Cynthia A. Chavez, Executive Director

Cynthia Chavez has over 25 years of experience in organizational management, public policy, and community building for social change.

Prior to taking the helm at LeaderSpring, Ms. Chavez served as a nationally respected management and diversity consultant, specializing in leadership development, planning, and governance (1996-2001). Clients and projects included conducting a national assessment of school-based youth violence prevention programs for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; generating funds for school wide reform, especially for children of color and immigrant students in K-12 schools for California Tomorrow; and implementing a national initiative promoting giving and volunteerism among and for communities of color for the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

As a member of the professional staff of the Kellogg Foundation, Ms. Chavez launched a collaborative among program directors of three foundations, leading to a nationwide initiative to promote philanthropy in communities of color. Prior to her work at Kellogg Foundation, Ms. Chavez was selected as a Warren Weaver Fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation (1990-1991).

In California, Ms. Chavez acquired statewide policy-making experience while working for elected officials of the San Francisco Bay Area (1981-1988). She was also appointed to the Governor’s Subcommittee on Youth Employment. During these ten years of state service, she mediated among powerful interest groups, including lobbyists of consumer groups and the banking, real estate, and housing industries. By these efforts, she helped achieve consensus on statewide policies concerning youth employment, education, affordable housing, and consumer protection.

Ms. Chavez volunteers as a member of the National Advisory Board of the Leadership Learning Community, a collaborative of nearly 100 leadership programs. Other past volunteer membership positions include the Community Building Fund Committee of the United Way of Alameda County and the board of the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Her international speaking engagements include serving as a panelist at a conference on civil society in Brazil, and as moderator at a fundraising workshop in Salzburg, Austria.

Renato Almanzor, Director of Programs

Dr. Almanzor earned his Ph.D. in organizational psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. He has also been a professor at Argosy University, Alliant International University, and the University of San Francisco. He continues to serve on dissertation committees, supervise graduate interns, and teach courses as an adjunct professor. 

In addition to having served as Director of the Family & Community Office for the Oakland Unified School District, Dr. Almanzor supported the design of high achieving equitable schools, and coached principals and teacher leaders when he worked with the Bay Area Coalition of Equitable Schools.

Dr. Almanzor serves or has served as Chair of the School Site Council for his son’s school, the Planning and Oversight Committee for the Oakland Fund for Children & Youth, President on the Board of Directors for the Oakland Asian Students Educational Services, Board of Directors for the San Francisco Coalition of Essential Small Schools, and actively supports many community and multicultural groups, especially Asian Pacific and Pilipino organizations, student groups, and community-based agencies.

Karen Anselmo, Director of Operations and Special Projects

Karen Anselmo joined LeaderSpring in January 2004 after relocating from Boston, where she worked and volunteered for a number of nonprofit organizations in areas including housing, public health, and education. As an intern at Greater Boston Legal Services, Karen advocated for low-income tenants facing evictions. At Project HEALTH, a nonprofit that addresses challenges faced by low-income families through innovative hospital-based advocacy programs and community-based after-school programs, Karen supported the national office during the organization's transition from a start-up to a sustainable institution. She also volunteered for the successful 2002 political campaign of a Massachusetts state senator. Karen earned her bachelor's degree in Government at Harvard University in 2001.

Karen served as an advisory board member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (www.ynpn.org/sfba) from 2006-2010 and danced with the salsa team Salsamania (www.salsamania.org) from 2006-2009.

Julie Guy, Program Associate

Julie is excited to be welcomed on as a part of LeaderSpring’s team and turn her focus towards her local community.  She spent the last four years working in international education, both as the Membership and Development Associate for the Institute of International Education, West Coast Center, and as the Special Projects Coordinator for Santa Clara University’s Study Abroad Office.  She studied Communication and History at Santa Clara University and enjoys dancing and outdoor exploration in her free time.  Please join us in welcoming Julie!  She can be reached at: julie@leaderspring.org.

Sarah Quan, Operations Associate

Sarah Quan joined LeaderSpring in February of 2010 after graduating from the University of California - Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science.  As a devoted native of the Bay Area, she has spent most of her young career working and volunteering with non-profits in San Francisco and the East Bay with an eye to discover how she can best contribute to the future of her community in a positive way.  Sarah came to LeaderSpring to continue in that direction through making use of her strong administrative background.  In her free time, you will find her cutting a rug out in the Bay Area Lindy Hop scene.