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Meet Our Board of Directors

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James Gordon 0071.San Francisco.LiveRamp

Briana EvansPresident, Heart & Soul Board of Directors

Briana sees health, wellness, and choice as foundational. As an Equity Design Strategist with Reflex Design Collective, she works with governments and other organizations with a social mission to build a society in which each person can contribute their best to their community. Briana’s commitment to equity and the daily work of inclusion stems from a deep appreciation for the diversity of stories and experiences within any community. Outside of her work at Reflex, Briana coaches and facilitates in Stanford Graduate School of Business Interpersonal Dynamics course, an experiential leadership development program. An anthropologist by training, Briana enjoys reading, listening to stories, and exploring.

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Calvin Shelton, Interim Chair and Vice President

My name is Calvin Shelton and I was born and raised in San Francisco.

While in High School I had something to look forward to. The Draft was in full force.

Because of the Vietnam War, a lot of people's lives would change. During this conflict, I was able to acquire a Merchant Marine Document from the United States Coast Guard. I shipped out as a merchant seaman for many years with the Military Sea Transport Service as a Civilian crew member. 

 

Many years later I suffered a major psychiatric breakdown. With the help of the San Mateo County Behavioral Health system, I was able to embrace the Recovery Model. I was able to make the journey into the Broader Community. I was able to work for the Rehabilitation Agency named Caminar for many years which is located in San Mateo County.

 

I am presently employed by the National Alliance for Mental Illness. NAMI was formed to advocate for families. With this, I can bring my knowledge of the predicament experienced by families to my work with Heart and Soul.

 

Along the way, I was able to participate in putting together the structure of Heart and Soul. There has to be a beginning and I was there at the beginning.

 

I am at present the interim Chair and Vice President of the Heart and Soul Board. I support Heart and Soul because of its mission to help folks who are dealing with psychiatric disabilities. We offer a stigma-free environment at our various drop-in centers - where people can grow. I can Help Heart and Soul because I have lived the client culture. I have made the journey through the stages of recovery and I can share that journey with the people we are striving to help. I can help our CEO and Board in a way that we can enhance our mission. I feel good giving back.  Because of my Lived Experience and empathy, I feel I can really contribute to our cause.

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Monica Sim, Board Treasurer

Monica was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and has resided in the United States since studying for her MBA at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia. She relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband 6.5 years ago. As luck would have it, they both are working at Google within the same product area of Google's first-party devices and services, where Monica currently leads the Go-To-Market Strategy for Google Services. Monica joined Heart & Soul in 2020, and was impelled to do so having had her own experiences with mental illness, helping support individuals in her immediate family who have struggled with severe diagnoses. Monica and her husband have recently welcomed a new baby boy, Asher, into their family. Monica hopes to set a positive example for her son through philanthropy, by working with organizations that help the most vulnerable in our communities.

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James Gordon
James is originally from the UK having relocated to the United States 5 years ago. He works as a business operations program manager for LiveRamp, a marketing technology company, responsible for improving the customer experience. James joined the Heart & Soul Board in 2018, spent two years as the Board President, and is now responsible for recruitment and board development. He joined as an opportunity to give back to the community, contribute his skills and experience to a vitally important organization, and get away from the Silicon Valley bubble. James lives with his wife Anna, and two young sons Jack and Milo, and enjoys exploring the Californian outdoors, BBQing and music.

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Not Pictured:

Jill Eskenazi & Deborah Wright

Join Heart & Soul's Board of Directors

Would you like to help shape the future of Mental Wellness?

Heart & Soul is currently seeking enthusiastic individuals with broad skills and experience to join our Board of Directors.

We are a peer-founded, operated, and governed Mental Wellness non-profit based in San Mateo County, CA

 

What is involved in being a Board Member?

  • Influence and develop the direction of the organization

  • Participate in fundraising

  • Advocate for Heart & Soul and Mental Wellness

  • Provide oversight 

  • Engage in community outreach

  • Volunteer and Give Advice

 

What does the Board do?

  • Work with the Executive Leadership to set the direction of Heart & Soul to best achieve its mission 

  • Make sure Heart & Soul has the resources it needs - through strategic planning, fundraising and advocacy

  • Provide oversight to Heart & Soul to ensure compliance with the organization bylaws as well as state and federal regulations

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What are the expectations of Board Members?

  • This is a working board.

  • In addition to attending monthly board meetings, board members are expected to actively participate in one or more of the following activities:

  • Fundraising

  • Community advocacy

  • Finance

  • Volunteer/board recruitment

  • Strategic planning

  • Attendance at Open Houses and other Agency events

  • Typical monthly commitment is 5 – 10 hours

 

What prior experience do I need in order to sit on the Board?

No prior board experience is required. We are looking for individuals who have the skills, and interest to contribute to our organization’s ever-growing ability to achieve its mission, whether that be expertise in fundraising, legal, mental wellness, accounting, business, community outreach, and more.  

 

We are an inclusive board that aims to reflect the diverse community we support –

therefore we welcome applications from all without discrimination.

 

OUR VISION: Heart & Soul envisions a world in which those striving toward their self-defined

mental wellness experience acceptance, inclusion, and dignity.

 

OUR MISSION: Our purpose is to create connection, hope, and healing

through mental health awareness, education and peer support.

 

Learn more by speaking with our Board President, Guljot Grover, at 480-205-0752.

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Click the button for a Board Member Application:

 

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