Our Team
Our team of parent leaders, San Francisco community builders, and everyday people passionate about having the best public education for our kids.
SF Parents Board
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director of The Walden School, a summer music festival, school, and camp. Since 1995, he has sung tenor with the Grammy Award-winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and currently is a professional member of that ensemble. He is past co-clerk of the SF Friends School board, and has served on numerous arts and education organization boards, including the Glen Park Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, where he has served for two years as Co-President. He lives in Bernal Heights with his husband and their daughter.
Meredith Willa Dodson
Education policy leader with a background in nonprofit planning and evaluation. She is a parent of a kindergartener and a second grader, and plans to see them go through SFUSD start-to-finish following in the footsteps of their dad. Her commitment to this work is grounded in listening, lifting up, and advocating for what is best for children and families. Meredith’s first jobs out of college–first as a social worker in the Bronx, NY, then as a researcher for the National Center for Children in Poverty–solidified her understanding of injustices and inequities embedded in our society as well as her commitment to applying her waking, working hours to fighting them. She has a Masters in Public Policy from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelors in Child Development from Cornell University.
Yvette Byes Edwards
Brings a passion for learning and advocating, and strong research skills gained through her experience as a legal educator for California bar examinees and an Adjunct Professor of Law. Yvette has been working in the post-legal education field and with academic support programs at Bay Area law schools for 20 years. She works closely with law schools, and their students, as they prepare for the bar exam, and is also an educator in the e-learning industry. She believes access to information is a critical driver for every person being able to make informed decisions. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law, and is a parent of a 5th grader and 7th grader within SFUSD.
Jennie Herriot-Hatfield
Independent education consultant who supports nonprofits with strategy, communications, and analysis of program quality and organizational health. She has held a variety of roles in education, including teaching in public schools in Los Angeles and Oakland, serving as part of the education grantmaking team at Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and conducting policy research at Education Sector, a think tank in Washington, D.C. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Wind in the Willows, a nonprofit preschool in San Francisco. Jennie is a native of the Bay Area and a product of public schools. She holds a bachelors degree in political science from UCLA and a masters of public policy from Georgetown University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and three young children, including an SFUSD first grader.
Cliff Yee
Born and raised in San Francisco and is a proud SFUSD graduate (Argonne, Roosevelt, and Washington). He has a background in youth development, community organizing, and leadership. Cliff works for a nonprofit as a trained facilitator and brings a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion to the team. Cliff has two young children in SFUSD and holds a Masters in Social Work.
Jennifer Sam
Jennifer is a finance leader with experience across both early-stage startups and Fortune 500 companies. She currently advises startups on growth and financial strategy. A Bay Area native and parent of an SFUSD student, Jennifer is deeply committed to strengthening SF public education and creating more equitable opportunities for all children. She believes in the power of parent advocacy and student-centered decision-making to drive meaningful change. Jennifer holds an MBA from NYU Stern, a Master’s in Accounting from USC, and a Bachelor’s degree from UC Davis. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and their Aussiedoodle.
SF Parents Team
Abbey Levantini
Abbey Levantini is delighted to join the SF Parents team as Development Operations Associate. She has worked in San Francisco nonprofits and libraries for the past 15 years, specializing in operations, public programs, finance and development. She enjoys wrangling data, streamlining systems and ensuring smooth behind-the-scenes functionality. Abbey is a public school graduate, daughter of a teacher, and proud parent of an SFUSD elementary student. Firmly believing that parent involvement is essential to strong school communities, she’s a school volunteer and has served as a PTA Treasurer. She has been impressed with the advocacy work of SF Parents since its inception and is pleased to contribute to its tangible impact on our community. Abbey has a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University and will likely ask if you’ve read any good books lately.
Eliot Kent-Uritam
Proud parent of 2 Lafayette Elementary students who has been active in his school community as a volunteer, whether as VP of Communications for the PTA or running the Lost & Found. Eliot became a Noon Monitor in the Spring 2021 to help with school reopening, then recognizing the need for substitute teachers, went through that process, and has served as a long term substitute for multiple teacher vacancies. With a professional background working at small advertising agencies and impact-focused startups, Eliot is excited to be joining SF Parents to help with communications and growth.
Eva Yabár
Believes that motivated children and engaged families are the future of this world. She has worked as a preschool teacher and family engagement coordinator for more than 15 years. Now, as Center Director and Family Advocate in an organization at Richmond, she is happy to also work as a Bilingual Parent Organizer with SF Parent Coalition. Eva majored in Translation at Ricardo Palma University and in Tourism Administration in Lima, Peru. There, she studied Early Childhood Education and Health and Human Services at Contra Costa College. Eva aspires to continue sharing her knowledge and helping families and their children succeed.
Geri De Anda
Thrilled to be joining the team at San Francisco Parent Coalition. An accomplished product management professional with experience in the financial, automotive and social marketing sectors, Geri discovered her passion for organizing school communities while serving on the leadership teams at her family’s SFUSD elementary and middle schools. She is deeply committed to advocacy, social justice, and elevating the voices of parents and students. Originally from the East Coast, Geri moved to San Francisco in 2006 and is the proud mom of two SFUSD students. She is excited to contribute to the impactful work of SF Parents.
Giovanna Soto
Giovanna Soto is excited to rejoin the world of education advocacy and organizing. Prior to a brief stint in tech, Giovanna studied Political Science at UC Berkeley and is a SFUSD Alum(Rooftop K-8 and Lowell HS). She served on the SF Youth Commission and interned at former Assemblymember Chiu’s office. At Berkeley, she fundraised to promote Latina empowerment and community on campus. On her time off, she enjoys quality time with her senior dog and spirited games of pickleball with friends.
Lila Nelson
Born and raised in San Francisco to parents and grandparents who have a long-standing history of advocacy in the city of San Francisco. With a passion for equity and justice, she brings over 5 years of experience working within SFUSD and partnering with many community and faith-based organizations in efforts to bring change in how black students and families are supported here in San Francisco. As a parent of two alumni SFUSD students Lila understands the importance of an equitable and quality education. Lila is energized by learning from and empowering black families to become change-makers in the academic world. She believes all students no matter their background or zip code deserve a high quality education. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), and a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in public policy from Southern University and A&M College, Louisiana.
Michael Mills
Michael Mills is a new San Francisco resident, originally from Brooklyn, NY by way of North Carolina. With a Bachelor’s degree in zoology, work history in brand development and production, and a Master’s degree in Communications and Journalism, Michael is thrilled to bring his diverse creative communication talents to the world of advocacy with SF Parent Coalition. As a child that grew up in an underserved community with a single mom that fought hard for education equity, Michael is a firm believer in the power of parent voices and the experiences held within. Their guidance is the compass we need to advocate for our kids, and hold officials accountable to decisions that uplift and close the gap for all students, especially those in underserved communities.
Nichole Gangitano
Has devoted herself to improving educational outcomes for students, families, and communities for well over 15 years. Prior to joining SF Parents, she was responsible for leading the program and evaluation team at CollegeSpring, an organization focused on increasing opportunities for postsecondary pathways for first-generation college students. Before joining CollegeSpring, Nichole worked at Reading Partners, where she managed program quality, provided executive oversight of an after-school initiative, and served as regional director and program manager in the Silicon Valley region. She also has experience working in the early care and education field, where she recruited and trained college students to serve as AmeriCorps members in preschool classrooms across San Francisco. Nichole holds an MPA in nonprofit administration and a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development, both from San Francisco State University. As a proud parent of two current SFUSD students, Nichole’s passion for improving educational outcomes is personal and deeply rooted.