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An educational professional with more than 35 years’ experience, Sherry has focused on school and college admission, financial aid, recruitment, organizational management, organizational change and school to college selection and matriculation. She is especially committed to serving the needs of the underserved, under-resourced and first-generation students navigating transitions from Kindergarten to graduate degrees.

Sherry has worked with students from the most challenging neighborhoods especially in the cities of Los Angeles, Richmond, Oakland, and San Francisco. She has also spent time connecting with influential members of major companies and foundations in order to provide the necessary resources for the students in which she served. From her earliest days in college admission to her later years working as a Managing Director at an educational foundation, Sherry has helped low-income students reach their dream of being accepted, attending and graduating from college. As the Executive Director of Berkeley Community Scholars, Sherry continues her efforts to create pathways for our most deserving, challenged and under-resourced population of students.

Lynn grew up on the east coast and earned her B.S. in Cognitive Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. She began her career serving youth and families in the child welfare system in New York City. Her passion for improving access to resources and opportunities for youth led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work from UT Austin and later to obtain a certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley. In her role as the College Success Manager, she develops programs and provides coaching and support to empower scholars to reach their higher education and career goals. Since joining BCS in 2014, Lynn has focused her efforts on deepening relationships with community partners and growing a supportive community of mentors, scholars, and alumni. She has increased scholar engagement by involving students in the planning and delivery of services. Lynn is grateful to the High Hopes Scholars whose talents, drive, and social activism provide constant inspiration and hope for future generations.

Born and raised in Berkeley, Emily has always been deeply rooted in community service and education. From her early years in public schools to being a BCS award recipient herself, she’s been committed to giving back to the communities that shaped her. Emily’s academic journey led her to UC Santa Cruz, where she earned her BA in Sociology and Latin American Latinx Studies.

As a proud participant of the EOP program during undergrad, she later served as a Bridge Mentor for two years, guiding first-generation and low-income students through their university experience. Her commitment to educational equity led her to serve as a EAOP/DCAC College Adviser through UC Berkeley for three years, supporting high school students at De Anza High School with post-secondary preparation, career development, and socio-emotional support.

Passionate about creating opportunities Emily is dedicated to exploring opportunities within education-focused nonprofits, continuously striving to create pathways and empower BIPOC students to achieve their dreams. Beyond her professional endeavors, Emily finds joy in simple pleasures like leisurely walks, exploring music through collecting and playing vinyl records, dancing, and discovering new cuisines while traveling.

Ralph is a dedicated student advocate with a robust background in financial literacy and college success initiatives. With over a decade of experience in the education and college success fields, Ralph has championed student support by providing individualized financial advising and college counseling, while managing the distribution of annual scholarships. His commitment to empowering students through financial literacy has led to the development of comprehensive programs, including social media campaigns, resource creation, and engaging presentations. 

Ralph received his B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento. As a College Success Advisor, he will work with scholars to help them navigate the college terrain and reach their goals.

SaVannah Hudson is a bright young ambitious woman from San Francisco, CA. Being born in Berkeley and raised across the Bay, SaVannah shares a lot of the same struggles and life experiences as our scholars. This makes her extremely excited to work and become a part of the Berkeley Community Scholars network. Helping others has always been a passion for SaVannah as she first experienced this traveling abroad and volunteering in the rural town of Cana Segura, Dominican Republic. After witnessing first-hand true poverty, it inspired SaVannah to study and graduate college with a degree in International Studies and Affairs from San Francisco State University. After graduating SaVannah worked at Hamilton Families, a non-profit transitional housing shelter for homeless families in the Bay Area. Also having work experience in finance and property management, SaVannah is looking to return to her Berkeley roots in hopes that her skills and talent will be an impactful contribution to BCS.