Sangita Kumar is a results-based organizational development consultant and facilitator dedicated to the empowerment of individuals and our communities. Sangita’s experience over the past 15 years ranges from coaching, professional development, strategic planning, program design, and curriculum development. Sangita holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Development, is a Certified Life Coach, and completed a two-year certification in Somatics and Trauma.
Be The Change Consulting Staff
Tanya Mayo
Owner / Operations
As the former Director of Capacity Building at San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth and their Families, Tanya draws from her vast experience in training, non-profit systems, and youth development to develop capacity-building pathways for the non-profit sector. She has a rich background in multicultural education and art with over ten years of teaching experience, deep-rooted work with diverse populations, and knowledge in organizational capacity-building including strategic planning, program development, staff development, board retention and fundraising. Tanya is also a certified Life Coach.
Fong Marcolongo
Training and Capacity Building / Trainer / Coach
Fong’s expertise resides in program design, staff development, youth development, and specializes in creating interactive visual frameworks for group collaboration and strategic visioning. Fong has over 10 years of working in the non-profit sector, where she served as a direct line staff, Site Coordinator, Program Director, and Curriculum Developer. Fong uses her graphic facilitation skills to lead participants in their process design using creativity to achieve fruitful outcomes. She studied Global Affairs at the University of San Francisco.
Carmen Navarro-Perez
Program Coordinator
Carmen Navarro-Perez is a Program Coordinator who supports in the coordination of Be The Change Consulting’s events to ensure all interactions are meaningful, transformative, and safe. Before working with Be The Change, Carmen worked 10 years as a childcare provider, academic tutor, academic mentor, and site coordinator. As an educator, Carmen’s practice has developed to be informed by best practices around equity, social justice, sustainability, and authentic interaction. Carmen enjoys writing, eating pickles, and spending too much time with her niece and nephew. She looks forward to meeting you and supporting your needs for your next Be The Change Consulting event.
Aminta Steinbach
Trainer / Coach
In her 20 years working with young people, Aminta has been a Program Coordinator, Youth Leadership Instructor and Program Director. Aminta majored in Community Studies, has studied Recreational Program Design and is a Certified Self Defense Instructor. Her areas of expertise as a capacity builder include Cultural Competency, Health and Safety Awareness and Community Building. Aminta is an enthusiastic cheerleader for her coaching clients, listens attentively, pays attention to details and acts as a compassionate guide through even the most difficult transitions. Aminta has a black belt in Kung Fu, and when not working you can usually find her kicking and punching her way to a more peaceful world.
Amelia Lopez-Helm
Production and Communications Manager
Amelia Lopez-Helm is the Production and Communications Manager for Be The Change Consulting. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy (2011) and Master’s Degree in Public Policy (2012) from Mills College, Oakland. Amelia previously worked in local and state government offices and non-profit organizations developing and using her skills in project management, outreach and communications, and analysis. In her role at BTCC she brings her wealth of experience and knowledge to life, supporting both the organization and the needs of its clients.
Lauren Martinez
Special Events Manager
Lauren Martinez has worn many hats in the field of education and youth development. They have specifically coached basketball for over five years for UCLA recreation department, taught chess in an after-school capacity, and now are currently working for Be the Change Consulting as their event manager for large conferences and as a facilitation assistant for weekly YD trainings and workshops. They hold a BS in Psychology and Biology and are currently pursuing two master’s degrees, a Master of Social Change and Master of Divinity at “the most progressive seminary in the United States,” Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, CA. Their intentions are to specifically remind youth of color through spiritual embodiment practices that center a social justice healing lens of their internal power and expanding youth understanding of ways to counter oppression and live an authentic life.
Shelley Kuang
Production Assistant
Shelley Kuang is a multigenre artist and organizer. Before joining Be the Change Consulting as a Production Assistant, Shelley has worked as an educator enacting student-led college access programming, advising a youth-led dance team, and facilitating behavioral and mental health education. Later, she honed her mixed-methods data collection, analytic and production skills while working with an evaluations research firm. She received her BA in Human Development from UC San Diego. Shelley is the Alumni-in-Residence with Emerging Arts Professionals SFBA and volunteers with the Asian Prisoner Support Committee.
Be The Change Consulting Associates
Ed Center
Trainer / Coach
Ed Center is passionate about ending poverty through education and equity. From running a student support center in the basement of Balboa High School, to leading philanthropic initiatives in education, his career has always focused on helping low-income students thrive. Ed excels in partnership development, guiding teams through change and growth, and supporting multi-faceted groups to focus on equity. He is an expert at helping organizations move from planning to action, and facilitating difficult conversations. Ed is in the current class of the Annie E Casey Foundation Children and Family Fellowship. Ed brings innovation, thoughtfulness and play to all who work with him. He plays and coaches soccer, is obsessive about watching raptor birds in the wild, and hosts an annual Spam cookoff competition. He lives with his husband and two sons in San Francisco.
Lynn Johnson
Trainer / Coach
Lynn Johnson is an award-winning speaker, coach, producer, and organizational development consultant based in Oakland, CA. A lifelong theater artist and transformational facilitator, her work lies at the intersection of arts, culture, and social change. Together with her wife, Allison Kenny, Lynn co-founded Go Girls! ™, a popular summer camp and afterschool program based in Oakland that teaches social/emotional skills to girls and gender non-conforming kids through the arts. Lynn is also the co-founder and Executive Producer of Oakland Freedom Theater - a first-of-its kind ensemble of actors, musicians and expert facilitators utilizing art and empathy to dismantle systems of oppression. Learn More about Lynn at https://www.spotlightgirls.com/pages/lynn-johnson
Rhea Bailey
Trainer / Coach
Rhea has worked as an advocate for underrepresented communities since she began her career in public health twenty years ago. As the Founder and Principal of Radical Joy Consulting, she works to advance healing and transformation amongst leaders, systems, and movements. She provides coaching, training, and strategy development that promotes engagement, alignment, innovation, and collective well-being. Rhea Bailey received her B.S. in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from the University of Southern California. She earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles with an emphasis in community health services and policy.
Franklin Hysten
Trainer / Coach
Franklin Hysten is committed to creating transformative experiences that strengthen youth and their communities. Drawing on 18 years of experience developing leaders in youth development, philanthropy and government -based organizations, he supports Be the Change Consulting’s organizational consulting portfolio, which includes program design, logic modeling, and strategic planning for organizations state-wide. He also manages the youth development portfolio for high-school aged-youth, with a focus on restorative practices. His strong background in youth development has afforded him the opportunity to train and coach emerging non-profit professionals and share best practices with staff, managers and funders.
Jenjii Hysten
Trainer / Coach
Jenjii is an advocate, teacher, student, facilitator and a voice for the voiceless. In her 15+ years Jenjii has served as a Program Director, Executive Director, Dean of Students, Curriculum Designer. Jenjii holds a BA in Interdisciplinary-Studies-Urban Economic Development (UCB), is an Ordained Reverend, holds a Compass point ED certificate and is currently perusing Certified Life Coach certificate. As a coach Jenjii can quickly assess complex organizational issues and develop creative solutions to problems. She utilizes the power of metaphors and storytelling to connect program challenges to theoretical frameworks. Jenjii is a great cook and enjoys biking, reading and exploring new places with her husband and two sons.
Sue Kuyper
Trainer / Coach
Sue comes from a social-context based, trauma-informed and restorative justice-oriented approach to capacity building. As a social worker, clinical therapist, case manager, community organizer and trainer she has worked with youth and families in afterschool and alternative educational setting advocating for the needs of special education student and multi lingual communities. Sue holds a Bachelors in Psychology, Master’s in Social Work is a trained Somatic Coach and will soon hold an LCSW. As a coach Sue’s expertise lies in Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, Program design for ESL integration, Restorative Justice, Behavior Management, Program Coordination and Curriculum. Cross-identity collaboration and trust-building. Sue loves working out, and dancing in the kitchen with her two children.
Anayvette Martinez
Trainer / Coach
Anayvette, co-founder and CEO of Programs & Communications of the Radical Monarchs, is a San Francisco native and child of Central American immigrants. Anayvette's varied interests in advocacy, community organizing and empowerment led her to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of California Los Angeles and later, her Master's degree at San Francisco State University in Ethnic Studies. Over the past 15 years, she has developed and managed education, social justice, and gendered support programs focused on empowerment and safety for youth, families and their adult allies. Anayvette currently lives and loves in East Oakland with her two children.
Oscar Wolters-Duran
Trainer / Coach
Oscar's vision as a capacity builder is to listen, understand and help build amazing youth-centered afterschool programs. Over the past 20 years Oscar has been an executive director, curriculum designer, coach and trainer. Oscar holds a BA in History from UC Berkeley. As a coach Oscar’s areas of expertise include project-based learning, disguised learning, literacy, management and supervision, classroom management, and stress reduction. Oscar draws on his experiences as a bi-racial immigrant from Mexico and English language learner to champion social justice values and equitable program design. Oscar has been training in Capoeira for ten years, and wrote a children’s book called Marina’s Capoeira Countdown.
