Overview of SEAL
SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) is a powerful English Learner-focused approach to education rooted at the intersection of research and educational equity. The bedrock values are a commitment to further developing the intellectual and linguistic genius of young children’s brains, honoring the value and role of a family’s culture and language in students’ lives, and helping teachers cultivate the skills and mindset they need to become powerfully effective educators. SEAL is inclusive of all students, creating an environment where children engage together in rigorous, joyful, content and language-rich learning.
The Sobrato Family Foundation invested in the design and pilot of the SEAL model, which was led by Dr. Laurie Olsen. A 5-year evaluation of SEAL found that despite starting school with language and academic skills behind their peers, SEAL students catch up or surpass peers on all measures, from language and literacy to math and science. Major findings show statistically significant gains in language, literacy and cognition, as well as a significant impact on family literacy.
SEAL already partners with educational leaders across California, in over 100 elementary schools across 21 districts, and in over 130 preschool classrooms within 24 preschool local education agencies, working to transform the system by providing professional development, curriculum support, and technical assistance for educators. SEAL is helping English Learners turn their home language into an asset.
SEAL provides a clear pathway for California to meet the vision set out by the comprehensive English Learner Roadmap policy. With over 10 years of practice and research that demonstrates an effective model, SEAL fosters systems change in two ways: by continuing to transform more classrooms, schools, and districts, and by advocating for state level changes that focus on English Learners’ needs.
SEAL addresses English Learner needs at all levels — practice, research, policy and advocacy — to create long-term systemic changes.
PRACTICE
We partner with schools over multiple years to train teachers in research-based pedagogy, spark cross-school collaboration, and build internal coaching and leadership capacity to support English Learners.
RESEARCH
We conduct research in classrooms, pilot new approaches, and publish insights to advance the field’s understanding of what works for English Learners.
POLICY & ADVOCACY
We engage with district leaders and organize stakeholders to design and advocate for policies that centralize the needs of English Learners.
The SEAL Model
Research shows that when we treat English Learners’ home language as an asset, and we design learning to meet their needs, they succeed academically.
The research-based SEAL Model is designed to provide high-quality education to all English Learners starting in preschool through elementary school, and to prevent the development of Long-Term English Learners. We provide professional development, curriculum support, and technical assistance to school systems which bolsters learning for all children, but is especially critical for English Learners.
Learn more about our model
Refer to the following publications to learn more about the SEAL Model and how it is structured for students in preschool through 6th grade.
Preschool
Preschool to 3rd Grade
4th to 6th
Grade
Pedagogical Practices Compared Across Grades
Our Founding Story
Driven by a strong belief that school should create opportunities for all children to grow and succeed, the Sobrato family began a journey that led to SEAL’s genesis.
In 2008, with the Sobrato family specifically focused on improving outcomes for English Learners in San Jose and Redwood City, the Sobrato Family Foundation partnered with Dr. Laurie Olsen to design and pilot a new, comprehensive approach to learning in preschool and early elementary grades. The result of this pilot was the creation of the SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) model. After external evaluation results proved SEAL’s outsized impact, the model was expanded and replicated, first in the Bay Area and then throughout the state. With consistent support from the foundation over 10+ years, SEAL is now an independent organization that continues to carry forward a powerful evidence base and to support implementation of proven practices. SEAL is now also pursuing wider goals, seeking to engage new partners in projects and activities that connect educators, researchers, advocates, and policy leaders to elevate English Learners and promote bilingualism for all students in California.
Our Journey
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“Creo en SEAL, porque ofrece a los niños oportunidades de enriquecer su lenguaje académico. Los hace sentir seguros de aprender. Están expuestos a lenguaje de alto nivel. Enseñarles a niños de seis y siete años acerca de los patrones en el cielo y que ellos tomen eso con tanto entusiasmo es maravilloso.
— Nuria Godcharles, Teacher, Redwood City School District -
“I have a stronger direction to teach the standards now and am more in control. I can respond more easily to the needs of my students.
— Teacher, Fillmore Unified School District
Our Executive Team
Anya Hurwitz, Executive Director
Dr. Anya Hurwitz has a longstanding commitment to creating the conditions for public schools to meet the diverse needs of their students’ academic and socio-emotional development. She has worked as a teacher, school leader, district administrator, and within the educational nonprofit sector. The early part of Dr. Hurwitz’s career was in New York City where she helped start a small secondary school in the Bronx and then became a Network Leader within the NYC Department of Education to a diverse group of 24 schools, preschool through early college. In 2010, she moved to northern California and began working as an educational consultant supporting district and school leaders as they planned and implemented strategic reform efforts. Dr. Hurwitz joined the SEAL team in 2014. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from UC Berkeley.
Benjamin Buis, Director of Finance and Opertaions
Ben Buis has a longstanding commitment to ensuring all students have access to an exceptional education and the resources needed to succeed. For over 20 years, he has worked to change practices and policies to realize educational equity. Ben has worked as a teacher, school leader, and within the educational nonprofit sector. The early part of his career was in New York City, where he began teaching as a member of Teach For America, a diverse network of leaders who confront educational inequity by teaching for at least two years in underserved communities. Ben then went on to be a founding member of a charter school with an instructional model meant to prepare every student to succeed in college and beyond. In 2010, he moved to the Bay Area and became a Director of an educational nonprofit that provided support and resources for low-income students. Ben joined the SEAL team in 2020. He has an M.S. in Educational Leadership & Administration from Western Governors University and an M.A. in Education for Pace University.
Jennifer Diehl, Director of Innovation and Strategy
Jennifer has been working in the field of elementary education for over 20 years. She began her career as a classroom teacher, and then transitioned to providing professional development for teachers and administrators throughout California — specializing in early literacy, and working with English Learners. Jennifer joined the SEAL team in 2009, the second year of SEAL’s 5-year pilot. She worked closely with Dr. Laurie Olsen to design and deliver the model of training for SEAL replication. Jennifer is a certified Reading Recovery teacher and a Tier IV GLAD Trainer. She holds an MA in Education from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Educational Leadership and Administrative Credential from San Jose State University.
Jill Fraka, Director of Trainings
TO COME
Patty Delaney, Director of Program and Partnerships
As Director of Program, Patty Delaney coordinates visits to SEAL demonstration sites, and works with key district level leaders who have an interest in implementing the SEAL model. Ms. Delaney has been an educator for more than 25 years—beginning in bilingual first grade classroom in San Rafael, leading to more than a decade teaching in K-5 classrooms across the district. While at San Rafael City Schools, Ms. Delaney developed a new district-wide teacher support program based on the Santa Cruz New Teacher Project, and became the district’s New Teacher Advisor—later working at the county level with Marin County Office of Education’s BTSA program. Ms. Delaney has also served as a K-8 school site administrator, and as San Rafael’s K-12 Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction. She holds a BA in Bilingual Education and Latin American Studies from Cal State University Chico, a teaching credential from Cal State Sonoma, and a Masters in Educational Leadership with an Administrative Services Credential from San Francisco State University.
Martha Martinez, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation
Dr. Martha I. Martinez has over 15 years of experience researching programs and policies designed to improve educational outcomes for underserved populations, and over ten years of experience examining EL issues specifically. As the Director of Research and Evaluation, Dr. Martinez oversees SEAL’s current research and evaluation activities, and leads SEAL’s future research agenda. This includes supporting and directing investigations of the efficacy of the SEAL model, as well as high quality EL instruction in general. Prior to joining SEAL in 2017, Dr. Martinez worked at the Oregon Department of Education where she served as co-Principal Investigator on two Research-Practice Partnerships focused on the state’s EL programs and outcomes. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Methodology, Policy and Leadership from the University of Oregon.
Our Team
Monica Alegre, Digital Platforms & Communications Specialist
Monica Alegre (she/her) joins the SEAL team with over 10 years of experience in digital media and communications. She supports SEAL by aiding in the development, coordination, and implementation of online systems used to build and strengthen the efficiency and quality of SEAL operations and communications. Before joining SEAL, Monica worked in nonprofits, including Kiwanis International, United Way Bay Area, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley. Outside of SEAL, Monica is a founding member of a start-up media company dedicated to leading and exhibiting positive social change both globally and in the community. Monica graduated Summa Cum Laude from Palo Alto University with a B.S. in Business Psychology.
Jennifer Ancheta-Garcia, Program Coordinator
Jennifer has over 12 years of experience in early literacy education, and a deep commitment to English Learners. Her work began in a Title 1 TK-6 school in Oak Grove School District as a trained SEAL classroom teacher. There she noted high-level engagement, profound oral academic language development, a newfound confidence among her students, and strong school to family partnerships. This experience ignited her passion to reach and advocate for more students on a grander scale. Since joining the SEAL team, Jennifer has provided professional development to our district partners, played a role in the design of the newer upper grade SEAL model, and is heavily involved in SEAL’s online training platform. She holds an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from San Jose State University and a BA in Visual Communication Design from San Francisco State University.
Abby Arrizon, Program Coordinator
Abby joined the SEAL training team after working as a district coach-facilitator in the first year of replication of the SEAL model. Abby is passionate about working with teachers and schools to support the creation of joyful learning environments for teachers and students, and experiences where all children thrive. Prior to SEAL, Abby served as an elementary classroom teacher for 14 years in a Title I school in the East Bay. She holds an MA in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Mary’s College.
Adriana Diaz, Program Specialist
Adriana comes to SEAL with over 20 years of experience in education. The common thread throughout her work is her passion advocating for under-served students and their families. She has served as a community coordinator, Spanish bilingual teacher from elementary through high school, academic counselor, and professor of communications for over seven years. Her work with English Learners has motivated her to make strong critical thinkers of her students and help them see the value they bring with their first language. She has also worked to have every student build effective communication skills in order to advocate for themselves, their families and their communities. Adriana holds a BA and an MS in Mass Communication from San Jose State University.
Lupe Diaz, Ph.D., Research Associate
Guadalupe has extensive experience researching early educational programs for dual language learners. Prior to SEAL, Guadalupe worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Irvine where she focused on improving early educational outcomes and parenting for bilingual children and families. She received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oregon State University with an emphasis on early childhood development, educational experiences, and parenting. Her research is focused on understanding and improving the individual and ecological factors that influence children’s educational experiences, and the influence of parenting skills and engagement on children’s development. Specific populations of interest in Guadalupe’s research include children and families from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and children who are dual language learners.
Nanette Garcia, Production Materials Specialist
Nanette provides quality production, distribution and inventory maintenance support for the SEAL team. Before joining SEAL, Nanette was a Response to Instruction (RTI) tutor at Guadalupe Elementary and an English Learner instructional assistant at Carlton Avenue Elementary. Previously an event-marketing manager for a software company, she also has a strong background in graphic design and event marketing. Nanette is an appointed notary public for the state of California and holds a BA in Rhetoric and Communication with a minor in Psychology from UC Davis.
Barbara Ann Genovese-Fraracci, Program Specialist
Barbara joined the SEAL team as a trainer for Southern California in 2014. Prior to SEAL, she was an elementary, middle and high school teacher for 38 years specializing in English Learner programs. She spent much of her time providing professional development, supporting classroom teachers through modeling lessons and coaching, and facilitating collaboration at school sites throughout her district. Barbara was chosen as her district’s Teacher of the Year in 2010, became a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year, and was one of eight finalists for California State Teacher of the Year. A Reading Recovery Teacher, she is also a Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) Key Trainer, and a Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) trainer and coach. Barbara graduated from UCLA with a BA in History, has a BCLAD in Spanish, and an MA in Education specializing in Curriculum Development and Instruction.
Charice Guerra, Program Coordinator & District Relations Administrator
Charice has been providing education support to under-served students for 20 years. She began her career as a middle school English teacher educating English Learners in Ventura County. Soon after, she relocated to the high desert as a classroom teacher and teacher on special assignment (TOSA) where she helped create a model program for English Learners. Charice returned home to work for the Ventura County Office of Education as coordinator for language arts/ELD and the visual and performing arts. She was the regional art lead for four counties where she advocated for English Learners to have access to arts education, including providing professional development to teachers for English Learners and the arts. Before joining the SEAL team, Charice was the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment in Fillmore Unified School District (USD) where she also served as principal. While in Fillmore USD, she worked closely with SEAL and the district administrative team to support full implementation of the SEAL model. This included securing a CDE grant in 2016 to start six preschool programs with the SEAL model as the foundation. Dedicated to and passionate about English Learners, Charice is a founding member of the 805 EL Advocates, a volunteer advocacy group which focuses on the rights of English Learners and their families in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Laura Hernandez, Program Manager
Laura joined SEAL in 2013 after 13 years in Oak Grove School District as a third, fifth, and sixth-grade classroom teacher, and six years as a literacy coach for the district working with teachers on refining their craft to meet the needs of all students. Her entire career in education has taken place in Title 1 schools with high numbers of English Learners. She is passionate about culturally-responsive teaching to ensure educational equity for all students. Laura completed her undergraduate work at St. Mary’s College, majoring in Liberal Studies with a minor in Child Development, and went on to receive her teaching credential as well as her MA in Educational Leadership and Administration from San Jose State University.
Krista Kleidon, Production Materials Specialist
Krista serves as materials specialist for SEAL, providing project management and materials support to all aspects of the organization’s needs. She brings a strong background in graphic design and production necessary to design, replication, and distribution of SEAL training and collateral materials. Before joining SEAL, Krista worked for several years in sales and high-tech marketing in Silicon Valley. She is very involved in the educational endeavors of her children and has devoted many hours volunteering at their school. Krista holds a BA in Graphic Communication with a concentration in Design Reproduction from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Marna Ledesma, Program Specialist & Coach Coordinator
Marna Ledesma provides orientation and support to the crucial role of the SEAL coach facilitator. She has a passion for English Learners and for supporting the success of teachers in student-centered classrooms. Marna brings more than 31 years of K-6 classroom experience working as a teacher, literacy coach, English Learner coach and BTSA support provider for new teachers. As a SEAL coach facilitator for four years, she guided a cohort of eight schools across five grade levels to develop and implement over 30 thematic units of study. Marna holds a BS from UC Davis and an MA in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University.
Joanna Meadvin, Program Coordinator
Joanna’s experience in education began as a Peace Corps teacher in a small, trilingual city in Nicaragua. Seeing her Miskito-speaking students struggle with Spanish sparked a passion for supporting language learners. Joanna taught 2nd, 3rd and 7th grades in New York City, taught writing to first-generation college students in Mississippi, and college-level literature classes in California. She has an MA in bilingual/bicultural education from Teachers College in New York City, and in 2016 received her Ph.D. in Literature with a focus on language and migration from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Katie Mlakar, Program Coordinator
Katie joined the SEAL team with 10 years of teaching experience in Oak Grove School District. She taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades at Miner Elementary, a Title I SEAL demonstration school. She is passionate about providing a meaningful classroom experience for second language learners. As a SEAL trained teacher, Katie has spent several years incorporating Common Core State Standards. She has seen firsthand the positive impact SEAL strategies have on students, and how the program can rejuvenate teachers as they refine their techniques. She feels an urgency to be a part of the expansion of the SEAL program in order to empower teachers and students. Katie received her MA in Educational Leadership with an emphasis on collaborative learning, and an administrative credential from National University.
Patricia Montes-Pate, Program Coordinator
Patricia has been a SEAL trainer since 2013. She has worked in education for more than 15 years — as a Spanish bilingual elementary teacher in the Santa Clara Unified School District, a university supervisor for the Stanford Teacher Education Program, and a Project GLAD Trainer. Throughout her career, Patricia has worked with hundreds of teachers, providing professional development and classroom support. She specializes in curriculum design, and holds an MA in Education, Administration and Supervision from San Jose State University.
Grace Perilli, Human Resource Manager & Executive Assistant
Grace has worked as a corporate area manager and corporate human resources manager in Washington, D.C. and Northern California. While in D.C., she also worked as the personal assistant to the head of lawyers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grace attended Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of the District of Columbia as a full-scholarship collegiate athlete. She received her BA in Economics from the University of the District of Columbia. Grace moved to California in 2016 and joined the SEAL team in April 2019.
Michelle Rosecrans, Program Manager
Michelle brings more than 20 years of K-3 classroom experience working with English Learners, as well as deep experience working directly with teachers — as a teacher-leader, a BTSA support provider, grade level coach for new teachers, and a district literacy lead where she guided colleagues in the development of Common Core-aligned reading and writing strategies and assessments. She has worked closely with several leadership committees dedicated to the improvement of English Language instruction and family engagement, including the development of a district-wide LCAP plan and a PTA-ELAC partnership aimed to improve parent involvement schoolwide. Michelle also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Education Department at Dominican University in San Rafael, holding an MA in Education and Administration and Multiple Subject Credential from San Francisco State University, and a BA in Communication Arts and Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development from the University of San Francisco.
Theresa Rossetto, Production Manager
Theresa has provided all logistics and production management needs at SEAL since 2015. This includes program support, administration, replication coordination, materials distribution, office management, events, communication duties, and supply inventory for the entire organization. Before joining SEAL, Theresa spent a decade working in the public safety field in training and management capacities, earning her the Ramona Miller Pillar of Inspiration Award in 2002. She enjoys spending time with her large Italian family, traveling with her husband, supporting her sons in their competitive sports, cooking, gardening and reading. She holds BA degrees in Psychology and Child Development from San Jose State University.
Ana Marisol Sánchez, Program Specialist
Ana Marisol has been involved in the field of education for over 20 years. Her most recent work is in conjunction with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) where, as part of a study conducted by Loyola Marymount University, SEAL is being evaluated for its effectiveness. Her classroom teaching experience spans K-8. She was a Title I and Title III coordinator as well as an instructional coach focusing on English Learner instruction and the promotion of dual-language programs. She has collaborated with LAUSD’s Multicultural-Multilingual Education Department on a variety of planning, delivery and advocacy efforts related to English Learner (EL) development, dual language program development and instructional design with ELs as the main focus group. She has taught courses including Instructional Methods for ELs, a state-required course to obtain a teaching credential, at Loyola Marymount University to elementary and secondary teacher preparation students. She holds a BA in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach, a Multiple-Subject teaching credential from CSU, Dominguez Hills, and an MA in Educational Administration from CSU, Northridge.
Corina Sapien, Program Coordinator & District Relations Administrator
As a member the District Relations Administrators team, Corina serves as a liaison between the SEAL organization and districts implementing the SEAL model. She has been an educator for over 28 years beginning as a middle school teacher in Gilroy. She then served as an assistant principal and literacy facilitator at a Gilroy Elementary School and helped establish a dual immersion program at a second elementary school in Gilroy. As principal of Glen View Elementary School for seven year, Corina led her staff in the implementation of the SEAL model. Corina obtained her BA in English, three teaching credentials, Administrative Credential and MA in Educational Administration from Santa Clara University.
Jaylene Shelby, Program Specialist
Jaylene started her journey as a bilingual teacher studying education in Querétaro, México, later finishing her BA in Spanish and Liberal Studies as well as a BCLAD teaching credential at San Francisco State University. She also participated in the Bi-National Teacher Education Project at Sacramento State which allowed her to practice and study in Guatemala. She began teaching a 3rd grade bilingual class in San Lorenzo, and later taught with the SEAL model in a bilingual kindergarten class. Following that, she transitioned to a role as SEAL coach/ facilitator and continued to support teachers district wide in San Lorenzo for three years. Jaylene has a passion for supporting language learners and is thrilled to be part of the SEAL training team.
Heather Skibbins, Program Manager
Heather is a SEAL program manager and bilingual education lead. Prior to joining SEAL, she worked as a bilingual educator in the Bay Area for 15 years. In addition to supporting SEAL districts, Heather presents regularly at conferences about English Learner development instruction and best practices in dual language classrooms. She is passionate about helping districts, teachers and families create and sustain bilingual programs that enact the research and best practices for dual language education. Heather majored in Community Studies and graduated with a BA from UC Santa Cruz.
Cory Wechler, Program Specialist
Cory has spent the past 20 years examining nonviolence, community building, youth development, play and restorative justice. This work has included directing a community-based youth leadership program, teaching women and girls self-defense, developing sports-based youth development curricula and being part of a community effort to introduce Bay Area schools to restorative justice. For the past 15 years Cory has worked as a restorative justice consultant, originally with Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, the group that introduced restorative justice to Oakland, and more recently supporting the LAUSD Restorative Justice roll-out effort. She received her MA in Education from San Francisco State University.
Ashleigh Williams, Program Specialist
Ashleigh Williams worked as a Spanish DI K-2 teacher for five years in Redwood City and Salinas before joining the SEAL team. While teaching, she was SEAL-trained and helped to develop two dual immersion programs which deepened her passion for teaching language and culture. Ashleigh has seen the incredible benefits and deep, lasting effects of SEAL on her students — a feeling of respect for others as well as for themselves, a deeper skill set in new and native languages, and a spark that can only be described as a joy for learning. Her bilingual, English and Italian, upbringing are natural sources for her profound value, respect, and honor for home languages and their place in a classroom setting. Ashleigh holds a BA in Spanish from UC Davis.
Saul Zevada, Business Manager
As business manager, Saul manages SEAL’s day-to-day business activities, supports administrative and operational functions, and serves as liaison to the Sobrato Family Foundation around SEAL’s finance, IT, and human resource (HR) activities. Saul brings years of relevant experience working in Ravenswood City School District — most recently charged with systems management, data tracking and configuration, and HR and budgetary reporting activities for their Human Resources Department and Superintendent’s Office. His firsthand knowledge of school district practices and procedures, experience in both client services and case management at community-based organizations, and strong commitment to the mission of the Sobrato Foundation, advance SEAL’s work with our partner schools. Saul holds a BS in Chicana/o Studies from UC Santa Barbara.
Francesca Aspromonte, Grants Manager
Francesca joined SEAL in 2020 as the Grants Manager. Having worked in nonprofit development for the past decade, she brings with her a passion for education equity and access to quality programming. Previously, Francesca worked as a Grants Manager at Super Stars Literacy, as an English Instructor for the Colombian Ministry of Education in Medellín and served two terms as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at the Corporation for National and Community Service. Francesca holds an MA in Corporate Communication from Baruch College and a BA in English Literature from Binghamton University.
Tondrea Stewart, Administrative Assistant
As Administrative Assistant, Tondrea organizes and manages administrative activities and support for SEAL staff. She has been an Administrative Assistant and Office Manager for over 25 years – beginning with local government support with the County of Marin, where she worked for both the District Attorney and Public Defender, before transitioning to the federal government where she served for 15 years with the U.S. House of Representatives as an Office Manager and Senior Immigration Caseworker for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Dominican University of San Rafael.
Alison Soo Ping Lee, Accountant
To come..
Jen McNeil, Program Coordinator and District Relations Administrator
With over 15 years of experience in public schools, Jen brings to the SEAL organization her enthusiasm and equity-minded commitment to improving system structure, policy and practices so that all students will thrive, especially English Learners. Jen most recently held a position as a principal at a Dual Immersion K-6 elementary school. This school was in deep partnership with SEAL and she has first-hand knowledge of how SEAL’s instructional strategies, asset-based view of families and home language, and whole school alignment can transform a program. She holds a BA in Spanish and History, both with a focus on Latin America from UC Davis, a Master’s Degree in Counseling with a school and community specialization from CSU Sacramento, and is currently enrolled at UC Davis’ CANDEL program to obtain her doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Michelle Zacarias, Communications Manager
Michelle Zacarias joins SEALwith a communications background and over a decade of journalism experience under her belt. She has previously written for publications such as Teen Vogue, The Triibe, Latina Mag, People’s World, and others. In 2017 she was awarded the Saul Miller Excellence in Journalism Award for her coverage of national grassroots immigrant movements. Michelle is passionate about education equity and has advocated for increased funding in public school systems through her writing and community organizing. Most recently, she was recognized by Chicago’s 2020 LGBT Hall of Fame for her work with Brave Space Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to servicing Chicago’s south and west side LGBTQIA+ communities. Michelle holds a B.A. in Philosophy and English from the Univ. of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Our Board of Directors
John Matthew Sobrato, Chair
John is part of the fourth generation of Sobrato family members working within the Silicon Valley. For the past seven years John has worked at the Latino College Preparatory academy, which serves the community in east San Jose, as both a teacher and administrator. He also helped to found an ed-tech startup, Alloy Learning, in 2014. His company looks to empower teachers through an innovative software platform that allows them to be data driven, better understand their students, and teach more efficiently. John is a 2010 graduate of Santa Clara University, and as a member of the board, is deeply committed to continuing the family’s leadership on education issues as well as providing equity and access to opportunities for school communities throughout the Bay Area.
Anya Hurwitz, Executive Director
Dr. Anya Hurwitz has a longstanding commitment to creating the conditions for public schools to meet the diverse needs of their students’ academic and socio-emotional development. She has worked as a teacher, school leader, district administrator, and within the educational nonprofit sector. The early part of Dr. Hurwitz’s career was in New York City where she helped start a small secondary school in the Bronx and then became a Network Leader within the NYC Department of Education to a diverse group of 24 schools, preschool through early college. In 2010, she moved to northern California and began working as an educational consultant supporting district and school leaders as they planned and implemented strategic reform efforts. Dr. Hurwitz joined the SEAL team in 2014. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from UC Berkeley.
Kenji Treanor, Governance Chair and Secretary
Kenji Treanor leads all of SFF’s grantmaking, including the strategic portfolios in the 21st Century Education and the Pathways to Success programs, as well as the General Operating Support grants. His responsibilities include strategy development, program design, grantee and project identification, proposal review, funding recommendations, impact evaluation, supervision of program staff, and representing Sobrato to other funders and partners. Mr. Treanor joined SFF as Senior Program Officer in 2013, focused on education, with his role expanding in 2015 to encompass all of the foundation’s funding programs. In addition to grantmaking, Mr. Treanor also provides strategic leadership and holds top-line management responsibility for SEAL, including creating and directing SEAL’s scaling plan, and supervising senior SEAL staff. Prior to SFF, Mr. Treanor served nine years at the James Irvine Foundation, most recently as Program Officer, managing grants to build college and career pathways in low-income communities across California. He is also co-founder and board chair of Next Generation Scholars, an educational nonprofit that serves disadvantaged youth and families in Marin County. Mr. Treanor received his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and holds a BA in American Studies, with emphasis in Ethnic Studies and Socio-Political Analysis, from UC Santa Cruz.
Lisa Sobrato Sonsini, Treasurer
Lisa established the Sobrato Family Foundation in 1996 as a vehicle for multiple generations of the Sobrato family to unify their philanthropic giving for maximum impact. The Sobrato Family Foundation strives to make Silicon Valley a place of opportunity for all of its residents by promoting access to high-quality education, career pathways and essential human services. Under her leadership as Board President, SFF has grown tenfold in both assets and annual giving. For over 25 years, Lisa has been a strong advocate for the rights of disadvantaged youth in both the educational and foster care systems. She also works passionately as a catalyst for civic engagement among many of the rising leaders in Silicon Valley. Lisa currently serves on the Boards of Directors for KQED, KIPP Bay Area Schools, Silicon Schools, Silicon Valley Children’s Fund and American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley. She has previously served as Board President for the San Jose Children’s Discovery Museum, Child Advocates, The Good Tidings Foundation and Today’s Youth Matter. Honors include the John W. Gardner Leadership Award from ALF Silicon Valley, Humanitarian of the Year from Hidden Villa, and San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee. Lisa received a J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley and a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA. She resides in Menlo Park with her husband Matt and their three children.
B.J. Cassin, Trustee
BJ has been a venture capitalist for over 30 years and has served on the boards of Cadence, Advanced Fibre Communications, Cerus, PDF Solutions, Maxtor and a number of private companies. Before becoming a venture capitalist, he co-founded Xidex Corporation in 1969 which achieved Fortune 500 status in 1987 with sales of $752 million and employing 7,000 worldwide. BJ’s family has helped start college preparatory middle and high schools in economically-challenged communities throughout the country. Through the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation, 18 Cristo Rey High Schools and 37 Nativity/Miguel Middle Schools were established between 2001 to 2009. Mr. Cassin sat on the Board of Trustees of Saint Mary’s College of California for 8 years, serving as Chairman from 1995-1999. In 2015, BJ co-founded “The Drexel Fund”, a venture philanthropy fund that invests and partners in the growth of high quality, financial sustainable networks of faith-based and other private schools. BJ sits on a number of private company boards and is on the Investment Committee of the Western Provence of the Jesuits. He graduated from Holy Cross College, is married and the father of 5 children, with 11 grandchildren, and resides in Los Altos Hill, California.
Libia Gil, Trustee
Libia “Libi” Gil recently served as the Chief Education Officer at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Gil held leadership responsibilities for all student support, academic programs including Title I and Title III, school improvement assistance, evaluation/accountability and district support services to implement the state ESSA plan for improving student learning in Illinois. She brought deep classroom experience, education system expertise, and passion to ensure that every child has fair access to a high-quality education. Gil was a teacher, bilingual resource specialist, desegregation officer, elementary school principal, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and district superintendent.
Dr. Gil was appointed by President Obama to serve as Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition at the U.S. Department of Education with Secretaries of Education Arne Duncan and John King. Prior to this role, she was vice president for practice at the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) in Chicago. Gil was also a senior fellow and managing director at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), where she developed and co-led the AIR Center for English Language Learners. Gil earned her Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Bilingual and Multicultural Education at the University of Washington.
José Manzo, Trustee
José L. Manzo has served as Superintendent of the Oak Grove School District in San Jose since July 2012 and since 2008 as a Superintendent in Santa Clara County. Mr. Manzo earned his under graduate degree from Chico State and master’s degree and administrative credential from San Jose State University. Mr. Manzo has first-hand experience with the impact and power of education and has made it his mission to ensure all students have strong educational
opportunities. He has established strong partnerships to maximize resources for professional development, programs and services to benefit the students of Oak Grove. He has been recognized for his work in Education by the State Department of Education, The City of San Jose, The Grail Family Services, the NAACP and most recently was awarded the Trailblazing Leader Award from the Santa Clara Office of Education for his work with English Language Learners.
Ruby Takanishi, Trustee Emeritus
Ruby Takanishi is senior research fellow in the Early and Elementary Education Policy division at New America in Washington, DC. She received her PhD from Stanford University and taught at UCLA; Teachers College, Columbia University; Yale University; and Bank Street College. Takanishi was the president and CEO of the Foundation for Child Development, a grant-making philanthropy that launched the pre-K–3rd movement in 2003, and executive director of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development of Carnegie Corporation of New York, which issued landmark reports on middle school reform, youth development in out-of-school settings, and adolescent health. She chaired the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus committee on the education of dual-language learners from birth to age 18. She has received awards from the American Psychological Association, the American Sociological Association (Division of Children and Families), and the Society for Research in Child Development in recognition of her contribution to connecting research with public policies. The American Education Research Association honored her with its 2014 Distinguished Public Service Award.
Ana Tilton, Trustee
Ana Tilton’s accomplished career demonstrates a commitment to equity in education with experience across the education spectrum including work as an educator, school superintendent, adjunct professor, consultant and philanthropic leader. She is the Immediate Past Executive Director of Grantmakers for Education where she worked with hundreds of grant makers and philanthropic organizations across the nation focused on supporting public education and resolving equity issues for all learners. Her additional philanthropic experiences also included serving as a grant-making program officer focused on investing in quality school options for underserved youth in Texas and California.
Dr. Tilton received a doctoral degree in education administration and policy from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in multicultural/bilingual education from the University of Colorado, Denver. Her advocacy for English language learners continues as a lifelong passion, having been raised by an immigrant grandmother and bilingual parents.
