Michelle (she/her) brings over 20 years of public sector experience in the Bay Area, with 12 of those years as the OUSD Wellness Coordinator.  As the Director of Programs for The Center, she leads education, programming, partnership and policy work to bring better food and opportunities to our students, staff and families. Michelle is an Oakland Unified parent to two OUSD students and has a Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan.  

Kat (she/her) graduated from UCSC with a BA in American Studies and has an MS degree from Cal State in Educational Leadership. She holds a teaching credential and a Tier 2 administrative credential. Kat has a long history with OUSD. She began here in 1996 and has been a teacher, instructional facilitator, literacy coach, principal and Central Office partner. She is part of the Ed Programming Team at The Center and coordinates school gardens. While Kat was a teacher at Markham, she started a school garden there and is so happy that it is still a vibrant growing space! In her free time, she loves to garden (of course), exercise, run, read, eat delicious foods, play with my family and friends, have adventures, and travel.

Lydia Yamaguchi (she/they) believes in joyous connection and thriving communities - in Oakland and everywhere! They work in support of the District’s Wellness Policy, Site Wellness Champion program, nutrition and garden education, and meaningful student engagement for The Center at OUSD. Lydia also served as a nutrition and garden educator in Oakland through FoodCorps. When not working, you may find Lydia cooking, biking around, taking care of plants, or working on things for Story Time with Mr. Limata!

Sarah (she/her) joined Oakland Unified School District in 2010. She taught Biology at Skyline High School and 8th Grade Science at Life Academy. After teaching she joined the OUSD Science team working as a high school specialist and NGSS Coordinator, supporting K-12 science teaching and learning and District-wide science events like the Science Fair and Dinner with a Scientist. Sarah is passionate about getting students learning and exploring outside, building curriculum around authentic, community-centric projects and supporting student-led efforts to bring more environmental and climate change education to the District. As Education Coordinator at The Center, Sarah works with the team to design and support K-12 student programming, including Field Trips to The Center and in the community, high school internships and more. When not at work Sarah enjoys hiking and trying to complete the East Bay Regional Park District's yearly Trail Challenge, sending letters through the mail and meeting with her Book Club The Page Turners.

Troy (he/him) started his journey working with Oakland Unified School District in 2023 as The Center’s Nutrition and Garden Education Specialist. He received two B.S. degrees in Biology and Secondary Education from the University of Nevada before continuing on to become a 9th-grade Biology teacher in Reno, NV. Several formative years later, he went back to school and earned a Master’s degree in Learning Sciences and Human Development from the University of California, Berkeley. He is now pursuing his passion for teaching unforgettable garden-to-table field trips to OUSD learners at The Center. In his free time, he loves traveling and spending every opportunity he can exploring the world. He's been to 34 states and 23 countries from Albania to Thailand. Outside is where he finds peace and is an avid climber, biker, yogi, and backpacker. He's excited to foster learner’s love for the natural world and create a space full of reciprocity and joy.

I’m Manuel (he/him) but I go by Manny or Manu. This is my second year working at The Center and  was previously Garden Steward  at Cleveland Elementary. As the Garden Specialist I support  school site gardens and The Center Gardens. I grew up in Mexico and have lived in various places since. I’ve been in Oakland for 4 years now. I completed a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Central Florida. For the last 8  years I have worked with various urban farm projects focused on building community through plants, culture and food. I’m excited to be part of such a meaningful mission to connect food, health and sustainability with our OUSD community. 

Hello! I'm Chere (she/her). I grew up in Florida and graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2022 with a BS in Biology. I’ve officially lived in the Bay Area for over a year now and have loved exploring all the local ecosystems. I am especially  interested in the intersection between humans and the environment and learning about how we alter the world we live in.

My name is Julia Hansen (she/her) and I am a passionate regenerative farmer, mental health activist, wellness practitioner and nature enthusiast! I graduated in 2022 from Occidental College in LA with a degree in Urban and Environmental Policy with a focus on food justice. Urban agriculture is such an energizing field for me and I am grateful to grow as an environmental activist and educator.

Hello! My name is Natalie (she/her). I am originally from Berkeley, California, and recently finished a master’s degree in environmental geography in England. I studied Society and Environment and journalism at UC Berkeley, worked for a little in Colorado as a journalist and Berlin as a marketer, and am overjoyed to be a fellow at The Center and work in the nexus I am most passionate about– food systems and environmental education. 

Hi!! My name is Genevieve (she/her). I grew up in Chicago, IL and recently graduated from Northwestern University where I studied civil engineering and environmental policy & culture. I wrapped up a summer at UC Berkeley studying urban planning just before starting at The Center, which led me to fall in love with the Bay Area, and explore the topic of urban access to nature further.

My name is Gus, my pronouns are he/they. I recently completed a BA in political science after a few years at Diablo Valley College and then UC Berkeley. I am from Concord but moved out to Berkeley in 2020 and have lived in there since. Most of my work experience has involved food in some way– partly because I love to work with my hands, but more recently I found that my interest in food and agriculture is rooted in finding what development looks like for people, not profit– and on their own terms.

My name is Char, my pronouns are he/him. I recently graduated as a transfer (from Peralta colleges) from UC Berkeley with a degree in Rhetoric, and I am very passionate about topics related to food justice, sustainability,  and teaching/learning about food as a way to improve all aspects of our life. In my free time, I love to cook (and eat), draw, crochet, and garden. I've lived in the Bay Area most of my life, and used to live nearby The Center, so I'm glad I can contribute to a community I grew up in.