Carmela Gold, President
Carmela is the Director of Capital Planning for the new Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA. She previously served as Executive Director of the storied Tenderloin institution for 17 years. The Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA has been a leading provider and essential partner in meeting the needs of the Tenderloin community in social development and wellness services for 100 years (even longer than wait for Giants World Series victory).
Art Evans, Vice President
Prior to founding AF Evans Company, Inc., Arthur Evans was with the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency from 1967 to 1976, the last two years as Executive Director. Art was honored as Multifamily Executive of the Year 2001 by Multifamily Executive Magazine.
Mr. Evans is a graduate of Tufts University, an attorney and a licensed civil engineer. He is a member of Lambda Alpha, an honorary land economics fraternity. Mr. Evans is on the Board of Directors of the Development Fund and the North of Market Neighborhood Improvement Corporation in San Francisco.
Jo Licata, Board Member
In January, 1995, Jo was named Community Projects Manager, a position created by senior management to insure that the Hilton San Francisco is a pro-active community partner. The primary focus is assisting with the social service and non-profit agencies, schools and arts programs to improve the quality of life for the over 5,000 children and 3,000 frail elders who reside in the neighborhood. This position is unique to the hospitality industry. The goal of the Hilton San Francisco, the West Coast’s largest hotel, is to be recognized as a good neighbor and a good corporate citizen.
David Seward, Treasurer
David Seward is the Chief Financial Officer of UC Hastings College of the Law where he is responsible for financial, accounting, investment, business and facilities management, long-range capital planning, risk and real estate management functions including a 252-unit student housing facility, College bookstore, and parking operations.
Active in the community, Seward serves on the Board of Directors of Hamilton Family Center (currently acting as board president), Tenderloin Economic Development Project, and the Uptown Tenderloin Historic District. In addition, he recently completed a three-year stint on the board of the North of Market/Tenderloin Community Benefit Corporation, an organization focused on sidewalk cleaning and neighborhood improvement. He also volunteers for DeMarrillac Academy, a middle school serving low income families, located in the Tenderloin.
Paul Sussman, Board Member
Paul is the Chief Financial Officer of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. Paul was recently named CFO of the Year at the fourth annual Bay Area CFO of the Year Awards, hosted by Business Times and Larkin Street Youth Services. The award recognizes individuals who play a critical role in the success of their organizations and, in the case of the Community Service category, have also worked to improve the quality of life for people in our community.
Terrance Alan, Secretary
Terrance is the Vice-President of the North of Market/Tenderloin Community Benefit District, the founding President of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission, Chairman of the San Francisco Late Night Coalition and an arts and entertainment business owner in the Tenderloin.
BYRON CHUNG, Board Member
A veteran of nearly 20 years in education administration, Byron Chung is the president of The Art Institute of California – San Francisco.
Chung received a bachelor’s degree in communications with a major in advertising from California State University, Fullerton in 1990. He began his career in education when he joined the admissions staff of DeVry University, located in Pomona, Calif., in 1994. Chung was later promoted to the position of the university’s national admissions training manager in Chicago, where he was involved in the training of admissions representatives for all of DeVry’s campuses in North America. In 1997, Chung returned to Pomona as DeVry’s director of admissions. In this role, he implemented the school’s recruitment program, developed and executed advertising and marketing strategies, and initiated efforts for student enrollment and retention.
In January 2003, Chung joined the staff of The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, located in Santa Monica, as the school’s director of admissions. In this position, Chung served as chief sales and marketing executive and as a member of the school’s executive committee. While overseeing an admissions staff of 20 professionals, Chung established departmental goals and budgets. In February 2005, his success at the school led to a promotion to Vice President, Admissions Specialist for Education Management Corporation, the parent company of The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles. In this position, Chung supported all admissions and marketing functions of several of EDMC’s schools in its western region.
In July 2005, Chung became President of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, where he was instrumental in doubling the size of their facility – from 22,000 Sq ft. to over 47,000 Sq ft. within two years. Under Chung’s guidance, The Art Institute of California- Inland Empire became one of the fastest growing start-up campuses in EDMC’s history.
In April 2008, Byron Chung joined The Art Institute of California – San Francisco as President and has overseen campus growth with new program offerings, including Culinary, Digital Filmmaking and Video Production, and Audio Production, and has driven campus expansion from 65,000 Sq ft. to 105,000 Sq. ft. As President of The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, Chung is responsible for the academic quality, operational effectiveness, human resources development, and growth of the campus, as well as the quality of education for students and graduate success.
Deanna Sison Foster
Deanna Sison Foster is the co-owner of the restaurants Farmerbrown and Little Skillet. As a Tenderloin business owner and entrepreneur, Deanna has a knack for hospitality and strives to build her businesses around diverse communities. Previously, she was a producer for several PBS cooking shows combining her passion for food with a background in production.
Elvin Padilla Jr., Executive Director
(on the right)
A multidisciplinary community development practitioner and advocate, Elvin has worked with and for diverse low-income communities, both urban and rural. His interest in the field began as a young man growing up in East New York Brooklyn, where he watched a once solid neighborhood deteriorate as arson ravaged housing and jobs vanished.
Elvin has consulted a variety of nationally prominent nonprofits working in the fields of literacy, arts, community economic development, affordable housing, food security, and urban redevelopment. He has served as consultant to the Ford Foundation and has served on the advisory board for Ford and Kellogg Foundation initiatives.
Other organizations and agencies Elvin has worked with include: the Related Companies of California; the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation; the International Sonoran Desert Alliance; Tia Chucha’s Centro Culturál; Taller Puertorriqueño; the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles; McCormack Baron Salazar; Partners for Livable Communities; Community Legal Services; the Unity Council; and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Elvin’s awards include fellowships with the Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Vista 2000 Award from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. His published work includes: Urban Redevelopment and the Role of Arts & Culture Organizations – Views from the Real Estate Developers’ Perspective; and, The Strategic Value of Civic Engagement by Art & Culture Nonprofits.
Elvin received his B.A. in sociology/anthropology from Haverford College in 1987. His favorite Tenderloin eating spots include farmerbrown (weekend jazz brunch and gumbo), Soluna Cafe (burgers), Morty’s Deli (good hot pastrami), Lers Ros (Thai), Mangosteen (Vietnamese), Urban Tavern (great hot pretzels) and Taqueria Castillo.