Board of Directors
Pooja Shah, Chair
Nonprofit Strategy and Finance Leader
Pooja Shah brings experience from both the private and nonprofit sectors. She got her start in nonprofits as a Playworks coach in East Oakland, CA, and is excited to come full circle as a board member. Most recently, she served as VP of Strategy, Finance, and Operations at Peer Health Exchange, a national nonprofit that trains college students to provide comprehensive health education to underserved high school students. Before that, Pooja was the CFO of another national nonprofit, Reading Partners. Earlier in her career, she worked in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and in corporate business development at Cisco. Pooja studied Economics at UC Berkeley and earned her MBA from Harvard. She’s also the Board Treasurer for The New School of San Francisco. A diehard Bay Area sports fan, Pooja lives in Burlingame with her husband, Vivek, and their two kids, Kaya and Ahren—she also coaches their softball and baseball teams.
Ohemaa Nyanin, Secretary
General Manager
Golden State Valkyries
Ohemaa Nyanin is currently the General Manager for the Golden State Valkyries. Previously, she was the Assistant General Manager of the New York Liberty, one of the three remaining original franchises in the WNBA and won the 2024 WNBA Championship. She has worked internationally with multiple organizations including, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. In her last role as a Senior Entrepreneur, she pioneered the search and development of the inaugural group of Changemaker schools in seven African countries. Ohemaa was the Women’s National Team Assistant Director with USA Basketball, where she provided strategic leadership to the 2016 Olympic Gold Medal Women’s National Team and the 2018 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Women’s World Cup Gold Medal Team. In addition to her role within the New York Liberty, Ohemaa served as a Technical Delegate for international basketball competitions for FIBA. Ohemaa graduated from the American University with a double bachelor’s degree in Foreign Language and Communications Media and International Relations. While at American University, she also earned a master’s of science in Justice and Public Policy.
Pat Morrin, Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair
President
Danvera Foundation
Pat Morrin is the former co-founder, CFO, and vice president for Basis Communications Corporation – a communications semiconductor company based in Fremont, California, which was acquired by Intel Corporation. Pat was previously director of marketing and business development at Intel, and held various finance positions at Cirrus Logic, Inc. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Oakland; a member on the Board of Advisors for Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of California, Los Angeles; and chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego. Pat received a B.A. in English and a BBA in business management from the University of San Diego, and an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
Brigitte Addimando
Founder and Managing Partner
Polaris Strategy Partners
Brigitte Castaing Addimando is the founder of Polaris Strategy Partners, where she works with leaders and organizations on executive coaching, strategic planning, team development, and change management. With a background in engineering and experience in both corporate and nonprofit settings, she brings a thoughtful, analytical approach to leadership challenges. Brigitte earned her B.S. in Engineering from Duke University, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Before founding Polaris, she held roles in management consulting and strategy development. Today, she works with a range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to mission-driven organizations, helping teams align on goals and navigate complex decisions. Outside of work, Brigitte is involved with several nonprofit boards. She enjoys cooking, travel, and running, and has a long-standing interest in motorsports, having raced competitively earlier in her career.
Evelyn Barahona
Senior Vice President
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Evelyn Barahona is a seasoned leader and advocate for small business growth, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of the Educational Fund at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). In this role, she oversees the foundation (501c3) arm of the organization, delivering impact-driven initiatives for Hispanic-owned and small businesses to thrive and scale. The USHCC is the largest Hispanic business advocacy and policy membership organization in the nation, representing the interests of small businesses including 5 million Hispanic enterprises, national and global corporate partners, and regional Chambers. A trusted advisor and strategic partner to key stakeholders, Evelyn works to accelerate the economic prosperity of small business enterprises with USHCC’s core pillars: driving capital access, securing strategic procurement contracts, and elevating the community’s competitive advantage for corporate and governmental agencies looking to stay competitive in the global marketplace. Under her leadership, the Educational Fund provides strategic opportunities and turnkey resources to fuel Hispanic and small businesses to scale and compete successfully on the national and international stage. With 25 years + of experience spanning various sectors, Evelyn brings a wealth of knowledge from the private sector, philanthropic leadership, and social enterprise experience. This includes over a decade in investment management, health sector experience, and private and public partnerships including membership and partnership development at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Prior to USHCC, Evelyn managed a portfolio of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) at the Boston Foundation, oversaw key community funds such as the Massachusetts United for Puerto Rico Fund following Hurricane Maria, and the Latino Equity Fund, focused on the economic and health equity of Latinos in Massachusetts. Evelyn is a community leader serving on the boards of Eastern Bank, Women’s Edge, nationally with Playworks and Interaction Institute for Social Change. She is a member of the Advisory Committee of Women of Color UNIDAS at the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). In recognition of her leadership, was named a Lideres Fellow by Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP). A graduate of Northeastern University, Evelyn holds a degree in International Business and Finance and furthered her studies at NEOMA Business School in Reims, France. Her dedication to advancing small businesses and community prosperity continues to drive her passion for creating lasting, positive changes.
Brandon Belford
Managing Partner
Escalada Sports Partners
Brandon is an operations, strategy, public policy, and finance professional with 20+ years experience on Wall Street, in the Obama White House, and in Silicon Valley. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brandon was born and raised in Flint, Michigan and lives outside of New York City with his wife and two daughters.
Leslie Boissiere
Vice President, External Affairs
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Boissiere oversees the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT effort, as well as the areas of policy reform and advocacy, strategic communications, leadership development, equity and inclusion, organizational effectiveness and national partnerships. Boissiere brings more than 15 years of results-driven executive experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining the Foundation, Boissiere worked as a vice president for AARP, the nation’s largest nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to serving adults aged 50 and older. Boissiere has also served as executive director for the White House Council for Community Solutions, where she led efforts to develop cross-sector, community-based strategies to address the needs of disconnected youth. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of New Orleans.
Kuang Chen
Co-founder
Antara Health
Kuang Chen is an entrepreneur and computer scientist. Kuang is co-founder of Antara, a tech-enabled health service delivering patient-centered care via health navigation, automation and machine learning. Prior, Kuang was founder CEO of Captricity (dba Vidado, acquired by SSNC), where he developed the first AI that reads handwriting better than humans. He was recipient of MIT Technology Review’s ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ award in the humanitarian category for his graduate research focused on data-centric approaches to increase the efficiency of health clinics in Tanzania and Uganda. His work has yielded several patents and best-paper awards. Kuang holds a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley; a BS in Computer Science and a BA in Comparative History of Ideas from the University of Washington.
Etienne Fang
Senior Manager, User Research
Amazon
Etienne Fang is a human-centered leader with expertise in research, strategy, and design, and experience working globally in technology, CPG, consulting, and education. She started her career as a special education teacher in New York City public schools. With a focus on customer growth through Inclusive Research, Etienne develops strategic insights through foundational, future-forward insights initiatives. Etienne is Senior Manager of User Research at Amazon, working on generative AI to create inclusive product experiences that foster a sense of belonging for all users.
Angela Glymph-Austin
CEO
Peer Health Exchange
Dr. Angela Glymph is the CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a national nonprofit organization focused on providing youths ages 13-18 mental health, sexual wellness, and identity resources. Prior to her appointment as CEO in 2023, Dr. Glymph led PHE through significant programmatic transformations guided by her commitment to evidence- and stakeholder-informed practices in her role as Present. Dr. Glymph brings over 15 years of experience and expertise in developing and managing health and educational equity programs, as well as evaluating health and educational outcomes of such programs. As an expert in positive youth development, health equity, social and emotional learning, adolescent sexual and mental health, and social psychology, she is both a published author and frequent contributor to professional panels and media features. In addition to her work at PHE, Dr. Glymph co-leads a BIPOC Mental Health Coalition, which represents leaders of color from 25 national and local organizations that strive to center the voices of BIPOC youth within health and educational decision-making spaces. Dr. Glymph earned a Ph.D. and MS in Psychology from Howard University. In her spare time, she serves as the Vice Chair of the EduSeed Board of Directors, a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, voluntarily serves as a Board member of Active Minds, a national nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults, and mentors doctoral students, specifically those who hold marginalized identities as Adjunct Faculty at Howard University. She resides in the Washington DC area with her spouse and young son.
Antoniya Marinova
Associate Vice President
The Boston Foundation
Antoniya Marinova is an Associate Vice President at the Boston Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s early childhood, education, and health & wellness strategies, including special initiatives, partnerships, civic leadership, and grantmaking. In 2022, she also served as the interim executive director of the Boston Opportunity Agenda, the City’s principal cradle-to-career public-private partnership. She joined the Boston Foundation in 2016 after holding multiple research roles at Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research, Mathematica Policy Research, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where her research work covered a broad span of topics in education and economic policy. Antoniya has a B.A. in economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.P.P. in social and urban policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Kanika Pasricha
AVP Strategy and Growth
Sun Life Financial
Kanika Pasricha is AVP of Strategy at Sun Life Financial (Canada). She orchestrates strategic planning and leads strategy projects across Sun Life’s businesses . Previously, as Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Rogers Communications, Kanika led her team on go-to-market and innovation-focused projects. Prior to this role, Kanika has held roles as a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (in Toronto) and as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company (in New York). Kanika volunteers as an alumni interviewer for Princeton University, and as an admissions committee member and young alumni mentor for the Summer Science Program. Additionally, she is a co-leader of a Womens’ Circle for Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnae. She holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University.
Mark Seiler
Principal
Metrovation
Mark Seiler is the managing partner of Metrovation, a real estate development firm as well as principal of Metrovation Capital, a real estate capital company. Mark serves on several boards of directors, including Boys and Girls Club of Oakland and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Northern California. He is also past president of Rhoda Goldman Plaza, a not-for-profit assisted living and Alzheimers community.
Susan Stone
Marketing Director
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Susan Stone is a highly motivated and results-driven business management and marketing professional with over 35 years of experience. Throughout a distinguished career, Susan has consistently demonstrated the ability to develop effective marketing strategies that significantly contribute to pipeline and revenue generation, while also building strong relationships and enhancing brand equity. In her current role as PwC’s US Markets Marketing Leader, she leads a team that collaborates closely with both national leadership and local office leaders to create and implement innovative marketing programs. Previously Susan served as Director and Marketing Leader for PwC’s Southwest market and spent 8 years as the Director of Marketing and Business Development at the national law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Susan has served on Playworks’ National board for several years and previously served on the Southern California regional board for 8 years.
Joy Weiss
President and CEO
Tempo Automation
Joy Weiss has held executive leadership and board positions at a variety of technology companies, including most recently as President & CEO of Tempo Automation.
Jill Vialet, Emeritus
Founder
Playworks
Jill Vialet established Playworks in 1996 and has led the organization through rapid growth for more than 18 years. Jill’s selection as an Ashoka Fellow in 2004 provided the opportunity she had been seeking to put her vision for national expansion into action. Jill is considered a leader in the field of play and a successful social entrepreneur, receiving invitations to speak at Skoll World Forum, Partnership for a Healthier America Summit, TEDx, Harvard Law School, Stanford School of Business, and Social Impact Exchange. In December 2011, Jill was named one of 30 Social Entrepreneurs of the Year by Forbes magazine. Read more