Our 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. In 2019, SEAL became an independent organization with the aim of scaling our impact and engaging new partners in projects and activities that connect educators, families, researchers, advocates, and policy leaders to elevate English Learners and Dual Language Learners* and promote multilingualism for all students in California.
Our Journey
* The term Dual Language Learners refers to preschool-aged or younger children who are learning two (or more) languages at the same time or who are learning a second language while continuing to develop their first (or home) language.
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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, Chief Financial and Operations Officer
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 Training
As Director of Training, Jill Fraka is responsible for the management and coordination of training services to districts. While a teacher on special assignment, Jill was one of SEAL’s first Coach/Facilitators and assisted in developing the model through the Pilot, coaching, and facilitating schools through SEAL implementation and participating in designing replication. She began her career as a bilingual teacher, converting to a Two-Way Bilingual Immersion teacher when the school changed bilingual models. As an educator, Jill has also been an instructional coach, a Program Coordinator, Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment support provider and Santa Clara County Office of Education curriculum trainer. Jill officially joined the SEAL organization in July 2019. Jill holds a MA in Educational Leadership and Administrative Credential from San Jose State University.
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
Dr. Camille R. Whitney, Research and Evaluation Manager
Dr. Camille R. Whitney has over ten years of experience in education research with a focus on improving outcomes for underserved populations and ELs in particular. Dr. Whitney works with the Director of Research & Evaluation to manage SEAL’s research and evaluation activities. This includes supporting and co-leading investigations of the efficacy of the SEAL model, as well as high quality EL instruction in general. Dr. Whitney began her career in education as a high school mathematics teacher. She later served as an education research analyst at Child Trends and Head of Research at Mindful Schools. Before joining SEAL in 2021, she worked in various roles at the San Francisco Zen Center including supporting their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. She received her Ph.D. in Education Policy and the Economics of Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2016.
Katie Mlakar, Program Coordinator
Katie Mlakar joins the SEAL team with ten years of teaching experience in the Oak Grove School District. She has taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades at Miner Elementary, a Title I SEAL Demonstration school, and is passionate about providing a meaningful classroom experience for second language learners. As a SEAL trained teacher, Ms. Mlakar has spent several years incorporating Common Core State Standards and has seen first-hand the positive impact SEAL strategies have had on students, and how the program can rejuvenate teachers as they refine their technique. She feels an urgency to be a part of the expansion of the SEAL program in order to empower teachers and students. Ms. Mlakar received her Masters in Educational Leadership with an emphasis on collaborative learning, as well as an administrative credential, from National University.
Jennifer Clinkscales, Program Specialist
Jennifer joined the SEAL team in 2021 as a Program Specialist. She completed her undergraduate work at California State University, Northridge majoring in Communication Studies. After working as a publicist, Jennifer embarked on her second career in education after receiving her Teaching Credential and MA in Education from the University of La Verne. Jennifer comes to SEAL from Fillmore Unified School District where she taught 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade SEAL classrooms. Through her work as a Teacher Induction Mentor and grade level team lead, she discovered her passion of supporting teachers in their work to empower English Learners while fostering students critical thinking skills.
Erin Magill Peleti, Program Specialist
Erin joined the SEAL team in 2021 as a Program Specialist. Erin completed her undergraduate work at UC Berkeley, majoring in Political Science. From there, Erin went on to receive an MA in Education from San Jose State University. Erin previously worked in Oak Grove School District in SEAL classrooms and was part of the first 4-5 Grade SEAL cohort. Erin is passionate about helping teachers build community with each other to help students love learning, see themselves in their classrooms, and express themselves.
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.
Robert Cramer, Systems and Data Support Manager
Robert Cramer is a United States Air Force Veteran having served in the field of Meteorological Technologies and Operational Logistics. Due to his service, Robert was afforded the opportunity to live all over the United States as-well-as a three-year station in Germany. Robert joined SEAL in 2021 and maintains an Executive MBA in Business Analytics & Global Business from Saint Mary’s College of California, along with a B.S. in Software Development & Cyber Security and a minor study in Digital Media and Web Technologies from University of Maryland Global Campus. He has a passion for education, systems and strategy which has brought him to the nonprofit sector, where he has worked for the past four years.
Adriana Diaz, Program Coordinator
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, Materials and IT Support Senior Coordinator
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 holds a BA in Rhetoric and Communication with a minor in Psychology from UC Davis.
Charice Guerra, Program Manager & 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.
Marna Ledesma, Program Coordinator & 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.
Becky Marinas-Fong, Production Specialist
Becky joined the SEAL team in January 2021. Before joining SEAL, she worked as a Senior Movie Guide Specialist for a movie development company. Prior to that, Becky served as an Operations Administrator Technical Lead for a medical reference software company and an Associate Web Developer for a visual arts magazine. Becky holds a BA in Liberal Studies and a MA in Multimedia from California State University, East Bay.
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.
Paula Motas, Production Manager
Paula joined the SEAL team in March 2021. She previously worked as an event planner for a technological company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to that, Paula was a special events planner for the City of Palo Alto. She brings extensive experience in program and e-learning management to SEAL. Paula received her BS degree in Marketing from the University of Phoenix.
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 BS 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 Coordinator
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.
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 Manager & 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 Coordinator
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 Coordinator
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.
Alison Soo Ping Lee, Accounting Manager
Jen McNeil, Program Manager 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 is the Vice President, Strategy, Partnerships and Learning at the Stuart Foundation. Inspired by his grandparents who were born on sugar cane plantations in Hawai’i and in Irish working-class neighborhoods in Boston, and by his parents who completed college via non-traditional paths and worked in public interest fields, Kenji is committed to building a more inclusive and just society now and for generations to come. He has had the privilege of previously partnering with nonprofit and education leaders through his roles at the Sobrato Philanthropies and The James Irvine Foundation where his experience as a grantmaker spanned early education, K12, and postsecondary education at the local, regional and state level – and included efforts focused on policy, practice, and public engagement. Along with SEAL, he also serves as a board member of Californians for Justice. He earned a B.A. in American Studies from UC Santa Cruz during the late 90’s in which multiple protest movements forever shaped his belief in activism to ensure fairness in public institutions, and he later completed a Master of Public Administration degree as part of a night/weekend cohort at the University of San Francisco.
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.
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.
Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon, Ed.D., Trustee
Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon, Ed.D., the proud daughter of Mexican immigrant parents has invested more than twenty-five years in the field of education working in various capacities, but primarily focused on issues of access and equity, specifically as it relates to Latino students and English learners. A champion of equitable education and opportunities for all students, Feliza currently serves as the Principal of Education Programs at UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. In her current capacity, Feliza oversees the education data & research team, the family and community engagement work, leadership fellowships, and the K-16 portfolio of programs that fall under the following areas: leadership development, STEM, college and career readiness and post-secondary programs.
Feliza holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Political Science, a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley in City and Regional Planning, and a doctoral degree in Education Leadership from the University of California, Irvine. In 2015, Governor Brown appointed Feliza to the CA State Board of Education where she served as a Board Member for five fulfilling years.
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.
Sarah Valencia, Trustee
A dedicated business leader and financial executive, Sarah Valencia has cultivated an extensive background in finance management, accounting, tax preparation, and operations oversight throughout her 15+ year career with Silicon Valley Community Foundation, including serving as Senior Vice President of Finance from 2014 to present. Ms. Valencia currently serves as a contributing member of the management team for one of the largest community foundations in the nation, with over $10B in total assets and $1.4B in awarded grants. She formulates successful operational strategies, leads a top-tier finance team, and is the catalyst of innovative systems and processes to support growth and deliver a sustainable infrastructure. Committed to education, Ms. Valencia also serves on the boards of The Foundation for Hispanic Education and Latino Education Advancement Foundation. Sarah Valencia earned her BS in commerce from Santa Clara University with a major in finance and a minor in Spanish and is a certified public accountant (CPA).
Financials
SEAL is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and prepares its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). We want you to know how your investment is used, so you have confidence that your generous gifts make a meaningful impact on the classrooms, schools, and districts that we help transform through our effective model.
FY 2019-2020
Audited Financials | 2019 Form 990
FY 2020-2021
Coming Soon.
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