I’m a people focussed leader and follower of Christ, my faith shapes the foundation of who I am as a husband, father, and leader. It informs how I serve others and aligns my purpose.

With more than a decade in mental health advocacy, my leadership philosophy is to practice love, embrace compassion, and be a vessel for growth. Servant leadership and meaningful relationships are not strategies for me; they are a core responsibility. My work is driven by a call for human and organizational growth, building partnerships rooted in trust, purpose, and mutual success.

Erika is a proud human resources professional specializing in building out and launching human resources functions for small- and mid-sized organizations.

Deeply committed to serving her community as a STEM and literacy advocate, she is proudest of successfully developing and launching the award-winning Summer Girls’ Book Club to help young students increase their literacy during the summer months, as well as collaborating with scientists to build out STEM Saturday Science! a program designed to encourage and educate African American children in various aspects of science with impactful classroom learning and fun experiments.

Erika enjoys traveling, learning new languages, and the Raiders.

Anna is a first-generation college graduate and she is currently studying for her masters degree in accounting. Before joining Coleman, Anna worked as a full-service bookkeeper for various non-profit organizations as well as for-profit organizations. When she’s not juggling numbers and making spreadsheets, she likes to read light novels, make embroidery designs and care for her succulents.

Tyler Wiest was a producer for many years across multiple industries, working on TV shows and films, in education, and in tech. Working on projects with Google, Verizon, and major studios like Paramount and CBS, Tyler left his career to focus on advocacy for those suffering from extreme poverty. Tyler spent the last 3 years working at CityTeam within their restoration programs and doing community outreach to those suffering from food insecurity and severe economic depression. It was from Tyler’s extensive work in the trenches among the less fortunate that Tyler found that in order to ensure a healthier future for all, we must provide equitable education and a healthy healing environment for our children and young adults. Tyler is very happy to have found that Coleman Advocates has that exact goal in mind for all San Franciscans.

Rachel Jones is a proud born-and-raised San Franciscan. Being raised across San Francisco has given Rachel a keen insight into the disparities across her City. As Coleman’s Youth Justice Director, Rachel is excited to bring her personal and professional experience of educational bias, the School-to-Prison Pipeline, policy reform, legal services and community outreach to Coleman. As the granddaughter of immigrant freedom fighters, being unwavering and indefatigable in the fight to change systemic injustices, both direct and indirect, with emphasis on San Francisco’s youth and families, is what Rachel is rooted in and continues to be her life’s work.

Brandie was raised in the East Bay Area and currently serves as the Policy Director of Coleman Advocates. She believes that education is the way that we practice freedom and liberation, yet Black and Brown students continue to be pushed out of classrooms and into carceral systems. Her passion for systemic change, racial justice, and organizing led her to Coleman in 2015, where she found a political home. She is devoted to supporting Black and Brown families and students in their fight to have full access to their right to a quality, liberating education.

Mirna became a PMAC Organizer in 2018, after five years as a Parent Leader. She has been the PMAC Lead Organizer since 2020. Mirna is a mother of three children in SF public schools. In addition to helping lead Coleman district-level campaigns, including our Solutions Not Suspensions campaign to win transformative school discipline reforms, Mirna serves as a volunteer fundraiser at her children’s school and as a member of the School Site Council and English Language Advisory Council. She is also an appointed member of the District Bilingual Community Council. In the past 3 years, fighting for education equity has been the focus of her work, supporting the leadership development of parents in the southeast and the Excelsior in particular.

Teirra is from Bayview Hunters Point in San Francisco and moved to Contra Costa County at six years old. Growing up between communities gave Teirra a firsthand understanding of the experiences, challenges, and possibilities that shape youth and families across the Bay Area.

Sports played a major role in Teirra’s childhood and became a pathway that helped shape her future. As a cheerleader and track and field athlete, she learned discipline, leadership, and the power of community. Those experiences led Teirra to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a degree in Women’s Studies.

Teirra is passionate about creating environments where people feel safe, seen, and supported at the highest level. She believes meaningful relationships can create lasting impact and is committed to helping build spaces where youth, families, and communities can thrive.