Meet us

We are guided by an ethic of love and believe that healing and liberation are the keys to transformation

About us

For over twenty-five years, LeaderSpring has invested in the extraordinary talent, dedication, and vision of progressive leaders in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What started out in 1991 as a fellowship program has grown into a nonprofit that fosters a powerful, equity-driven social sector through:

  • Strengthening leaders and organizations

  • Developing communities of leaders

  • Transforming the systems in which they work

Our dream is that leaders, organizations and communities in the social sector achieve their promise and potential to create a healthy and equitable society.

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy has recognized LeaderSpring as one of four pioneering leadership development programs in the United States.

Our values

Liberation

We strive to actively dismantle white supremacist culture and systems of oppression within the nonprofit sector and society at large. We consider ourselves, and our organizational culture and practices as critical in this effort.

Deep Relationships

We strive to cultivate relationships that go beyond transactions or simply liking another person. Deep relationship is forged out of struggle and requires trust, respect, compassion, and commitment to one another (and one’s self).

Collective Well-Being

Flexibility, abundance, generosity, and asking for help combat the culture of burnout, scarcity, and urgency that are conditions of systems of oppression. Trust and accountability should not be punitive. 

Leadership

Transcending title or position, leadership is taking responsibility for what matters—including taking care of oneself to avoid burnout—and requires bravery and vulnerability.

Learning Through Reflection

Effective leaders make mistakes, take responsibility for their errors, and learn to do better. Self-reflection is a powerful tool for such learning and growth.

Fluidity and Alignment

Organizations, like individuals and groups, are constantly changing and evolving. Needs, responsibilities, relationships, and expectations are dynamic, and as such, early alignment and continuous calibration are essential for maintaining relationships.

Our work catalyzes leaders and organizations who are transforming the sector

We seek a transformation where equitable systems that honor human dignity are the status quo.

We do this through the thoughtful cultivation of:

  • Catalyzing personal transformation

  • Creating organizational transformation

  • Dismantling systems of oppression

  • Collaborating through place-based cohorts

Our team serves leaders who are transforming their communities

Our team

Railyn Aguado-Fuala’au (she/her)

Communications Manager

Railyn brings extensive experience in social sector advocacy, driven by a passion for inclusivity and amplifying marginalized voices.

  • Railyn is a first-generation Filipinx immigrant hailing from the vibrant Bay Area. With a profound understanding of market dynamics and a keen awareness of the evolving landscape of products and services catering to social needs, she stands as a committed professional. Railyn has collaborated extensively with local, state, and national governments to empower grassroots organizations and develop policies aimed at returning power to communities and creating the resources needed for communities to thrive. 

    Passionate about the intersection of mass media communication and technology, Railyn thrives in environments fostering innovative practices to enhance the human experience. Her professional journey has been marked by enriching roles within diverse non-profit organizations, dedicated to serving Immigrant Youth Students, LGBTQIA+ Asylum Seekers, Formerly Incarcerated Youth and their families, and Social Sector Executive Directors.

    Railyn's mission is deeply rooted in ensuring that every individual feels valued, visible, and heard in every space she engages with. Her dedication to fostering inclusivity and amplifying marginalized voices reflects her unwavering commitment to creating lasting impact.

    During her free time, Railyn enjoys a romantic comedy film paired with Thai food accompanied by her husband and two dogs: Suki and Rocky.

Getenesh Belette (she/her)

Learning Communities Coordinator

Getenesh is a dedicated advocate for community health and justice. She is deeply passionate about serving her community, empowering individuals towards liberation, and promoting equity.

  • Getenesh Belette (she/her) joined LeaderSpring as an intern in 2021 working as a Research Assistant and has since collaborated on the evaluation and analysis of various LeaderSpring programs. Raised in Martinez, CA for most of her life, she recently graduated from UCSD with a double major in Public Health/ Political Science with an emphasis on Community Health along with a minor in African American Studies.

    She is deeply passionate about serving the community, empowering folks towards liberation, and promoting equity. Her core values are centered around empathy, care, and collective action. Outside of the office, you will find her spending quality time with her loved ones, listening to music, or exploring different restaurants in the Bay.

Ginna Brelsford (she/they)

Native American/Alaska Native Women LeadStrong Facilitator

Ginna is guided by movement mentors, elders, and ancestors. They are driven by an ethic of care and grace in navigating nonprofit and philanthropic regulations.

  • Ginna (she/they) is a Lingít, Two-Spirit mama and ancestor-in-training with over two decades of expertise in nonprofit operations, organizational development, and justice organizing. With the guidance of movement mentors, elders, ancestors and transcestors in her heart, she brings an ethic of care and grace to the sometimes unyielding walls of nonprofit and philanthropic regulations.

    Originally from Aak’w Kwáan (colonially known as Juneau, AK), Ginna currently lives on the unceded territories of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan/Chochenyo Ohlone, in Oakland, CA with her family and two ornery, elderly cats. Her non-work time is currently overwhelmed by her grade-school daughter’s social calendar but when she does have down time she prefers to spend it with her partner while pretending she’s on Jeopardy from the coziness of her couch.

Katherin Canton (they/them)

Director of Learning Communities

Katherin brings over 15 years of experience in community-centered program management and is driven by a passion for co-creating healing spaces and facilitating leadership development.

  • Katherin Canton (they/them), based on occupied Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwuk land (Sacramento, CA), was raised on Yelamu (occupied Ramaytush Ohlone land/San Francisco) and Huichin (occupied Lisjan Ohlone land/Oakland).

    Katherin identifies as detribalized GuateMayan, an emerging weaver, a student of spiritual herbalism, a cultural organizer, a caregiver, a spreadsheet and checklist enthusiast, and a facilitator of magic. They have 15+ years of providing community-centered program management, organization and fund development, impact evaluation and storytelling. They co-create healing containers for leadership development for all involved in the work.

Gema Cantu (she/her)

Director of Development

Gema brings over seven years of nonprofit experience, leading fundraising efforts to strengthen Bay Area communities. As a Latinx fundraiser of color, she is driven by a commitment to implement DEIB approaches and inspire community-focused leadership and change.

  • Born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, Gema brings over seven years of nonprofit experience to her role. Leading fundraising efforts, she builds relationships with donors and partners to strengthen Bay Area communities. As a Latinx fundraiser of color, Gema aims to change traditional fundraising methods by implementing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging approaches.

    She advocates for the social sector to support and invest in fundraisers of color and encourages individuals from different backgrounds to engage in community-focused fundraising. Gema strives to create new pathways and approaches that offer new strategies to fundraising, ones that speak to her community, inspiring others to become leaders and drive meaningful change. Outside of work, you can find Gema on beautiful hiking trails, the archery range, reading books, or on the dance floor! 

Rachel Farahbakhsh (she/her)

Director of Operations

Rachel has extensive experience in nonprofit operations and connecting people and systems. She has been a key figure in LeaderSpring’s growth.

  • Rachel Farahbakhsh joined the LeaderSpring team in November 2014. She is LeaderSpring’s wisdom trust and keeps the office running, answering any and all questions that come up! Prior to joining LeaderSpring Rachel worked as the Operations Manager at Citizen Schools California where she was the “go-to” person for human resources, finance, and operations for the region. Rachel spent three years in Guatemala with Safe Passage/Camino Seguro before making the move to California.

    A child of immigrants (Cuban and Persian), Rachel has honed her ability as an empathetic interpreter of language, culture, values, and systems and likes to connect people to each other and to processes that make them more efficient and effective. Outside of the office you can find Rachel dancing Cuban salsa and performing samba reggae with Batalá San Francisco.

Safi Jiroh (she/her)

Executive Director & Principal Consultant

Safi brings over 25 years of experience in the public and social sectors as a leader, grant maker, consultant, facilitator, and volunteer. Driven by a deep commitment to social and racial justice, her work is rooted in an ethic of love, service, and liberation.

  • Safi’s deep family and cultural history of social and racial justice rooted in an ethic of love, service, and liberation in Oakland, California, formed her fierce dedication to servant leadership and development of a strong racial justice lens in life and work. Her over 25 years of experience in the public and social sectors as a leader, grant maker, consultant, facilitator, and volunteer have been the portals through which her life-long commitment to the advancement of human dignity has manifested. Safi brings her keen lens of racial equity and social justice to our Fellowship program, of which she is an alumna, and Impact Consulting work. 

    Prior to LSC, Safi’s leadership positions included: Executive Director of the Marcus Foster Educational Institute, Executive Director of Banning Cultural Alliance,  Community Faculty Fellow with the Center for the Arts at the California College of Arts, and Grants and Nonprofit Management Analyst for the City of Oakland’s Cultural Arts Department. In each position, Safi established equity-centered foci to aspect of the work. As a licensed minister with a Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Leadership, she works at the intersections of faith, formation, and justice. She has been an independent organizational capacity building consultant and facilitator since 1990 supporting hundreds of projects, a certified Integral® Coach since 1999, and has served on numerous local, state, and national Boards and public policy committees, commissions, and task forces. She is a keynote speaker, a former dancer, and a private poet.

Rachel Wyley (she/her)

African American Women LeadStrong CO-Facilitator

Rachel brings a wealth of experience from her career as an educator and nonprofit leader, holding various positions from entry to executive levels. She is driven by a deep commitment to community and equity and reimagining traditional approaches to internal and external equity.

  • Rachel began her career as an educator in East Oakland; an experience that she credits with her commitment to and love for community. Since then, she has held many entry- to executive-level positions in nonprofit organizations.

    As an executive leader, Rachel led teams to co-create a culture that achieved optimal results for communities while reimagining traditional approaches to pursuing internal and external equity.

    As a fundraising leader, she dislodged revenue practices that relied on status quo donor archetypes, installed equity and inclusion as key fixtures of board culture, tripled representation of board members of color, and secured the largest single gift in the history of her region (due to her authenticity and candor with funders).

    As a program leader, she strategically empowered her team to lead authentically and to adhere to a commitment to keep communities paramount.

    As an educator, she built reciprocal relationships of respect with students and families, and cultivated intentional communities of support within her classroom and among her colleagues.

We are grateful to the donors who sustain this work and make it possible

Our ADVISORY COUNCIL

Our advisory council is made up of alumni and passionate changemakers

We experiment and play with liberatory governance and do not seek to replicate traditional board and power structures.

Liz Jackson-Simpson

CEO, Success Centers

Liz brings over 40 years of experience in social movements, community development, and creating workforce development opportunities for marginalized communities.

  • Born in the heart of the counterculture movement on Haight and Ashbury in the 1960s, I emerged as the daughter of parents deeply immersed in the social movements and community development initiatives of the era. Raised by a maintenance engineer father, who could fix anything with duct tape and a coat hanger, and a Renaissance woman mother who served on the human rights commission, led the PTA, launched community groups, and taught catechism, I learned the power of resilience and resourcefulness from an early age. 

    Growing up in a vibrant yet economically challenging environment, I didn't realize the extent of our financial struggles until much later. My parents instilled in me a sense of self-sufficiency and independence that became my guiding principles. Navigating my way as the only African-American in many spaces in San Francisco, from school to work and affinity groups, became second nature. The city's diverse atmosphere made it seem ordinary, and I embraced it as part of the rich tapestry that is San Francisco. 

    Attending one of the top high schools in the country, I graduated a year early to pursue a degree in Industrial Design with honors. Self-funding my college journey through work in the NGO sector, I managed and developed workforce development opportunities for disenfranchised youth and marginalized community members. 

    My affinity for young people in the juvenile justice system ignited during the '80s, witnessing the harsh reality of those caught up in selling drugs to survive. Recognizing their potential and driven by the belief that with the right resources they could excel, I dedicated my career to creating innovative systems that break the cycle of oppression. 

    Over the past 40 years, I've been blessed to disrupt systems of oppression, creating innovative pathways for marginalized community members to not just survive but thrive. My philosophy remains rooted in the transformative power of education and resources, turning individuals who were once caught in the cycle into captains of industry. It's been a journey of resilience, activism, and the unwavering belief that every person, given the right tools, can redefine their narrative. 

Steve Jones 

Graphic Designer and Educator, Plantain Studio

Steve brings over 20 years of experience in graphic design, art, and education, blending personal and formal approaches to his work.

  • Steve is a working graphic designer, artist, and educator—whose work has been exhibited, locally, nationally, and internationally. His philosophy and approach to graphic design combines the personal with the formal. His interests focus on black icons and their representation in mass media and popular culture, identity politics, social issues and causes, and public art.

    He is the principal and creative director of plantain studio in Oakland, and the founder of the Negro Emancipation Association, a Bay Area design collaborative. He is a former executive board member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (SF Chapter), the Alameda Public Art Advisory Commission, and the Jazz Heritage Center. Mr. Jones has been an educator in higher education for over 20 years. Currently, he teaches at the California College of the Arts—where he teaches in the Diversity Studies and First Year Program. He has also taught at the Rhode Island School of Design; and San Francisco State University (as assistant professor and graduate program coordinator). Steve lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

Jessica Lehman

Disability and Aging Consultant

Jessica brings extensive experience as a disability activist and community organizer, with a focus on bringing together disabled people and building connections between marginalized communities.

  • Jessica Lehman is a disability activist and community organizer, focused on bringing together disabled people and building connections between marginalized communities. In her current work as a disability and aging consultant, Jessica facilitates transitions from nursing homes to the community, leads trainings on disability and ableism, and supports organizations to expand disability programs. As Executive Director of Senior and Disability Action from 2012 to 2023, Jessica mobilized seniors and disabled people to fight for justice on health care, home care, housing, transportation and other issues. In that role, she led coalitions to establish a new home care program for middle-income people, rental subsidies and home modifications funding, free Muni for seniors and people with disabilities, and remote public comment in government meetings.

    As a person with a disability who employs home attendants, Jessica supports domestic worker rights as a founding member and leader of Hand in Hand: the Domestic Employers Network. She leads monthly Disability Organizer’s Forum calls to share ideas and experiences related to organizing disability communities. Jessica lives in Oakland with her partner and cat, and she loves power soccer, novels, and sweets.

Malaika Parker 

Executive Director, Black Organizing Project

Malaika brings 25 years of experience in advancing racial justice in the SF Bay Area, focusing on police accountability, education, environmental justice, and child welfare.

  • Malaika Parker has worked toward the creation of a racially just SF Bay Area for 25 years.  Malaika has demonstrated her commitment to BIPOC communities by working diligently to address issues of police accountability, racial justice in education, environmental justice and race based inequities in the child welfare system.

    Malaika is the founder of Hummingbirds Urban Farming Collective, a project that works at the intersection of race and ecological justice,  promoting food sovereignty and an ancestral connection between Black children and the communities that raise them.  Malaika is the founding Director of the Adoptive Parents of Color Collaborative, a project of Pact, an adoption alliance. Currently Malaika works in service to community as the Executive Director of the Black Organizing Project where she supports the urgent work to build Black power in the Oakland Bay Area. Malaika is a proud Women of Color LeadStrong Fellowship alumnae. 

Noel Perry

Founder, Next 10

Noel brings extensive experience in business, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership, having founded Next 10 to drive innovation at the intersection of the economy and environment.

  • Noel is a businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Next 10, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that educates and empowers Californians to improve the state’s future. Next 10 is focused on innovation and the intersection between the economy and the environment. Next 10 has released several groundbreaking reports including the annual California Green Innovation Index, which analyzes key economic and environmental indicators that document the role innovation plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while growing the economy. In addition to in-depth research briefs and reports, Next 10 also produces interactive tools to help inform and engage Californians on key issues facing the state, including the California Budget Challenge, the California Carbon Challenge, and California Choices – tools that help Californians better understand the state’s budget, climate policies, and ballot propositions, respectively.

    Before founding Next 10 in 2003, he was managing director of Baccharis Capital Inc., a socially responsible venture capital fund that he founded in 1991. He has backed multiple business successes such as the interactive educational company Leap Frog and the organic baby food company Earth’s Best. He is a member and former chair of the Board of Trustees for the California College of the Arts. In 2003, he founded 100 Families Oakland (now 100 Families Alameda County) to help strengthen disadvantaged neighborhoods through intergenerational art making. Mr. Perry served as a Peace Corps volunteer, building water projects in rural Yemeni villages. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and he holds an MBA from George Washington University and a BA from the University of Rhode Island. Noel lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

Damali Robertson

Director of DEIB, Lifelong Medical Care

Damali brings extensive experience in DEIB and is driven by a commitment to love, liberation, and compassion.

  • Damali is a leader in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) space. Damali is currently Director of DEIB at LifeLong Medical Care in Berkeley, CA where she is building equity and belonging into the organization’s culture and practices. Prior to LifeLong, she worked as Director of DEI at the California Institute for Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco from 2021-2023. In that role, she created DEIB programming and events and moderated transformative conversations with Rhonda Magee, Monica Guzman, Yung Pueblo, and Tricia Hersey. 

    Damali is also an artist, writer, mindfulness practitioner, facilitator, and emerging filmmaker who is guided by three values: Love, Liberation, and Compassion. Damali began telling stories on film in 2014. She launched her YouTube channel @freedomnarratives in 2019 and has talked to dozens of people about activism, racial equity, belonging, mindfulness, and de-colonial scholarship over the last several years. She is currently making a film about moving toward collective liberation through faith and spirituality. Damali is also a sought-after facilitator. Most recently, she co-facilitated a workshop about BIPOC grief at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

    Damali’s life and work are grounded in mindfulness practices, spiritual principles, and lived-commitments to equity and justice.

Neva Walker 

Life and Strategy Certified Coach, IME ConsultinG

Neva brings extensive experience as a life and strategy certified coach and former Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth.

  • Neva Walker is a life and strategy certified coach. Her coaching business, IME is focused on supporting individuals and organizations through inspiration, motivation, and execution. In addition, Neva spent twelve years as the Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, a member-led, multi-racial, intergenerational community organization working to build a city of hope, justice, and opportunity for all families in San Francisco.

    A long-time community organizer and political leader, Neva has decades of experience building power with impacted Black and Brown youth and families for racial justice, education justice, and criminal justice. Neva was born into an activist family in Minneapolis – her mother founded and ran the social service programs at Sabathani Community Center, which was located across the street from their family’s home, and whose legacy was honored by having their street named after her: Clarissa Rogers Walker Way.

    At age 28, Neva was the first Black woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature in state history; serving as a legislator for eight years, she centered training and including young people of color as leaders in every area of her work.

    Neva’s work at Coleman reflects her lifelong commitment to systems change through the leadership of Black and Brown students and their families through community organizing, strategy, coaching, advocacy, and civic engagement. Neva is also the former Executive Director of Coleman Action Fund, the 501(c)(4) sister of Coleman Advocates. 

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OUT OF OFFICE

Our team is collectively grounded in our values including the desire to never stop growing

Learn what our team is learning, studying, and exploring.

Railyn Aguado-Fuala’au  

Railyn is currently refining her Spanish language skills. Since April 2022, she has been taking lessons through Baselang, which has helped her achieve conversational proficiency. Recently, she had the opportunity to visit Peru, where she was able to put her learning into practice. She is hoping to achieve fluency by the end of 2024.

Getenesh Belette  

With the support of our team, Gete is excited to be joining INP (Institute for Nonprofit Practice) Rise program for young leaders this fall to help sharpen her skills and grow confidence in her leadership! 

Gema Cantu  

Gema has a love for travel and exploring new places, helping her deepen her understanding of the world, people, cultures, and our collective humanity. In her free time, you can find Gema at the archery range, learning how to ride a horse, or practicing Aztec dancing 

Rachel Farahbakhsh 

Rachel is learning how to slow down from her Feli (white and tan chihuahua) and Mazi (Boston Terrier) and her 2-year-old ahijada Luanda.

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