Emerging Leaders Program 2026
Launching a new leadership program to strengthen advocacy for older adults in San Francisco
Metta Fund is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the Emerging Leaders Program — 18 community leaders united by a shared commitment to advancing equity, dignity, and quality of life for older adults in San Francisco.
The Emerging Leaders Program is a 12-month, cohort-based leadership development program with a structured curriculum, designed to strengthen leadership and advocacy across the city’s aging and care ecosystem. Facilitated by LeaderSpring Center, the program draws on deep experience cultivating values-driven leadership in the social sector.
San Francisco is experiencing a significant shift. The population of older adults is growing, needs are becoming more complex, and the systems that support aging are under increasing pressure. Many community-based organizations are also navigating leadership transitions and rising demand for
services.
The Emerging Leaders Program was created to meet this moment — investing in leaders already doing this work and building the networks, skills, and advocacy capacity needed to support older adults across the city.
This inaugural cohort brings together leaders working across community-based organizations, healthcare, advocacy, and public service. They represent a cross-section of the city’s aging and care ecosystem and the next generation of leadership shaping its future.
“Building stronger, more connected systems for older adults in San Francisco is at the heart of Metta Fund’s work. That includes strengthening leadership and advocacy capacity across the field, and this cohort reflects the kind of leadership needed for what comes next.”
— Janet Y. Spears, President, Metta Fund
Meet the Fellows:
Seth Abrahamson
Development Communications Manager, PRC
Sarah Arnold
Program Coordinator, Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly SF
Janet Bronson
Active Older Adult Coordinator, Mission YMCA
Tajae Brown
Director of Development and Communications, Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness
Tiffany Duncan
Family Engagement Program Manager, The Richmond Neighborhood Center
Howaida Elhawary
Program & Administrative Coordinator, The Healing WELL SF
Desiree Isles
Program Coordinator, YMCA of San Francisco
Koletti Leha Ieremia
Director of Senior/Family Services and Community Relations, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center
Andrea Lazorik
Program Director, Home Match San Francisco, Front Porch Communities and Services
Carol Lundy
Director of Community Engagement, Chinatown YMCA, YMCA of Greater San Francisco
Brett Martinez
Senior Wellness Program Manager, Booker T Washington Community Service Center
Jazzica Marti
Director of Older Adult Mental Health Clinics, Felton Institute
Isaiah Meade
Aging & Disability Specialist, Openhouse
McKenna Mogan
Director of Women’s Services, Community Forward SF
Nandini Singh
Research Manager and Coalition Director, UCSF Division of Geriatrics
Judy Siu
Community Programs Manager, Curry Senior Center
Teo Staiti
Senior Program Coordinator, Community Programs, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Trinh Tran
Program Supervisor, Self-Help for the Elderly