Oakland and the East Bay Staff
The key to our success is the incredible enthusiasm and dedication of the Playworks staff. Meet some of the people who are bringing play to Oakland and the East Bay. Please note: Our direct school programs are led by the efforts of our program coordinators in each school in each of the cities we serve. While they are too numerous to list here, they are essential to the success of the program.
Alison Townley
Alison Townley has joined the Playworks team as executive director of East Bay operations. She comes to Playworks with 15 plus years experience working on internationally recognized brands like L'Oreal, Chevron, and MasterCard. She swims, runs or rides daily and is a two-time Olympian in the sport of rowing. Playworks is helping her put "play" into her athletic vocabulary and she is excited about helping companies see how a partnership with Playworks is good for kids, the community and business.
Khai Chatfield
Khai Chatfield has been with Playworks for nine years. He has recently taken on a new position of program manager after serving as a site coordinator at Allendale Elementary School in Oakland for seven years. "I'm all about team & forward movements." Off the Playworks clock, Khai continues to promote healthy play as a coach and referee for local basketball leagues and he is a highly sought after rap artist and DJ, who regularly performs at local clubs. Khai has 12 yrs of experience in youth development, and enjoys being a mentor as well as energizing play for our nations youth.
Stephen Fox
Special Projects Manager Stephen Fox is a Wisconsin native who came to California in search of gold. He spent two years as a program coordinator at Hawthorne Elementary and two years as a program manager before moving to the development team, where he served as a development associate prior to his current position. Steve recognizes the need for good role models in youths' lives and works hard to ensure that all Playworks staff provide consistent and positive examples to all of the children they serve.
Jackie Hemann
Jackie Hemann, Program Director, is in her ninth year with Playworks. She spent four years working as a site coordinator at Sobrante Park and Lafayette Elementary schools and two years working at Westlake Middle School. As a program director, Jackie likes visiting schools and seeing how students are impacted by Playworks programming.
Bryant Hicks
Bryant Hicks, Program Manager, started at Playworks in 2002 as a program coordinator at Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland. Since then Bryant was our recruiter and is now a Program Manager. Bryant has taken the Playworks mission to heart and spreads the message wherever he goes. He enjoys basketball and long walks on the beach and believes he is the inventor of the slogan "HAVE FUN."
Evan Kennedy
Evan Kennedy, an East Bay program manager, has worked for Playworks since 2006, when he was a program coordinator at Prescott Elementary in West Oakland. After three years in the field, Evan spent a year as the program associate in the East Bay office before transferring to the program manager position. Born and raised in Middletown, Connecticut, Evan has a background in youth development and education, and loves the impact that Playworks coaches have in their communities. When not playing outside, you'll usually find Evan reading a good book or inventing a new game to play for office recess.
Justin Mincey
Program Associate Justin Mincey started at Playworks in 2008 as a program coordinator in the West Contra Costa area. Justin has work at several schools around the Bay Area, starting in West Contra Costa for the first year, moving to Far West Alternative High School his second year, then to Howard Elementary in East Oakland his third year. In the summer before his fourth year, Justin was recruited for the program associate position in the Playworks East Bay office. Justin respects and admires Playworks' mission, and enjoys giving his elevator speech anytime he is given the chance. Working for Playworks has fueled Justin's passion to help guide today's youth along the path to a bright and healthy future.
Amanda O'Malley
Amanda has been with Playworks for four years - two as a coach in San Francisco and then as a program manager in the East Bay. "I love the fact that each day I learn and experience new things from and with the students we serve. There is nothing like a good game of capture the flag or wall ball to spend the day." Amanda is an avid San Francisco Giants fan, and has the orange wardrobe to prove it!
