Celebrating with Alumni
Thank you to the many Leadership Council SMC alumni, board members, sponsors, city partners, and members of our extended community who attended the reception to welcome the Class of 2026. It is always a thrill to see our alumni community show up for the incoming class!
Looking Ahead: The Journey Continues
As the Class of 2026 embarks on the months ahead, the foundation set at the Opening Session serves as a reminder of the transformative journey ahead of them. Each month, they will participate in Learning Days, sometimes with their Leadership CORPS and Emerging Leaders cohorts, and sometimes as a unified class. Through these experiences, they will continue to gain civic knowledge, enhance leadership skills and develop new ones, and build strong, collaborative relationships with one another. We can’t wait to see what is to come for this great group of SMC leaders.
“Such a great program so far. I can just imagine what the next months will look like.”
“The content, volume of content, pacing, and presentation were all excellent; I really appreciated it accommodated different learning styles, and as very hands-on, each section built on the other, and all activities were very pragmatic. Also appreciate the balance of personal and professional.”
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Opening Session a great success: The Team at Burlingame Community Center, Congressman Kevin Mullin, San Mateo County Executive Mike Callagy, Burlingame Vice-Mayor Michael Brownrigg, Franklin Templeton SVP Chief Administrative Officer Tiffany Hong, our Leadership Coaching Team, Ilana Lipsett, Antigua Coffee Shop, Arguello Catering, Chef Gilly’s, Jeffrey Hosier Photography, and the many Leadership Council SMC board members, alumni, sponsors, and partners who joined us!
Meet the Emerging Leaders Class of 2026
Heidi Alvarado, Director of Operations, Miramar Farms
Orly Amey, Assistant to the City Manager, City of East Palo Alto
Mollie Brown, Management Analyst, City of Brisbane
Jen Bue, Senior Property Manager, CBRE, Inc
Shirley Chan, Acting City Engineer, City of Daly City
Shannon Coyne, Senior Manager, People Experience Research and Data Specialist, Genentech
Mariaelena Crockett, Health and Wellness Director, YMCA
Janaina Dargell, Associate Director, Human Resources, Teremoto Biosciences
Jeraldine Dispo, Administrative Assistant, Cypress Lawn
Cody George, Recreation Manager, City of Belmont
Amaal Greenwood-Goodwin, Wellness Director, Heart and Soul, Inc.
Vikki Grundmann, Building & Planning Technician, Town of Hillsborough
India Hargett, Consultant, Retraining the Village
Greg Henry, Financial Services Manager, City of South San Francisco
Mai Le, Community Health Planner, First 5 San Mateo County
Jenel Lim, Human Services Analyst II, County of San Mateo, Center on Homelessness
Robert Malone, Corporal, Brisbane Police Department
Hayley Martinez, Senior Sustainability Specialist, County of San Mateo
Jennifer Martinez, Interim Clinical Operations and Program Director, One Life Counseling
Monica Mejia, Director of Operations and Programs, Friends for Youth
Jazmine Miranda, Assistant City Clerk, City of South San Francisco
Anwar Mohamed, Human Services Agency, County of San Mateo
Gabi Morales, Strategic Initiatives Lead, Pal Center
Nicole Nash, Programs and Operations Manager, Thrive Alliance
Jerome Olimpiada, Associate Director of CES, Samaritan House
Jordy Pascual, HR Manager- Talent Pipeline Programs, County of San Mateo
Jessica Paxton, Sr. Manager, Public Affairs - Corporate Giving, Gilead Sciences
Liza Rebortura, Admin Assistant/ Programs Coordinator, Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center
David Rennie, Coordinator, District Improvement and Supports, San Mateo County Office of Education
Stacey Routt, Procurement Administrator II, San Mateo County Transit District
Julia Rubin, Upper School Director of Teaching and Learning, Crystal Springs Uplands School
Lalo Rubio, Alert and Warning Coordinator, Dept. of Emergency Management, County of San Mateo
Kevin Salinas, Human Services Supervisor, County of San Mateo
Jennifer Senecal, Executive Director, Big Wave
Sanya Singhal, Municipal Sales Manager, Republic Services
Vanessa Smith, Legislative Aide, County of San Mateo, Board of Supervisors
Shawneece Stevenson, Manager of Family Success Coaching/ Co-Manager, Resilience and Mental Wellness Program, The Primary School/Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council
Jonathan Strange, Systems Analyst II, City of San Mateo
Anca Stratianu, Community Leader, City of San Mateo
Elizabeth Tatola-Joachim, Community Service Officer, San Mateo Police Department
Jamie Vizmanos, Digital Communications Specialist, San Mateo County Transit District
Austin Walsh, Communications Manager, City of Foster City
Beto Wetter, Senior Research Analyst | Defensible Space Inspector, The American Energy Society | North Tahoe Fire Protection District
Meet the Leadership CORPS Class of 2026
Laurie Davies Adams, Hillsborough Town Council Member, Town of Hillsborough
Renee Anderson, Head of Product Strategy, Franklin Equity Group, Franklin Templeton
Susan Baker, CEO, Burlingame/SFO Chamber of Commerce
Stephanie Balon, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Kapwa Kultural Center & Cafe
Mia Bernardino, Director, Real Estate Investments, Emerson Collective
Maz Bozorginia, Public Works Director/City Engineer, City of Brisbane
Kendra Calvert, Public Engagement Manager, City of Menlo Park
Cecilia Chu, Executive Director, Friends for Youth
Erick Colomer, Regional Director - NSMC Career Centers, JobTrain
Maggie Cornejo, Principal, Cornejo Consulting
Joy Dardenelle, Executive Director - District Improvement and Support, SMCOE
Sarah Minczeski Delisle, Owner, Kalorama Strategies
Mark Dinan, Vice Mayor, City of East Palo Alto
Angela Duldulao, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation, City of South San Francisco
Amira Elbeshbeshy, Directing Attorney, Legal Aid SMC
Michelle Estabillo, City Clerk, Town of Colma
Jeff Fornesi, Assistant Director of Public Works, City of Daly City
Cari Guittard, Strategist, Department of Emergency Management, County of San Mateo
Francine Hunt, Director of Administrative Services, Menlo Park Fire Protection District
Zoe Hunton, Associate General Counsel, Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation
Jeremy Kirshner, Deputy City Manager, City of Burlingame
Shiri Klima, Assistant City Manager, City of East Palo Alto
Felicia Leong, CEO, Daly City/Colma Chamber
Michele Lew, SVP & Chief Gov. Relations Officer, Stanford Medicine Childrens Health
Leah Lockhart, Human Resources Director, City of South San Francisco
Ernesto Lucero, Economic Development Manager, City of South San Francisco
Bani Malhotra, Senior Director, Product Management, Ex-Walmart
Julie Mau, Assistant Deputy Chief, San Francisco Fire Department (Ret.)
Amar Mehta, Chief Legal Officer, Waymo
Effie Milionis Verducci, Director, Strategic Communications, County of San Mateo
Andrea Pappajohn, Environmental Program Manager, City of Millbrae
Daniel Platt, Principal, Neumann Capital Management
Mary Prem, CEO, South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Ryan Reynolds, Assistant Director, Department of Emergency Management, County of San Mateo
Shane Ross, Labor Standards Manager, County of San Mateo
Julie Sims, Founder, Elevate Your Story
Michelle Stulbarg, Chief Operations Officer, One Life Counseling Center
Angela Taylor, Director, San Mateo Adult and Career Education
Desiree Thayer, Councilmember, City of Burlingame
Crystal Tilton, CEO, Foster City Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Torai, Senior Director, Local Government Affairs, Stanford Health Care
Elizabeth Wells, Executive Director, Foundation for a College Education
Karina Wilhelms, Executive Director, San Mateo-Foster City Education Foundation
Kwanée Womack, Senior Director of Career Training and Education, JobTrain