Monique Brown is a Workforce and Community Development professional with over 25 years of experience. As a fourth-generation West Oaklander, Monique has dedicated her life to serving communities that have been historically under-resourced and overlooked. As Executive Director, Monique is responsible for leading Mandela Partners' next phase of growth through a people-centered approach — uplifting the intersections of health, wealth, and community development and championing local economic development strategies created with and by communities of color. Monique is leading the organization’s multi-year strategic planning efforts, designing and developing models that increase investments in local economies and access to healthy foods.

 

Monique's workforce and community development journey began at an early age in West Oakland, a testament to her passion and dedication. In response to the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake, she managed a two-year project while working with the Women’s Economic Agenda Project (WEAP) that trained and placed 85 Oakland residents in skilled construction trades positions to rebuild the Cypress Freeway structure. Later, Monique served as Director of Workforce Services for Rubicon Programs and Bay Area Regional Director for the Center for Employment Opportunities.

 

Monique attended the University of California at Berkeley, majoring in Political Science. She completed the Harvard University Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership program through the T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Monique loves to prepare and enjoy collard greens with her family during downtime. They pair well with everything from fried fish to chicken, especially hot water cornbread!

As the Senior Finance & Administration Director, Christine provides oversight for all financial and administrative functions including budgeting and financial management, audit and compliance, and administrative policies and procedures.  Prior to joining Mandela Partners in 2014, Christine was a Finance Manager for a biotechnology firm in the Bay Area, working directly with divisional account teams, driving financial management cycles, and facilitating capital planning budgets.  

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She has worked in finance across multiple industries including power and gas, entertainment, software, and retail and holds a BS Degree in Managerial Economics from UC Davis.  

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In her free time, Christine enjoys gardening in her Oakland microclimate and harvesting the fruits of her labor.
 

Sara is the Senior Food Equity Director for Mandela Partners, overseeing our wellness programs and community food hub, Mandela Produce Distribution. She provides strategic direction and support to five programs advancing Mandela Partners’ food access, food distribution, and wellness objectives.

 

Sara has spent fifteen years in roles across the community development and food justice fields, in the non-profit, for-profit, social enterprise, and philanthropic sectors. A common thread of her work has been nurturing and developing internal capacity - both systems and people - in organizations to best align with and achieve their mission.  Sara has a master’s degree in City & Regional Planning from UC Berkeley and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Barnard College. 

 

She proudly considers herself a global citizen, having grown up living in five different countries before moving to the United States as a teenager. Despite her transitory past, she moved to the East Bay in 2014 and feels privileged to be growing deep roots in Oakland. Her favorite dish is tofu banh mi from Me Va Con.

Born and raised in Richmond, California, Ana leads strategic direction Hospitality Employment and Resource Development Programs, including MP Incubation, Food Business Pathways workshops and entrepreneur coaching, and Culinary Employment Pathways. She also oversees the development and operations of Mandela Partners food business incubator and commissary kitchen, E14th Eatery + Kitchen and represents Mandela Partners on the EFOD Steering Committee. 

Anchored in a “learn by doing” philosophy, Ana has an eclectic educational background in food growth and production, leadership development, and over 15 years of restaurant industry experience. She has held every position she possibly could across the food system - line cook, host, R&D chef, student farmer, restaurant manager, and even caterer. She devours history books, attends internships and management trainings, and, in the moments where her feet have to keep moving, she listens to podcasts.

Ana loves all things masa and lying like a lizard in the sun. You can catch her nearly every week at Ramen Shop for their seasonal specials and beloved pickle plate.

As Fund Development Director at Mandela Partners, Chuck develops and oversees the organization’s fundraising strategy in collaboration with his fellow members of the Executive Leadership and Fund Development teams. He is responsible for cultivating values-aligned relationships with institutional funders, corporations, philanthropists, and donor organizers, guiding our storytelling and communications work, and optimizing the department’s internal systems.

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Prior to joining Mandela Partners, Chuck had spent over 15 years working as an entrepreneur, fundraiser, and organizer. He served on the Development teams at Kiva, Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation, co-founded three social enterprises, and became passionate about ending wealth inequality through the transformative movement of resources. He was a member-leader of the Bay Area chapter of Resource Generation and currently participates in their national Solidarity Economy working group, served on the boards of Social Enterprise Alliance Bay Area and Social Enterprise Alliance national, and earned his BA from UCLA and MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

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Chuck is biracial white (Scottish/Portuguese) and Japanese, vegetarian for over 20 years, speaks four languages, and moved around a lot growing up: living on both coasts of the US before going on to Mexico City, Bangkok, and Singapore. He has now lived in East Oakland for over a decade and feels amazing about being able to call The Town his long-term home, having a wife who was born and raised in the Bay Area and two young daughters who will be able to say the same. If he could only eat one thing for the rest of his life, it would probably be the Tofu Papito sandwich from Cholita Linda in Temescal.

Dr. Tamberlyn is the Director of Human Resources at Mandela Partners. She will plan, lead, direct, develop, and coordinate the policies, and activities, within Human Resource (HR), ensuring legal compliance and implementation of the organization's mission and talent strategy. Also, collaborate with senior leadership to understand the organization's goals and strategy related to staffing, recruiting, and retention.

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A graduate of Stillman College and Grand Canyon University, Dr. Tamberlyn has a Master of Business (MBA) and a Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) in Human Resource Management; she has over 15 years of human resources experience and eight of those have been in a supervisory overseeing daily activities of a large human resources department and take on a number of other duties including hiring developing employee manuals and handling disciplinary procedures.

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Born and raised in Oakland, California, Dr. Tamberlyn loves how culturally diverse the Bay Area really is. She grew up in a soul food kitchen and watched her grandmother and mother prepare some of the best meals. Everett and Jones Bar-B-q is her favorite hometown restaurant.

A third-generation East Oaklander, Sean joined Mandela Partners in 2019. As the Culinary Education Director, Sean manages the Culinary Employment Pathways (CEP) program, which provides culinary training to community members facing barriers to employment and connects them to internships and jobs in the culinary industry. Working in the restaurant industry for over 10 years, Sean has worked every job in the kitchen from dishwasher to sous chef. Sean’s belief in equity, providing opportunities for our most vulnerable residents, and access to fresh food are the core values that attracted him to work at Mandela Partners and catalyzed the CEP program.

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As Oakland has changed over the years, Sean continues to hang on to those bits and pieces that remind him of his childhood. Quality time with family, eating at hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and hanging out at the lake on a summer afternoon, continue to remind him of the beauty that Oakland has to offer. Sean is also a homebody and enjoys watching sports on TV with his wife. From WNBA to NBA to college Softball, Sean is always down to watch a game or match. 

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Sean’s favorite meal is anything his mom cooks. From her clam chowder to throwing together a quick meal in 30 minutes, she is always able to work magic with minimal time and ingredients.

As the Senior Fund Development Manager, Ray plays a key role in moving resources in service of our work and community. Their day-to-day includes telling our stories through grant proposals and reports for both public and private funders, creating ways for people to support Mandela Partners through fundraising campaigns, cultivating funder relationships, and spreading the word about our work through community and partner communications. 

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Born in Chicago and raised on the East Coast, Ray has been living, working, and rooting in Oakland since 2017. They have worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 15 years; as the child of a social worker and anti-racism trainer, the grandchild of educators, and a descendent of both the African and Jewish diasporas, they center equity and community care in all their work. 

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Outside of Mandela Partners, you can find them drumming with BoomShake Music, organizing with Eastbay Families for Ceasefire, or eating all the delicious local fruits California has to offer (cherimoyas are their favorite!).

As a 1.5 generation immigrant who has received social services and a lot of support from the community and extended family, equitable access to food and employment have significantly influenced her. She has been working since 12 years old at her family businesses in retail and hospitality. She continued to juggle school and work while exploring various career paths. Inspired by her first full-time job after graduating from UCLA with a nonprofit organization that provided mental health and supportive housing services to low and no-income adults, she knew that she ultimately wanted to work in a nonprofit to serve the community. After working in various industries, she decided to pursue her CPA license and expand her experience in accounting in private and public sectors. Searching to find a place that best aligned with her values, she moved to San Francisco in 2007 and finally found an organization that allowed her to fulfill her passion and utilize her skills. 

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In her current role, she manages the day-to-day administrative functions for Mandela Partners. She oversees the organization’s financial data and compliance as well as performs daily accounting tasks by recording, organizing, and managing financial data and transactions.

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In her free time, she continues to keep herself busy with volunteering, researching different gardening techniques, experimenting with cooking and baking, reading, home repairs, and trying new restaurants. She finds excitement in trying new things as well as exploring new sites and events in the Bay Area. Her favorite food is rice because it goes with everything!

Nina is the Food Access Programs Manager II at our community food hub, Mandela Produce Distribution. She oversees the implementation of the Community Produce Stand program, Community Supported Agriculture Produce Box program, and Produce Distribution Programs. Her work involves cultivating partnerships with residents and local organizations, overseeing the day-to-day administration of programs, supporting and supervising program staff, and working in close collaboration with other program staff to create and meet program goals.

Beyond her role at Mandela Partners, Nina contributes to Mothers for Postpartum Justice, a collective committed to rebuilding a community-supported postpartum culture in the Black community. Originally from Salinas, California, Nina has called the Bay Area home for over 15 years. She deeply values Oakland's dedication to collaborative and transformative community efforts, which reflect the beauty and diversity of the Bay Area’s natural surroundings. In her downtime, she enjoys camping and discovering new music, and her favorite food is oysters in the summertime. 

Zara is the Business Development Manager II at Mandela Partners. She leads Mandela Partner’s Food Business Pathways Program and champions small business development efforts by evaluating small business needs, develops workshop curriculum internally and in collaboration with values-aligned community partners, supports entrepreneurs in 1:1 coaching sessions, and works closely with Mandela Partners Incubation to grow partnerships with values-aligned organizations that provide supplementary resources.

 

Growing up, she participated in a lot of outreach and medical mission programs in remote areas and marginalized communities in the Philippines. Because of this, Zara was able to connect with people and see different ways on how to effectively mobilize community and become self-sufficient. She pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with emphasis in Human Services which led to internships at rehabilitation and mental health facilities as well as special needs school systems in Manila. She is passionate about helping people by giving them the tools they need to facilitate cultivating their respective communities. 

 

Zara has been part of the restaurant industry in California for the past 15 years where she refined her skills in business development and people management. Her career in hospitality enabled her to help conceptualize, market, and operate popular neighborhood restaurants in the Bay Area, focusing on establishment longevity and sustainable business practices. During her free time, Zara likes to explore different hiking trails in the East Bay or binge watch reruns of Kitchen Nightmares and 90's Iron Chef (Japanese version), while eating her favorite fried chicken.

As Incubation Program Manager II, Loren oversees Mandela Partners’ Incubation Program, sales channel partnerships, and incubation locations. One of these locations is E14th Eatery + Kitchen, a food business incubator and commercial kitchen space in Ashland, California. At E14th Eatery + Kitchen, Loren manages a variety of responsibilities, including kitchen operations and business development coaching for kiosk vendors.

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Before joining the Mandela family, Loren worked in the restaurant industry for over 18 years holding a variety of positions from host to sous chef. In 2020, Loren launched their own food business, LoJo’s Taco Shop, after completing Mandela Partners’ Food Business Pathways 6-week workshop.

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Originally from Chicago, IL, Loren has lived in Oakland for 12 years, where they have cultivated a close-knit community of friends who have become like family. Loren enjoys the Bay Area's year-round opportunities from hiking to biking, as well as its diverse food scene.

Erick Ismael Sanchez de Leon is responsible for ensuring safe and effective operations at our community food hub, Mandela Produce Distribution. He provides staff training and oversight on vehicle safety, food handling and safety, quality control, and order fulfillment.

Prior to working for Mandela Partners he worked in Los Angeles on several environmental and social justice causes. He graduated with a BA in Geography and a minor in Urban and Regional studies from UCLA.

Erick was born in Guatemala City and emigrated as a child with his family to East Palo Alto/Mountain View.  Erick loves California and has a special place in his heart for the East Bay. His academic interests revolve around our built, natural, and imagined environments. He also enjoys learning about places and spaces off the beaten path, especially ideas-spaces of low frequencies. Erick's favorite dish is Arroz con Pollo. 
 

Aliyah is the Wellness Manager at Mandela Partners. She is the creative force behind various health and wellness programs. She leads workshops about healthy cooking and wellness for seniors and children at apartment complexes in Oakland and Unincorporated Ashland. She also works closely with Mandela Partners’ other teams to extend the wellness mission.

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Aliyah grew up in sunny Southern California, in Rialto, CA. At 17, she made her way to the Bay Area to attend Cal State East Bay, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. After working at several nonprofits in San Francisco, focusing on mental health and counseling transitional-aged youth, Aliyah discovered a new passion: nutrition. In 2017, she joined Mandela Partners, and her curiosity led her to dive deep into wellness. By 2020, she became a certified nutritionist, nutrition coach, and personal trainer.

As Maya Angelou wisely said, "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." Aliyah embodies this mindset in her approach to life and wellness.

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Having called the Bay Area home for 15 years, Aliyah’s favorite part of the region is the beautiful weather. She loves spending time at the beach, hiking, dancing, and exploring new restaurants. While she doesn’t have a favorite dish or restaurant, she can’t resist a good banana pudding!

Natasha works with our Culinary Employment Pathways program to connect with local food businesses for partnership and support our participants’ long term employment goals. She has helped shape CEP since 2021 with the intention of fostering access to healthier and more sustainable culinary employment opportunities. Natasha strategically calls upon her community - gained from 15+ years of experience in the Bay Area hospitality industry - to help drive the development of CEP’s initiatives.

After receiving a BA in Psychology from UC Davis, Natasha split her time between managing New Space Studio, the disabled arts program she co-founded, and helping to launch and manage independent Oakland restaurants. These experiences have cultivated the passion she brings to CEP for nurturing connections within her community. She feels that by listening intently to the needs of one another we can implement more compassionate, accessible and impactful systems.

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Originally from Los Angeles, the Bay Area has been her heart and home since 2007. She grew up cooking and connecting to her multi-cultural background through food. She first learned to cook from her grandmother at a young age and continues her journey of understanding through preparing the foods of her Iranian, Egyptian and Colombian ancestors in her own home. She is particularly fond of ghormeh sabzi, moussaka and tamales en hojas de platano. 

Rya is Mandela Partners’ Community Engagement Coordinator! She creates print and digital materials and manages social media content to promote Mandela Partners’ programs. In addition, she is actively involved in outreach activities to build inclusive spaces, organize community events, and establish partnerships with other community-based organizations and institutions. Rya collects feedback from the community and participants to support program evaluation and provides insights to inform strategic decision-making. 

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Rya is a Bay Area native, born in Redwood City, CA, and raised in Fremont, CA. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Design from California State University, Monterey Bay. She is passionate about working with her community on projects promoting healing, activism, and aspirations without discrimination. Rya strives to create inclusive environments where everyone is valued, respected, and supported.

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Beyond her work at Mandela Partners, she serves as the Multidimensional Design Director for Soulstice Bay Area, a grassroots collective dedicated to providing accessible spaces and affordable creative expression for Queer Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian Bay Area artists. Rya aims to be a leader in her community, curating accessible spaces for healing and liberation through art. When she's not working, she enjoys anime, manga, and gaming, and her favorite food in the Bay Area is sushi from Tane Vegan Izakaya.

Yuro serves as the Sourcing & Warehouse Operations Coordinator for Mandela Produce Distribution. He cultivates and maintains strong relationships with farmers, and is responsible for placing and receiving produce orders, and ensuring the quality of product meets our standards. Additionally, he ensures that documentation and certifications are up to date and supports warehouse operations.

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Yuro has been with Mandela Partners for over 15 years. He finds his work with farmers to be very rewarding and important, witnessing the growth and development of farmers through our support, which gives him a deep sense of pride and satisfaction.

Yuro is the child of two Guatemalan immigrants and was born and raised in the Mission District of San Francisco. Currently, he resides in the East Bay. Yuro appreciates the extraordinary, diverse, and vibrant atmosphere of the Bay Area. He enjoys the variety of food and restaurants, and during his free time, he likes hiking, camping, and going on road trips.

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One of his favorite dishes is a Guatemalan dish called "Pepián", which is a thick, spicy Guatemalan stew often made with meat, vegetables, and fruit. He also enjoys Thai food and its sweet and savory flavors.

Cristina is the Wholesale Sales Coordinator for Mandela Produce Distribution. In her role, she supports and expands our wholesale customer base while nurturing strong relationships with current customers. 

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Cristina brings extensive experience in customer service, food distribution, produce knowledge, and nonprofit community-based work to our team. Before her current role, she worked at the Children’s Council of San Francisco. Prior to that, Cristina gained expertise in fresh produce and food distribution at BiRite Foodservice Distributors, holding various roles within their customer service, transportation, and inventory control departments. 

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As a first-generation Salvadoran raised in San Francisco, Cristina cherishes the Bay Area’s rich diversity and cultural vibrancy. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, exploring various art forms, and enjoying a delicious meal. Cristina is a breakfast lover, her all-time favorite dish is a traditional Salvadoran breakfast that consists of sweet plantains, refried beans, scrambled eggs with tomatoes and bell peppers, topped with Salvadoran crema and queso fresco, and accompanied by a delicious cup of café de olla. This dish is her favorite, with its perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors, it evokes a sense of home and cherished memories.

Stephanie is the Food Access Coordinator for the Community Supported Agriculture Produce Box program at Mandela Produce Distribution. She provides comprehensive operations, administrative, and delivery support for this program, bringing fresh produce to more than 55 households weekly. 

Having two immigrant parents who both come from ranchos in Mexico, she has always been fascinated by gardening, landscaping, and anything farm-adjacent. Her journey to this role started back in college when she volunteered at Veggielution Community Farm and since then has always worked in the food access non profit world. 

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Born in San Jose, raised in the South Bay, Stephanie's been an Oakland resident since her late 20s and feels grateful to have been born and raised in a rich and diverse area. When she's not working she enjoys quiet nights in with her cat Pete, dog Lulu and spouse. Her favorite dish is Pasta Puttanesca from Lo Coco’s.

Silvia Guzmán is the Food Access Community Builder for our food hub, Mandela Produce Distribution. She supports two of our weekly Community Produce Stands and provides support for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Produce Box Program as well. 

Outside of her work at Mandela Partners, Silvia is a Parent Leader Coordinator for the Spanish speaking Parent Cafes with Behavioral Health Alameda County and a Promatora with La Clinica de la Raza Casa Che, working on wellness and policy and advocacy as a Healthy Food Champion and Healthy Housing Champion. 

Silvia lives, works, and plays in Oakland, where she embraces the vibrant energy of the place she calls home. Her favorite pastimes include relaxing by the water, Pokémon hunting with her kids and creating cherished memories and adventures together. As a proud mother of three amazing children finds joy in sharing her love for seasonal vegetables and fruits with her family, often experimenting with new vegan recipes. 

June supports Mandela Partners' Wellness programs as the Community Wellness Builder. They work with our Wellness Manager to conduct educational workshops that incorporate healthy eating, movement and mindfulness for our youth and senior communities, as well as for our Culinary Employment Pathways program participants and at our Community Produce Stands. 

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Before joining the Mandela Partners team, June worked in youth education and in other roles in the food industry. They first connected with Mandela Partners as an intern from San Francisco State University where they earned their degree in Health Education with an emphasis in Holistic Health in 2020.

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Based in Northern California their whole life, June grew up in a Filipino household where food is a love language. They believe that food is a tool and necessity that brings us all together despite differences. They have a passion for alternative medicine, cooking, and movement. Some things they find joy in include boxing, roller-skating, and gaming! Their favorite meal is a traditional Filipino dish called sinigang - a tamarind-based soup that is tangy and flavorful, incorporating a protein and an array of vegetables like okra and eggplant. One spot that does a great job in making this nostalgic dish is Tipunan in Oakland’s Food Hall!