Board of Directors
Board President
Jessie Stewart
Jessie Stewart is the Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships at Cameron Institute and brings a decade of experience at the intersection of education, community development, and higher education equity. She leads the development of intentional, reciprocal, and sustained community and student-driven engagement efforts between Cal Athletics and the larger campus and Bay Area communities.
Prior to Cal, Jessie had the privilege of serving as the Founding Executive Director for the Richmond Promise, where she had the opportunity to collaborate and see the positive impact of the Practice Space first-hand, through workshops with Richmond Promise Scholars.
Jessie lives in Richmond, and when she is not working, she loves to run, take the ferry across the Bay, travel to northern Michigan, seek out awesome views, and spend time with her husband Brian and baby girl, Avi Mae.
Board Vice President
Lorna Contreras-Townsend
Lorna Contreras-Townsend was born and raised in the East Bay and attended all WCCUSD schools, including El Cerrito High School where she was a policy debater for 4 years. She attended St. Mary's College of California and received a Bachelor's degree in Politics with a minor in Spanish, then went on to pursue a Master's in Psychology from The Wright Institute. She spent over a decade in nonprofit management and is now committed to driving inclusion and workforce development strategies for corporate environments. Lorna's heart lies in community advocacy and she is passionate about public speaking and storytelling and its importance to amplifying voices in places where systemic injustices have been so deeply embedded.
Board Secretary
Sylvia Sudat
Sylvia Sudat is an Investigator and Biostatistician at the Center for Health Systems Research, Sutter Health, where she focuses on analyzing data from electronic health records and translating the results into (hopefully) understandable English. She received her PhD in Biostatistics from the University of California at Berkeley. She is passionate about the importance of effective communication, and is deeply committed to supporting empowerment through a strong sense of confidence in personal expression. During her youth, she grew to love public speaking through theater, music, debate, and her involvement in the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a leadership and community service organization. When she is not at work or at Practice Space board meetings, she can most frequently be found singing, listening to audiobooks, running around after her three children, or drinking copious amounts of tea.
Board Treasurer
Paul Baines
Paul Baines is Head of Engineering for QCWare, after being at Checkr, Inc and Wise.io (GE Digital). With the Wise.io team, Paul helped build intelligent industrial systems that aim to make the world a safer and more efficient place. Prior to joining Wise.io, he was an Assistant Professor of Statistics at UC Davis, where he learned the joys and challenges of public speaking by teaching Statistics to over 2,000 students. In addition to his role as Board Treasurer, Paul serves as resident handyman and barista at The Practice Space. Paul received his PhD in Statistics from Harvard University, an MPhil in Statistical Science from Cambridge University, and a bachelors degree in Mathematics from Durham University in England. In his spare time, Paul enjoys running ultramarathons and curling up with his dog, Leo, to recover from them.
Board Member
Rashon Lane
Rashon Lane (She/Her) is a proud graduate of K-12 WCCUSD schools and a native of Richmond, California. She is a Senior Health Equity Scientist at Sutter Health's Institute for Advancing Health Equity. Rashon is motivated by developing research addressing the root causes of health, specifically cardiovascular disease and mental health. She is driven to center marginalized communities in the research process with the aim of equitable research focusing on justice and healing. Rashon served as a Senior Health Scientist/Behavioral Scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 15 years. Rashon finds joy in mentoring BIPOC college students and early career professionals and was awarded 2022's Most Influential Women in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Rashon completed her doctorate in medical sociology at the University of California San Francisco and has a master's from Claremont Graduate University and a bachelor's from Tuskegee University in psychology. She is an amateur gardener/plant mom and enjoys trying new coffee/tea while traveling.
Board Member
Todd Groves
Todd Groves supported public education in a variety of roles over the past 20 years. Most recently, he was elected to the West Contra Costa Unified Board of Education from 2012-16, with his colleagues electing him to clerk in 2013 and president 2014. Todd led WCCUSD through the implementation of the largest one-to-one device to student initiatives in the country. He saw his role as bridging gaps between educational researchers, innovators, policy makers and practitioners.
Todd has also been a board member of many nonprofit organizations. He worked under the famous disability rights advocates Judith Heumann and Ed Roberts on international disability rights issues and toward the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He raised two children whom attended WCCUSD schools and he performed many varied volunteer roles throughout the district. Todd earned an AB in Neuroscience from Oberlin College in 1986.
Board Member
Jade Shipman
Jade Shipman owns a consulting firm that advises nonprofits, banks, and governments nationwide on how to improve economic development in low-income communities. In this work, she conducts interviews and surveys to understand the stories and needs of lower-income people. She is deeply committed to ensuring that regardless of background, people can find their voice, express their needs, and be responded to effectively by the programs seeking to help them thrive. She holds a Master's degree in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA with High Honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara. In her free time, she can be found playing music with several bands, volunteering, snuggling with her cats, and going on long walks around San Francisco.
Board Member
Dr. Evangelia Ward-Jackson
Dr. Evangelia "Angel" Ward-Jackson is a servant leader and nurturer of brilliance who is also a first-generation college grad, and a life-long learner that has earned three master's degrees (M.A., M.Ed., M.Th.), two doctoral degrees (Ed.D., Ph.D.) and several credentials. In addition to being a Principal Executive Consultant specializing in coaching leaders and businesses on strategy, precision, and progressive impact, Dr. Ward-Jackson serves as the Senior Director of Humanities & DEI for Envision Education, a network of public charter schools in Oakland, Hayward, and San Francisco. Her 25+ years of experience in the field also includes service as a teacher/professor, an instructional leader, and as an executive school leader across the traditional public, public charter, collegiate, and for-profit supplemental education sectors. She is a civically engaged leader who navigates the field of education with contagious joy, and a persuasive acuity that consistently leads to progressive outcomes. A proud and involved Hercules resident, City Commissioner, Education Foundation Director, and Rotarian, Dr. Ward-Jackson is also a family-oriented person who enjoys traveling, singing, writing, and cultivating others towards success.
Board Member
Dr. Paul Porter
Dr. Paul Porter is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA), where he oversees the development, implementation, and assessment of DEI efforts for the largest high school speech and debate organization in the nation. Since 2012, he has developed programs and initiatives designed to help create inclusive environments for diverse student populations, as well as diversity strategic plans and program assessments. Paul has presented on topics including multicultural competence, unconscious bias, difficult dialogues, and making meaning of DEI across the state of Indiana and nationwide. Paul holds a B.S. in Communication Studies from Ball State University, an M.A. in Communication and Rhetorical Studies from Eastern Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University.
Junior Board of Directors
Our Junior Board of Directors includes young people ages 15-20 who have been program participants, volunteers, coaches, and staff at The Practice Space. They are led by youth and are stewards of our program quality and community work through working committees.
Junior Board Co-Chair
Bethany Zhao
Bethany is a current junior at El Cerrito High School planning to pursue a STEM degree in the healthcare or biotechnology field. She believes that healthy bodies are a prerequisite to breaking the silence on the world’s injustices. Besides serving on the Junior Board curriculum committee, she is also a third-year varsity parliamentary debater on her high school’s Speech and Debate Team, debating in tournaments on the West and East Coast. In her free time, Bethany loves listening to music and exploring local boba shops.
Junior Board Co-Chair
Lucia Saridis
Lucia Saridis is a champion of inclusion and creativity, dedicated to fostering welcoming, supportive communities in all spaces. She is a current senior at El Cerrito High School planning to pursue a degree in English literature. Lucia has been involved with The Practice Space since middle school, both participating in the programs and now working behind the scenes on the Junior Board. Outside of The Practice Space, she is the president of the El Cerrito High School Debate Team and has 4 years of experience in parliamentary debate. She is also the Co-Editor in Chief of the El Cerrito High School Literary Magazine, advocating for the amplification of voices through creative forms of communication. In her spare time, you can find Lucia with her juheadphones on and her nose in a book.
Junior Board Member
Victoria Ames
Victoria is a current senior at Middle College High School who plans to pursue a degree in Environmental Science. She is a current assistant coach and has been working with The Practice Space for a year. Victoria learned public speaking through teaching, enjoying instructing students in science programs for youth at the Lawrence Hall of Science and mentoring other students through Link Crew at her school. She believes learning should be fun, and believes in the value of everyone’s voice and opinions, especially students’ when it comes to their education. Fun fact: Victoria loves learning crafting skills, often creating jewelry, candles, and plant terrariums in her free time.
Junior Board Member
Ayushree Dahal
Ayushree Dahal believes in changemaking and a world with positive discourse, values that Debate has instilled in her. Fun fact: Ayushree spent the first 2 years of her life in Nepal, and one of her earliest memories is of a monkey stealing her shoe when she was 2. As a Junior at San Leandro High School, Ayushree has been on the Debate Team for three years and has been leading the team for the last two. She loves to spearhead projects, create and lead initiatives that make an impact, no matter how small, such as teaching studios and leading school events. In her free time, you can find Ayushree running, writing personal essays, or reading. This year, she is on the Junior Board of The Practice Space as an Outreach Committee member because she wants to support other communities in the way that The Practice Space has supported her and ignited her passion for debate.
Junior Board Member
Tatiana Fakoukaki
Tatiana is a passionate learner and educator who leads with a deep curiosity to understand the "why" behind everything. With a background in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley, she believes in the power of play as both a teaching tool and a method for personal growth. Known for her enthusiasm and commitment to fostering creativity, she co-founded a nonprofit in Puerto Rico, integrating mentorship, Design Thinking, and professional development into public high school curricula.
Born and raised in Greece for the first half of her life, Tatiana has a global perspective that fuels her love for stories, archetypes, and human connection. She channels this passion through her personal stories podcast, Mostly Memoz. A fun fact about her: if she could have any superpower, it would be the ability to speak all languages and dialects in the world—reflecting her desire to bridge cultures and connect people through meaningful conversation.
Junior Board Member
Sofia Lopez
Based in Richmond, Sofia attended Dover, Mira Vista, and is a recent graduate of El Cerrito High School. Sofia is currently attending Contra Costa College pursuing Biology and plans to transfer. She loves the quote from Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” She believes that good leadership requires experience and anticipating the needs of their community. Sofia chose to go into this work due to her experience in the current education system, not receiving adequate support, being in an environment where student voices aren’t valued. She wants to apply what she had wanted into the Practice Space to cultivate an environment where students feel empowered and use alternative methods to make teaching fun, interactive, and meaningful. Throughout school, she found it difficult to speak up, high school presentations were her nightmare, her legs would shake and her voice would quiver; through this work with students she has been able to learn alongside them as if they were my peers. As a woman of color, she has been coaching and working with the outreach/events committee to power our community through advocacy.
Junior Board Member
Maximiliano Ibarra
Max started off as an intern at The Practice Space and eventually became a public speaking coach and a Junior Board member. He is a sophomore at Contra Costa College and wants to pursue a masters in Marine Biology and a minor in Culinary Studies. He currently works multiple jobs across different backgrounds, including being an MC at the Oakland Cathedral, working at Panera Bread, tutoring for Biology, Chemistry, and English, and being a tour guide at the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco. He always strives to put others before himself, making sure that no one is left behind and caring for every single individual. Max loves to multitask (even though it is tough at times), loves meeting and talking to people, and always builds strong connections with whomever he meets. His family comes from a Mexican background and a family line from the two small towns of Tepatitlan and Mesquital. Fun fact: He loves playing Smash Bros Ultimate, Mains Incineroar, and Kazyua and is never afraid of a challenge.
Junior Board Member
Maddy Norton
Maddy Norton is a junior at El Cerrito High School and has been a member of their Parliamentary debate team for the past three years. Through the team, she sparked her love for public speaking as she has experienced its immense benefits, which she wants every student to access. Through The Practice Space, she believes students can access public speaking and all its benefits, and heads the Junior Board’s Curriculum Committee to make that possible. Maddy also has an immense passion for volunteering and community service whether that be through the Junior Board, teaching STEM after school to underserved elementary schools, and getting involved with local climate change initiatives. Fun fact: she loves to cook, try new foods, and cuisines.
Junior Board Member
Elijah Thompson
Elijah Thompson is a senior at American Canyon High School. He has participated in Practice Space tournaments and rose to becoming a Junior Board member. At his school, he is the Head Captain on Track & Field team, a Commissioner for his school’s Link Crew, and the President of American Canyon’s Speech and Debate club and team. Planning to pursue a degree in Molecular Biology, he loves to learn all he can about science and the science of the smallest parts of the human body. Elijah’s love for public speaking is new but it drives him to enjoy every minute he spends working with The Practice Space and everyone he works with.
Junior Board Member
Mateo Vera
Mateo Vera is a sophomore at El Cerrito High who is very passionate about Speech and Debate. He started working for the Practice over the summer of 2024 and now is a Junior Board member for The Practice Space. In his free time, Mateo Vera debates again and again. When he is not debating he likes to 3D print and read the New York Times to catch up on current events. With the Practice Space, Mateo hopes to inspire others to speak up and to learn about the power that their voices have, just like The Practice Space did for him.
Junior Board Member
Erantha Wickramasinghe
Erantha Wickramasinghe is a senior at El Cerrito High School and a Varsity member of its Parliamentary Debate team. As a Junior Board member on the Events Committee and an Assistant Speech Coach, he is dedicated to elevating voices, advocating for change, and ensuring equal opportunities for all. His passion for economics drives curiosity about how financial systems shape communities and inspire change. This interest complements his volunteer work with the Junior Board as well as his local library, where he assisted community members with their technology. Outside of academics and volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his loved ones and exploring his love for public speaking, creativity, and leadership.