BUILD Appreciates Your Support
Special Thanks
Thank you for providing ideas and guidance for these future leaders!
We are honored that Deputy Mayor of Oakland, Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, made a special visit to our BUILDFest VIP reception and to the sales bazaar. We hope you enjoyed your shopping of innovative products created by our BUILD students, Dr. Mayfield!
Meet The Judges
BUILDFest Bay Area 2024
Martha Hernandez
Martha Hernández is the CEO and Co-Founder of ESO Ventures, an entrepreneurial support organization focused on providing the confidence, competence, and capital for any Black and Brown person to succeed at entrepreneurship. Martha is an Oakland native and she has a bachelors degree in Sociology and Spanish Literature from Occidental College and is a graduate of Mills College Institute for Civic Leadership Program.
Mary Huss
Mary Huss became Publisher of the San Francisco Business Times in December 1991 and expanded her role to include the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2018, becoming Bay Area Market President. After a successful career leading these publications, Mary will retire in May to focus on world travel, community impact, and creative projects.
Ken Maxey
Ken Maxey is the Government Affairs Director at Comcast in California and brings over two decades of experience in uplifting underserved communities. Throughout his career, he has worked with notable government leaders including US Congressmember Adam Schiff and former President Barak H. Obama. Ken holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Howard University, a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science with a Minor in Business from Notre Dame de Namur University.
Joey Zwillinger
Joey is co-founder of Allbirds and has a deep passion for creating sustainable products. Before Allbirds, he spent six years at Terravia, leading its renewable chemical business. Joey’s experience inspired him to launch Allbirds in 2016 aiming to provide superior consumer experiences while benefiting the planet. Joey holds an MBA with honors from Wharton and a BS in industrial engineering from UC Berkeley.
Jose Lopez
Jose Lopez is the General Counsel at Zeplin, Inc., overseeing legal, regulatory, and compliance matters. Jose serves as a Commissioner on the Board of Appeals for the City and County of San Francisco, appointed by Mayor London Breed until July 2024. Jose earned his J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law. He previously taught in public schools through the New York City Teaching Fellows program and obtained a Master’s degree in Education from CUNY – Lehman College.
Landon Hill
Dr. Landon Hill, a native of Oakland, CA, is the Chief Program Officer at the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC). He leads various K-12 programs at EOYDC, where he grew up. Additionally, Landon teaches at San Francisco State University, focusing on Instructional Technology, Secondary Education, and Educational Leadership. He holds an MA in Education from California State University, Long Beach, and an Ed.D. from San Francisco State University.
Highlights
Ay’Anna Moody
Ay’Anna Moody, a proud 2nd Generation Oakland Native, is the Senior Director of Social Impact for the Golden State Warriors. Previously, she was Director of College Access for Oakland Promise and Coordinator of College Access for Oakland Unified School District. She secured a $1M grant from JP Morgan & Chase for financial capability programs in Oakland schools in 2020.
Ay’Anna holds a B.A. in African American Studies and Political Science from UCLA and an M.A. in Education Policy and Social Analysis from Columbia University.
