Abby joined ATC as an Outreach Counselor in 2016. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Abby is excited to work with and provide individualized support to ATC’s youth. She enjoys playing soccer, reading anything and everything, watching the Golden State Warriors, visiting tide pools, and eating breakfast food.
Keya joined ATC in 2018 as an Outreach Counselor. She was born and raised in a small town outside of Dallas, Texas, and is a southern belle at heart. However, she moved to the Bay Area for school and never looked back. She is very excited to support and empower ATC’s youth, and in her free time, you can catch her watching YouTube vlogs and eating kettle corn at the movie theaters.
Demaree started as an ATC Outreach Counselor in 2015, and became a Program Manager this year. He spent the previous five years working with underserved youth and low-income families. He joined ATC because of the opportunity to work with and directly serve youth who normally don’t have access to much-needed resources. He enjoys music, writing, and basketball, and has a horrible sense of humor.
Shawn is one of ATC’s most experienced and dedicated staff members. She first joined ATC in 2004 as an Outreach Counselor, became our Program Manager three and a half years later, and has now stepped into the Program Director role. Shawn has had a huge impact on shaping and strengthening our organization – and not just because she’s constantly decorating our office with various treasures she has found buried in her garage. A lifelong San Franciscan, Shawn can tell you all about what the city was like “back in the day.” In her (rare) free time, you can bet she’s cheering on the Giants or the Niners.
Carson joined ATC in 2018 as our Development Associate. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she returned to San Francisco after spending time in Boston and is incredibly happy to never experience an east coast winter again. She’s passionate about supporting disconnected youth as they define their own success. In her free time, you can find her reading, laying in the sun, and searching for the best nachos in the Bay Area.
Charles Lerner brings over 20 years of nonprofit experience to At the Crossroads. Charles served as the Executive Director of Boston CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) from 2012-2019. During his seven year tenure, Boston CASA quadrupled its volunteer base, expanded services by 280%, and increased revenue by 600%. His previous work has included leading the first LGBTQ foster-to-permanency program in California as well as teaching at multiple universities including California State University- East Bay and Harvard University. Charles holds a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. In his spare time he enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and enjoying mochas and Bay Area restaurants. He is the father of a son with an unmatched sense of humor who makes him laugh.
Gemma was born and raised on the tiny island of Guam, and has dreamed of living in San Francisco for years. She finally moved to the city in 2015, and joined the ATC staff as our Administrative Assistant. Then, in early 2016, she became our Office Manager! Outside of ATC, Gemma enjoys spending Saturday mornings at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, and on most weekends you can find her playing the cajon and singing with friends. She’s excited to be able to call the Bay Area her new home and to be a part of the ATC family!
Tara became ATC’s Administrative Assistant in June 2016. Ever since, she has been using her considerable organizational and problem-solving skills to keep our office running smoothly! Tara was born and raised in foggy San Francisco, and went to school in Portland, OR to study International Affairs and Political Economy. When she stumbled across the opportunity to work for ATC, she took it as a sign that it was time to move back to the Bay. In her free time, Tara likes to experiment with new recipes (she makes a mean brownie) and wants to learn another (yes, another) dialect of Arabic.
Mari joined ATC in 2017 as the Communications Manager and in June 2018 she became the Development Manager. A writer, artist, and activist, she’s passionate to share stories, create dialogue, and inspire change. Most recently, Mari was on the road with a book that she co-published about plant medicine and before that, she wrote and directed a play about California’s worst drought to date. In her role at ATC, she is honored by the opportunity to share the stories of our amazing clients with our community of supporters.