Our Staff
Dr. Hollis Pierce-Jenkins
Executive Director
Hollis was born in New Orleans, but raised in San Francisco and is a product of SFUSD. She once had aspirations to be an attorney and even attended law school, but decided this was not her calling. Hollis worked for the 2nd largest law firm in San Francisco and began her career in the corporate world. In 1992, in gratitude for the doors her education opened, she made the decision to transition to education, working in underserved communities. The journey continues. She is a classically trained pianist, loves jazz, plays tennis and enjoys calligraphy. She is married and has one daughter, (28) who is the joy of her life. What keeps her inspired? Creating a world where everyone has access to a life of dignity and self-sufficiency. She believes this can be achieved by listening to the elders and the life lessons from champions of our world.
Patrick Marley Rump
Restoration Director
Patrick previously served as LEJ’s Executive Director for 11 years. He’s been with the organization for 22 years, serving in many roles. He is deeply passionate about LEJ’s core mission and focus. Patrick has developed LEJ’s Eco-Adventures, on the water kayaking, Programs and the new walk, bike, & boat-in campsites at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (one of only two campsites in San Francisco County). Patrick is currently working on the expansion of the native plant nursery and community garden at Candlestick State Park to amplify LEJ’s impact on green infrastructure, habitat restoration, environmental education, community stewardship, and environmental workforce development in Southeast San Francisco. Patrick is an avid skateboarder in his late 40’s and enjoys it more today than back in 1987 when he started. He enjoys playing badminton with his family, vinyl record collecting, and recently agreed to a family dog for his kids (despite being allergic to it).
Gwen Winslow
Director of Finance and Operations
My financial management experience, spanning the past 25 years includes working with a number of nonprofits that align with my sense of commitment to community building through environmental and social justice. I look forward to putting my skills to work at LEJ.
I’m an aspiring herbalist and enjoy walks in the woods and working with native plants when they are available.
Nelly Servellon
Nursery Coordinator
Nelly joined LEJ as its Nursery Coordinator in March 2022. With an Associate’s Degree in Gardening and Landscaping as well as in Nursery Operations and Management, Nelly is responsible for managing LEJ’s Native Plant Nursery operations at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area and Treasure Island, which grow upwards of 70,000 native plants annually. To add to her restoration experience, Nelly also completed an Ecological Stewardship internship with Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 2021. Born and raised in San Francisco’s Mission and Bayview Districts, Nelly has a deep connection with southeast San Francisco and a passion for urban greening. Nelly says she never fully knew the beauty, power, and wonder of native plants until she started working with LEJ.
Nina Omomo
Restoration Coordinator
Nina has worked at Literacy for Environmental Justice since February 2020. She found LEJ through the Environmental Studies program at SFSU and decided to volunteer on Saturdays. During my last semester of school, she was hired as a part-time intern through the Eco-Apprentice program. She ended up really enjoying the work at LEJ and after graduating, decided to continue at LEJ full-time. One aspect that really drew her in was the intersectionality of goals within the work, specifically the connection between social justice and science based practices. She loves being able to work with native plants and do land-based restoration, but also be involved in community events and advocacy in environmental injustice. One of the best parts of her job is going on botanical and seed collection hikes because it’s where she learns the most about native plants. “I ultimately get paid to go hiking. I’m extremely fortunate to have the chance to work outdoors every day alongside people who have inspired me and taught me so much just at the start of my career in the environmental field.”
Charlie Startin
Eco-Technician
Charlie is an Eco-Technician and she’s been working for LEJ for 1 year. Her favorite place to work is at Heron’s Head Park. Her background is in restoration ecology and she recently got a Masters in GIS. She has a blue heeler and loves hiking with him in the Redwood forest.
Eliz Ismailoglu
Eco-Technician
Eliz is a San Francisco State University graduate with a degree in Earth Sciences studying Oceanography, Ecology, and Indigenous studies. She has worked in the environmental field since 2016 doing environmental education and habitat restoration. After co-leading San Francisco Recreation & Park’s Youth Stewardship Program and Wetland Explorers summer camp at the EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park, she was eager to learn more about the flora and fauna of the Bay Area and joined LEJ at the end of 2022. She now works as an Eco-Technician at LEJ in hopes to address environmental injustice in the Bayview community. She loves working with plants in and out of work and can often be found foraging for plant dye materials and medicinal plants with her pup, Miso.
Alijah Mestayer-Orallo
Eco-Technician
Alijah is one of our hard working Eco-Technicians, joining our team in August of 2022. Born and raised in San Francisco’s Mission and Bayview district, Alijah has a deep connection with the southeast side of San Francisco. His likeness to activism started while he was in high school, joining youth activist programs like PODER (People Organizing to Demand Economic and Environmental Rights) where he learned about inequalities his community faced. This taught Alijah how organizing can unite communities and lead to self sustainability. This background in activism drives his passion for environmental justice, making him perfect for his position as an Eco-Technician. He first crossed paths with LEJ as a youth volunteer during high school pre-pandemic for one of his extracurriculars, and subsequently found LEJ again as a young adult. Alijah has goals to take classes in horticulture and landscaping to improve his knowledgeability on stewardship in urban spaces.
Anton Benedicto
Community Programs Coordinator
Anton was born and raised in the Bay Area and attended UC Santa Cruz to study Environmental Studies. His time in Santa Cruz fostered a deeper appreciation for the outdoors and provided enlightenment of the many environmental issues that are often overlooked. He aimed to begin a career in the environmental sector while also developing an interest in the world of education. Anton interned with San Francisco Recreation & Parks through the Youth Stewardship Program, furthering his knowledge of the city’s parks while cultivating his teaching skills with youth ranging from kindergarten to high school. Upon completion of his internship, he started working with LEJ in December of 2022 after being drawn to the organization’s social justice mission of intersecting environmental education, outdoor stewardship, and community engagement. Anton hopes to increase access to environmental programming for San Francisco youth, especially from the Bayview/Hunters Point area, and highlight the richness of the neighborhood and its green spaces.
Our Board
Wendy Brummer
Chair
Program Manager Expert with PG&E Clean Energy Programs. Environmental justice roots from Madison to Hunters Point, reader, mother, gardener, sea glass seeker and deep believer in tikkun olam.
Eric Sloan
Interim Secretary
Psychotherapist working with diverse and disadvantaged youth. Native Californian of Kumeyaay and European settler heritage. Grew up on the beaches, mesas, and deserts of California. Committed to liberation from oppression and rewilding. Father, husband, cook, reader, cineaste, bicyclist, swimmer, and hiker.
Huw Lester
Treasurer
Director at PwC Trust Solutions (auditing) and leads PwC San Francisco’s Environmental Inclusion Network. Likes gardening, public transportation, reading, racket sports, soccer, food and travel.
Jawanza Barial-Lumumba
Member
National Manager of Global Strategies & Services at YMCA of the USA. Enjoys reading and writing in his leisure time.
Pouneh Ghaffarian
Member
Attorney at the California Public Utilities Commission – vegan, advocate, dancer, hiker, and firm believer in self evolution.
Ariel Lew Ai Le Whitson
Member
Director of Education and Community with TreePeople, dedicated to engage in direct education and organizing efforts to inspire, engage and support climate resilient youth and communities. Loves live music, hiking, cooking, and reading.
Sharon Zimmern
Member
Education administrator with SFUSD, with roots in social services and nonprofits. Standing for equity, dignity and justice for all in our communities. Native Californian, avid hiker, gardener, art lover and discoverer of hidden hideaways.
Frank Buncom IV
Member
Investment Associate at New Leaf Climate Partners. Passionate about ecological restoration and does local work through S&S Friendly Ranch in San Diego. He’s committed to building products that are loved by those who encounter them and have a net societal and environmental benefit. Loves playing with goats and dogs, dancing, meditation, and reading.