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Our Team

Jennifer Peck, Executive Director 

Bio: Joining the Partnership in 2001, Jennifer designed and implemented the organization's efforts to finance and build after school programs in the region's poorest communities. Since becoming Executive Director in 2003, Jennifer has grown the Partnership's scope to include support for the development of children's health and mental health programs in addition to after school programs.

Jennifer has also built the Partnership's role as an effective advocacy organization, working with policy makers on behalf of low-income schools and community organizations to improve the effectiveness of a variety of funding streams for youth programs. In 2006, she led policy development on Senate Bill 638, which dramatically reformed California's after school funding to better serve the highest need communities. For this work, Senator Tom Torlakson named Jennifer "Woman of the Year" in 2008 for his Senate District.

Jennifer serves as an Executive Board Member and Policy Chair of the California After School Network and serves on the board of the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund.

Prior to her position with the Partnership, Jennifer spent eight years as an appointee of President Bill Clinton at the U.S. Department of Education, both in Washington, D.C. and in San Francisco, working to implement a range of initiatives including student loan reform, School-to-Work, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Jennifer has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Women's Studies from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

Katie Brackenridge, Director, Out of School Time Initiatives

Bio: Katie joined the Bay Area Partnership in 2004, and directs the After School Initiative. Through this work, Katie designed the Partnership's Sustainability Project and has led more than twenty school-based and community-based after school programs through a process to design sustainability plans that support high quality programming. Katie also oversees technical assistance for Proposition49/ASES and 21st Century Community Learning Center grantees around the Bay Area, helping them apply for funding and implement high quality programs . She has worked with more than 40 elementary, middle and high school grantees over the past 3 years. She also supports the Partnership's policy work.

Katie has been teaching, managing and providing technical assistance to after school programs since 1990. Most recently, she spent nine years directing a community-based organization, the Jamestown Community Center, which provides comprehensive after school services to young people in the Mission District of San Francisco. Katie has a Bachelor's degree in history from Williams College in Williamstown, MA and a master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Robin Ferguson, Director of Finance and Administration

Bio: Robin joined the Bay Area Partnership in 2007, and is responsible for all administrative areas of the organization. Robin has worked in a broad range of nonprofit organizations in New York City over the past 25 years, including a community foundation, a health education theater program for young people, and an organization that provides quality healthcare in underserved communities.  She has 16 years of experience in nonprofit management.  Her skills include financial management, grant writing, event planning, and office administration.

Kelly Larson, Office Manager

Bio: Kelly handles the day-to-day operations of the office, as well as Event Planning, Travel Management, and Logistics. She is also managing the E-newsletter and website updates. Kelly has over eight years experience working as an Administrative and Executive Assistant, as well as several years experience with Event and Meeting planning. Before joining the Partnership, she worked as a Sales Administrator for a human resources company based in San Leandro. Prior to this she worked as an Event Manager for a medical education company in Berkeley.

Kelly brings exceptional time management and organizational skills to the Partnership. Her skills allow the team to work more efficiently which provides them extra time to spend networking and raising funds for future endeavors. Kelly has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, MO.

Deanna Niebuhr, Director, School Health Initiatives

Bio: Since joining the Partnership in 2004, Deanna has overseen the Partnership’s work on child nutrition.  She leads the Partnership’s School Nutrition Initiative, managing outreach and ongoing technical support for 25 school-based nutrition education programs.  Deanna also directs the new School-Based Health Initiative, expanding the Partnership’s work into school-based health insurance outreach, enrollment activities and health care services.

Deanna’s work with school sites is complemented by her active role in local and state nutrition policymaking.  She is the chair of the Leadership Council of the Bay Area Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative (BANPAC) and a member of the steering committee for the California Nutrition Network Action (CANNACT).

Prior to her position with the Partnership, Deanna spent seven years working with adolescent girls in a group home and non-public school setting.  Later as an analyst for Alameda County’s Social Services Agency, she worked on child welfare policy issues both on the county and state level.  Deanna has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree in public policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley.