Calling all Bay Area high school students – come make a difference and have a summer of fun! Join High School students from across the San Francisco Bay Area for 6 weeks of summer program where you will learn skills to make a difference in the community.

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About Us

Youth Community Service

YCS was founded in 1990 as a collaboration between the cities of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, and the Palo Alto Unified and Ravenswood School Districts. Youth Community Service actively works with youth and community leaders to engage in a wide range of public service projects throughout the Mid-Peninsula region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Over three decades, we’ve developed a keen focus in three intersecting domains:

  1. Peer Leadership: Providing a learning environment grounded in communication, reciprocity, and trust
  2. Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness: Helping youth to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions
  3. Service-Based Learning: Helping youth to enrich their classroom learning by volunteering in their community and engaging in reflection activities to deepen their understanding of what is being taught

YCS programs are aligned with national service learning standards utilizing the IPARD model of service learning and are based in Search Institutes research on Developmental Assets and Developmental Relationships.

We’re always looking for new partnerships and especially youth looking to get involved and bring about positive change in their community. To become a part of YCS, just get in touch!

Meet Our Team!

Karen was born in Mexico City and raised in the Bay Area. She is a Woodside High School alumna and received her B.A in Sociology, Social Services from CSUEB. She is passionate about helping underrepresented youth receive opportunities and resources that are not readily available to them. She hopes to be a resource for youth to find their passions and their talents and through service make a positive impact in their communities.

Karen Castillo

ASSOCIATE

Helena, an alumna of Gunn High School ('19), was raised in Palo Alto. She earned her degree from Columbia University, where she dedicated herself to mental health advocacy and crisis counseling through her involvement with Nightline Peer Listening. Now back in the Bay Area, Helena aspires to empower students in finding their voice through meaningful service engagements. 

Helena Cirne

Service Learning Coordinator

Growing up in an area that has been incredibly impacted by substance abuse, gangs, violence, poverty, and young people who have been neglected, Eva has made it her life’s mission to empower youth. Eva was born and raised in the East Side of San Jose and aspires to one day have her own organization that helps her community prosper and flourish.

Evangeline Dominguez

ASSOCIATE

BIO

Persia Fakhr

Kaela began working at YCS in March 2007 and has been a bookkeeper since 1986 working in several offices including a CPA firm where she still prepares tax returns and keeps books for its clients. She was raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and lived there for her first 21 years. She became a US citizen in 2008 along with her British born husband, Paul. She attended McGill University in Montreal where she majored in mathematics and took bookkeeping classes at Santa Rosa Junior College. She spent 23 years in Sonoma County and has been a resident of Palo Alto since 1999. Her hobbies include International folk dancing, hiking, biking and playing cards with friends.

Kaela Fine

Bookkeeper

Alliyah is Bay Area born and raised and has been helping youth, kindergarten through college since she can remember. She graduated from CSU Stanislaus in 2022 with a BA in Psychology and is currently working on her MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Alliyah strives to build more awareness toward mental health and service initiatives that aid in empowering youth voices in every community.

Alliyah Johnson

Service Learning Coordinator

Mary was raised in the Bay Area and has a passion for helping youth find their voices and stand up for what they believe in. She is currently pursuing a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Social Works through ASU Online with a focus on youth development and family dynamics. Her goal is to provide youth with the resources they need to pursue their passions in creative and innovative ways.

Mary Morrison

ASSOCIATE

Mora joined the YCS team as executive director in 2020, following the long tenure of widely respected Leif Erickson. She previously served as executive director of Blossom Birth and Family in Palo Alto. Mora cares deeply about social justice and community service, and she has served on the boards of the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation, Mothers Symposium, California Avenue Area Business Association, and Castilleja School Association. Most recently, Mora was a co-chair of the beloved Palo Alto Black & White Ball. A graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and University College of London’s Institute of Education, Mora was raised in the United States and India. Since 2007, she has lived in Palo Alto with her husband, daughter, and sprightly dog!

Mora Oommen

Executive Director

Bio coming soon!

Monica Ponce

Donor Relationships and Community Engagement Manager

Bio coming soon!

Evelin Romero

ASSOCIATE

Keri is a long-time Palo Alto resident who was raised in San Antonio, Texas, and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin. After a career in technology, she volunteered on many community, neighborhood, and PTA boards while raising her two sons who attended Palo Alto schools. Keri joined YCS in August 2021, as the Outreach Service Coordinator and believes strongly in the value of community service. Keri enjoys living in Palo Alto with her family, and likes to bike, knit, visit with friends, and hopefully travel again.

Keri Wagner

Service Outreach coordinator

Ashley joined the YCS team in 2014 as a Program Director and became YCS Senior Director in the fall of 2022. She earned a BA in Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz, where she also minored in teaching and education. She later earned an MA at San Francisco State University in Women’s and Gender Studies. Ashley is passionate about youth empowerment and has spent her career working with young people at a variety of levels, from kindergarten through college.

Ashley Yee-Mazawa

Senior Director

YCS Board

Sally is YCS board vice president. She combines an extensive community network as a longtime youth advocate with experience as a seasoned financial controller and business manager.

Sally Bemus

Sue brings years of youth development experience, having founded and led the Community Network for Youth Development, a capacity-building organization working with youth-serving organizations and schools throughout the Bay Area.

Sue Eldredge

Leif served as YCS executive director from 2004-2020. Before that, he worked for over 20 years in corporate marketing in Silicon Valley with biotech and technology firms. Leif began volunteering with YCS in 1995 as a parent supporter.

Leif Erickson

Kiran is a former high school history teacher who taught for a decade in the Mission district of SF and East Oakland. She now coaches and consults in her own private practice, Raising Resilience: Creating Cultures of CARE.

Kiran Gaind

Stacey Kertsman’s life-long commitment to social justice has global roots and has evolved in depth and understanding as she taught, learned, and worked around the world. In 2020 she launched the consulting firm, P-Cubed.  As an independent consultant she focuses on cultivating diverse cultures for learning, development, equity, activated personal belonging, and leadership growth.

Stacey Kertsman

Linda is a district nurse for the Palo Alto Unified School District. She has served as a member of the YCS board of directors for over a decade.

Linda Lenoir

Pedro Rivas Lopez is an artist and cultural creator. He uses art, education, and creative expression to stand up against injustice. His goal is to amplify the voices of those most oppressed and assist with the beginning of their healing through art, community, and expression. Pedro recognizes the importance of youth based service and looks forward to bringing his experience and passion for the arts and social justice to serve his community.

Pedro Rivas Lopez

Evan Lurie is an educator, consultant, and former financial advisor.

He is a 2025 JD candidate at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Evan Lurie

Liane Ma is currently an Employee Engagement Lead at Luminous Computing, an AI company backed by Bill Gates and other Silicon Valley investors. Throughout her career, she delivered hands-on coaching to individuals, teams, and executives in all aspects of career and personal development. Liane has worked through various roles in marketing, corporate social responsibility, and counseling at non-profit, government, and for-profit settings like Safe Horizon, New York City Department for the Aging, Selina, and Sesame Workshop.

Brought up as a third-culture kid, Liane prioritizes cultural humility and brings extensive language skills and a familiarity with Korea, China, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the U.S. to every project. 

Liane Ma

Bob is currently YCS board president. As a student, he participated in a variety of service programs and joined the YCS board because of the similarities between YCS and the programs in which he participated.

Bob Miyahara

Ellen shares her marketing expertise and nonprofit network resources to help YCS better communicate our impact. Ellen brings deep branding experience working with business as well as the non-profit organizations.

Ellen Rudy

Nicolas currently works at a tech company in Silicon Valley and specializes in strategic and corporate finance. He has extensive experience consulting for multinational corporations, investment banks, and law firms.

Nicolas Sere

Barbara has served on the YCS board since 2006, as well as the board for Habitat for Humanity (SF) from 2009-2015. She was also a member of the Bay Area Regional Board of Advisors for Facing History and Ourselves from 1999-2011.

Barbara Spreng

Service Partners

24 Hour Race

Access Books Bay Area

Ada’s Cafe

Alum Rock Counseling Center

American Muslim Voice

Anamtangi Polynesian Voices

Animal Assisted Happiness

Avenidas

Beged Kefet

Bill Wilson Center

Blossom Birth and Family

Boldly Me

Boys and Girls club of the Peninsula

Cafe by the Bay

California’s ACEs Academy

Canopy

Child Advocates of Silicon Valley

City of East Palo Alto

City of Palo Alto

College Track

Color a Smile

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

Compassion Prison Project

Creative Montessori

Downtown Streets Team

DreamCatchers

East Palo Alto Academy

East Palo Alto Senior Center

Eating Disorder Resource Center

Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP)

El Camino Health Foundation

Embarcadero Media

engaj

Environmental Volunteers

Family Connections

Family House

Fletcher Middle School

Fletcher Middle School PTA

Friends of the Palo Alto Library (FOPAL)

Gamble Garden

Get Involved Foundation

Grassroots Ecology

Greene Middle School

Gunn High School

Gunn High’s Green Team

Gunn High’s Green Volunteers

Gunn High’s Key Club

Gunn High’s PTSA

Gunn High’s ROCK

Gunn High’s World Languages Dpt.

Heart and Home

Hewlett Packard (HP)

Hidden Villa

Hoover Elementary School

Hopes Corner

ICC at the JCC

Instant Wild

Interact District 5170

Izzi Early Education

J-Camp

Jewish Family & Children’s Services

JFCS Center for Children & Youth

JLS Middle School

JLS Middle School PTA

Juana Briones Elementary

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Kafenia

Karat School Project

Katy High School, Texas

Kelly-Moore Paints

League of Women Voters

Letters Against Isolation

Lewis and Joan Platt East Palo Alto Family YMCA

LifeMoves

Live in Peace

Louisiana State University

Martin Luther King Jr. Research & Education Institute

MLK Freedom Center

Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice

My New Red Shoes

National AAPI Mental Health Assoc.

New Leaf Treatment Center

Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence

Nuestra Casa

Ocean Conservatory – CleanSwellApp

Ohlone Elementary School

One East Palo Alto

OneLove

Operation Continued Generosity

Oshman Family Jewish Community Center

Palo Alto Art Center

Palo Alto Baylands

Palo Alto Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

Palo Alto Community Care Centers (PACCC)

Palo Alto Council of PTAs (PTAC)

Palo Alto Friends of the Library

Palo Alto High School

Palo Alto Humane Society (PAHS)

Palo Alto Mitchell Park Library

Palo Alto Police & Fire Dept.

Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition

Palo Alto Teen Advisory Board

Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Hospital

Palo Alto Youth Council

Paly High’s Key Club

Path

PAUSD Office of Equity and Student Affairs

Peninsula Edlerly Care Home

Peninsula Open Space Trust

Pets in Need

Pilot City

Project Linus

Project Safety Net

Project WeHOPE

RAFT

Ravenswood City School District

Reach Potential Movement

Rev. Dr. Debra Murray, Lead Pastor, First United Methodist Church Palo Alto

Ronald McDonald House

SafeSpace

Samaritan House

San Mateo County Libraries East Palo Alto

San Mateo County Office of Education

San Mateo County Parks

Santa Clara County District Library

Santa Clara County Suicide Prevention Program

Silicon Valley Leo’s Club

Sources of Strength

St. Jude’s Hospital

StandUp for Kids

Stanford Hospital

Stanford University

StarVista

Stevenson House

Stop AAPI Hate

StreetCode Academy

Sunrise Senior Living

Sunshine Interact Club

The Body Positive

The Health Trust

There with Care

Tide Academy

Towncats

UN’s World Food Programme

University A.M.E. Zion Church

Veterans Affair Hospital

Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Woodland Park Communities

YESS Collaborative

YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley

Zoological Society of London’s Instant Wild Initiative

Foundation, Government and Corporate Sponsors and Partners

Adobe

Apple

Assemblymember Marc Berman, District 24

Association for India’s Development

AvidBank

Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council

Bothin Foundation

Bright Homes Real Estate @KW

CA COVID 19 Relief Grant

Carolyn Burt

Castilleja School

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Channing House Entertainment Coordinators

City of East Palo Alto

City of Menlo Park

City of Palo Alto

College Advising Team

CZI Community Fund Grant

David & Lucile Packard Foundation

DLA Piper LLP

Dominica Gourmet

Dreamer’s Roadmap

East Palo Alto Bayshore Rotary

East Palo Alto City Council

East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy

Facebook

First Church of Christ, Scientist

First Congregational Church

First Congregational Church of Palo Alto

First Presbyterian Church

Fletcher Middle School PTA

Genetech

Good Tech and Cause Podcast

Google

Greene Middle School PTA

Gunn High School

Gunn High School PTSA

HP, Inc

Intel Foundation

JLS Middle School PTA

Junior League of Palo Alto • Mid Peninsula

Kafenia Peace Collective

Kiwanis Club

Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto

Latinx America

Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

Meta Platforms

Micron Technology

Palantir

Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce

Palo Alto City Council

Palo Alto Community Care Centers (PACCC)

Palo Alto Community Child Care

Palo Alto Community Fund

Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF)

Palo Alto High School PTSA

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF)

Palo Alto Online

Palo Alto Recreation Foundation

Palo Alto Recreation Foundation (PARF)

Palo Alto Reiki

Palo Alto Rotary

Palo Alto Rotary Club

Palo Alto Unified School District

Palo Alto University Rotary (PAUR)

Palo Alto University Rotary Club

Palo Alto Weekly

Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund

PAMF Community Grants

PAUSD School Board

Philanthropic Ventures Foundation

PlayStation Cares

Polyphony Branding

Raising Resilience

Real Talk

Roger Glenn Hill Video Production

Rotary Club of Palo Alto

Sacred Heart Community Service

SafeSpace

San Mateo County Supervisor Warren Slocum, District Four

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, District Five

Sequoia Union High School District

Shinnyo-en Foundation

Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Silicon Valley Realtors Charitable Fd

Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation

Sobrato Family Foundation

SUHSD School Board

SVCF/Health Trust

SVCN!

The Bothin Foundation

Thrive

United States Small Business Admin- Paycheck Protection Program

Vaccinate All 58 Neighborhood Partnership Program

VMware Foundation

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation

Wisteria Foundation

Woodland Park Communities Foundation

YCS Racial Equity Pledge

YCS, in community with our nonprofits partners, worked collectively on The Nonprofit Racial Equity Pledge pledge and are committed to engaging our communities in tangible action steps. YCS is grateful for the leadership of SVCN for guiding us through this process. We have pledged to create a race equity, diversity, and inclusion resource hub to support nonprofits in their race equity journeys.