Board of Trustees

Lewis Perkins

Sustainable systems pioneer Lewis Perkins is the president of Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), the nonprofit dedicated to identifying, funding, scaling, and measuring the apparel and footwear industry’s proven environmental impact solutions. Perkins is dedicated to building programs and systems designed to activate brands, manufacturers, financiers, and innovators to do their part to decarbonize the industry.

With over two decades of expertise in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and philanthropy, Perkins formerly served as president of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) where he founded and led the Institute’s Fashion Positive initiative. Prior to joining the C2CPII, Perkins served as director of sustainable strategies for the commercial sector of Mohawk Industries, a leading carpet manufacturer. 

Perkins has been tapped as an advisor and consultant to innovative environmental initiatives and programs such as the Earthshot Prize, Google’s Circular Economy Accelerator Program, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Fibres Initiative, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana’s Sustainable Fashion Awards, the Global Change Award at the H&M Foundation, and CFDA Sustainability Design Mentorship, among others. He has also participated on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Consumption and lent expertise as a keynote speaker at esteemed events including Aspen Ideas: Climate, Reuters, Global Fashion Summit, Economist Impact, COP27, Vogue Forces of Fashion, and more.

Perkins holds a Master of Business Administration in marketing and strategy with a focus on social responsibility from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts from Washington & Lee University, from which he received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Emily Schlesinger

Emily is an Oakland native with deep ties to the community. She is passionate about children’s health equity and advancing research for pediatric diseases, and after graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, has spent her career in the pediatric healthcare fundraising area.  Emily currently serves as the Northern California Philanthropic Advisor for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where she has the privilege of working with donors to realize their philanthropic goals though current and legacy giving.  Emily loves to be a connector of friends, acquaintances, businesses, and opportunities within the Bay Area.  Emily and her husband Mike are the parents to two current St. Paul’s student (classes of ‘28 and ‘30) and one future St. Paul’s student.

Ijeh Ogbechie

Ijeh brings nearly two decades of experience in finance and investment management. Over the course of his career, Ijeh has developed expertise in investment strategy, portfolio construction, and operations, experience that strengthens his ability to support the district’s long-term planning and responsible stewardship of resources.

Ijeh is currently a Senior Investment Director at Cambridge Associates, where he advises universities and nonprofit institutions. He earned his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and his BA from the University of California, Davis. Ijeh is deeply committed to creating opportunities that enable every student to thrive and reach their full potential.

Matt Garfunkle

Jordan Edelstein

Jordan Edelstein is Chief Marketing Officer at the Stellar Development Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the development and growth of Stellar, a blockchain network that connects the world’s financial infrastructure. His career in marketing spans more than 25 years across a wide range of companies and brands – from Yoplait yogurt to EA SPORTS, The Sims and MARVEL video games. He has overseen all aspects of marketing and communications and looks forward to bringing his expertise to the SPES Board of Trustees and community.

Jordan holds a BA in German and European Studies from Amherst College and an MBA in Marketing, Finance & Organizational Behavior from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. He and his wife live in Oakland and are the proud parents of students in the Class of ’28 and Class of ’30. 

Cheryl Ting

Cheryl Ting is the Head of School at St. Paul’s Episcopal School and has over 25 years of experience in education. She currently sits on CAIS’s Elementary Board of Standards, CATDC's Board of Directors, and Maybeck High School's Board of Trustees, and presents extensive workshops on the topics of equity and inclusion, diversity and leadership. She is the mother of two amazing humans, Maia, a musical artist, and Dylan, an undergraduate in the architecture program at Pratt. Cheryl is rediscovering life without teenagers in the house, with her partner, Cameron.

Rev. Mauricio Wilson, Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Raised and educated in Costa Rica, Rev. Mauricio Wilson is the rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Before and during his seminary years, he served in parishes in San Jose, Costa Rica, and in Astoria and Jackson Heights, New York. He has directed youth programs, Spanish and English language Cursillo, and a hurricane relief effort. Rev. Wilson joined St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the fall of 2009 from All Saint's Church in Great Neck, New York. He received his Master of Divinity degree from General Theological Seminary in New York in 2000. He is a parent of alumni in the Classes of 2019 and 2021.

Katie Ackerly

Katie Ackerly is Principal and Sustainable Design Director at David Baker Architects, an award-winning public-interest architecture firm known for innovative housing and community projects. Katie holds aMaster of Architecture and a Masters degree in Building Science from UC Berkeley, and has taught and conducted research related to energy and environmental design. Within DBA and beyond, she works to expand understanding, tools, partnerships, and best practices that advance climate- and community-responsive projects.

Ynez Arce

Ynez has worked for 15 years in finance and operations management roles for single and multi-family offices. Currently, Ynez is the Chief Operating Officer for a single-family office. Ynez graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Biological Anthropology. 

Ynez also serves as board Vice President for the Friends of the Oakland Public Library.

Tim Browne

Tim is a former Special Education teacher in the Oakland Unified School District at Roosevelt Middle School.  Working in an underserved community was the most fulfilling and challenging work of his career.  Because of this experience, he will always be committed to ensuring equal outcomes for all students.  

He later founded and now runs Selborne Properties Inc., a Bay Area property management company specializing in residential and commercial properties. In addition, he manages a real estate investment firm focused on Bay Area real estate.

Tim has a BA from University of San Diego in Economics and a MA from San Francisco State University in Special Education. He and his wife are parents of three current St. Paul's students.

Doug is retired from a career working in compensation and benefits, initially he spent 10 years working for several Fortune 500 companies, and then he worked for 25 years, primarily in executive compensation for the Hay Group global consulting firm where he also served on their management board.

Following his retirement, he became involved in helping to start The Episcopal School of Los Angeles, a grade six through twelve private college preparatory school.  During its initial years he served on the board of trustees and was the Chair for three years.

Doug holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and a Master’s degree in education from Stanford University.

Elliott Jones

Elliott Jones is the Program Manager of the Oakland Fire Department's (OFD) Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) program. Jones joined OFD in November 2021, and the MACRO program launched in April 2022. MACRO teams perform basic first responder aid; liaise between health and social services and the community; respond to low-level emergency and non-emergency calls for individuals who may be experiencing mental health incidents; and advocate for the community. Jones also serves as Chair of the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation, which advances educational equity, youth empowerment, and the preservation of Dr. Angelou’s philanthropic legacy, and as a Board Member of the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, which promotes environmental justice and supports grassroots leaders working to protect both people and the planet.

Temi Lane

Temi is a global marketing executive with 20 years of experience in brand management, operations, strategy, and partnerships at Wells Fargo, Nestle and Sony Interactive Entertainment. She currently leads Go To Market Strategy for 3^rd Party game publishers at PlayStation.

With a demonstrated track record of leading teams through transformation with a people-centered approach and a bias for action, Temi is excited to bring her diverse experiences to the St. Paul’s community.

Temi holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Temi and her husband Matt, a Bishop O’Dowd high school teacher and coach, moved to Oakland from Los Angeles in 2014 and are the proud parents of 3 current St. Paul’s students (classes of ’29 and ’30). In her spare time, Temi enjoys curating joyful moments in all aspects of her life including uncovering new restaurants, planning elaborate getaway trips for her friends and family, and cheering for her 3 sons in youth basketball until she loses her voice. 

Stacey Manley

Stacey currently serves as Vice President of communications and marketing at Medicines360, a nonprofit pharmaceutical company focused on addressing critical gaps in access to medicines for women. In this role, Stacey brings deep experience in strategic communications, brand identity, organizational development and social impact analysis to advance the company’s efforts to close critical gaps in women’s healthcare.

Stacey is passionate about harnessing communications to take on the most pressing societal challenges and has a unique background in developing strategies and communications campaigns that challenge outmoded ways of thinking about longstanding social disparities. As part of his current role, he focuses on building Medicines360’s reputational equity, drawing from his 25 years of communications work spanning national nonprofits, regional community foundations, private philanthropic organizations and multinational advertising agencies.

Before rejoining Medicines360, Stacey led marketing and communications at Hopelab, a private operating foundation within the Omidyar group. At the East Bay Community Foundation, Stacey was instrumental in developing the Foundation’s equity framework and developed its narrative supporting social justice and racial equity, which Inside Philanthropy recognized as the “Boldest Community Foundation of 2019.”

Before transitioning to the social impact sector, Stacey spent the first part of his career in advertising, working with clients like Kraft Foods, The Walt Disney Company, LinkedIn and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. He also supported a host of medical device companies and helmed the consumer launch of the Essure birth control device.

Stacey holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and earned a master’s in public administration from Baruch College, NY. Born and raised on the East Coast, he currently lives in Oakland with his wife and their two children; SPES classes of ‘27 and ‘31.

Malik McMillian

Malik McMillian is an educator, tutor, mentor, and community advocate with more than 15 years of experience serving youth and families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. For over a decade, he has worked as a classroom teacher, instructional leader, and youth development professional, dedicating his career to creating equitable learning opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds.

Malik earned both his Bachelor of Arts in English Language Arts and his Master of Education degree from California State University, Los Angeles. Throughout his career, he has taught students across multiple grade levels while developing a reputation for building strong relationships with families, fostering inclusive classroom communities, and helping students reach their academic and personal potential.

Beyond the classroom, Malik has worked extensively in after-school and youth development programs, including community-based organizations such as East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC). His work has focused on supporting low-income communities, providing academic enrichment, mentorship, and social-emotional support for young people navigating educational and personal challenges.

As the founder of his own tutoring practice, Malik works with students ranging from ages 9 to 20, providing individualized instruction in literacy, writing, humanities, study skills, and academic confidence-building. He believes that every student deserves a learning environment where they feel seen, valued, and capable of success.

Malik's passion for education extends beyond traditional settings. Through social media, public speaking, and inspirational content creation, he seeks to encourage others to pursue personal growth, resilience, and lifelong learning. His mission is to inspire, uplift, and empower the next generation while strengthening the partnerships between schools, families, and communities that make student success possible.

Today, Malik continues to expand his professional and academic pursuits while remaining committed to his core belief: that education has the power to transform lives and create lasting opportunities for individuals, families, and communities.

Jessica Montague

Heidi Quan

Heidi C. Quan is an attorney with nearly 25 years of experience advising clients in risk management issues and representation in lawsuits involving general litigation and employment matters.  She is a Senior Investigating Attorney conducting workplace investigations throughout California. 

After being born and raised in Oakland, Heidi sought out sunny San Diego to obtain her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice with a minor in minority relations. Thereafter, she returned to the Bay Area to obtain her law degree. Heidi has been deeply involved in local volunteer activities throughout the Bay Area and has been an active volunteer and board member for the Junior League of San Francisco. Heidi's dedication to youth education is also demonstrated through her work as a Board Trustee and Board President for the Junior Center of Art and Science in Oakland. Heidi continues to make her home in Oakland and she can be found on the weekends at the local farmers markets and rooting for her sports teams.  She also enjoys hiking, traveling, photography, and scuba diving.

Elana Roston

A native of Southern California, Elana Roston earned a B.A. in English from Yale University and an M.A. in Cinema Studies from NYU before returning to Los Angeles to spend a decade working as a radio and print journalist. At Santa Monica-based NPR station KCRW, she helped to launch “Which Way, L.A.?”, an award-winning program which focused on local public affairs in the wake of the 1992 Rodney King verdict riots, then expanded to include national and international news. She served as a film critic and wrote a weekly column on cultural events for the alternative newsweekly New Times Los Angeles (a sister paper to the SF Weekly) and wrote freelance articles for publications including The Los Angeles Times and Premiere Magazine. 

Since moving to the Bay Area with her husband, Scott Saul, a UC Berkeley professor, she has worked as an independent writer-editor and marveled over her son Max (St. Paul’s Class of 2022)’s development, which accelerated when he joined St. Paul’s in Fourth Grade. In her spare time, she participates in grassroots political action groups working to advance social justice and human dignity, and enjoys baking and solving crossword puzzles and other word games. 

Mona Shah

Mona Shah is a seasoned non-profit leader with over 20 years of leadership experience in the fields of public health, social work, youth development and community based arts and culture. 

Currently, Mona is a Program Specialist for the Alameda County Public Health Department. She is also an independent consultant supporting social justice focused non-profit organizations and foundations through her broad experience and knowledge in community engagement and partnership development, program development, project management and employment recruitment.  

Mona has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from UCLA and a Masters of Science in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  She is a parent of a St. Paul’s student in the Class of 2024.

Tanya Susoev

Akins Van Horne

Akins works as a technology executive in the health and insurance technology space - working on issues of access and administrative costs at places like ThreeFlow, Gusto, Collective Health, and Covered California/GetInsured.  

Before moving to California, Akins worked in Strategy Consulting in New York City.  

He received his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and his BA (honors) from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.

Akins was born in Canada and now lives in Oakland with his wife and three young children. 

Clay Virgil

Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

Margaret Wilkerson Sexton is a novelist and non-practicing attorney who studied creative writing at Dartmouth College and law at UC Berkeley. Her most recent novel, The Revisioners, won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work and a 2020 Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, and was a national bestseller as well as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her debut novel, A Kind of Freedom, was long-listed for the National Book Award. Her third novel, On the Rooftop, was published in September 2022. Her work has been published in Zyzzyva; The Paris Review; O, The Oprah Magazine; The New York Times Book Review; and other publications. 

She serves on the board of the Community of Writers, the oldest annual writers' conference on the West Coast of the United States, and is a distinguished visiting professor in Fiction in the MFA program at St. Mary’s College of California.  

She and her husband, Thomas, live in Oakland where they proudly parent three children.