Staff & Board

Annie grew up in 1960s and 70s Berkeley, in a family that greatly valued the outdoors. They camped, backpacked, and hiked together across the West. These experiences gave Annie a powerful sense of identity and responsibility to herself, her family, and the environment. As a young person, Annie saw class and racial disparities around her (even in nature!) and tried to understand how to begin addressing them. Volunteering with YES helped her make sense of what she was seeing and showed her how she could begin to make a difference through the power of community.

Born in the snow of Chicago, raised near the mountains of Oregon, and now settled in the hills of the East Bay, Bill Bankhead has been a lover of nature his entire life. His journey through outdoor leadership was forged as an Eagle Scout and honed by a degree in environmental studies. After summiting the hill of an MBA, he wanted to give back more directly to the community, and he was lucky enough to find YES waiting for him. When he saw the passion of the program staff and the diligence of the administrative team, he knew that YES was an organization that would fit like a great pair of boots. He enjoys introducing his son to camping and hiking and is an avid board gamer, competing in and directing tournaments whenever possible.

Francis was born and raised in San Pablo, CA, where he benefitted from many diverse opportunities the Bay Area has to offer and genuine community care. Francis got connected to YES in 2012, and immediately was inspired by the way YES engages entire families, and more broadly, YES’s commitment to community wellbeing. Outside of work, Francis enjoys spending time outdoors and being present with his silly and mischievous pug.

Jabeen Yusuf (she/her) is a seasoned social impact strategist and brand marketer. Prior to founding Health+ Studio, Jabeen was Vice President of Strategic Engagement at the Center for Youth Wellness, a pediatric healthcare nonprofit organization that works to improve health outcomes for children impacted by trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Jabeen led the center’s marketing communications, thought leadership, and public education efforts.

A citizen of the world, Jabeen was born in Pakistan and spent her formative school years in Saudi Arabia. She speaks English, Hindi, and Urdu fluently and can understand conversational Arabic. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.

Jean Hyams (she/her/hers) joined the YES Board more than a decade ago with the hope of finding a meaningful way to give back to the Richmond community, where she lived. She has been blown away by the extent to which YES’s profound vision of partnering with nature to empower leaders touches everyone -- board members, program volunteers, staff, and participants. Jean appreciates the models of transparency around power and privilege, collaborative decision-making and shared power YES champions. When she’s not volunteering or working, Jean loves travel, finding art in the everyday, her dog Madigan (aka Sir Barksalot), and soft times with loved ones.

Justin was born and raised in Richmond, and he loves giving back to his community. From ages 13-18, Justin got the opportunity to experience the magic of the outdoors, leadership training, and community– all thanks to YES. Now as an alum of the program, he is on the YES board because he wants others to feel the love from YES and experience the wonders of nature the same way he did years ago. Professionally, he works in government. 

Monica is Co-Owner and Associate Principal of Strategic Growth & Communications at Studio-MLA, where she leads business development, communications, and strategic initiatives for the nationally recognized landscape architecture and urban design practice. Her work has centered on equitable access to parks, mobility, urban forestry, and civic infrastructure throughout the Bay Area.

A Bay Area native and second-generation immigrant, Monica believes deeply in the power of nature and public landscapes to heal, connect, and empower communities. In addition to her professional work, she has spent more than a decade teaching in UC Berkeley’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, mentoring the next generation of designers around issues of equity, ecology, and public life.

A Richmond, CA native through and through, Payal has long been a champion for the healing power of local green spaces. Her dedication to the community is rooted in service, having served as the Vice Chair Commissioner of the Recreation and Parks Commission for the City of Richmond and as a longtime advocate for ParkRX. Professionally, Payal is a senior operations and finance leader who scales mission-driven organizations with a blend of rigor and heart. She is inspired by YES’s leadership framework, seeing it as an engine for local empowerment. When she isn’t building operational excellence, you’ll find Payal practicing yoga, catching live music, or enjoying long walks with her family and friends.

Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. Roopnarine brings an interdisciplinary and global perspective to both science and education. He is widely recognized for his contributions to paleontology, conservation science, and global change biology, and he has authored numerous influential publications on extinction events, ecosystem collapse, and ecological evolution. In 2024, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in recognition of his distinguished scientific achievements and contributions to research, education, and public communication. Peter lives in El Cerrito with his wife, Carol, and their son. 

Sonya has been a resident of the Bay Area since childhood, currently residing in the East Bay with her husband and their college age daughter. Sonya was drawn to YES because of her childhood experiences riding bikes through San Francisco with her family.

Getting out of the gray urban environment and into vast, lush green spaces was an incredibly welcoming and memorable feeling—one she would never forget and grew to crave as she got older. Sonya thinks that there’s something about being immersed in nature that truly heals the soul and restores a sense of belonging, and YES captures that essence perfectly.

Theophilus Little (he/him) was raised in a military family, which shaped his strong sense of service, adaptability, and community. He now serves in a senior leadership role within a large healthcare system, where he oversees support services focused on creating safe and high-quality environments for patients and staff.

Theophilus is passionate about developing people and building inclusive, team-oriented cultures where individuals feel valued and empowered. His time serving in the military during the tail-end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era deeply influenced his leadership style and commitment to authenticity. Today, he is proud to be an openly LGBTQ+ leader who prioritizes creating spaces of belonging and respect.

Outside of work, Theophilus enjoys staying active, traveling, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with his partner. He also has a passion for aquascaping and maintains planted aquariums, always looking for his next addition.

Zaira grew up in Richmond and has called the area home for over 25 years.

A former YES staff member, Zaira was inspired early on to pursue a Master’s in Education with a focus on urban environmental education. Her professional path is shaped by a strong passion for place-based learning—especially exploring and learning from the flora and fauna found in her own neighborhood. She believes meaningful education happens both in and with the communities we are part of.

Her connection to YES continues through volunteering, driven by a desire to give back to a program that helped shape her journey and to support the next generation of leaders and environmental caretakers.

Outside of work, Zaira is happiest outdoors. Whether it’s daily walks with her dog, day-long hikes, or camping trips, she makes time to connect with nature every day.