Board of Directors

The Honorable Elihu Harris

(Presiding Chair)

Elihu M. Harris served as Mayor of Oakland for two terms, from 1991 to 1999...

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.

Saundra Andrews

(Vice Chair)

Retired, Senior Field Representative, Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee...

Retired, Senior Field Representative, Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

Michael Lighty

Director of Administration and Public Policy

California Nurses Association

Michael Lighty is currently the Director of Public Policy for the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. He has spoken and organized throughout the country on health care reform, financing and delivery issues for over 20 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 is working on 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 OaklandPlanning 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.

Royl L. Roberts JD, MBA

(Secretary)

Risk and Safety Programs Manager, Peralta Community College District

Risk and Safety Programs Manager, Peralta Community College District

Royl L. Roberts works as risk manager for the Peralta Community College District. Royl is a former Administrator and Ethical Leadership Coach for the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center. 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.

Audree Jones-Taylor

Retired, Director of Parks and Recreation

When Audree Jones-Taylor arrived at the Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation as director in 2004, she was ecstatic about the natural resources the California city provided for recreational activities. There was just one problem: The inner-city kids weren’t signing up for its great programs, such as sailing, swimming, and hiking. The solution involved recognition of the particular challenges posed by Oakland’s remarkably diverse population, with a demographic breakdown that includes 27 percent African- American, 26 percent White, 25 percent Hispanic, and 17 percent Asian. now retired, Audree applies her commitment to sustainability and expansion of green spaces, passion for play, and assuring urban access to recreation and parks to her hobbies and pursuits. Watch for Audree on one of East Bay Regional Park District trails–you will be surprised how many folks have found her out hiking and taking in nature!

Alton Jelks

Lecturer, Public Administration, Cal State East Bay

Alton Jells 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 Johnson

Assistant General Manager, East Bay Regional Parks and Executive Director, Regional Parks Foundation

William “Bill” Riley

President of Board of Trustees, Peralta Community College

William is a Merritt College alumnus who has served in public education for over 30 years, including in the Oakland, East Palo Alto/Ravenswood and San Ramon School districts. He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Policy and a B.A. in Sociology and Physical Education from the University of San Francisco and an M.A. in Educational Administration from San Francisco State University.

Dr. Roy Wilson Ed.D,

Executive 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.

Founding Chair

The Honorable Barbara Lee Congresswoman

13th-CD, California Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a forceful and progressive...

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.

Staff

Meet Our Staff

Dr. Roy Wilson

Executive Director

Dr. Roy Wilson, Program Director, holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University, and an M.A. in Creative Writing and a B.A. in English both from the University of Washington. Roy 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.

Dr. Karen Bohlke

Director of Government and External Relations

Dr. Karen Bohlke, Director of Government and External Affairs for the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center, 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.

Angela Drake

Community Organizer

Angela Drake has been studying ethical leadership and community organizing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center since the sixth grade. In addition to traveling on and key noting the Faith and Politics Civil Rights Pilgrimage with diverse members of Congress, Angela has presented keynote addresses and facilitated classes in regions of the West Coast. Angela joined the Freedom Center staff as a community organizing intern in 2017 while in high school-- class of 2019 Castlemont High School, Oakland Unified School District. Angela in trained as a co-facilitator of the ethical leadership classes at the Freedom Center, and actively carries out organizing on statewide and regional community civic engagement projects.

Natnael Gebremariam

Educational Services and Research Staff

Natnael Demeke Gebremariam is currently the Educational Services and Research Staff for the Freedom Center. He has an extensive experience in areas of human right, parliamentary processes and capacity building at a national level. As part of his work Natnael had visited and investigated human right situations in Ethiopia by visiting various federal prisons, human right institutions, courts in the country with parliamentary standing committee. He has visited and lived in many countries in Africa, Europe and North America which gave him an invaluable opportunity to meet people from various backgrounds. Natnael graduated from the university of Warwick (UK) and Lund University (Sweden) with a joint master’s degree in economic development and growth.

Scott Horton

Communications Consultant

Scott Horton joins the Freedom Cetner 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.

Karen Bustamante

Educational Services Staff

Karen Bustamante, Educational Services Staff, is a graduate of the Freedom Center. She has been studying Ethical Leadership and Community Organizing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center since high school. She has traveled up and down the West Coast with the Freedom Center as an intern on various Summer Civic Engagement Tours and has traveled to Selma, Alabama for the Faith and Politics Civil Rights Pilgrimage for the 50th Anniversary of the Marches from Selma to Montgomery. She has organized for various Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series and has facilitated a multitude of Leadership Poetry Workshops. In May of 2019, Karen graduated with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Writing from the University of California, Merced. She is taking a gap year, taking on managerial responsibilities of the educational services team, and plans on attending law school.

Kei Yamamoto

Educational Services Staff

Kei Yamamoto, Educational Services Staff 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.

Mary Maaliyah Tieh

Educational Services Staff

Mary Maaliyah Tieh, Social Justice Community Organizer for the Freedom Center is from Sierra Leone, West Africa. She came to the United States at a very young age and lived in New Mexico her whole life. After graduating from High school, her family moved to Columbus, Ohio. She is the second youngest of eight kids and is the first to graduate college. She obtained her degree from New Mexico State University in Criminal Justices.

Sawait Seyoum

Civic Engagement Statewide and Sacramento Hub Consultant

Maira Perez Velasquez

Educational Services Director

Maira Perez Velasquez serves as Educational Services Director, for the Martin Luther King Jr Freedom Center. Maira is a trained Ethical Leadership Coach, having studied principles of nonviolence and community organizing with the Institute for Community leadership in Kent, Washington and with the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center since the 7th grade. Maira has traveled with the Freedom Center speaking at national education conferences in Washington DC, seven states, and the Yurok and Quinault Indian Nations. Maria took lead roles in Freedom Center youth delegations to Memphis, guests of Congresswoman Barbara Lee to the Reopening of the National Civil Rights Museum, and another to Ferguson, Mo.. Maira has presented papers, seminars and served as panel presenter at various conferences and convenings, with a focus on race and class equity. Maira is a first generation high school graduate, bilingual, the daughter of a Mexican immigrant family. She has a Public Policy degree from Mills College in Oakland and plans to attend law school fall of 2018.

Char Potes

Community Organizer

Community Organizer Char Potes lives in Oakland, California and is a junior at Alameda Science and Technology Institute. He has been a part of the Freedom Center for three years and has worked as a coach in many different ways. He facilitates leadership classes and organizes events and students for the Freedom Center's programs.

David Gaines

Washington DC Liaison

Mary Arlene Shelton

Administrative Support Specialist

Mary Arlene Shelton, Administrative Support Specialist for the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center, is a highly skilled and goal oriented team player, with over 15 years of community outreach experience within non profit organizations in the US and abroad. At the Freedom Center, Mary assists with staffing the agency, office management, HR duties, formal correspondence and scheduling meetings for the Executive Director and the Director of Government and External Relations, recruitment/integration of interns and volunteers, agency database, IT problem solving, and oversight/cultivation of corporate sponsors for the Barbara Lee & Elihu Harris Lecture Series.

James Calhoun

Videography and Production

Kathy Neal

Government and Community Engagement Consultant

Kathy Neal, Government and Community Engagement has over 35 years in business management, more than 25 years of public sector involvement, and served for 15 years in statewide and local government regulatory and policy-making positions. She is recognized for multi-faceted strategic thinking & organizational abilities combined with a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of all people. Kathy represented the California State Assembly on both the CA Integrated Waste Management Board and State Bar Board of Governors, was a gubernatorial appointee to the CA Community Colleges Board of Governors and a Port of Oakland Commissioner. She is elected to and an officer of the Alameda County Democratic Party, President of the Oakland Community Fund and has been on numerous non-profit and community service boards. A published author, Kathy earned a BA in Political Science from the California State University at Los Angeles; a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco; and two Business Management Certificates from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.

Isabella "Bella" Lopez

Educational Services Staff

Isabella "Bella" Lopez, Educational Services Staff, is originally from Southern California and moved to the Bay Area four years ago to study at San Jose State University. During her time at San Jose State University, she studied abroad at the University of Oslo in Norway. She was involved in a LGBT community organization and studied Norwegian society and life. Within San Jose State University she was a member of the SJSU Women’s Rugby Club and became the Treasurer in the 2018-2019 year. She graduated the summer of 2019 from San Jose State University with a B.A. in Anthropology, with a concentration in Cultural Anthropology.”

Jana Jordan-Fisher

Business Manager

Jana Jordan-Fisher, Business Manager, 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.

Shukri Noor

Bookkeeper

Board of Directors

The Honorable Elihu Harris

Saundra Andrews

Michael Lighty

Royl L. Roberts JD, MBA

Audree Jones-Taylor

Alton Jelks

Carol Johnson

William “Bill” Riley

Dr. Roy Wilson Ed.D,

Founding Chair

Staff

Dr. Roy Wilson

Dr. Karen Bohlke

Angela Drake

Natnael Gebremariam

Scott Horton

Karen Bustamante

Kei Yamamoto

Mary Maaliyah Tieh

Sawait Seyoum

Maira Perez Velasquez

Char Potes

David Gaines

Mary Arlene Shelton

James Calhoun

Kathy Neal

Isabella "Bella" Lopez

Business Office

Jana Jordan-Fisher

Shukri Noor

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