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Meet Our Admin Team
As individuals and as supportive collaborators, this talented group brings so much to our mission and programs.
Meet Our Team
As individuals and as supportive collaborators, this talented group brings so much to our mission and programs.
Lisa Raffel
Lisa has more than 30 years of experience in a wide variety of educational settings. Most recently, she was Head of Lower School at Black Pine Circle in Berkeley, where she led a student body of 130 kindergarten through fifth graders and a faculty of 25 teachers, specialists, and other staff. Previously she was a division director for education at Catholic Charities of the East Bay focusing on college entry and success for first-generation students and building multi-service collaboratives in Contra Costa County.
Lisa has also been involved with WestEd, a San Francisco-based nonprofit working to promote educational excellence as a trainer in the areas of early numeracy and family-school partnerships. Ms. Raffel recently finished her five-year term as a Koshland Fellow with the San Francisco Foundation. She has a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies, a California teaching credential, and an M.A. in education from UC Berkeley, and administrative credential from St. Mary’s College.
Lisa Raffel
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Executive Director
Rosita Cifuentes
Rosita was raised by two immigrant parents from Guatemala, who emphasized the importance of education. Being a first-generation student, she couldn’t rely on her family to teach her about university life. She learned to be proactive and intentional about obtaining information that continuing-generation students arrive knowing or can easily access. Her experiences in higher education are why she was drawn to BTGCP and what it has to offer to marginalized students. She recently graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Business Administration. In this next step of her journey with BTGCP, she feels fortunate to be a part of an organization that is creating an environment that encourages a love for learning. She is excited to continue creating a safe space for students and pushing the boundaries of what a community looks like and what it can achieve.
Rosita Cifuentes
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Events and Communications Manager
Maria Eriksson
Maria, a native of Mill Valley, has devoted her career to education. Prior to joining Bridge the Gap College Prep in 2011, she worked at Women Helping All People in Marin City, teaching the 6 – 8th grade after school program and substitute teaching for all grades. Prior to that, she was a support teacher for 1st – 5th grades at Bayside MLK Jr. Academy, while also teaching after school for 5th – 12th grade at a Marin City program called ACE-Step 2. She also did a one year stint as a support teacher and after school teacher at Marin Country Day School. She holds a B.A. in Scandinavian Studies from UC Berkeley.
Maria Eriksson
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Operations Manager
Cheryl Finley
Cheryl started her career as a lawyer and last practiced Trust, Estates, and ERISA law with Provident National Bank (now PNC). Before coming to Bridge the Gap College Prep, she served as a Non-Profit Advisor for organizations seeking tax-exempt non-profit status. Between her work and raising 4 children, Cheryl has volunteered for a wide variety of organizations-both local and abroad, including volunteer stints working alongside her children and husband in Tanzania, Costa Rica and Scotland. Cheryl graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.A. in Psychology and went on to earn her J.D. from UC Hastings College of Law.
Cheryl Finley
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Assessment Manager and Development Associate
Chinna Ford
In partnership with 10,000 Degrees, Chinna manages Bridge the Gap College Prep’s college success program. She is an experienced Program Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. She completed her undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies at Cal State University, East Bay with a minor in Genders and Sexualities in Communities of Color. She has held many positions at 10,000 Degrees including college access fellow, board member, college access advisor and success manager. She is very passionate about social justice and making an impact within her community. She resides in Vallejo, CA with her partner and two children.
Chinna Ford
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College Success Program Manager and 12th Grade Dean
Kimberly Ingram
Kimberly is a native of Chicago and has returned to northern California after previously living here for 8 years in the early 2000’s. During high school, Kimberly participated in Inroads, an organization with a very similar vision as Bridge the Gap College Prep, which established her life-long advocacy in education. More recently, Kimberly consulted with a non-profit organization on their mission to solve the education to employment gap in higher education for people of color.
Kimberly’s professional career has spanned multiple industries. She worked as a Director of Finance and Operations for a Montessori school in Chicago and was also the president and owner of an accounting and bookkeeping company that supported small business and non-profit communities. Kimberly earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Loyola University of Chicago and will complete her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Communication by 2022. In her spare time, Kimberly enjoys gardening, travel, doing volunteer work for two non-profit organizations, and spending time with family that includes her spouse and 5 adult children.
Kimberly Ingram
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