Team

Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes is the Founder and Executive Director of the Roots of Success Environmental Literacy and Job Training Apprenticeship Program and a Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at San Francisco State University where her research and teaching focus on improving quality of life for people living in underserved communities. An internationally recognized expert on green jobs and workforce development, Raquel conducted the landmark study “Green Collar Jobs for Individuals with Barriers to Employment” and co-authored the Federal Department of Corrections first report on “The Greening of Corrections: Creating a Sustainable System” in addition to many other publications in the field. Her programmatic work on on preparing youth and adults who face barriers to employment for jobs in the green economy informed the Obama Administration’s ARRA “Pathways Out of Poverty” program and the development of hundreds of green job training programs in the United States. Her current research and writing  focuses on the impact of the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.  

    Tori Vela is the Program Manager at Roots of Success, responsible for supporting and supervising program partners nationwide as they deliver the Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship program in community and carceral settings. Based in the Bay Area, Tori has a strong background in the nonprofit sector, having worked as a Community Engagement Manager, Urban Farming Apprentice, and Food Access Coordinator at a local farmers market. Passionate about sustainability, equity, and community empowerment, she holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a MPH from the Colorado School of Public Health.

     Amber Snow is the Operations Manager with Roots of Success. Before working with Roots of Success, Amber was Manager of Human Resources and Operations with Annies Annuals and Perennials. Previous to this she worked as a Financial Analyst with Arcadian Health Plan in Oakland. 

Josie Phoenix is Special Projects Manager at Roots of Success. Before joining the Roots of Success team, they worked in the foodservice and hospitality industry for over fifteen years. They are actively involved in community activities and advocacy efforts to increase food and housing security, support mutual aid, and provide harm reduction services. Josie holds a B.A. degree in Urban Studies and Planning from San Francisco State University.

Interns

Kristen Maggard graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science. She is passionate about using data to create a more equitable and sustainable world.

Juliet Delino is a rising senior at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, studying Data Science with a focus in Digital Media Analytics. Last summer, she interned with Skechers on their Data Product Management team and is excited to continue learning this summer with Roots of Success. In her free time, Juliet enjoys yoga, cooking, secondhand fashion, and traveling. She looks forward to applying data science across industries to solve meaningful problems and drive impact through data.

Ala’addin Ghosheh is a Data Intern at Roots of Success. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science  at the University of California, Santa Cruz.  He is passionate about using technology to support social impact initiatives and is especially interested in education, environmental justice, and community empowerment.  

Martha Garcia Palma is an intern at Roots of Success, where she supports data entry, analytics, and projects involving data collection, visualization, and communication. A Psychology major at Connecticut College, Martha is passionate about using data to advance equity and opportunity in underserved communities. She previously interned with the strategic partnerships team at College Track’s national office, where she contributed to data-driven decision-making. Her work reflects commitment to social good.

  Eleni Zerie is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University majoring in Cognitive Studies and minoring in Data Science and Business. Before interning at Roots of Success, she worked as a Digital Media Assistant at her university. She is passionate about uplifting marginalized groups through community-building and advocacy.