Staff
Vanessa G. Chan, Executive Director
Vanessa Chan joined the Wardrobe for Opportunity (WFO) team in May 2009, bringing with her over ten years of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience.  Before joining WFO, Vanessa spent three-and-a-half years as the executive director for the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation. Prior to that, Vanessa served as the executive director and the Director of Development for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), which teaches entrepreneurship education to young people from low-income communities.  Vanessa has also directed major fundraising efforts for Bay Area organizations including the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and the East Bay Office of the American Heart Association. Vanessa started her nonprofit career as a member of the first class of AmeriCorps, a national service program and was selected among hundreds of applicants for a placement with the Urban Service Project in San Francisco.  Vanessa is a Bay Area native and attended UC Berkeley. 

Jessica Skylar, Director of Programs and Partnerships
Jessica Skylar officially joined the Wardrobe for Opportunity team as the first Director of Strategic Partnerships in October 2008.  After a year-and-a-half of providing development consulting services to WFO, she is now focused on refining metrics, evaluating outcomes to grow existing community and corporate partnerships and leading new programs to help our clients build successful careers.  She brings to the role an extensive background in nonprofit program development, sustainability measurement and social entrepreneurship working with esteemed programs including Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, Springboard Forward and HIP Investor.  Jessica has a BA in International Development and an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and coaches several girls' softball teams in San Francisco. 

Mia Georgiu, Volunteer and Event Manager
Mia Georgiu joined Wardrobe for Opportunity in June of 2006.  Mia serves on the staff as the Volunteer & Event Manager responsible for supporting the organization's almost 200 volunteers and managing special events.  She believes that her role is about connecting people to their passion with what they want to achieve in the world.  Mia has long fostered a general interest in social change, the arts and the written word.  Prior to her WFO career, she worked at the Red Cross marketing programs, running events and managing volunteers. Mia has a B.A. in psychology from the University of San Francisco. 

Mahogany Charlton, Program Manager,
Career Advancement
Mahogany joined WFO in March of 2010. With over 9 years of business experience in staffing and recruitment, Mahogany spent most of her career helping job-seekers secure employment in various industries. She also has extensive experience in coaching and developing people in their professional careers. Mahogany received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration, H.R. Management from CSU, East Bay in 2007. While Mahogany’s experience started in the private sector, her passion for people and career development brings a unique approach to the programs offered at WFO. As Program Manager of Career Advancement, Mahogany is dedicated to providing WFO clients the tools and resources to keep their jobs and build careers.

Carol Chiasson, Financial Analyst
Carol Chiasson has been the Finance Manager for Wardrobe for Opportunity since May 2005.  She has primary responsibility for managing the organization’s general accounting activities.  She develops, implements, and maintains accounting policies and procedures. Working with the Board Finance Committee, she prepares the annual budget and reports for the organizations’ annual review.  Carol’s nonprofit experience includes a current role as bookkeeper for Invest for Kids where she has worked since 2000 and her previous position as Treasurer for the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore.  Carol has a BA in Psychology from Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Hank Ramirez, Program Specialist
Hank Ramirez joined WFO in October 2005 after many years of retail management and direct client service experience.  Having grown up in a low-income Spanish speaking family, Hank knows firsthand the challenges that many of WFO’s clients face and the elation that comes with overcoming obstacles.  His diverse background is evident in the ease with which he connects with clients.  As Program Specialist, Hank ensures the successful delivery of WFO’s interview and image workshops while also managing all of WFO’s non-profit partnerships.

Adam Brown, Senior Program Associate
Adam Brown joined WFO in September 2009. Prior to his work with WFO, he worked as a Site Coordinator for the Youth Enrichment Program for the Hayward Unified School District. Adam is interested in helping people and understanding people, and loves his job at WFO. He is pursuing a degree in Human Development at Cal State East Bay. He and his wife purchased their first home in Hayward this year and also welcomed their first child, Lacey Elizabeth.

Sunny Suppa, Merchandise Manager and Buyer
Sunny joined WFO in 2008 after two years of volunteering as a Team Lead for the Apparel Management Team. Her background in pre-production, purchasing, and manufacturing while working for the headquarters of major companies including Gap Inc, BCBG Max Azria, and her own apparel company, 5ft2in helped her to re-organized and streamline many of WFO’s operations to increase efficiencies and leverage limited resources which in certain areas saw an improvement of up to 83%. Sunny’s responsibilities includes managing women’s and men’s merchandise, wardrobe drives and drop-off sites coordination, purchasing women’s apparel, building business partners, and organizing the Style for a Steal Event.  Sunny has a degree in Fashion Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology (I.A.D.T.) and a degree in Apparel Manufacturing Management from the Fashion Institute of Merchandise and Design (F.I.D.M.).  She is a graduate of Pathways class of 2006 and Opportunity Fund’s 2008 Client of the Year.

Nina Jacinto, Development & Marketing Associate
Nina began as a grant-writing intern at WFO and become full-time in October 2009. In addition to overseeing marketing at WFO, she helps execute and plan individual donor campaigns and strategies. Nina graduated from Pomona College in 2008 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Women's Studies.  In her spare time, Nina writes about reproductive health for EmpowHer Women's Health.

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Key Volunteers
Sue Green, Oakland Boutique Manager
Marilyn Scovell, Concord Boutique Manager
 

Wardrobe For Opportunity Founder
Jeri Foster