Citizen Schools California Appoints Three New Members to Advisory Board
“All three of our newest Board members embody the mission and values of Citizen Schools and bring distinct individual skill sets,” says Maria Drake, Executive Director, Citizen Schools California. “We are very fortunate to have them serve our organization as we continue to close the opportunity and achievement gaps for middle schoolers in the Bay Area.”
Joining the Advisory Board are Joy Harper, Tracy Meng, and Kayla Norris:
Joy Harper is an aspiring CFO who loves to discuss tax, finance, technology, cryptocurrency, and a little bit of fashion. Currently, Joy leads the Capital Markets (Treasury) Tax initiative at Google. Before joining Google Joy worked at BlackRock where she led the taxation of financial instruments, securities lending, information reporting and withholding, AEOI and more. From 2003 - 2014, Joy worked at EY in various offices providing tax advice to clients in international tax, financial services, and capital markets in San Francisco, London, D.C., and Cleveland. She has extensive capital markets, treasury, and tax experience. Joy studied African-American History and Accounting at Miami University, earned a Masters of Accountancy from Case Western Reserve University, and rounded out her education with a Juris Doctorate from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. In addition to her service with Citizen Schools, she is involved in San Francisco non-profit, The Recharge Group which focuses on aggregating and accelerating black wealth and philanthropy in Silicon Valley.
Tracy Meng is a business development professional living and working in San Francisco. She currently works as a Strategic Partnerships Development Manager for Google in the Commerce and Payments practice. Prior to Google, she was a consultant at Bain & Company in Boston where she first learned about Citizen Schools as part of a pro-bono case. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (minor in Psychology) from Harvard University. Tracy grew up mostly in Akron, Ohio, but has also lived in Tennessee, Boston, and Northeast China, where she was born. She is passionate about education and youth empowerment, especially STEM education for young women. Tracy has brought her passion to Citizen Schools in Oakland where she’s taught a Girls in Charge apprenticeship. In her spare time she loves being active - bootcamp workouts, running, yoga, skiing, traveling – mostly to justify all the food she eats while exploring the Bay Area’s culinary offerings!
Kayla Norris is the new Community Relations Officer for Sandia National Laboratories California. She works with community leaders and nonprofit, business, educational, technical and governmental sectors to collaborate and promote Sandia National Laboratories in the greater Bay Area. Kayla is an Oakland Resident, passionate Yogi and nature-enthusiast who believes it’s our duty to be in service of others and be ready for that call to adventure! Before moving to California, she was an avid mountain-biker and trained for a ran one full marathon. She holds a Master of Business Administration, (MBA) from New Mexico State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance and Management from Regis University, in Denver Colorado. During her time at Regis University, she pursued her childhood passion and dream of playing college basketball, and walked on to the team. Additionally, while in Denver, she had the profound and life-changing experience of volunteering at a local Boys & Girls Club. Kayla supports Citizen Schools by teaching Yoga and Mindfulness apprenticeships in Oakland.