First Graduate

First Graduate's staff bring years of rich experience, diverse expertise, and deep commitment to the program. More than half of the staff are first-generation college graduates.

Thomas Ahn (B.A., Yale University; Ed.M., Harvard University) Executive Director. Previously Managing Director of First Graduate 2001-2008 and former Director, ECO Center, S.F. Conservation Corps 1989-2001. First-generation college graduate.

Kennette A. Banks (B.A., Swarthmore College) Program Associate - High School Team. Previously Program Associate at Summer Search (2008-2009) and an Admission Counselor at Swarthmore College (2006-2008).

Ines Barbosa (B.A., M.A. Stanford University) Senior Program Associate - College Team. Previously Youth Development Specialist, Peace Corps, Costa Rica 1999-2001. First in family to graduate college.

Laura Brief (B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison; Ed.M. & M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University) Director of Strategic Partnerships. Previously National Director of Corporate Relations and Career Programs at The Posse Foundation (2000- 2007). Served as a therapist for young people and survivors of trauma in underserved communities (1997-2000).

Anders Fairbanks (B.A., Colorado College) Program Associate - Middle School Team. Previously math teacher, Gateway High School in San Francisco (2005 - 2011).  Also a Teach for America corps member with Middle School 302 in Bronx, New York (2003 - 2005).

Terri Forman, CFRE, (B.A., University of Miami; MSOD, University of San Francisco expected December 2012) Director of Development. As an established leader in nonprofit Development and Marketing Communications, Terri has helped raised close to half a billion dollars for nonprofit organizations and is the recipient of more than 100 awards for advertising and communications management. 

Crystal Higgins-Peterson (B.A., University of Iowa) Development & Communications Associate. Previously worked at Razorfish, one of the world's largest digital marketing firms, doing internal marketing and public relations.  Crystal also served as a communications manager in the wine industry, and for the tech start-up Zuberance. First in family to graduate college.

Anthony Mickens (B.A., Claremont McKenna College) Program Director. Previously Community Partnership Liaison, Stanford University's John Gardner Center for Youth and Their Community.  First in family to graduate college.

Angely A. Miranda (B.A., San Francisco State University) Program Associate - High School Team. Previously Asset Coach for Fostering the Future, Youth and Family Enrichment Services. First-generation college graduate.

Barry X. Nelson (B.A., Georgetown University) Program Associate - Middle School Team. Previously Senior Case Manager, Family Service Agency of San Francisco's Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program 2002-2007.  First-generation college graduate.

Andres V. Paez (B.A., Stanford University) Director of Operations. Previously Program Manager, Youth Radio 2005-2007. First-generation college graduate.

Ashley Serra (B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz) Operations Associate. Previously worked at BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition) a non-profit media arts center as the Training and Resources Lead 2008 - 2010. 

Ann Schnuer (B.S.W.,Bradley University; MSW, University of Illinois-Chicago) Program Associate, High School Team. Previously Academic Program Coordinator at College Track, and the Director of Programs and Operations for VE Global, a NGO located in Santiago, Chile. Served as a School Social Worker in Chicago Public Schools.

Megan Stallworth (B.A. Barnard College, Columbia University; M.S. Brooklyn College, City College of New York) Academic Program Associate. An experienced math and test-preparation educator who served as the direct liaison to state and city of Brooklyn, NY regarding Regents examinations. Trained as a Math Immersion Fellow with the New York City Teaching Fellows.