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Gwyneth Galbraith is a strategic development consultant with more than 25 years of experience creating successful strategies to develop, fund, and implement high-impact programs focused on financial inclusion, economic development, and education. Her consulting practice offers expert research, analysis, strategy development, and thought partnership to non-profit organizations and leaders looking for new ideas and a fresh perspective. Previously, Gwyneth served as Chief Development Officer at Opportunity Fund, a leading Community Development Financial Institution providing responsible financial products to underserved entrepreneurs and communities. During her 15+ year tenure, she helped build Opportunity Fund into the nation’s largest nonprofit lender to small businesses. She has also served as Development Director at UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago. Gwyneth holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Rosa Luevano joined the BCS board in early 2020; she has been an active volunteer in the Berkeley public schools since 1996 when her first child entered elementary school. Having three children go through the BUSD has kept her busy for the last 23 years. Her involvement took her from a PTA member to President of the PTA at both the elementary and middle schools. At BHS she joined and led the Berkeley High School Development Group for 6 years. Rosa’s interest in the Berkeley Community Scholars stems from her experience as an immigrant and first-generation college-educated person that benefited from scholarships and support systems. Being in a position to have an impact on the next generation has been an important goal that her family is intent on achieving. Rosa and her husband Charles have been Berkeley residents since 1980 and supporters of the Berkeley Community Scholars since 2016. In June 2020 she became Board Secretary.

Lila is a CPA and CFO with about 30 years of broad and deep experience with public and private companies, ranging from start-ups to multinational ventures in various industries. She is a leader in promoting strong corporate financial and operational risk management and in optimizing opportunities within a framework of good governance and business ethics. Lila joined the board in 2022 and serves on the Financial and Racial Equity Committees.

As an immigrant from a financially challenged family, Lila understands that education is a “way up.”  Determination and a little help from the community make a big difference in a student’s future.

Lila’s own path through higher education started at Diablo Valley College. She transferred to and earned a BS in Business Administration from University of California, Berkeley. She later earned an MBA from California State University, Hayward. In addition to her work with BCS, Lila serves on the board of the Concord Shiva Murugan Temple and on the Finance Committee of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, another non-profit.

Ilse Daniela Rueda Wallace is an alum of the organization, as she was awarded the Berkeley Community Scholars High Hopes Scholarship in 2011. She is a proud indigenous, first-generation college graduate receiving her B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development from San Francisco State University. Ilse is also a former Education Specialist, serving middle and high school students and their families in the Berkeley and Oakland communities. As the recent Chair of the school’s Special Education Department, Ilse had the opportunity to coach other educators and participated in multiple district-wide forums regarding mental health and academic programs. In collaboration with a few other educators, Ilse’s grassroots fundraising efforts during the recent pandemic financially supported over 200 immigrant families.  Ilse now works for a biotechnological pharmaceutical company assisting the Research & Development Operations senior leadership. Her personal connection to cancer fuels her work with the operational activities of oncology clinical trials. Ilse’s passion for program development, scholar advocacy, and social justice allows her to be an essential community leader who can bridge her many experiences and network across industries.

A resident of Berkeley with two young children, Sheila brings a deep background in executive search and leadership development, with expertise in inclusive hiring and talent strategies. Her experience building effective relationships and teams will help guide BCS as it continues to grow.

Deborah A. Cooksey is a VP and the General Counsel at WestEd, a large research & development agency that works with federal and state governments, educational institutions, and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. Prior to joining WestEd in 2019, she worked as in-house counsel for large urban school districts in the Bay Area. She specialized in labor negotiations, complex public employee dismissals, and Board governance/ advice. Deb has also served as an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley in both the Master of Education Program and in the School Psychologist Doctoral Program. She is a graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service (where she was a Community Scholar) and the Georgetown Law Center. Deb also serves on the Board of the Urban League of the Bay Area.

A long-time Bay Area resident, Nina is a communications strategist and consultant. She helps mission-driven organizations create culturally relevant marketing and outreach strategies that deepen trust and engagement. Her work reflects the same values at the heart of the BCS.

A resident of Berkeley with a passion for expanding access to education and opportunity, Brittney is a seasoned leader and builder. She has led product launches and growth strategies at both startups and global companies. Brittney brings creativity, strategic thinking, and a focus on sustainable growth to her role on the board.

Evan is an alumni of Berkeley Community Scholars, joining the program as a scholar in 2013. He is a first-generation college graduate, and a true Berkeley local; he attended elementary, middle, and high school all in Berkeley, and proceeded to earn his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. He majored in Molecular and Environmental Biology, with a minor in teaching and simultaneously earning his K-12 teaching credential. He proceeded to teach 8th grade science at Willard in Berkeley for several years, before proceeding to earn his master’s from San Francisco State University He is now currently a PhD student at UC Santa Cruz, conducting research in population genetics and disease. He is passionate about both research and teaching, and is enthusiastic about rejoining BCS as both a first time mentor and new board member.

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Olivia brings her passion for racial equity and economic mobility to the BCS Board. She holds a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College, and has built her career in local government and policy—combining a keen analytical mind with a commitment to advancing opportunities for young people in her community.

An educator and highly skilled consultant, coach, trainer, and public speaker, Dr. Lori Watson has devoted her career to transforming schools and organizations through anti-racism and inclusion. She currently resides in the Bay Area and supports numerous school districts and organizations. Her leadership and insight will help strengthen BCS’s ongoing work for educational equity.