Who we are

Hollis M. Pierce, Ed.D.
(Organization and Leadership)

Hollis is the founder of Hollis Pierce & Associates, a LLC which provides educational consulting, professional leadership development for principals and teachers and parent advocacy involving current educational issues. While the focus is on education, the consulting extends to all organizations around leadership, building infrastructure and sustainability. School evaluations work is also part of the practice and primarily focuses on charter schools, but can be customized to the needs of all clients seeking a continuous improvement model. Her clients include for profit and non-profits organizations.

Hollis is also a Leadership and Life Coach. �Be the change. Coaching focuses on empowering clients to set goals and experience positive results. The coaching practice involves one-on-one coaching and �Mastermind. group coaching models. The H.O.P.E.C.H.E.S.T. Initiative (Helping Other Parents Educate; Children Helping Each Student Transform) was initiated in Fall 2009 with a series of Parent Workshops for schools and non-profit organizations raising awareness of how to gain access to quality schooling and to demand the best educational advantage for all students.

In Fall 2008, she taught an undergraduate course, �Diversity in the Workplace� at Menlo College in Atherton, CA. Prior to that she was the Regional Director of School Evaluations for the KIPP Foundation (Knowledge is Power Program) a national network of charter schools. She also served as Knowledge Manager for the same organization. She has held positions in elementary school administration, and held teaching positions (grades 4-8). In addition to her educational experience, she has held Development positions in private and parochial elementary schools.

Prior to 1990, she held positions in the information systems environment as a Management Consultant. Hollis holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley, M.Ed in Curriculum Development from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, an Ed.D in Education (Organization and Leadership) at University of San Francisco.

She is certified to administer the latest California Psychological Inventory (CPI 260) assessment and interpret results for leaders and leaders in training. Hollis is currently on the Board of Directors for St. Anthony Foundation, and Parents for Public Schools.

She is committed to public education and is the proud mother of a 16 year-old daughter, who attends School of the Arts in San Francisco, as a junior.

Nannette Vides
Zumba Instructor~Fitness

ZUMBA combines high-energy and dynamic Latin rhythms with unique moves and combinations that allow ZUMBA participants to dance their worries and stress away. This is a great class that is fun and easy to do while allowing you to stick to the ZUMBA fitness program allowing you to achieve the long-term benefits of this fitness program. ZUMBA utilizes the principles of a fitness interval training and resistance training to maximize caloric output, fat burning and complete body toning. ZUMBA is a mixture of body sculpting movements with easy-to-follow dance steps. ZUMBA is a care free, energizing workout that is great for both body mind and, of course, the spirit!

Nannette Vides, a ZUMBA certified specialist, is an art importer and realtor by trade. However, her passion for dance is embedded in her soul; she enjoys sharing her energy and enthusiasm through her love of dance through the ZUMBA fitness program.

Nannette danced everywhere she would go as a child, making dance her second step next to walking. As a student and past performer of several dance forms and genres, Nannette performed with the San Mateo Civic Ballet Co., and today as an adult, she continues to study various Latin and African dances. As a dancer for Oxumare dance troupe in San Francisco, Nannette studied under Betho Filho, Benny Duarte, Gilda Maria, Conceicao Damasceno, Jackie Barnes and many other accomplished artists/ teachers in the Bay Area.

As a ZUMBA specialist, Nannette is excited to share her love for world rhythms, movements and dances with you and help YOU achieve YOUR fitness goals!

Carla Walden, MA
(Educational Administration)

Carla is currently an educator in the Jefferson Elementary School District in Daly City, California. Her thirty years in education includes being a teacher, a reading specialist, a vice-principal, and a principal. Throughout her educational career, she has conducted numerous trainings for parents in the areas of literacy, nutrition and fitness, and school involvement. For her colleagues, she has conducted workshops on the use of effective strategies in the areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics.

Over the years, Mrs. Walden has observed an increasing number of children who are ill prepared for the rigorous standards required by school systems. Over the years, she has seen health issues such as asthma, obesity, and chronic illnesses cause an increased number of absenteeism and learning difficulties in school. According to research findings cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Hunger and food insufficiency in children are associated with poor behavioral and academic functioning."

As a Life Coach, Carla's focus on Health and Wellness strives to empower families with the tools and strategies that will stimulate discussion, awareness, and ultimately changes in behaviors that will significantly improve the health and wellness of children and their families. Experiences during her career have proven to her that when families are healthy, children are more prepared to take full advantage of their educational opportunities.

Carla Walden currently lives in the community where she works with her youngest daughter, Charity, who attends Skyline College. Her oldest daughter, Barbara and granddaughter Lia, live in San Francisco.

Cathy Jackson, A.I.F.A.
Registered Investment Advisor

Cathy Jackson, is a Registered Investment Advisor, a licensed life and disability insurance Agent and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst. She is Founder and CEO of Global Investment Company, a Financial Advisory and Business Consulting Firm since 1984. She entered the financial services industry in 1986 Cathy has built a clientele that consists of individuals as well as business owners, Foundations, financial institutions and churches. Cathy places emphasis on intelligent decisions by working closely with each client to develop a personalized financial plan. Knowledge and experience play key roles in helping Cathy's clients more effectively work toward their financial goals.

Cathy is active in the community. She conducts financial planning seminars on a regular basis and financial literacy programs for educational institutions. In 1999, she founded of the Women's Chamber of Commerce, Inc. A frequent guest speaker for various groups as well as serving as Chair, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Advisory Council and Chairperson for more than eight years for the State of California, Small Business Employers Advisory Council (SBEAC), she has written several articles that have been published in the Minority Education and Employment Newspaper Agency (MEENA), The Post Newspapers and other publications. Cathy is the former host of, Financing Your Life, a live talk radio show.

After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science degree, Cathy earned her Management Development for Entrepreneurs Certificate from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles and her A.I.F.A. designation from the University of Pittsburgh, Center of Fiduciary Studies.

Dr. Camille A. Smith

Dr. Camille A. Smith is an educator with over 18 years experience in the field of education as an elementary school teacher and a principal at both the middle and high school level. Dr. Smith was a consultant with the California Department of Education in the School Reform, High School Leadership and Professional Development Divisions.

She is a cultural diversity consultant, and has facilitated teacher and parent workgroups in several school districts throughout California. She has presented workshops on issues on equity, and closing the achievement gap at numerous statewide educational conferences.

Currently, she is an administrator in the field of early learning addressing health and school readiness issues of children 0-5. Dr. Smith has both a Masters of Science and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership.

James Cook

James Cook's fitness expertise originates from his experience as professional Muay Thai Kickboxing and MMA fighter. He continues to compete in his late 30's, where most of the people he began competing with in the early 1990's have long since retired. James attributes his ability to continue fighting at a high-level, due to his willingness to consider alternative training and fitness methods. Over the years, James has codified these different alternative training routines into different types of mainstream bootcamps and athletic conditioning sessions. James is also certified Spinning instructor.

James started his Muay Thai career at Minnesota Martial Arts Academy- the fight factory also known for producing the likes of Sean Sherk, Brock Lesner, Nick Thompson, Eric Paulson, Dave Menne, Katlin Young, and Brock Larson. James came to the Bay Area in 1998 after he fought on the same show as the late Alex Gong. He continues to train at Fairtex with Jongsanan and Ganyao as well as Fight and Fitness. In addition to having fought on nearly every continent and Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, James� notable opponents include Mailaphet, B.M. Sassaprapas, and Danny Steele. When James started training for MMA fights, he sought jiu-jitsu instruction from Marin MMA and Ralph Gracie as well as Jake Shields. Notable UFC fighters such as Sean Sherk and Dan Henderson have brought James into their training camps in order to sharpen their stand up game. Similarly, the US Army Military Combatives Program hired James as an independent contractor to train the101st Airborne as well as 5th Group Special Forces.

James' ring name, "The Professor", is derivative of his educational accomplishments. James is a proud alumni of Howard University in Washington, D.C. He holds an M.A. in Literature from University of Colorado Boulder, where he taught literature and creative writing. He missed his M.A. graduation ceremony in order to compete in Golden Gloves, which he won that year. Three hours before his fight he successfully defended his thesis. James also completed law school in San Francisco and recently took the CA State bar.

Titles:
US Muay Thai Title
ISKA Muay Thai Champion
IKF Muay Thai Title
2 xs Golden Gloves (Minnesota and Colorado)
Princess Cup 96 - Bronze Medalist

Miguel G. Lopez
Professional Biography

Dr. Miguel G. Lopez is an Assistant Professor of Multicultural Education at California State University at Monterey Bay in the Liberal Studies Department. Prior to his current position, he was an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. He was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley where he specialized in the study of bilingualism, literacy, and educational anthropology. He was an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at New York University before joining the faculty at USF.

Dr. Lopez has conducted research within and written on a variety of educational issues related to the Chinese in the United States. He currently has analyzed the sociocultural and historical content of over 150 picture books on the Chinese community. He plans to write a book that will support classroom teachers more extensive use of children's picture books to teach elementary aged children about the Chinese community. He was awarded a USF Jesuit Foundation fellowship to expand his research on the Chinese to incorporate other immigrant communities.

Dr. Lopez has worked extensively in the field of bilingual education. For six years he worked as a consultant in an evaluation of the Oakland Unified School District's bilingual education program. This work required him to work closely with teachers, principals, and school administrators to improve bilingual programs and classroom teaching across the district, especially in schools that were highly impacted with English language learners.

Before his tenure at NYU, Professor Lopez was on the faculty of Asian American Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, various departments at Shantou University, The People's Republic of China, and the Education Division of the Extension Program at the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught courses on the education of Asian Americans and the adaptation of Southeast Asians.

His past and current research examines the public school experiences of ethnic, Chinese, Southeast Asians, and Spanish-speaking populations. His interests focus on the practices and beliefs of bilingual teachers, historical research on the Chinese in the public schools, and community and classroom based on literacy practices among refugee communities. Dr. Lopez' publications have focused on education of Chinese and Southeast Asian immigrants and issue of language assessment and diversity in the United States.

At USF, Professor Lopez taught courses on bilingual education, children's multicultural literature, qualitative research methods, and literacy. Most recently, he presented at the Teachers for Social Justice Conference at Mission High School in San Francisco.

Professor Lopez has fluency in English, Kymer, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Ms. Barbara Howard
Mother-Entrepreneur-
Mentor-Poetress

Ms. Howard has lived in the bay area for over 40 years. She is a mother of 2 Le'Andre Boddie and Shan'Drea Lewis. She also is a partner in their family business, Wendy's Cheesecake Bakery which has been serving the Bay Area for over 30 years, a partner in the Daughter's of Wendy's Cheesecake Bakery #2, Wendy's Le'Royalty Ladies Catering Service, and the C.E.O. & Founder of B.H. Brilliant Minds Project Inc.

The journey, she has embarked upon, has been given to her, by her Lord Jesus Christ and her Ancients. She has chosen to make a difference, in people lives with words of Encouragement Empowerment Workshops, Transformation of the Mind Mentoring Tours called, "Taking Control of your own Destiny" and Community Events, just to name a few events are as followed:

Juneteen Celebration/Urban Services East Bay YMCA M.R.B. Located in West Oakland 2009. Kwanzaa & Christmas Gift Show Fashion Show 2006 - Current. Black Repertory Theater Wendy's Cheesecake Le'Royalty Ladies Catering Service, "The Just Be Unique Fashion Show." Extraordinary Individuals That Make It Happen! The 4th Annual Black History Celebrations (Recognizing Pioneers that know Integrity and Character makes a Difference in the World). Embracing the Minds of the Future to Reach for Excellence and Success with Strong Minds. (Supporting and Helping Our Own to the Next Level). Tours to Police Department - Chief Word; Sharon Kidd-Lewis; Brenda Ivey. Tours to Public Defenders Office Jeff Adachi of San Francisco Courts. Tours to Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse - Superior Judge David Krashna; Superior Judge Gloria Ryan. Tours to Alameda County Public Health Department - Supervisor Keith Carson. Education is the Best Medicine - Founder George Pearson. Tours to Museums, Doctors Office, Lawyers, Engineers, Business Owners, Etc.

Ms. Howard is on the board of The Women Chamber Commerce of Oakland, California with C.E.O. Cathy Jackson. She has a column in the Meena Newspaper "Inspirational Messages." She's one of the Coordinator of B MAGIC "Mobilization Adolescent Growth in our Communities" Program with Jeff Adachi out of the Public Defender office of San Francisco. Ms. Howard started a 501(3)c Non-Profit Organization, B.H. Brilliant Minds Project Inc which is a mentoring program helping youth and their families, Take Control of their own Destiny, encouraging and teaching them that what ever they set their minds in life to do can be done by trusting and believing in God and Self. She's also the after school coordinator of Y.A.H. Village, The M.R.B. Urban Services YMCA of the East Bay, located in West Oakland. She's a performer of Spoke Words Artist with the Extraordinary Group call the Jazz Hieroglyphics featuring Maestro Brain of San Francisco, Ca. has performed with the band, X-Pression (Legendary band leader and founder of Earth, Wind & Fire - Mr. Maurice White). Worked with the Fedora Group of Oakland, California on several special events. Ms. Howard is determined to make a difference in the world, and be a role model, like her fore fathers and mothers.