Meet Our Staff

About >> Meet Our Staff

(415) 282-3334 (see below for staff extension)

Also, click on staff names in blue to read press and blogs relating to their important work.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Luis Granados
Contact: lgranados@medasf.org, ext. 111

Luis Granados has proudly served as the Executive Director for the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) since 1999. During his tenure, Luis has worked to create asset-development opportunities for San Francisco Bay Area low- to moderate-income Latino families. Luis has a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from University of California-Berkeley and a Bachelor’s of Science from University of California-Davis.

Board Member, UnidosUS (formerly NCLR)
Board Member, California Reinvestment Coalition
Community Advisory Board Member, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Board Member, National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders

What do you love about the Mission District San Francisco and MEDA?
I love the Mission because it has a strong presence of Latino families and I love MEDA staff’s commitment to our constituents, which they show through their intent, intelligence and actions. MEDA is home.

Chief Operating Officer

Jillian Spindle
Contact: jspindle@medasf.org, ext. 116

I love that everyone working at MEDA is 100 percent committed to the community, and making sure the Mission remains a neighborhood of opportunity.

Administration and Finance

Jacqueline (Lydia) Gomez, Office Manager
Contact: lgomez@medasf.org, ext. 121

I love that the Mission District makes me feel connected to my Nicaraguan roots.

John Sedlander, Finance Director
Contact: jsedlander@medasf.org, ext. 119

I love that the Mission District is a place for everyone.

Cindy Clements, Director of Operations/HR
Contact: cclements@medasf.org, ext. 124

I love the feel of the neighborhood’s variety of businesses and people.

Mario Chavarria, Intake Specialist
Contact: mchavarria@medasf.org, ext. 101

I like the history and diversity of the Mission District. I like the fact that MEDA works with Latin families to help them achieve their educational and financial goals.

Rosabella Safont, Operations Assistant
Contact: rsafont@medasf.org, ext. 106

I grew up in the Mission and have always loved that it is a Latino neighborhood.

Melissa Martin, Compliance Officer
Contact: mmartin@medasf.org, ext. 112

I love the food and the weather in the Mission. I love that MEDA feels like family.

Sergio Monzon, Senior Accountant
Contact: smonzon@medasf.org, ext. 128

The Mission is the heart of the city. MEDA is helping keep that heart beating.

Development

Adriana Solis Lopez, Director of Development
Contact: asolislopez@medasf.org, ext. 118

The Mission is action central of San Francisco and MEDA works to keep it inclusive.

Ahmar Qadir, Development Manager
Contact: aqadir@medasf.org, ext. 120

MEDA is an amazing organization and has done tremendous work in uplifting the Mission neighborhood in San Francisco. I’m extremely proud and honored to be a part of it.

Alberto Galindo, Development Manager
Contact: agalindo@medasf.org, ext. 154

I love the Mission’s relentless hustle and MEDA’s role as a catalyst for positive social change.

Marketing & Communications

Christopher Gil, Senior Content Marketing Manager
Contact: cgil@medasf.org, ext. 152

I love the street vibe as people pass by the Mission’s colorful murals…and I love that MEDA is helping keep that scene around for generations to come.

Evaluation

Morgan Buras-Finlay, Director of Program Evaluation, Learning & Impact
Contact: mfinlay@medasf.org, ext. 137

The Mission remains vibrant and MEDA helps community residents every day.

Michelle Reiss-Top, Technology/Data Systems Mgr.
Contact: mreisstop@medasf.org, ext. 144

Grit. In both senses of the word.

Severin Saenz, Evaluator
Contact: ssaenz@medasf.org, ext. 139

I am excited to use my tech skills to produce data and generate visual information to show how the Mission, SF and MEDA are creating positive social change.

Asset Building Programs

Lucy Arellano, Director of Asset Building Programs
Contact: larellano@medasf.org, ext. 141

I see our goal at MEDA as that of working toward obtaining tangible assets by building on those assets already here within the people of the Mission.

Nathanial Owen, Associate Director of Asset Building Programs
Contact: nowen@medasf.org, ext. 153

I love working for MEDA because I get to empower the Latino families that make the Mission the vibrant community that it is.

Community Real Estate

Karoleen Feng, Director of Community Real Estate
Contact: kfeng@medasf.org, ext. 148

I love living and working in my own neighborhood and getting to say hello to people on the street.

Johnny Oliver, Associate Director
Contact: joliver@medasf.org, ext. 123

The Mission is the best place in San Francisco. MEDA’s free services help keep it that way.

Elaine Yee, Senior Project Manager
Contact: eyee@medasf.org, ext. 138

San Francisco is lucky to have a strong Latino community in the Mission District. MEDA works to keep it that way.

Feliciano Vera, Senior Project Manager
Contact: fvera@medasf.org, ext. 127

The Mission community is a true San Francisco asset, as is MEDA.

Leslie Palaroan, Project Manager
Contact: lpalaroan@medasf.org, ext. 151

The Mission is the heart of the city and MEDA is keeping it that way.

Serena Li, Assistant Project Manager
Contact: sli@medasf.org, ext. 129

The Mission is a welcoming community and MEDA is proud to be a part of it.

Augustus Tagaro, Resident Engagement Specialist
Contact: atagaro@medasf.org
cell: (415) 632-6339

The Mission is the heart of San Francisco and MEDA puts its hearts (and minds) into its work.

Naveen Agrawal, Project Assistant
Contact: nagrawal@medasf.org, ext. 140

The Mission is a tight-knit community, and so is the staff at MEDA.

Dylan Hamilton, Project Assistant
Contact: dhamilton@medasf.org, ext. 118

I love MEDA’s comprehensive approach to community development, and I love Taqueria Cancun.

Dairo Romero, Community Planning Manager
Contact: dromero@medasf.org, ext. 103

The Mission makes me feel right at home, as does MEDA.

Beatriz Ordonez, Asset Manager Assistant
Contact: bordonez@medasf.org, ext. 147

The Mission and MEDA both feel like home.

Veronica Lira, Project Assistant
Contact: vlira@medasf.org, ext. 113

The Mission is a Latino immigrant hub, and MEDA is creating affordable housing for this community.

Tania Cuevas Dominguez, Assistant Project Manager
Contact: tdominguez@medasf.org, ext. 176

“The Mission is San Francisco’s heart and soul, and MEDA works to keep it that way.”

Housing Opportunities Program

Juan Diego Castro, Housing Opportunities Program Manager
Contact: jdcastro@medasf.org, ext. 126

I love the opportunity I have found in the Mission District and MEDA–an opportunity to be part of a culture of empowerment for the Latino community.

Diana Mayorga, Housing Opportunities Coach
Contact: dmayorga@medasf.org, ext. 132

The Mission is a place of inclusion, as is MEDA.

Financial Capability Program

Jaqueline Marcelos, Financial Assets Program Manager
Contact: jmarcelos@medasf.org, ext. 143

I love that the Mission is a strong community. I love MEDA because it feels like home.

Laura Ospina-Jaramillo, Financial Capability Coach
Contact: lospina@medasf.org, ext. 135

The Mission and MEDA both offer Latinos a great life.

Claudia Soto, Financial Assets Coach
Contact: csoto@medasf.org, ext. 122

The Mission remains a Latino immigrant gateway and MEDA offers a financial education for these newcomers.

Business Development Program

Edwin Rodriguez, Business Dev. Program Manager
Contact: erodriguez@medasf.org, ext. 102

I have many reasons to love the Mission District, the place my daughter grew up. I love working at MEDA because it helps Latino families build assets.

Luis Ramos, Business Development and Lending Liaison
Contact: lramos@medasf.org, ext. 104

I love the family-serving businesses in the Mission, and that MEDA is supporting such ventures.

Gabriel Medina, Mission Business Corridor Coordinator
Contact: gmedina@medasf.org, ext. 150

I love the Mission-style burrito–like the ingredients within, this burrito style brings classes, ages and races together. I love MEDA’s integration of services.

Jessie Rubalcava, Mission Business Corridor Specialist
Contact: jrubalcava@medasf.org, ext. 117

Small businesses are the fabric of the Mission, and MEDA is making sure these ventures thrive.

Community Loan Fund

Diana Matei-Golopenta, Business Lending Manager
Contact: dgolopenta@medasf.org, ext. 130

The Mission’s community-serving businesses are still much needed, with MEDA making that happen.

Free Tax Preparation

Owen Thompson, Tax Site Coordinator
Contact: othompson@medasf.org, ext. 136

The Mission is where people have used their hard work to build themselves a better life–and that’s the kind of place we strive to be at MEDA.

Workforce Development / Digital Opportunity Center

Marisela Perez-Ruiz, Workforce Development Program Manager
Contact: mperez-ruiz@medasf.org, ext. 161

The Mission is full of life and MEDA helps create good jobs for residents.

Olivia Quinonez, Job Coach
Contact: oquinonez@medasf.org, ext. 162

I love the Mission’s beautiful architecture. I love that MEDA lets me use my skills to be a job coach and help raise up community residents.

Ernesto Martinez, Workforce and Tax Specialist
Contact: emartinez@medasf.org, ext. 163

I love that MEDA’s approach to the Mission’s development is comprehensive and helps build social, human and financial capital.

Mission Promise Neighborhood

Liz Cortez, Associate Director
Contact: ecortez@medasf.org, ext. 109

I really enjoy meeting children and families in the Mission and talking with them about their aspirations. I love the people that work at MEDA.

Ada Alvarado, Early Learning Program Manager
Contact: aalvarado@medasf.org,
cell: (415) 316-7249

I love that the Mission District truly is a community and that MEDA is preserving it for everyone, regardless of their race, income or spoken language.

Laura Olivas, MPN Leadership Program Manager
Contact: lolivas@medasf.org, ext. 125

I love the vibrancy of the Mission District and that MEDA is in the center of it all.

Celina Ramos-Castro, Family Support Manager
Contact: cramos-castro@medasf.org, ext. 149
cell: (415) 316-7400

I love to greet Mission community members. I love that my fellow staff members have passion for their work.

Roberto Aparicio, Family Success Coach
Contact: raparicio@medasf.org,
cell: (415) 767-8059

I love that the Mission remains a strong Latino community and that MEDA is playing a part in that.

Luis R. Ostolaza, Family Success Coach
Contact: lostolaza@medasf.org,
cell: (415) 316-7407

The Mission is the heart of the City, and MEDA’s staff puts hearts into their work.

Ana Avilez, Family Success Coach/Computer Instructor
Contact: aavilez@medasf.org,
cell: (415) 513-9755

I like helping families like mine in the Mission, and MEDA makes that possible.

Yadira Diaz, Family Success Coach
Contact: ydiaz@medasf.org,
cell: (415) 746-0323

MEDA is driven to work for the Mission Promise Neighborhood community, and I love that I am part of a team that empowers families to succeed.

Lucia Obregon, Volunteer Services Manager
Contact: lobregon@medasf.org, ext. 156

The Mission and MEDA have great community spirit.

Kimberly Moreno Ayala, Program Coordinator
Contact: kayala@medasf.org, ext. 134

The Mission is home to great families looking for a better life.

General Information or to Sign Up for MEDA’s Free Programs

Mario Chavarria: (415) 282-3334 ext. 101; mchavarria@medasf.org

Questions About MEDA’s Free Programs? We’re here for you!

Housing Opportunities: homeownership@medasf.org

Financial Capability: financialed@medasf.org

Business Development: business@medasf.org

Community Loan Fund: loans@medasf.org

Free Tax Preparation: othompson@medasf.org

Workforce Development: workforce@medasf.org

Digital Opportunity Center/Centro de Oportunidad Digital: tech@medasf.org

Other Departments

Donations to MEDA: asolislopez@medasf.org

Marketing Department: marketing@medasf.org

Volunteers: volunteer@medasf.org