Board / Staff

Vesper Society Bio

President

Miyoko is an experienced nonprofit executive who uniquely combines a passion for social justice and building organizations and their programs.  Always curious about how the world works, she has served in a wide range of roles from strategic to operational to financial.

Serving on the Vesper Society board of directors from 1999 to 2011, Miyoko was appointed president in 2012. Prior to Vesper, Miyoko served as the chief operating officer at the Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, and brings a creative sensibility to her work.  Her broad and deep nonprofit experience comes from her role as president of the Southern California Grantmakers, Los Angeles, and as director of projects at the Tides Foundation, San Francisco.

Working with the board of directors, Miyoko shaped the current strategic framework that focuses on anchor institutions in local, rural communities in California. She embodies a deep commitment to a leadership style that is based on the values of service, transparency, accountability, integrity, and love.  She earned a master’s degree from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA.

Vesper Society Bio

El Cerrito, California

Michael Ward joined the Vesper Society board in 2019 and serves as Chair of the board. Michael is General Counsel for Bay Area Community Services, an Oakland-based non-profit providing homeless housing and low income mental health services. At Bay Area Community Services, he is responsible for all compliance, legal and regulatory matters for the agency. Michael joined BACS after 22 years as an attorney and managing partner from Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, one of Oakland’s largest law firms where he managed all business operations including finance, IT, marketing and development, facilities, compliance, HR, and also held numerous non-profit accounts for the corporation. Originally from the Boston area, Michael came to California to attend college at Stanford, and later completed his law degree at UC Berkeley.

Prior to joining the Vesper Society board, Michael served on boards of several non-profits serving youth in the East Bay area.

He holds a J.D. from U.C. Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor of political science from Stanford University.

Vesper Society Bio

Chicago, Illinois

Kate Lawler joined the Vesper Society board in 2019 and serves as the Vice Chair of the board.  Kate is the System Vice President for Community Impact and Engagement for Endeavor Health, a nine-hospital system in the Chicagoland area.  In this role, she leads the team responsible for the community health needs assessments and implementation strategies, community investment funds, health and wellness outreach and education, and community relations.  Prior to this role, Kate provided leadership to Endeavor Health’s programs that address health equity and social determinants of health.  Kate also served as the regional representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in South America and coordinator of the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was the director of the Health Care Access Program at The Children’s Aid Society in New York City.

Kate completed her undergraduate studies at Cornell University and holds a master of public health and international affairs from Columbia University and a master of divinity from the United Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. She volunteers with the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights as a child advocate for unaccompanied minors living in detention centers.

Vesper Society Bio

Oakland, CA

Hydeh Ghaffari joined the Vesper Society board in 2023 and serves as CFO of the board and Chair of the Finance Committee. Hydeh is a retired partner at Squar Milner (now Baker Tilly), a nonprofit practice in Oakland, California. She has over 35 years of experience as a financial manager and 30 years as a CPA, 27 of which were with nonprofit organizations. In addition to audits, reviews, and compilation of financial statements, she offered outsourced CFO services to nonprofits.

Hydeh moved to the US in 1978.  She initially worked at Children’s Home Society of California, starting as an accountant, and leaving as the Business Manager/Controller of the Northern California offices of the organization. In 1991, after fulfilling her CPA experience requirements at KPMG, she started her business serving nonprofit organizations exclusively.

Hydeh taught at the University of San Francisco as an adjunct faculty and conducted workshops in California and nationally for AICPA, California CPA Society, Compass Point and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Topic included financial management, grant management and auditing subjects for CPAs, nonprofit organizations, non-profit board members, and staff of funding organizations including governmental agencies.

Hydeh served as the President of the board of directors of Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and Vice-chair of the board of directors of East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. She has a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in auditing.

In retirement, Hydeh loves spending time with her grandchildren, running, biking, playing golf and tennis, and traveling.

Vesper Society Bio

Salt Lake City, Utah

Erika Carlsen joined the Vesper Society board in 2019 and currently serves as Secretary of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Program Committee. Erika’s life purpose and work is to inspire joy, compassion, and connection among the people and with the communities she works alongside. She is currently Deputy Chief of Staff at the National Trust for Local News. Previously, Erika was Managing Director of Civic Leadership at Coro Northern California and serves now as an Adjunct Faculty member for Coro. She previously worked at Harvard Kennedy School and Rockwood Leadership Institute. Former Board service includes the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Harvard Latino Alumni Association, and How to College: First Gen.

Erika graduated summa cum laude from the University of San Francisco with a BA in politics and holds a master of divinity from Harvard Divinity School. She is an alum of the Institute for International Public Policy Program, Coro Fellows Program, and the Harvard Graduate Student Leadership Institute. After many wonderful years in the Bay Area, Erika now calls Salt Lake City home.

Vesper Society Bio

Washington, DC

Douglas (Jerry) Brown joined the Vesper Society board in 2022 and serves Chair of the Investment Committee. Jerry served as a U.S. Peace Corps education volunteer and staff – in Niger and Cameroon, USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service Trade Policy and Market Development Specialist – Latin America, USDA/Office of International Cooperation and Development, Market and Business Development officer (Caribbean Basin), U.S. Agency for International Development (Agribusiness Development) and Millennium Challenge Corporation Director (Rural Economy) in 32 African countries. In these positions, he led project design, project management and project monitoring, impact and evaluation (MI&E).

Son of The Great Migration parents in search of better paying jobs, more education opportunities and better living standards, it is no surprise that Jerry’s career focus is skills development, youth development and job creation. Jerry has an undergraduate degree in African Studies and foreign languages (Wagner College) and a graduate degree in International Public Policy/Development Economics (Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies).

Since 2016, Jerry has lectured at Lutheran University Students Internship Semester about “African Social and Economic Development Issues Relevant to the U.S. Economy.” In addition, he currently serves on the Church Council at Augustana Lutheran Church in Washington, DC, working on two challenging U.S. societal issues: Anti-racism Learning and Actions and advocating for affordable housing and decent wages on behalf of the working poor and homeless in collaboration with the Washington Interfaith Network in Washington, DC.

Jerry’s has extensive community outreach and church in society experience. He designated a safe space for inner city youth in economically and socially depressed areas. He co-founded, served on the board of directors, and fundraised for the Leadership Enrichment Affirmation Project (LEAP) – mandated to provide education and life skills to African American boys from ages 8-18 in Washington, DC.

He is blessed to have an adopted son, Emmanuel Ngomsi and his family who reside in Kansas City, Missouri.

Vesper Society Bio

San Francisco Bay Area

Sara brings 15+ years of experience leading at the intersection of operations, organizational culture, and social impact. A true management generalist, Sara has led teams and initiatives across a variety of sectors and industries, including public higher education, IT consulting, a Fortune 10 company, and as the general manager for a social impact start-up.

As an independent consultant, Sara has served as an interim executive for a national ed-tech non-profit organization in addition to facilitating strategic planning and leadership development programs. Sara also supports direct-service non-profit organizations on survey design and data analysis as a coach with Listen4Good.

Her approaches address tactical needs while simultaneously deepening culture, advancing equity, and inspiring joyful engagement. She has been recognized for her capabilities as both a strategic advisor and operator as well as her capacity to steer complex, cross-functional initiatives, build collaborative relationships, and structure supportive processes across all areas of an organization.

Beyond her work as a consultant, Sara is also the founder and principal facilitator of the Conscious Collectivist™, a practice dedicated to celebrating interdependence and mutuality. Her work focuses on breaking the cycle of toxic individualism by nurturing sacred desire for growth in spiritually-rooted and community-centered ways. Sara was also one of the founding committee members for MASGD – The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity – and previously served on the board for Muslims for Progressive Values.

She holds a master’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis in socially responsible business, from the Lorry I. Lokey School of Business at Mills College. She received her bachelor’s degree in sociology and Islamic cultural studies from Pitzer College. She is an alumna of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. Outside of work, she relishes time with her family, playing with words as a poet and Scrabble enthusiast, and enjoying the landscapes of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Vesper Society Bio

Fresno, CA

Joe Prado joined Vesper’s board in 2024. He serves as a member of the Program Committee. Joe has worked for the County of Fresno for 26 years, starting as a community health worker, moving to various positions in the county’s Administrative and Public Works & Planning Departments. He is now works in the Public Health Department.

During his journey he has led key project/policy implementation for human services, transportation projects, water and wastewater planning for special districts, and acted as the incident commander for the COVID-19 Vaccine response. He has a bachelors degree in Psychology from CSU-Fresno.

Joe has mentored students through Fresno City College’s Puente program & Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy. He is a board member at the church he attends, Bridge Church. He sits on the Fresno Community Health Improvement Partnership Executive Board, Cradle 2 Career – Leadership Council, and participates on various local boards.

He grew up in California’s Central Valley and enjoys visiting family and friends, from Kern County and Fresno County. He enjoys hiking, volunteering for local events, barbecuing for church events and family gatherings, and teaching at his church’s children’s ministry class.

Vesper Society Bio

Fresno, CA

Dr. Kevin Martinez joined the Vesper Society board in 2020 and serves as a member of the program committee. Dr. Martinez is a board-certified internal medicine physician and has worked as a hospitalist since 2010. He is Assistant Physician-in-Chief of Hospital Operations and Hospital Quality at Kaiser Permanente Fresno, and also provides oversight of Patient Care Experience, Survey Readiness, Emergency Preparedness and Management, Continuum Care, and Resource Management. Previously, he was Chief of the Hospital Medicine Department at Kaiser Fresno, and worked as a hospitalist at Kaiser San Francisco where he taught and mentored medical residents.

Kevin is a member of the board of directors of Fresno Christian School in Fresno, California and is active in his community through The Bridge Church in Fresno, California.

Kevin received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from California State University, Fresno, and his M.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles/Charles R. Drew Medical Education Program. Dr. Martinez completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Kevin is married and has four children. When not practicing medicine or spending time with family, he enjoys freshwater fishing, exercising daily, woodworking, and cooking.

Vesper Society Bio

Los Angeles, CA

Michael A. Mata previously served on the Vesper Society board in 2012 and has now rejoined the board in 2024. He currently serves as a member of the Governance and Program Committees.

Mr. Mata has designed and administered community and faith-based programs for nearly forty years, particularly in the areas of community development, urban youth work, intercultural relations, organizational and leadership development. He is currently the Director of Network Engagement & Leadership Development for TogetherLA, a nonprofit seeking to affirm and strengthen faith-based efforts at community transformation.  Previously, Mata served as the Urban Development Director for World Vision, U.S. Programs, where he was responsible for implementing an Integrated Programs Model of community youth development. Before then, in 1993, he was appointed to the Mildred M. Hutchinson Chair in Urban Ministries at the Claremont School of Theology (the first endowed position of its kind). There, he went on to establish the Urban Leadership Institute, a key resource for faith-based community and leadership development.  Under his leadership he gained distinction amongst academic, business and political leaders.

Mata’s vast experience and knowledge of faith-based community development makes him a much-sought-after instructor, speaker, and consultant. He has served on boards and advisory councils of local and national community, ecumenical and academic organizations. He is currently serving on RAND’s ongoing study of Urban Congregations and Public Health, QueensCare (an organization committed to providing health care to low income populations), Mentor for Change (a program teaming up low-income youth with mentors in their chosen careers).

He completed doctoral studies at the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development, exploring the role of religious institutions in effecting social change through community and economic development; he a Masters degree in Regional and City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley, a Masters of Divinity degree from the Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a Masters of Arts in Religion from Point Loma Nazarene University.

Vesper Society Bio

Oakland, CA

Lindsay Nako joined the Vesper Society board in 2023 and is Chair of the Audit Committee and serves as a member of the governance committee. Lindsay is the Director of Litigation and Training for the Impact Fund, a Berkeley-based non-profit legal organization that provides grants to support impact litigation, represents individuals and groups in strategic civil rights litigation, and trains public interest attorneys in litigation skills and collective action strategies. At the Impact Fund, Lindsay has represented groups of employees experiencing workplace discrimination, individuals unlawfully denied public benefits, and transgender employees experiencing harassment and discrimination at work. Before joining the Impact Fund in 2015, Lindsay spent a decade as an attorney and shareholder at a private plaintiff-side employment law firm and taught as an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley School of Law.

Lindsay is a court-appointed mediator for the Northern District of California and mentors public interest law students and lawyers in a variety of settings, including with the Federal Bar Association and as a Wasserstein Fellow at Harvard Law School.

Lindsay graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Highest Honors from UC Berkeley and received her law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law.

Vesper Society Bio

Fresno, California

Yammilette Rodriguez joined the Vesper Society board in 2019 and serves as chair of the governance committee and as a member of the equity working group. Residing in Fresno, California, since 1996, Yami has been the senior director and National Trainer for the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) in the Central Valley and has been with YLI since 2009. In 2018, she expanded their work by launching youth programming in the North Valley in Madera and Merced counties.

Yami’s life work is to have youth voice at the table in community issues especially in making positive policy and social sustainable change in our communities. Through YLI, she trains organizations and communities how to have strong youth and adult partnerships in their work to make communities healthier. Yami serves on numerous committees and boards, including Hispanas Organized for Political Equality. Yami is a Gallup University Certified Strengths Finder Coach and Trainer. In 2019, Yami was given the $250,000 Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for her innovation and developments in Central California. Recently, Yami was appointed by the Governor as Board of Trustee for the California State University System.

Yami holds an associate degree in business from Reedley College, bachelor degree of business administration, marketing from CSU, Fresno, and master of leadership and organizational studies from Fresno Pacific University. Her thesis was in the area of Latino attainment of higher education. Yami also has a credential from Fuller Theological Seminary in urban youth work. She has a Doctorate in Public Administration from  West Chester University.

Yami and her husband Jaime Rodriguez have two beautiful little daughters named Lizette and Juliette.