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Our Board

David J. Kears, Chair – Director, Alameda County Heath Care Services Agency

Bio: Mr. Kears began his career with Alameda County as a Psychiatric Social Worker in 1974.  In March 1986, Mr. Kears was appointed to the Agency Director position. As Director of the Health Care Services Agency, Mr. Kears provides overall direction, consultation, and trouble-shooting to the four major departments comprising the agency:  1) Indigent Care; 2) Public Health (including Emergency Medical Services); 3) Environmental Health Services; and 4) Behavioral Health Care Services (including Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Services).  From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Kears assumed the additional responsibility for developing a public/private Medi-Cal managed care program, the Alameda Alliance for Health, pursuant to the State of California Department of Health Services' directives.  The Alliance is now a fully licensed HMO composed of traditional Medi-Cal and safety net county and community providers.

Susan Adams, RN, CNP, PhD – Supervisor, Marin County, District 1

Bio: Susan Adams’ political background includes long term activism with nursing organizations. She was a nurse organizer and a nurse negotiator for the first union contract for the nurses at UCSF-Stanford, and is an active member of several nursing organizations. Professionally, she has been an associate professor at Dominican University in the School of Nursing, and worked in clinical practice at SF Kaiser and in a private OB/GYN practice.  Susan’s passion and specialty included working with mothers and pregnant women suffering substance abuse problems. Susan Adams completed her master's degree in nursing at UCSF in 1984, where she graduated as a maternity clinical specialist and a women's health nurse practitioner.  

Rose Jacobs-Gibson – Supervisor, San Mateo County, District 4

Bio: Rose Jacobs-Gibson first joined the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 1999 and was elected to a second four-year term in March 2004. In 2003, Supervisor Jacobs-Gibson was chosen to serve as President of the Board. She represents the 4th District, which includes the communities of Redwood City, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and unincorporated North Fair Oaks and Oak Knoll.  Prior to her service on the Board, Supervisor Jacobs-Gibson was a member of the East Palo Alto City Council from 1992 to 1999, serving as Mayor in 1995 and 1996. In 1999, Supervisor Jacobs-Gibson accepted the honor of being selected "Woman of the Year" by the 21st Assembly District, California State Legislature. She was also the founder of H.A.G.A.R., a community-based, nonprofit organization that provided services to women and their families, placing a special emphasis on support for single women rearing sons.

John Gioia – Supervisor, Contra Costa County, District 1

Bio: John Gioia represents District One (West County) on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.  He was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006, and represents the communities of El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, El Sobrante, Kensington, Montalvin Manor, North Richmond, East Richmond Heights and Rollingwood.   Supervisor Gioia currently serves as Chair of the Board of Supervisors. John is a member of the Board’s Finance Committee and serves on numerous other regional and county boards and commissions. John grew up in West Contra Costa County where he graduated from El Cerrito High School and the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. with highest honors in Political Science and earned his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley.   John practiced business and land use law in San Francisco and Richmond until his election to the Board of Supervisors.

Loni Hancock – State Assemblymember, 14th Assembly District

Bio: Loni Hancock is now serving in her second term as the representative of the 14th Assembly District. Hancock sits on several legislative committees, including as Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Education, Committee on Housing and Community Development and the Budget Committee Subdivision 1, Health and Human Services. Before her election to the Assembly, Hancock headed the western regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education.  Working with schools, communities and state and local governments, she helped launch many of President Clinton’s education initiatives.  She previously served as mayor of Berkeley for two terms, where she balanced seven straight city budgets, forged a historic agreement between the city and the University of California, successfully launched an economic development initiative, and brought a much needed focus to school-community partnerships. Assemblywoman Hancock also served as President Jimmy Carter's Regional Director for ACTION, overseeing a host of domestic volunteer programs including VISTA, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

Alice Lai-Bitker – Supervisor, Alameda County, District 3

Bio: Alice Lai-Bitker was appointed to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in 2000, and was elected to retain her post in 2002 and 2006.  She represents District 3, which includes San Leandro, Alameda, San Lorenzo, Ashland, Hillcrest Knolls and the Fruitvale, San Antonio, Chinatown portions of Oakland. Alice chairs the Board's Health Committee, serves on the Board's Social Service Committee, and is a member of the Alameda County Interagency Children's Policy Council. In addition, she serves on numerous other regional and county boards and commissions. Prior to the Board of Supervisors, she served as a staff assistant to Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan from 1995 to 2000.  In that capacity, Alice was instrumental in shaping the county's policies and programs related to social services and health care, particularly mental health, child welfare, and welfare reform. Alice received her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Hong Kong Shue Yan College in 1981 and a Master's degree in Social Work at San Francisco State University in 1987.

Yvette Radford-Tucker – Public Affairs Leader, Kaiser Permanente Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

Bio: As Public Affairs Leader, Radford-Tucker is responsible for Community Relations programs and activities throughout Northern California.  Additionally, she has oversight for government relations, internal communications and community benefit in the East Bay Area.  Yvette also provides leadership and consultation for some of Kaiser Permanente's strategic projects and initiatives nationally.  Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Ms. Radford worked for 12 years in the California State Legislature.  Yvette serves on the governing boards for numerous community organizations including: the Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, Black Women Organized for Political Action, The Contra Costa College Foundation, The VanGuard Public Foundation and the Oakland Workforce Investment Board.

Lisa Villarreal – Program Officer, Education, The San Francisco Foundation

Bio: Lisa is an education professional with over 25 years of experience as a teacher, counselor, and administrator, with expertise in collaborative programs, professional development, and grantmaking. She has worked with students, teachers, parents, administrators, community partners, and funders at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Lisa previously served as executive director for the Center for Cooperative Research and Extension Services for Schools (CRESS Center) at the UC Davis School of Education. Lisa's background includes local work at the San Mateo County Office of Education; high school, middle school, elementary school, and preschool teaching; and extensive counseling, intervention, and youth development experience. Her national experience includes serving as vice chair for the National Coalition for Community Schools and consulting for the Annenberg Institute on School Reform at Brown University, as well as for the Council of Chief State School Officers. She has written on and published a range of education, counseling, and youth development subjects. A California native of Mexican-American descent, Lisa earned her Bachelors in Psychology from Simpson University and Masters in Education from San Francisco State University.

David Kakishiba – Executive Director, East Bay Asian Youth Center

Bio: David Kakishiba serves as the Executive Director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC), a private non-profit community-building organization based in Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood district. EBAYC provides long-term comprehensive support to a racially and culturally diverse membership of over 1,200 children, youth, and their families. David has been the Executive Director since 1980.

David is the author of Measure K – The Kids First! Initiative, Oakland's landmark ballot measure requiring the City of Oakland to protect and expand funding for children and youth services. Kids First! passed with nearly 75% of the vote in November 1996, and today, it generates over $10 million each year for children services without raising taxes. David has helped found several Oakland-based youth organizations, including Oakland Kids First, Youth Together, and Youth Sounds. David is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Partnership and the Board of Trustees of the Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority.

In March 2002, David Kakishiba was elected to the Oakland Board of Education, representing District Two (San Antonio, Eastlake, Chinatown, Bella Vista, Haddon Hill, GrandLake, and Crocker Highlands neighborhoods). David was re-elected to a second term in June 2006, and he is currently serving his third term as President of the Board of Education.