Ed Center

Program Coordinator, Balboa High School

"Ed takes every opportunity, be it a behind-closed-doors Board meeting, an all-hands, or an op-ed, to call out the relationship between race, oppression, and poverty, and to demand that people being marginalized sit at the center of the conversation about how to reduce marginalization. Ed celebrates the whole young person, with education a critical but not comprehensive part of their success. As a soccer coach, Ed pushes kids to excel in an entirely different domain than he does in his day job. In conversations amongst parents, Ed is a thoughtful, solution-oriented voice who delights in problem solving and always promotes the agency of children as whole people in his approach. He is a beloved former Peers Coordinator of Balboa High School; his impact is immeasurable."

Ed Center is passionate about ending poverty through educational equity. From running the Peer Resource program in the basement of Balboa High School to trying to shift college success outcomes for low-income students across the Bay Area, his career has consistently focused on helping young people thrive. Ed believes that leadership is the key to all social change. As such, all his work has focused on building leadership and movement building at multiple levels. While he does this with executive directors, funders, and government officials, nothing has been as rewarding as helping young people unlock their own power. Ed brings innovation, thoughtfulness and laughter to his work. He plays and coaches soccer, loves distance running, and cooks a mean barbecue. He studied English Literature at UC Davis.

"There are lots of big things I've done and bigger things that I have yet to do. But when it really comes down to it, I want every person that I come into contact with to feel a little bit of joy."

Ed Center