Kate Young, Executive Director of St. Francis Center
Kate Young’s story is one of passion and building community. She spent her early years growing up on the Peninsula and in Monterey County in California. As she grew older, she developed a desire for adventure and exploration, which led her to pursue higher education in the Pacific Northwest, followed by teaching English as a Second Language in Seattle and Japan and later graduate studies on the East Coast. As part of her graduate program, she worked at St. Joseph’s Social Service Center in New Jersey, where she learned firsthand the significant positive impact community-based social service agencies can have.
Kate’s love for her family and the West Coast ultimately drew her back to California and her Peninsula roots. In 2003, she joined Alta Housing, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit focused on building affordable housing. For the last two decades, she had the opportunity to build Alta Housing’s Resident Services Division from scratch and led a team that provided food security, youth, empowerment, and wellness programs on a weekly basis to nearly 900 low-income households.
Her commitment to supporting the community, especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, earned her and her Alta Housing team the well-deserved Angel Award from the Palo Alto Kiwanis Club in 2021. Kate is also a skilled partnership builder, successfully uniting diverse stakeholders around initiatives like DreamCatchers – a program that is closing the opportunity gap for low-income middle school students in the Palo Alto Unified School District.
Kate coaches young students on the six Cs, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Curiosity, and Compassion, which she believes are critical skills in building a connected and peaceful world. Kate’s dedication to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, and her strong belief in reciprocal support and equity, make her an invaluable asset in her new role.
On a personal level, Kate is passionate about exploring global culinary history & cuisines, cooking with friends, advocating for effective dyslexia intervention, and Pitbull love. She resides in Redwood City with her husband, son, and Pitbull.
Edgar Tenario
Director, Siena Youth Center
Edgar, a Bay Area native and Santa Clara University graduate, joined Siena Youth Center through the Public Allies AmeriCorps program. After two years as Health and Wellness Coordinator, he became Director. He is passionate about health, education equity, and ensuring students have access to the resources they deserve.
Joel Flores
Parent Empowerment Coordinator & Assistant Director, Siena Youth Center
Joel, born and raised in the Bay Area, began volunteering at Siena Youth Center at fifteen. After serving as a Program Coordinator, he earned a dual degree in Philosophy and English Literature from the University of Arizona. He returned as Assistant Director to share culturally relevant literature with the North Fair Oaks youth.
Jaqueline Rueda
Center & Community Programs Manager
Jackie has been part of St. Francis Center since 2001, managing donations, supporting volunteers, and overseeing low-income apartments. She is an integral and irreplaceable member of the St. Francis Center family.
Elizabeth Musco
Education Programs Manager, Siena Youth Center
Elizabeth, from Indiana, graduated from the University of Dayton with degrees in mechanical engineering and dance. She joined St. Francis Center and Siena Youth Center in 2021 as a DVUSA volunteer, later serving through AmeriCorps. Now as Education Programs Manager, she supports students through STEAM, tutoring, and ESL programs.
Andrea Hernandez
Outreach Coordinator
Andrea, a second-generation Chicana from Redwood City/North Fair Oaks, is a mother of two and College of San Mateo student. She serves her community as Outreach Coordinator at Siena Youth Center and a caseworker at El Concilio of San Mateo County.
Aurora Thibault
Business Office
Aurora, born and raised in the Philippines, is a licensed teacher with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. She lives at the Catholic Worker House in Redwood City with her husband and two children, working closely with the poor. Through Holy Family School’s parent program, she earned Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Specialist certificates from Cañada College.
Joanna Sierra
Program Coordinator
Joanna, born and raised in Redwood City, attended Siena in 5th grade and stayed involved in her community. She now studies Psychology and Art at San Jose State and previously coached Siena’s 5th–7th grade volleyball team. She loves working with kids and building relationships with students.
Mariam Cervantes
Program Coordinator
Raised in San Jose and Redwood City. Mariam has attended Siena Youth Center since she was 10 years old. She continued to attend Siena as a NFOYI and department lead and now works with the kids of the community. Mariam now attends College of San Mateo, majoring in Child Development. Mariam also enjoys being active with the kids and spending time with her first grade class.
Kathleen Hamilton
Assistant Head of School, Holy Family School
Kathleen, a UCLA and Stanford graduate, joined Holy Family School in 2019 after careers in healthcare and education. She teaches science and religion with passion and joy, and feels honored to serve the Holy Family community. She and her husband have raised three children and two therapy dogs locally.
Kimberly Carlisle
Elementary School Teacher, Holy Family School
Kimberly joined Holy Family School as a kindergarten teacher in 2023 and is grateful to be part of such a supportive community. A University of Virginia graduate, she has taught multiple elementary grades and is passionate about building early reading skills. Kimberly and her husband recently welcomed their first child, Austin, who loves visiting St. Francis Center.
Pamela Welte
Elementary School Teacher, Holy Family School
Pamela is an elementary school teacher at Holy Family School, where she is dedicated to creating a nurturing and engaging learning environment for her students. She is passionate about helping young learners build strong academic foundations and a love for learning. Pamela feels honored to be part of the Holy Family community, supporting students’ growth both in and out of the classroom.
Dash Holland
Middle School Teacher, Holy Family School
Dash, originally from Indianapolis, graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in political science and economics. After working in consulting, he pursued his Master of Education and began teaching Social Studies and English. Since 2022, Dash has been part of the St. Francis Center community, where he is passionate about helping students find their place in the world.
Athziri Amayrani Rueda
Alumni Staff
Athziri, born and raised in the Bay Area, attended Siena as a student and returned in high school as a volunteer and department lead. A 2023 Woodside High graduate, she now runs a weekly cooking class as alumni staff. She studies biology at Cañada College and enjoys reading and true crime podcasts
Sean Vallor, M.S.
Program Counselor, Siena Youth Center
Sean’s began pilot training at 13 & received his private pilot’s license by 17. After studying Aviation Maintenance Management at San José State & a 12-year airline career, he shifted to community work at Siena Youth Center. Now head of the Education Department, he develops programs like Pilot’s Academy, Bulldog Surfers, & Chess Club. He recently earned his master’s in Counseling Psychology from Palo Alto University to better support the community’s mental health needs.
In Loving Memory: Tess Rowell Weber
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Tess was a cherished member of the St. Francis Center family for nearly two decades. She worked tirelessly alongside volunteers, staff, and parents, bringing love, care, and warmth to everything she did. A University of Arizona graduate and mother of three, Tess found joy in hiking with her dog Obi and spending time at the beach. Her vibrant spirit and lasting impact will be celebrated with a special dedication in the upcoming Magical Bridge Pocket Park.
To honor Tess’s memory and help fund the park dedicated to her, we invite you to make a contribution. Your support will help create a joyful space that reflects the love and community spirit Tess shared with all of us.