OFFICERS
A proud Oakland native, Dr. William “Bill” Riley began his educational journey in Oakland public schools. He transferred from Merritt College, where he served as student body president, to the University of San Francisco (USF), earning a B.A. in Sociology and Physical Education, followed by an Ed.D. in Educational Policy.
In 1998, Dr. Riley was first elected to the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees, representing Area 5, and served as both President and Vice President of the Board on multiple occasions.
With over 39 years of experience in public education, Dr. Riley has held various roles, including teacher, counselor, coach, principal, vice-principal, and administrator on special assignment.
An avid golfer, Dr. Riley is honored to have the Peralta Colleges’ largest fundraiser, the Annual Dr. William “Bill” Riley Swing for Success Golf Tournament, named after him.
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Mahiri serves as Principal Consultant with Wise Endeavor, LLC. a management and consulting firm specializing in guest experience, brand creation/management, and sustainability strategy. WE focuses on building bridges between clients and target audiences. Prior, Mahari served as a Cloud Developer Marketing Strategy Lead for Google.
Mahiri who grew up in Oakland and attended De La Salle High School is a Howard University graduate who has spent the past 8+ years managing large entertainment and sporting events. In addition to event & guest services management at venues such as Oracle Area, O.co Coliseum and T – Mobile Arena; Mahiri was head of MGM Entertainment Experience Strategy for MGM venues domestically. Mahiri started his career working in Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity in both the public utility and entertainment sectors. Of all of his accomplishments Mahiri is most proud of his 2015 NBA Championship ring he received as a gift from the Golden State Warriors.
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Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson proudly leads the Peralta Community College District as its Chancellor, bringing a wealth of experience and a passionate commitment to education. Prior to this role, served as the President of Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, CA, and Laney College, where her visionary leadership made a lasting impact.
Chancellor Gilkerson’s unwavering dedication to social justice, equity, and inclusion is not just a professional focus, but a personal mission. Her leadership embodies the values that are essential to the vibrant and diverse communities of the East Bay, where she continues to inspire and uplift.
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DIRECTORS
Sarah Chavez-Yoell serves as Government Relations Representative for Pacific Gas & Electricity’s Bay Area Division. Most recently, Sarah served as a Community Outreach, Government Relations and Communications consultant, where she provided support to local businesses and non-profit organizations. Prior to those roles Sarah served as Executive Director of the Oakland Builders Alliance, a non-profit advocacy groupthat seeks to address the economic and environmental needfor responsible development in Oakland. She also served as Executive Director of the East Oakland Boxing Association, a non-profit, community-based organization that provides education, enrichment, and health programs for children and youth. Sarah also previously worked as a constituent liaison for Oakland City Council Member Larry Reid. Sarah is an Oakland native and serves on the board of directors of Youth Alive!, Community Education Partnerships and Oakland Food Works. Sarah earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Hayward and Master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, East Bay. JOIN ME THIS GIVING SEASON – CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
Dyana Delfín Polk is a third-generation Mexican-American community college graduate, public education advocate and political organizer. She received her Associate’s degree from Merced College, Bachelor’s Degree in American History and Chicano Studies from UC Berkeley and her Master’s degree in Public Policy from Mills College. As a community college student, she advocated for transferable courses to the UC system when they were at risk of being cut at her campus, which began her work as an education advocate. Dyana currently works as Associate Executive Director at HOMEY, a violence prevention nonprofit serving Latinx and African American youth in San Francisco’s Mission District, addressing systemic violence in communities of color and providing a pathway for at-risk youth to pursue education. She is a longtime resident of Berkeley’s Northside neighborhood and is active in local politics. JOIN ME THIS GIVING SEASON – CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
Robyn Fisher, Ed.D is President of the Advisory Board for Choose College Educational Foundation, Inc.® and President and C.E.O. of R.T. Fisher Educational Enterprises, Inc. (RTF). Since founding RTF in 1999, Dr. Fisher has subsequently co-founded and chaired an umbrella of initiatives directed towards academic excellence in the Bay Area’s communities of color, including both The African American Regional Educational Alliance, Inc. (AAREA), and The Choose College Educational Foundation, Inc. (CCEF). As an independent consultant, Dr. Fisher has lent her expertise to a number of federal, state, and local educational programs, including but not limited to TRIO programs, ARCHES i3SLOPE and ACCESS Math Initiatives, California GEAR UP, the Ronald McNair Scholars Program, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and both the University of California and California State University systems. She currently is the Governor’s appointee to the California Reading and Literature Advisory Board and served two terms as the Senate’s appointee to the Statewide Pupil Assessment Review Panel. Prior to founding RTF, Dr. Fisher began her career as a legislative fellow with the California State Senate; going on to serve as a community legislative aide to San Jose Mayor, Susan Hammer; a budget analyst under the mentorship of City Manager, Regina Williams; an Associate Director of San Jose State University’s Pre-College Programs and the Director of the San Jose California Student Opportunity and Access Program. Dr. Fisher holds an M.P.A. from San Jose State University in San Jose, CA, and a B.A., M.Ed., and Ed. D. from Mills College in Oakland. JOIN ME THIS GIVING SEASON – CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
Linda Handy is long time member of the governing board of the Peralta Community College District and has extensive social services and college administration experience. Linda earned her Master of Science in organizational development and analysis from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Linda is a Laney College alumna, an engaged community leader and a former president of the Oakland Coalition of Congregations.
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Louis Quindlen is a retired former chair of the Laney College Machine Technology Department. Louis has a deep commitment to scholarships. He understands the District challenges and the work that needs to be done.
Louis won the Laney College We Rise Award given for outstanding employee. Per Laney College President Rudy Besikof, Louis has put in his own time, energy and resources to help students.
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William Wilson is an attorney, technology, and investment executive within San Francisco and Silicon Valley. His experience includes structuring, negotiating and closing complex financial transactions with industry leading companies and investment funds, as well as corporate governance, and risk analysis and mitigation.
At Autodesk, Inc., an U.S. based multinational software corporation that makes software for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and media verticals, William directs business and corporate development initiatives, including investments through Autodesk’s Corporate Venture Capital Fund, and in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
Prior to joining Autodesk, William was head of business and legal affairs at Common Sense Media where he structured data integrations with the largest telecommunications, cable, and satellite companies in the United States.
William was formerly a law partner at Dillingham & Murphy in San Francisco where he represented Fortune 500 companies, startups, and investment fund clients in investment and technology transactions, as well as commercial and antitrust disputes.
William is a graduate of the University of California (BA), Santa Clara University (Juris Doctor), and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. William is involved with numerous civic and philanthropic activities including working to increase diverse representation within the technology and venture capital ecosystem.
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PRESIDENTS
Dr. Becky Opsata currently serves as Acting President of Laney College, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in higher education. She joined Laney in 2021 as Vice President of Instruction and quickly became a vital part of the college’s leadership team.
Before Laney, Dr. Opsata served for 15 years at Diablo Valley College as Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation. She also spent six years as a faculty member in Communication Studies at California State University, Northridge, where she coached competitive Speech and Debate teams—a passion she continued at DVC.
Dr. Opsata is deeply committed to student success and equitable access to education. She is focused on expanding both in-person and online learning options to meet the diverse needs of today’s students. “Community colleges serve who is here—they’re rooted in the towns they serve. That makes us stronger,” she says.
She holds a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at USC, an M.A. from Kansas State University, and a B.A. from Macalester College.
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Melanie Dixon has served as the president of the College of Alameda (COA) since July 15, 2024. The Peralta Community College District (PCCD) Board of Trustees unanimously approved her appointment at their June 12, 2024 meeting. Dixon has a background in higher education and experience promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. She has also held positions such as President of American River College and Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Student Success at Los Rios CCD. JOIN ME THIS GIVING SEASON – CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
Dr. David M. Johnson was named Acting President of Merritt College in December 2019 after joining the administrative team in January 2019 as Vice President of Instruction. He comes to Merritt from Las Positas College in Livermore, CA, where he served as Interim Vice President of Academic Services.
Prior to assuming this role, David spent more than seven years as an administrator at Cañada College in Redwood City. As the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, he provided responsive and transparent leadership to foster a culture of partnership and open communication with faculty, staff, and students.
Before moving into administration David spent 15 years in the classroom, teaching at such institutions as the University of Washington, the University of California, Berkeley, and California State University, East Bay.
Raised in Oakland, CA and a product of the Oakland Unified School District, David holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from U.C. Berkeley, a master’s degree in Communication from the University of Washington, and a doctorate in History from U.C. Berkeley.
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Dr. Richardson follows Dr. Angélica Garcia, the previous Berkeley City College President, who stepped down at the end of June to become the President / Superintendent of Santa Rosa Junior College on July 1, 2023.
Dr. Richardson is an educational leader committed to respectful communication, facilitating equitable outcomes, and data-informed decision-making. She is a forward-thinking strategist focused on providing students with high-quality instruction, and faculty and classified professionals with current technology and relevant professional development. Following her tenure in the classroom, she has been an effective administrator with a ten-year record of demonstrating responsible budget management, supporting innovative curriculum and program development, and making hiring decisions that consider the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) goals of the college.
“I’m so grateful to Chancellor Jackson and to the Board of Trustees for choosing me to continue to lead the incredible team of faculty, classified professionals, and administrators at Berkeley City College,” said Dr. Richardson. “We are already making great progress on my top three priorities, which are cultivating a collaborative campus community, closing the student achievement gap for Black and Brown students in alignment with BCC’s Educational Master Plan, and strengthening the identity of Berkeley City College as a hub for academic excellence and social justice.”
President Richardson continued, “There’s always more to do and I look forward to working with student leaders and employees alike to achieve our goals, like standardizing our tri-chair model of participatory governance, closing the Black and Brown student achievement gap 75% by 2025, and hosting a student speaker series on social justice issues. Berkeley City College is more than just the best school for students looking to transfer to UC Berkeley – we’ve got programs literally for everyone! From high school students looking for dual enrollment opportunities to earn college credit to lifelong learners looking for art programs.
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EMERITUS
Commissioner Andreas Cluver is Secretary-Treasurer of the Alameda County Building Trades Council and has been working in the labor movement for 16 years. Mr. Cluver served as a business representative for the building trades in Alameda County as well as internationally in Southern Africa as a program director with the AFL-CIO.
As a City of Oakland compliance officer, Cluver worked with community groups to help ensure access for Oakland residents to union apprenticeships and jobs generated by public works projects. He has also worked with local community groups to strengthen their participation in development planning and helped to create policies related to downtown development intended to benefit Oakland’s neighborhoods.
Mr. Cluver has evaluated job training programs designed to assist farm and dislocated workers. He worked in Mozambique as a project manager overseeing the construction of schools, health posts, and roads. Mr. Cluver holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley.
Commissioner Cluver currently serves on several boards and commissions including the Oakland Education Cabinet, the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy and the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board.
Sydney Firestone retired as a Director with the San Francisco Forensic & Dispute Services practice of Deloitte FAS LLP (“Deloitte”). She was with the firm for over 28 years. Sydney also consulted to financial institutions in the areas of strategy, cash management, and operations effectiveness while at Deloitte. She is a Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) as well as a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Prior to joining Deloitte, Sydney was the head of Citibank N.A.’s Corporate Money Center Operations in New York. Before that, while she attended its graduate school, she was a lecturer in mathematical statistics at Columbia University. She also taught mathematics at the Queens College and Bernard Baruch campuses of City University of New York.
Since her retirement, Sydney has expanded her non-‐profit and community service activities. She serves on the Boards of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, World Arts West, and the Women of Temple Sinai, Oakland. She also provides pro bono consulting to the East Bay Agency for Children (EBAC).
Sydney has lived in Oakland for over 30 years. She is the mother of 2 adult daughters who both now live in New York. One is a producer for the Major League Baseball Network, and the other works in broadcast operations for the National Hockey League. Both played high school and college softball, so Sydney was actively involved as a “softball mom”, and was also a member of the Boards of the Oakland Girls Softball League and the Oakland Bandits Softball Association.
Sydney received her M.B.A from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, her M.Phil. in Mathematical Statistics from Columbia University, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Tufts University.
Ms. Viveros-Walton has served the Foundation in various capacities over the past five years with exceptional leadership and spirit of service as President of the Board over the last three years. Ms. Viveros-Walton is a dynamic bi-lingual public service professional with extensive background in communications, community relations, operations, legislative affairs, crisis communication, equity-based program research/development, and maintaining high level communication and partnerships within local, state and federal governments.
In addition to serving as President of the Foundation, she volunteers with the UC Berkeley Chican@ Latino@ Alumni Association, serves as Chair of the San Leandro Library Historical Commission and Vice Chair of the East Bay Women’s Political Alliance. She was recently appointed to serve on KQED’s Community Advisory Committee and speaks on the value of public service.
STAFF
- Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Executive Director
- Mashariki White, Development Manager, Scholarships & Alumni
- Margie Platero, Development Manager, Events & Campaigns
