Board of Directors
Board President
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 Secretary
Dr. 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
Dr. Paul Baines
Paul Baines is Vice President of Product and 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
Sarah Alvarez
Sarah Alvarez is a Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor at Capital Group Private Client Services, where she works with high‑net‑worth individuals and families to design long‑term strategies for protecting and growing wealth across generations. She brings over a decade of experience across wealth management, retirement planning, and insurance, with a strong focus on thoughtful planning, fiduciary responsibility, and stewardship. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and earned her Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation in 2024. Originally from Venezuela, Sarah is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about community engagement and expanding access to opportunity. She loves to travel, try new foods and lives with husband and daughter in the east bay.
Board Member
Sneha Banerjee
Sneha Banerjee is an attorney at King & Spalding in the San Francisco office whose practice focuses on advising and defending corporate clients. In addition to her legal practice, Sneha plays an active role in pro bono work and mentorship. Sneha's pro bono practice focuses on seeking domestic violence restraining orders for low income clients, asylum support for refugees, and protecting the rights of individual prisoners. Sneha received her J.D. from University of California, Davis, where she was a member of the Moot Court Honor's Board, Trial Practice Honor's Board, Family Protection Clinic, and a Teaching Assistant for Civil Procedure. In her free time, Sneha loves dancing, exploring coffee shops, and going to the local farmers market.
Board Member
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 Member
Dr. Angela DeBarger
Dr. Angela Haydel DeBarger is a program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Her portfolio addresses open education, with the aim of democratizing knowledge and creating engaging learner-centered experiences. Previously, Dr. DeBarger served as senior program officer for Lucas Education Research at the George Lucas Educational Foundation, where she developed project-based learning programs with practitioners and researchers. From 2002 to 2014, she worked as a researcher at SRI International, studying classroom pedagogy and assessment strategies to promote student learning and engagement. Dr. DeBarger has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University, a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in educational psychology from Stanford University. In her free time, Dr. DeBarger enjoys practicing improv, going on neighborhood walks with her family, and attending the music performances of her two boys.
Board Member
Jeni Frudden
Jeni Frudden is the Supervising Attorney at the San Francisco Bar Association's Justice & Diversity Center leading the Family Law Project. Jeni supervises a dedicated team of attorneys and staff working to secure pro bono legal services for low-income individuals and families with family law and related issues. Prior to entering the legal field, Jeni was a middle school English teacher in the Oakland Unified School District where she loved working with pre-teens and teenagers. In her free time, you can find Jeni running in the East Bay hills, traveling with her family, exploring playgrounds and splash pads, and honing her culinary skills to appeal to both adults and her toddler son.
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.
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
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 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 Member
Alina Yu
Alina Yu is a sophomore at El Cerrito High. She has been a member of the ECHS Debate team for two years, where she competes in parliamentary debate and is the debate coordinator. Through her team, Alina discovered The Practice Space where she has been volunteering ever since. Alina joined the Junior Board because she wants to make her community a more inclusive place and to inspire the youth through public speaking. In her free time, Alina likes to dance, travel, and hang out with her friends.
Junior Board Member
Amyra Kedia
Amyra Kedia is a current sophomore at Mountain View High School, where she is a second-year Lincoln-Douglas debater and competes in Model UN and Mock Trial, with the goal of becoming a criminal attorney. She has a strong belief in providing people with the medium and framework to express their opinions and have productive discussions. She enjoys coaching and judging middle and high school debate, as well as doing practice rounds and competing. When not debating, she spends time singing as an Alto in her school's choir and coordinates sponsorship and funding for her school’s TedX and Hackathon organizations. She joined the Practice Space in the 2025-2026 season, with the goal of creating and refining opportunities for speech, debate, and public speaking overall. A fun fact about her is that she is on her school's varsity golf team.
Junior Board Member
Elijah Thompson
Elijah Thompson is a current freshman at UC Davis for a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Biology and Anthropology. He stands for all people being able to create and embrace art in all forms no matter what their background is. Elijah met The Practice Space through previous Junior Board Co-Chair, Mistura Bankole, who was his Speech and Debate Club President at American Canyon High School. From there, he began to grow within The Practice to become his Debate Club’s President, a Head Coach for The Practice Space, and the current Speech and Debate Head Coach at American Canyon High School. Spending his free time running, playing video games,or hanging out with his friends, Elijah enjoys cultivating a community in every aspect of his life. If you ever want to get into playing Overwatch, Elijah will eagerly talk your ear off about how to get started!
Junior Board Member
Erantha Wickramasinghe
Erantha Wickramasinghe is a current freshman at UC Davis pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Economics with a concentration in Data Science. He believes that all voices should be heard equally and that everyone should be kind, caring, and loving towards each other, values that are influenced by his Buddhist upbringing. Along with serving as a member of the The Practice Space Junior Board events committee, Erantha worked with The Practice Space as an assistant speech coach during his time in high school. From hanging out with friends to camping or playing video games, Erantha values his time outside the house just as much as he values his time to relax. He can also tell you anything you need to know about computer hardware, and he cooks a mean steak!
Junior Board Member
Ezra Helman
Ezra Helman is a current junior in high school at El Cerrito High School with an interest in history and foreign policy. He has been working with the Practice Space for two years and really wants public speaking to be brought to a wider audience. Along with being a debate/speech coach for elementary-schoolers during the summer, Ezra is a third year parliamentary debater at El Cerrito High and co-captain of the school’s debate team. In his free time, Ezra enjoys listening to music, throwing frisbees at the park, and hiking in nature. Additionally, if you have any geography questions, Ezra likely has answer
Junior Board Member
Hania Shahid
Hania Shahid is currently a Sophomore in Diablo Valley Community College, with a major in Political Science. Hania was a member of the El Cerrito High School Debate team for 3 years and later on went to coach elementary school students for The Practice Space. One of the biggest messages she wants to portray out to the world is that everyone’s voices can be heard, we just need to speak up. In Hania’s free time she likes to immerse herself into reading and drawing. She also spends quite a lot of time annoying her cat, Mimi. A fun fact about Hania is that she’s afraid of birds.
Junior Board Member
Lance Joaquin Larcena
Lance Larcena is a current Senior at American Canyon High School. He believes that productive discourse; where all voices are heard, is an essential part of a well functioning society. Previously, Lance was a participant and judge at Practice Space tournaments, and now has risen to make an impact in his community as a member of the Junior Board. Aside from his involvement in the Practice Space, Lance is the President of American Canyon’s Speech and Debate club and team, a commissioner for his school’s Link Crew, and a learning assistant for his local Kumon center. In his free time, you can find him watching hockey, going out on hikes, or chasing adventures with his friend Judah.
Junior Board Member
Maddy Norton
Maddy Norton is a senior at El Cerrito High School and got involved with The Practice Space through her high school’s speech & debate team, where she now serves as president. Through the team, she sparked her love for public speaking and is passionate about helping every student find their voice. This is her second year on the Junior Board, and she has loved seeing the impact TPS has on students and the community. Outside of her public speaking endeavors, Maddy also has an immense passion for volunteering and community outreach, whether that involves the Junior Board, planning local environmental cleanups, or moderating a panel on international conflict at the Commonwealth Club. Fun fact: she loves to cook and try new cuisines.
Junior Board Member
Sasha Hahn
Sasha is a Sophomore at El Cerrito High School. She is extremely passionate about Sustainable and Ethical Fashion advocacy and believes that everyone should be given the opportunities, resources and skills to advocate about their passions. This is her second year on her Speech and Debate Team, where she is currently the Coordinator for Speech. When she’s not doing Speech, you can find Sasha making clothes, dancing, figure skating, or volunteering with young children. With the Practice Space, Sasha hopes to elevate other youth voices and stories, and inspire them to share their opinions and passions the way she loves to.
Junior Board Member
Arman Zhangelov
Arman Zhangelov is a Junior at Las Lomas High School and emigrated to the United States in 2016 from Kazakhstan. He is a wrestler for Las Lomas, and a varsity debater. He is trying to get into the United States Military Academy at West Point, and is ultimately wanting to go into either business or law.
Junior Board Member
Mateo Vera
Mateo Vera is a Junior at El Cerrito High School who is obsessed with debate. If you ever see him on public transportation, he is probably reading something that would help him make better arguments, whether that is reading the New York Times to stay up to date watching debate rounds or listening to his past rounds all in the hope to be the best debate he can. When he is not debating, he loves to play some tennis and run his school tennis club. 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.