Our Team

Emily de Ayora is the mother of three SFUSD students. She has served in leadership roles on the Monroe PTA as well as on the School Site Council at Hoover Middle School. Emily has channeled her passion for San Francisco into numerous civic efforts to strengthen local schools, support families, and build community.

A former attorney, Emily brings sharp analytical and communication skills honed through years of complex commercial litigation work. She went on to co-found Downey Street Events, a premier event planning and design firm in San Francisco, where she spent 13 years planning and executing hundreds of high-profile events. She is also the co-founder of Design League, an AI-powered event planning marketplace.

Emily holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A. from Pomona College, where she double-majored in Politics and American Studies with a focus on Chicano Studies. She is a dedicated parent and partner who enjoys exploring San Francisco’s parks, tennis courts, restaurants, libraries, or cooking in the kitchen with her family.

Lana Ramadan is a passionate organizer and storyteller with a knack for advancing complex, often challenging issues through fresh and creative approaches. She brings a wealth of experience in campaign strategy, digital storytelling, and grassroots organizing to her work.

Lana began her career in issue advocacy, where she blended communications strategy with public policy to drive innovative projects, events, and campaigns for Bay Area education nonprofits. Before joining our team, Lana held a variety of roles on national political campaigns, including Run for Something, NextGen America, and the Elizabeth Warren Presidential Campaign.

Lana holds bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from UC Berkeley. A proud student of public K–12 schools, she also comes from a family of public school teachers serving underrepresented students.

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.

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.

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.

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.