serve as the youth program coordinator at Garfield Elementary School. I grew up in San Francisco and spent a good portion of my life in the Chinatown North Beach neighborhood. I finished my undergraduate degree from UC Davis not too long ago. During my college career, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend two semesters studying in Beijing; it was the experience of a lifetime. I am deeply connected to the culture and background of our students and families, and it is a pleasure to be able to serve the community in which I grew up in.
Leila Stoner
Youth Program Coordinator, Jean Parker Elementary School
Born and raised in England, Leila Stoner moved to the States to complete high school and attend University. After receiving her M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Denver in Colorado and relocating to San Francisco with her husband, she worked as a counselor with disenfranchised teens on probation. Through graduate school, she worked within the Denver School System as a Counselor and at a Bereavement Center that served children and their families through peer support groups. Before attending graduate school, Leila worked with many non-profit organizations that focused on youth and education. Leila is excited to be back in San Francisco and to have begun her new career working as a Site Coordinator for Jean Parker Elementary School's after school program; she looks forward to the growth that will come from this experience.
CCAI Staff:
Odette Kinsey
Career Academies Initiative Director
Odette Kinsey is an experienced education manager and school-to-career liaison and coach with a passion for implementing programs and developing strong relationships with community constituents and clients. Over the past 10 years, Odette has worked in both the private and public sectors to provide school-to-career services to youth and young adults. She brings this broad knowledge of program administration to her work as a Director of Career Academy Initiative.
Andrew Kim
Program Coordinator
Andrew is a Bay Area native who has always had a passion for youth programs. As a youngster with busy parents, Andrew was a perennial participant in after school and summer programing. While earning a B.A. in Psychology from Vassar College, he began working with youth at various summer camps and academic programs. After college and an extended stint in Korea – studying Korean language at Yonsei University while also teaching English to college students – Andrew returned to the Yay and working with youth. He found a great home at Galileo (Go Lions!) that allows him to utilize his coordination and counseling skills. When he is not working with youth, you can find Andrew acting like one – or playing Ultimate Frisbee whenever possible.
MYEEP Staff:
Mandy Au
Counselor-In-Training, Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program
Mandy joined the Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP) in Fall of 2008 as a participant. She first worked at Gordon J Lau as program assistant. She is currently employed as a MYEEP Counselor-in-Training. In her own words, "MYEEP has given me many opportunities to learn new things. Through this program, I have gained many skills that will help me in the future to get a job. I have met a lot of new people once I joined this program." Mandy attends Galileo High School as a junior. She's really friendly once you get to know her!
Christopher Gee
Counselor-In-Training, Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program
Chris started high school as a regular student, with no work experience and nothing to do after school. After talking with his sister, who was a former MYEEP participant, Chris decided to apply to MYEEP. He's been working in the program since Fall of 2008. In MYEEP, he learned how to find a job, write a resume, cover letter and even how to interview and what is needed in an interview. He worked at Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center from 2008 to 2009, working with kids and seniors. It was a great experience. He's currently a junior at Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, Home of the Lions.
G-A-L-I-L-E-O!