Our BOARD

Dream big and get things done.

Michael Arellano

Position: Program Director, Los Angeles
Top: 19

Michael holds the Senior Program Manager role for the Los Angeles region.  He brings with him over 15 years of experience working for nonprofit organizations dedicated to youth development.  Having grown up in a Boys & Girls Club, he understands the importance of empowering young people through quality programs and engaging mentors.  His personal mission is to support the creation of collaborative communities that generate opportunities for youth to thrive.

Born and raised in Southern California Michael is excited to expand BUILD’s programs in the Los Angeles area and to bring Spark Skills to the area’s diverse student population.

Michael holds the Senior Program Manager role for the Los Angeles region.  He brings with him over 15 years of...

Michael Arellano

Program Director, Los Angeles

Jaren Sorkow

Position: Director of Strategic Partnerships, California
Email: jsorkow@build.org

A Los Angeles native, Jaren has dedicated his career to community engagement and working with disenfranchised populations. Prior to joining BUILD, Jaren served as the Director of Casa Esperanza, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit focused on gang intervention and prevention activities for Latinx youth and their families. He has also held senior positions at Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles, CASA of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Animal Services, and Union Station Homeless Services.

He earned a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco, and a Master of Public Administration, with a focus on public policy, from California State University, Northridge.

A Los Angeles native, Jaren has dedicated his career to community engagement and working with disenfranchised populations. Prior to joining...

Jaren Sorkow

Director of Strategic Partnerships, California

Grace Karr

Position: Senior Community Engagement Manager, Bay Area
Email: gkarr@build.org
Grace Karr joins BUILD Bay Area with years of experience leading programs across K12 and higher education, and teaching in K-8 bilingual classrooms. She has worked on private sector corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects and led community engagement initiatives to bring more public art to the Bay Area. Her favorite aspect of past roles is creating meaningful partnerships and collaborations between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in order to strengthen education programs.
At Stanford University, she oversaw education programs in partnership with urban school districts, served as a STEM Education Program Director at the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, and worked on CSR projects for Billtrust and Cisco. She is looking forward to building a dynamic and high performing volunteer workforce to serve BUILD students!
Grace loves spending time with her family and three dogs, building a habitat-friendly garden, hiking, and travel. Grace holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MA in Education and a teaching credential from San Francisco State University.

Grace Karr joins BUILD Bay Area with years of experience leading programs across K12 and higher education, and teaching in...

Grace Karr

Senior Community Engagement Manager, Bay Area

Jasmine Ochoa

Position: Senior Program Manager, Bay Area
Top: 9

Raised in East Oakland, Jasmine graduated from Lionel Wilson Prep High School as a BUILD student. Throughout high school, Jasmine spent a lot of her time volunteering at a variety of organizations, such as OUSD and The Red Cross. Jasmine attended Holy Names University, where she received her Bachelor’s in Business Marketing in 2018 and her Master’s in business administration in 2019.

Throughout her college experience, she continued volunteering with different organizations and often remembered BUILD for the knowledge and benefits it brought her. As an alum, Jasmine greatly believes in the BUILD program and the doors it can open for students, which is why she decided to come back to the organization and work with high school freshmen and sophomores. As the Bay Area Program Manager, Jasmine is regularly visiting our partner schools. She attends class sessions to work directly with our 9th and 10th grade students preparing them for showcases and ensuring they are receiving the most from the BUILD program.

Jasmine strives to provide students with the same benefits BUILD provided for her. She loves to get to know our BUILD students closely and aspires to be a positive influence in their lives.

Raised in East Oakland, Jasmine graduated from Lionel Wilson Prep High School as a BUILD student. Throughout high school, Jasmine...

Jasmine Ochoa

Senior Program Manager, Bay Area

Anthony Walker

Position: Senior Program Manager, Bay Area
Email: awalker@build.org

Anthony Walker is an entrepreneur from San Diego, CA. He is a Licensed Life Insurance Agent based in Oakland, CA and the founder of Finance Friday, a financial literacy platform. Anthony has been an educator, as well as the Founder and Director of National Elite LLC, an organization focused on summer football camps for youth in Oakland and San Diego. Anthony received a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College and a master’s from Saint Mary’s College in Sports Management.

Anthony Walker is an entrepreneur from San Diego, CA. He is a Licensed Life Insurance Agent based in Oakland, CA...

Anthony Walker

Senior Program Manager, Bay Area

Stephanie Calderon

Position: Senior Program Manager, LA
Email: scalderon@build.org

Stephanie comes to BUILD with almost a decade of experience as a college access and success practitioner across several schools in her hometown of Los Angeles. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and is the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants.

As a college success practitioner, she helped develop programs to support predominantly first-generation BIPOC youth in Los Angeles to prepare for their postsecondary education and careers. She is excited to join the LA team to support teachers and students in becoming the CEO of their own life. Stephanie is also an entrepreneur supporting digital media and the operations of her family business. She enjoys traveling, dancing, and event planning in her free time. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UCLA in Women’s Studies with a Minor in Education Studies and a master’s from California State University, Long Beach.

Stephanie comes to BUILD with almost a decade of experience as a college access and success practitioner across several schools in...

Stephanie Calderon

Senior Program Manager, LA

Elia Hernandez

Position: Development and Operations Manager
Top: 18

Elia Hernandez

Development and Operations Manager

Mariana Lopez-Sutherland

Position: Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, Bay Area
Email: mlopezsutherland@build.org

Mariana Lopez-Sutherland joins the BUILD Bay Area team with experience working in the education sector, primarily in economically disadvantaged communities. Through her work as a tutor and substitute teacher Mariana has helped several students reach their academic goals. As a first-generation immigrant from Venezuela, she is very passionate about social justice and education equity. She is excited to join BUILD Bay Area to start her career in the nonprofit sector, and to further her work helping the youth thrive. Mariana also loves arts and crafts, being a dog parent to a little Chiweenie called Maya, travelling, and finding new spots to eat. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Economics from UC San Diego.

Mariana Lopez-Sutherland joins the BUILD Bay Area team with experience working in the education sector, primarily in economically disadvantaged communities....

Mariana Lopez-Sutherland

Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, Bay Area

Ryan Oliver

Position: Regional Director, California
Email: rOliver@build.org
Top: 1
: Cali1

Ryan Oliver serves as Regional Executive Director for BUILD Bay Area and Los Angeles, holding primary responsibility for leading growth initiatives and directing strategy. Ryan brings twenty years of experience as an innovative educator, leader, and program designer in urban schools, from Boston and Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and East Oakland. Previously, Ryan served as Founding Program Director for BUILD Boston. A Bay Area native, Ryan has lived, learned, and worked on both coasts. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University, a Master of Arts in Education from California State University Monterey Bay, and Principal Certification from University of Pittsburgh.

Ryan Oliver serves as Regional Executive Director for BUILD Bay Area and Los Angeles, holding primary responsibility for leading growth...

Ryan Oliver

Regional Director, California

Maria Raftelis

Position: Grant Writer, New York City and California
Email: mraftelis@build.org

Maria Raftelis has more than a decade of fundraising experience in education. Before joining BUILD, Maria served as Associate Director of Foundation Relations at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. In this role, she oversaw fundraising for the Center of Radiological Research (CRR) and worked with medical faculty across the College to raise funds for research. Prior to Columbia University, Maria served as Grant Writer at the City College Fund, the fundraising organization of the City College of New York (CCNY). During my nine year tenure at the City College Fund, Maria expanded the College’s portfolio of institutional donors to double institutional giving. 

Maria resides in the Bronx with her husband and son. A graduate of the New York City public school system, Maria believed every student should have access to an excellent education that inspires them to dream and achieve their full potential.

Maria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Individualized Studies from New York University and a Master’s degree in Social Science from the University of Chicago.

Maria Raftelis has more than a decade of fundraising experience in education. Before joining BUILD, Maria served as Associate Director...

Maria Raftelis

Grant Writer, New York City and California

Felipe Duran

Position: Community Engagement Manager, LA
Email: forozco@build.org

Felipe Duran is excited to join BUILD Los Angeles as the Community Engagement Manager. Felipe is an experienced non-profit professional having worked with disconnected youth and youth experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles area. In his prior experience designing and leading holistic youth programs, Felipe has applied research-based mentoring tools and developed various community partnerships to support youth in their personal and professional development.

Having grown up and still currently living in Northeast Los Angeles, it is his mission to support youth in his community. He looks forward to leveraging his experience to support a network of mentors for student entrepreneurs. In his spare time, Felipe enjoys watching professional football, playing golf, and going on walks with his wife and daughter.

Felipe Duran is excited to join BUILD Los Angeles as the Community Engagement Manager. Felipe is an experienced non-profit professional...

Felipe Duran

Community Engagement Manager, LA

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

WE DREAM BIG & GET THINGS DONE.

Download a Sample of Our Curriculum

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VIDEO PREPARATION GUIDELINES

HOW TO RECORD

1. iPhone, iPad, Zoom and Loom are all choices of recording tools for their video presentation 
2. Record with both students and their presentation in view
3. Record horizontally for the best view of the students and their presentation
4. Follow Presentation Diagram to the Right

PRESENTATION TIPS.

- Make eye contact with the camera
- Notecards may be used as cue cards
•Pro Tip: Notecards should avoid having a full script
- Even when you are not speaking, don’t forget the camera is still recording!
•Be aware of your body language while you and your business partners are speaking
- Everyone has an opportunity to speak
- Professional dress is encouraged
- Practice makes perfect
•Practice how you will transition from each speaker
•Project your voice when you speak​

Follow positioning format Above

Download a Sample of Our Curriculum

Fill out this form to receive a free sample of our curriculum and to receive occasional email updates on how to bring BUILD to your community.