Board of Directors
Staff
The Honorable Elihu HarrisPRESIDING CHAIR
Elihu M. Harris served as Mayor of Oakland for two terms, from 1991 to 1999. He was a 12-year member of the California State Assembly, during which time he authored the historic 1981 legislation designating Dr. King’s birthday a California State holiday. Mr. Harris received an MA in Public Policy from UC Berkeley and law degree from UC Davis. He served as Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District from 2003 to 2010.
Royl L. RobertsSecretary/Treasurer
Royl L. Roberts works as the Director of Employee Relations and Diversity Programs at Peralta Community College District. Royl is a former Administrator and Ethical Leadership Coach for the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center. He is also a Commissioner, District #3 on the Alameda County Human Relations Commission. Mr. Roberts graduated of Golden Gate University School of Law with his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree and a Specialization Certificate in Business Law, with Distinction. While at Golden Gate he has served as a Peer Mentor, Law Student Ambassador, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and was the President of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). Prior to attending law school, he held various positions in the insurance and financial service industries. Mr. Roberts earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and a Master of Business Administration from Our Lady of the Lake University. Mr. Roberts worked as a Law Clerk at Price And Associates, a Civil Rights Law Firm located in downtown Oakland. Mr. Roberts is also an active member in the Alpha Rho Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. located in Berkeley.
Latressa AlfordSenior Campaign Advisor, Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Latressa Wilson Alford, JD is a seasoned veteran in government relations and community affairs. With over 30 years in public service, she is highly sought after for her experience in public and legal policy, engagement with underserved communities, and ability to leverage public-private partnerships. As CEO of the firm L. Wilson Alford & Associates (LWA), she is widely recognized as a social entrepreneur because of her ability to build public-private relationships and solve challenging relationships.
Previously, Latressa Wilson Alford served as Senior Aide to Congressman George Miller. She also managed bridge funding to small, minority businesses as a 20 year member of the City of Richmond Revolving Loan Fund Board.
Latressa’s other professional experience is as editor of the Metro Publication Group, founded by the late Carlton B. Goodlett physician, civil rights leader and publisher of the Sun Reporter Newspaper Group. She worked as a Senior Fellow under the Honorable Rod Diridon who she assisted with planning the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Light Rail and Historical Trolley System.
In 2016, Latressa founded LWA – an experienced consulting firm to provide political management and deliver successful campaigns and education initiatives around diversity, inclusion and smart engagement.
Recently, Latressa was tapped by Congresswoman Barbara Lee as her Senior Campaign Advisor to manage Rep Lee’s reelection campaign and state and national campaigns that Rep Lee supports. Latressa is a delegate for Assembly District 14, serves on the board of the Community Democratic Club and is Bylaws Chair for the CA Democratic Black Caucus.
Latressa is a Lifetime Member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) and is BWOPA State Director of Education, Legislation and Policy. She is a founder of the Solano-Napa Chapter and serves as its vice president.
Latressa has been recognized as the 2021 Woman of the Year by Assemblyman Tim Grayson, listed in Who’s Who in America (2021) and inducted into the Bay Area Blues Society Hall of Fame (2013). Latressa has a Jurist Doctorate and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. She has three daughters: Nikole, Alyssa and Justice.
Alton JelksLecturer, Public Administration, Cal State East Bay
Alton Jelks brings extensive public administration expertise to the board of directors, having worked as Administrative Assistant to Assemblyman Elihu Harris, Special Assistant to the Mayor of Oakland, Deputy City Auditor and Associate Vice Chancellor for Peralta Community College District, where we had responsibility for fundraising, employee trainings and oversight of organizational processes. Alton excels in group facilitation for public and private sector settings, and has also served on the board of directors of many nonprofit organizations as well as worked at the executive level in the area of marketing and fundraising. Alton has taught in the Master of Public Administration at California State University East Bay for over two decades, teaching the full range of courses offered.
Carol JohnsonDirector
As Assistant General Manager of Public Affairs at the East Bay Regional Park District, Carol Johnson is responsible for all community affairs outreach, District-wide communications and external relations for the largest regional park district in the U.S. Since joining EBRPD 15 years ago. Carol and her team have been responsible for coordinating the opening of 10 new regional parks and implementing the break-through SHINE initiative to help low income families and chronically ill children improve their health through the prescription of nature.
Carol is also the Executive Director of the Regional Parks Foundation, overseeing all private fundraising and its corporate governing board. For the past six years, the Foundation has seen continuous growth, connecting over 10,000 under-represented youngsters annually with the regional parks through unique programming, active community relationships and corporate partnerships. Carol developed EBRPD’s community outreach positioning to achieve 72% voter approval of a $500 million park bond in in both Alameda and Contra Costa counties – which generated millions for park development in all East Bay cities.
Previous to her work with EBRPD, she was Public Affairs Director with Mervyn’s retailer overseeing crisis management and community partnerships and served as Press Secretary to the Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson where she was responsible for all media relations. Carol holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from University of San Francisco, and currently serves on the Board of the East Bay Economic Development Alliance and California Roundtable on Tourism, Recreation and Parks.
Michael LightyFounding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Michael Lighty retired after 25 years from California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, where he was the Director of Public Policy. He has spoken and organized throughout the country on health care reform, financing and delivery issues for over 29 years. He coordinated CNA’s campaigns for HMO patients’ bill of rights, clean money elections, and against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s effort to roll back CNA’s landmark safe staffing law. He coordinated the national Robin Hood Tax campaign to tax Wall Street trades to fund jobs, guaranteed healthcare, and a secure retirement for all. Mr. Lighty served eight years on the City of Oakland Planning Commission and was a Commissioner for the Port of Oakland. He has been active with non-profit organizations devoted to neighborhood issues, voter registration, and lesbian and gay equality. Lighty received his BA and MA from Stanford University in the Humanities, graduating with Honors. He grew up in Eugene, Oregon, where he was high school student body president.
Dr. William “Bill” RileyRetired Educator
Bill Riley is a native of Oakland, California. He attended Oakland public schools and transferred from Merritt College, where he was student body president, to the University of San Francisco (USF) earning a B.A. in Sociology and Physical Education. He then attended San Francisco State University earning a M.A. in Educational Administration; then returning to USF, he received an Ed.D. in Educational Policy.
Dr. Riley has an over 40-year long career in public education, including working in the Oakland, East Palo Alto/Ravenswood and San Ramon School Districts. He has been a teacher, counselor, coach, vice-principal, principal, and administrator on special assignment. He also served as the Alameda County Office of Education’s Coordinator of Pupil Services and Child and Family Advocacy.
Community is important to Bill. He is currently a member of the Martin Luther King Jr Freedom Center Board of Directors and recently appointed by Mayor Libby Schaaf to the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth Planning and Oversight Committee. In the past Bill has served on the Oakland Zoo Board and on the City of Oakland Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission for thirteen years. In addition, he served on the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees from 1998 through 2018; representing Area 5 covering a large portion of Oakland and the entire City of Piedmont.
Bill has been happily married for over forty-five years and has two grown daughters, both of whom are college graduates.
Kim ThompsonCEO Action for Racial Equity Fellow
Principal, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Kim is a Principal at PwC and a CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellow. In her Fellowship role, she drives social and racial justice through public policy. Previously, Kim was PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Advisory Risk & Quality Leader, providing quality and risk management advice on a wide range of issues to PwC’s Global Deals, Consulting and Forensics businesses. Kim also led the PwC Global Risk Management Consultations Support and Analysis team, providing risk management advice to the PwC Network on emerging risk issues across all of PwC’s lines of service. Kim also served as the U.S. firm’s Black Inclusion Network Leader. Kim previously served as Global Deputy General
Counsel, advising PwC’s Global Advisory business. Before that she served in PwC’s U.S. Office of the General Counsel advising the U.S. Advisory and Assurance businesses. Before joining PwC, Kim was a commercial and securities litigator with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
Kim has a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law where she was an editor of the California Law Review. She earned her B.A. in philosophy from Cornell University.
Kim is an active participant in her local community and serves on the boards of Legal Services for Children and the S.H. Cowell Foundation, both of whom focus on the needs of economically disadvantaged youth. Kim also serves on the board of the Berkeley Law Alumni Association and is a member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) where she serves on the Steering Committee as Vice Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee. In 2012, the San Francisco Business Times named Kim as one of the 150 Most Influential Women in Business. In 2013, Kim was named California Law Review’s Alumna of the Year. In 2013 Kim also received Friends of Oakland Parks & Recreation’s annual Ann Woodell Community Award and was an honoree at the 2013 Oakland Parks and Recreation Salute to Excellence and Community Spirit. In 2016, Oakland Magazine recognized Kim and her husband for their volunteer and philanthropic work in the magazine’s annual Best of Oakland and East Bay edition.
Dr. Roy WilsonExecutive Director, Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center
Roy received a BA in English and Masters in Creative Writing both from the University of Washington. Roy has a Doctorate in Education and is a published author, scholar, and presenter on civil rights, nonviolence and libratory leadership practices. He has served as director of various non-governmental entities including Seattle Managua Sister City Association, International Relations Director for El Centro de la Raza, and is the founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Community Leadership and the Jack Hunter O’Dell Education Center. Roy has received international, state and regional awards for his work in civil rights and confronting racial and socio-economic disparities. He is widely published and his work has been featured in Life Magazine, the New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald, Seattle Times, Oakland Tribune, and in a National Public Radio TV Special “The United States of Poetry” and a National television feature on the Nickelodeon Network.
Audree Jones-TaylorBOARD MEMBER, EMERITUS
Audree is a passionate advocate and an established national leader who has leveraged passion and confidence to bring innovative solutions to parks, recreation, conservation, preservation and play, with a special love for building strong relationships, she has a proven track record of cultivating community partners. Audree’s experience includes 40 plus years in municipal government, most recently she has combined her public sector work with the private sector through her service as a consultant with, the City of San Bruno Community Services Department, where she serves as a Strategic Advisor, she also serves as a consultant with National Strategies, LLC, she served as the Interim General Manager for Marin City Community Services District, and served as an Associate Researcher with Dr. Nina Roberts/Resource Legacy Fund with The California State Coastal Conservancy and served as a consultant to-Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District/Cooley Landing Project.
Audree is a graduate of the University of Redlands with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership in the Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California. Audree is committed to public service. IN addition to her service on the Freedom Center Board of Directors, Audree is a member of the University of San Francisco Gellert Family Business Resource Center Advisory Board, and is a member of National Parks and Recreation Ethnic Minority Society.
The Honorable Barbara LeeFounding Member
13th-CD, California Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a forceful and progressive voice in Congress, dedicated to social and economic justice, international peace, and civil and human rights. First elected in 1998 to represent California’s 13th Congressional District, the Democratic lawmaker has established a reputation for principled and independent stands, unafraid to take on the tough issues and speak her mind for her constituents, for a more just America, and for a safer world. As a social worker by profession, being an advocate for people in dealing with the federal bureaucracy has been a priority.
Dr. Karen BohlkeDirector of Government and External Affairs
Dr. Karen Bohlke has thirty years of administrative, managerial, grant writing, fund development and advocacy work with educational organizations serving youth and families. She has successfully managed a capital campaign for the O’Dell Education Center in Kent, WA, and numerous federal grants including as partner for Gear Up at the University of Washington, as director of Jose Marti Child Development Center bi-lingual Head Start and Therapeutic Day Care, leadership programming with Metro Miami Dade County Teen Court Program, an ARRA Federal Stimulus work study program with the Oakland Civic Green Campaign, oversight of Department of Justice Appropriation with the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center, Oakland CA and a twelve year Washington State Legislative Appropriation with the Institute for Community Leadership. Karen coordinates our fund development and government relations efforts. Karen holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University, an MA Ed from Antioch University, and a BA in Education from the University of Washington. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Fellow.
Grant Specialist
Wanda Brandon is a proud graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. There she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management. Most of her life she has worked in nonprofit organizations. Previously she has worked at Southwest Research Institute in the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analysis. Ms. Brandon has served as Chief Operations Officer for Praise Temple Ministries and Program Manager/Grant Writer for the Northwest Louisiana Community Development Corporation. She is a Certified Grant Writer and member of the American Grant Writer’s Association and is also a member of the Grant Professionals Association. Wanda has also served as a grant reviewer for AmeriCorps, the U. S. Department of Education, and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
East Coast Liaison
Fatima Chaudhary is a community organizer and a strong advocate for human and civil rights. She is the East Coast Liaison for Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom where she coordinates our developing relationship to the United Nations. Fatima is a sophomore at New York University, majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Studio Art. She immigrated to the United States with her family when she was seven. She has taught more than 220 high school and college students the basic philosophy and steps of nonviolence. She has been a team leader for the past three years of an ongoing voter education project called, “To Us, You Matter: Vote!” where she has coordinated door-knocking campaigns to over 25,000 homes in California and the State of Washington.
Fatima has been the keynote speaker at the Washington State House of Representatives Dr. King Day ceremony and has traveled with Congresswoman Barbara Lee on the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage where she spoke at the closing ceremony in front of the Alabama State Capitol. Fatima is a member of the Gandhi King Global Initiative, an international network of people who are dedicated to constructing what Dr. King calls, the World House. The Initiative is spearheaded by Dr. Clayborne Carson, Founder and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
Fatima currently lives in New York City.
David GainesDirector of Community Affairs
David Gaines is a graduate of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center. He has been studying community organizing and transformational leadership since he was a sophomore in high school. David has participated in and organized various civic engagement projects including delegations up and down the west coast with the Freedom Center, registering voters, and coaching students as an intern, and he has assisted in the organizing of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series. At the invitation of Congresswoman Lee, David has traveled with and key-noted the Faith and Politics Institute’s Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage, which under the leadership of Congressman John Lewis, hosts members of Congress to Selma, Montgomery, Memphis, and South Carolina. David transitioned to staff at the Freedom Center as a Social Justice Organizer in 2017 while still in high school.
David is a graduate of Alameda Science and Technology Institute, a running start school in Alameda, and graduated with his bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies from American University, in Washington, D.C. in the Spring of 2021. He attained a master’s degree in Public Administration, with a concentration in Applied Politics, from American University in the Spring of 2022. He is a first-generation college student and was raised by a strong single mother who actively encouraged David to engage in public service. David also represented the Freedom Center in the nation’s capital where he has also served in an intern capacity in the office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee. In addition, he also sits on the Board of Directors at the Institute for Community Leadership.
David is a trained facilitator of the Freedom Centers’ numerous classes on leadership ethics, and the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Finance Specialist
Natisha Gatlin has thirteen years of accounts payable/receivable, auditing, taxation, general accounting, and payroll experience working at nonprofit and for-profit businesses. She has shared her knowledge of financial applications with the community of Oakland in seminars and workshops while volunteering for several community outreach organizations after receiving her Associates Degree in Accounting. The passion for a career in accounting led to a degree in Business with a concentration in Accounting. As a Certified Tax Preparer, Natisha Gatlin continuously gains more financial knowledge because she strives to deliver the knowledge of financial literacy. She believes, “The understanding of finance produces mental wealth, lacking it produces a broken mind.”
Natnael Demeke GebremariamResearch Staff
Natnael Gebremariam is a Research Staff for the Freedom Center. In his role, Natnael researches topics related to the main focus areas of the freedom center such as equity in civic education, reducing childhood poverty, and access to clean drinking water. In addition, Natnael plays a role in database management, website editing, drafting reports, and documentation.
Natnael earned a degree in Development Economics in 2016.
Washington D.C. Liaison
Jayda Gray is a graduate of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center. She joined as a sophomore in 2019 and has participated and led leadership poetry workshops, hosted and presented at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, and has represented the Freedom Center in California, Washington, Alabama, Washington D.C., and South Africa. Jayda has traveled on the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama in 2020 and 2022 as a delegate of the Freedom Center as well as South Africa in 2023 for the Gandhi, Mandela and King International Conference. Jayda is our Washington D.C. Liaison to the Congressional Black Caucus and other members of Congress.
Jayda graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 2022 and currently attends Howard University, double majoring in Political Science and Sociology and minoring in Community Development.
Communications Specialist
Isaac Gutierrez Hernandez is an inspiring and accomplished individual with a background in videography and leadership. He is uniquely recognized both on and off set by the strength of his character, charisma and determination.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico he immigrated to the United States at age 9 and had to quickly adapt to his new surroundings. After graduating high school in the greater Seattle area he joined the Marine Corps where he developed strong leadership skills and gained valuable experience as team manager and logistics coordinator.
Upon completing his military service Isaac discovered a passion for videography and brought his skills to local production teams. Now with over eight years of experience in the film industry, Isaac has made a name for himself as a talented Videographer, First Assistant Director and Project Manager. He has worked with some of the best teams in the industry, including Emmy-winning Light Form Film, and Empower Video Productions, where his unique versatility and attention to detail are highly regarded. Isaac quickly proves to be an integral part of any team and is highly regarded for his attention to detail and ability to bring out the best in everyone he works with.
Throughout his career, Isaac has worked on a wide range of projects from commercials and music videos to short films and documentaries, proving his adaptability. Despite his success in the commercial film industry, Isaac is driven by a deep passion for giving back to his community and creating a positive change in the world. He is intentional with the partnerships he makes choosing to work principally with value-driven and non-profit organizations. He is committed to using his talents in alignment with his personal values of authenticity, equity, and justice.
Leading with his values, Isaac is on a journey to discover his own cultural identity as a first generation immigrant desiring to reconnect with his lost heritage. He is a strong advocate for cultural diversity and inclusion believing that each person has their own story worth sharing and because of that, understanding, respect and celebration of different cultures is critical to creating a better world. With natural congeniality and emotional intelligence, Isaac is an influential presence whose conscientious personality uplifts those around him.
Isaac’s ability to lead with empathy, his strong work ethic, and his creative vision have made him an integral part of the film industry and a trusted partner to non-profit organizations. He is constantly seeking out new opportunities to make a positive impact on the world, and his passion for video production and a value driven life continue to inspire those around him.
Scott HortonCommunications Consultant
Scott Horton joins the Freedom Center team with more than 35 years expertise with numerous non-profit organizations helping them articulate their brands, tell their stories, broaden their visibility and increase the public’s participation in their work.
Jana Jordan-FisherBusiness Manager
Jana Jordan-Fisher has thirty five years of Corporate Tax, Accounting, and Payroll Tax experience. She has successfully managed the accounting for other Non-Profits and Small Businesses. Jana is from Pasadena and moved to the Bay Area to attend Golden Gate University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Accounting. She has previously worked for Del Monte Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Genentech and Anderson and Associate’s CPA firm. She is certified with the Internal Revenue Service and California Tax Education Council. She specializes in keeping the organization current and in compliance with the accounting and tax laws for Non-Profits. Jana’s intent is to bring her education and knowledge to the organization while obtaining the spirit and integrity of Martin Luther King Jr., the MLK staff and its friends.
Ursa KaiserEducational Services Staff
Ursa Kaiser joined the Freedom Center as a student in Sophomore year, participating in classes, hosting the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, and studying coaching. She has led leadership poetry workshops and represented the Center in many counties and states, such as Washington, Alabama, and California, on the To Us, You Matter: Vote! Summer Tour. She has also traveled to Alabama multiple times, joining the 2020 Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage and working with the Leadership Alabama-07 cohort. Ursa graduated from Oakland Technical High School and transitioned to staff in 2021.
Kei YamamotoCommunity Organizer
Kei Yamamoto, Community Organizer for the Freedom Center, has experiences living and working with people from all across the country during his time living in diverse settings and places including residencies in Los Angeles, Chicago, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. He has traveled with the Freedom Center as a summer intern on the Summer Civic Engagement Pilgrimage where teams of high school and college aged youth traveled to 32 cities, towns and tribes working on “how to get more people civically engaged”. The delegates met with leaders of the Civil Rights Movement past and present. He attended Alma College graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. In his time there, he served as a member of the varsity soccer program, member of various social-justice oriented clubs, research assistant for the Department of Psychology, student tutor, and peer mentor for local youth. Kei brings a high-energy passion for social justice and educational equity to the educational services team.
