Staff & Advisory Board

Learn more about the team behind Roots of Success

Staff

Raquel Pinderhughes, Ph.D. is Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at San Francisco State University and the Founder and Executive Director of Roots of Success. An internationally recognized expert on green jobs, green jobs training and environmental literacy, Raquel has decades of experience working with incarcerated, low-literacy and first-time college populations. Her Green Job Training Model was used to form the Oakland Green Job Corps and inform the Obama Administration’s Pathways out of Poverty Initiative funded with ARRA funds.

Chad Flores is the Deputy Director of Roots of Success. His expertise is in nonprofit organizational management and environmental policy. Chad’s leadership perspective is informed by studying environmental policy in Washington, DC, European Union policy approaches in Belgium and Ireland, as well as his international humanitarian aid service in Honduras and Vietnam. Previous to his work with Roots of Success, he worked for the online fundraising nonprofit Network for Good and the social innovation incubator Hub Bay Area. Chad holds a M.S. in Public Service Management from DePaul University’s School of Public Service and a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Marquette University. He is passionate about issues at the intersection of public health, economy, policy, and innovation.

Colin Smith is the Head Editor of Roots of Success. He holds a B.A. in History and American Studies from Kalamazoo College. Colin is interested in advocating for literacy and how culture, policies, and the economy have affected communities. He has previously interned under a sustainable farm in British Columbia, the environmental news organization Circle of Blue, and had enrolled in Sociology and Development courses for six months in Kenya. As a writer and editor, he works with Roots of Success‘s books and texts, including laying out the Green Jobs and Career Pathways Guidebook.

Janelly Nieves is the Data Program Manager at Roots of Success. She graduated with an Associates in Arts, Bachelors in Science and a Masters in Public Administration. As the youngest child raised by a single mother, she has a passion for service and helping others find ways to succeed. Janelly’s professional interests include community development and improvement and human resources.