Board of Directors

We are a 100% volunteer-run organization with a dedicated and diverse board of directors. In partnership with our volunteers and community groups, we continually develop and enhance our program offerings to stay relevant to the youth we serve.


Milad Yazdanpanah Chairperson Executive Director	Milad Yazdanpanah is What Now America’s Executive Director. He started the non-profit with a conviction and passion to do something positive in his community and make a difference. With no funds and no location, he started reaching out to donors and community members, researching what was most needed in West Oakland. As a result of that groundwork, Milad and a group of professionals created the successful What Now America program that has kept its doors open every single Saturday for almost 5 years. Milad has developed a key position of trust with the youth and their families and made WNA a valued member of the Oakland community. Milad works as a Sr. Business Analyst for Blackbaud, which helps non-profit clients deliver online CRM and CMS business solutions. Milad has a B.A in Business/Neuroscience and a Masters in Demography from the University of California, Berkeley. Milad is the recipient of the 2012 Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service.


Jana Hiraga Associate Director	Jana Hiraga serves as What Now America’s Associate Director and was one of its founding members. She manages the organization’s outreach to its community members and oversees operations and special projects. Jana incorporates her diverse background into many aspects of the program where students, parents and the community benefit. Jana is currently the Program Director at the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland directing the Youth Development and Eliminating Racism programs. These programs serve over ten underserved public schools and provide free services to over 300 vulnerable community members every week. She also works as a Human Trafficking consultant with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, conducting workshops to help end modern day slavery, and is also a lecturer at San Francisco State University. Jana Hiraga received her B.A in Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley and her Masters in Public Health focused in Community Health Education at San Francisco State University.


Leeann Alameda Communications Director	Leeann Alameda serves as What Now America’s Communications Director. In this role, she oversees the strategy and content for the organization's marketing and communications projects. Leeann has volunteered with WNA since 2009 and previously was the Volunteer Coordinator and Community Outreach Director. With a record of community involvement, Leeann believes that giving youth the resources they need to lead healthy and productive lives is crucial for a community’s well-being. Her background includes 15 years of experience in marketing, brand management and creative solutions. She was formerly Head of Marketing Creative Services at Pixar Animation Studios and is now Director of Communications at REDF (The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund). Leeann has a B.A. in Communications. Contact Leeann via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Jeff Chou Finance and Technology Director	Jeff Chou serves as What Now America's Finance and Technology Director. In this position, Jeff oversees WNA’s finances and maintains the communication systems, website, as well as develop analytics & surveys with the Development Director to evaluate the organization’s success. He has been a volunteer with What Now America since 2010, when he first led a monthly volunteer group from Convergence Church, which also meets in the DeFremery Recreation Center. Jeff believes that the shalom and the wholeness of the city must be sought by its citizens, through intentional engagement, and the connecting of resources to those without them. He's also a weekly reading tutor at nearby MLK Elementary School. Jeff graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Economics. He owns and runs an online retail business in West Oakland.


Carolyn Delfino Curriculum Director	Carolyn Delfino serves as What Now America’s Academic Curriculum Director. In this position, Carolyn develops grade appropriate curriculum and activities around What Now America’s Science, Language, Art and Math education program, and she oversees the girl’s and boy’s clubs. Previously, Carolyn worked as an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea, teaching students of all grade levels in various subjects. Currently she is the the Career and Technical Education Specialist of Oakland Unified School District. She is dedicated to eliminating the educational achievement gap in Oakland, and is very passionate about working with underserved communities. She also volunteers with Because Justice Matters, a San Francisco non-profit organization that serves women who are victims of sexual exploitation and domestic violence. Carolyn received her B.A in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.


Shruti Kothari Health and Wellness Director	Shruti Kothari serves as What Now America’s Health and Wellness Director. In this role, Shruti develops health and well-being curriculum and integration in the weekly program and annual events, supports the cooking program and helps find mental and physical health resources. Professionally, Shruti is the national lead for Kaiser Permanente home health, home based palliative care, and hospice care experience strategy and improvement, working with 19 home health and 15 hospice agencies across California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Prior to working for KP Shruti was a Community Mobilization Manager for the American Cancer Society. Shruti has also worked for Stanford Hospital and School of Medicine, working to improve community clinic partnerships. Shruti has conducted research regarding community clinic management, integrating cultural humility into medical school curriculum, and disparities in cancer screening rates. She received her BA from UCLA, and has a MPH in Health Policy and Management from UC Berkeley. Shruti is passionate about partnering with underserved communities, working with WNA students is the highlight of her week.


Ryan Lamberton Community Partnerships & Outreach Director	Ryan Lamberton serves as What Now America’s Community Partnerships & Outreach Director. He manages the organization’s community partnerships and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator. As an active West Oakland resident, Ryan is committed to celebrating the gifts and assets of Oakland, while collaborating with diverse individuals and groups so that the youth and families of Oakland can thrive. Ryan is currently the Community Engagement Coordinator of the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA) at Saint Mary's College of California. He directs service and leadership programs for undergraduate students of the college. Ryan has taught courses and workshops on leadership for social change, directed regional conferences on leadership for social justice, and in January of 2013 taught a service and social justice course in Rwanda. Ryan Lamberton received his B.A in English Literature and M.A in Counseling from Saint Mary's College of California.


Sukhdip Purewal Development Director	Sukhdip Purewal serves as What Now America’s Development Director. In this position, she will implement quality and sustainability for WNA through research, evaluation and grant-writing efforts. Sukh’s experience in research has covered many social and health topics including autism, school bullying, school-based success, youth development, homelessness, food insecurity, minority health, and chronic health at numerous organizations and institutions including UC Davis, San Francisco Department of Public Health, SF State University’s Health Equity Institute, UCSF and Stanford School of Medicine. Complementing her research work, Sukh has been dedicated to youth and the community through volunteer opportunities with school districts in the Sacramento and Fairfield areas, as well as the YWCA of Berkeley/Oakland. Sukh is currently a lecturer, program and research consultant at San Francisco State University. She received a B.S degree in Biotechnology and minor in Human Development at UC Davis, and a Masters in Public Health at San Francisco State University.
Mona Yazdanpanah Events and Activities Director	Mona Yazdanpanah serves as What Now America’s Events & Activities Director. In this position, Mona oversees the annual program and fundraising events. In 2006, Mona started collaborating and working with various non-profit organizations in Oakland. Since moving to the Bay Area, she has been reaching out to her community, believing that mentoring and leading our younger generation by example can play a significant role in addressing the challenges our youth face. Her goal is to empower young women from various backgrounds in order to build strong self-esteem, become peer role models and future leaders in their community. Mona has a B.A degree in philosophy from the California State University East Bay.

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