OSF Staff
Dan Quigley
Executive Director
Dan Quigley has most recently been the Director of Charitable Contributions at PG&E, where since 1995 he managed the company’s charitable, volunteerism, and workplace-giving programs. Mr. Quigley has also done policy and program development at PG&E, as well as at the U.S Department of Energy and the International Energy Agency. As a member of the Teacher Corps for two years in the 1970s, he taught second grade in inner-city Louisville and earned an M.A. in Education from the University of Kentucky. He has a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University, and is both a native of Oakland and a graduate of the Oakland public school system.
Julie Besaha
Director of Finance and Administration
Julie Besaha comes to OSF with ten years of professional and volunteer experience in nonprofit management in the Washington DC area. Her diverse background includes fiscal management, fund development, human resource management/recruiting, quality assurance, information technology integration, contract negotiations/management, conflict resolution/mediation, training workshop facilitation, board/volunteer management, program development/administration, and communications planning/media strategy. Additionally, Ms. Besaha gained valuable professional experience in the corporate sector, not the least of which was the deep understanding that her true calling is in service to the greater good.
Joanna Kaplan Rasheed
Manager, Development
As a native of Oakland, Joanna Kaplan Rasheed has a long history with Oakland public schools – as a student and later as a teacher in the district. Ms. Kaplan Rasheed has worked in journalism, in publishing as a children’s literary agent, and in the non-profit world, serving as a researcher, writer, and editor. She began writing grants for the Institute for Teaching, a non-profit arm of the California Teacher’s Association, helping to fund the planning stages of a state-wide high school reform movement. Over the past 10 years, Joanna has worked with many Bay Area non-profit organizations, helping raise more than $20 million for children and youth, schools, art, and healthcare programs for underserved families.
Amber Valdez
Programs and Evaluation Manager
Amber Valdez comes to OSF with a commitment to social justice and extensive volunteer and work experience in the non-profit sector. Ms. Valdez has worked with numerous non-profit organizations, including the Women of Color Resource Center in Oakland, Medical Students for Choice, WEAVE, and BRAVE People. She has served as a board member and political action committee member, and has worked in finance, administration, program coordination, and community organizing. Ms. Valdez is the first person in her family to graduate from college. She earned three Associate degrees in Women's Studies, Social Science, and Liberal Arts from Sierra College before earning her B.A. in Women's Studies with a minor in Ethnic Studies from Mills College.
Kenya Broadnax
Special Program Assistant
Kenya Broadnax is an Oakland native and graduate of Oakland public schools. Ms. Broadnax is passionate about supporting her community and improving education for all Oakland children. She has worked as the marketing coordinator for Cal State East Bay Athletics, where she performed promotional and community outreach activities. Ms. Broadnax has also interned at Bay Area Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN), where she focused on community engagement activities revolving around parent leadership in education. Ms. Broadnax is currently pursuing her M.A. in Mass Communications at Cal State East Bay University.
Toni Moore
School Campaigns Coordinator
Toni Moore brings to her role a passion for client services and a commitment to helping school leaders grow as they strive to reach their goals. After receiving her Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Millersville in Pennsylvania, Ms. Moore worked as Area Director for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She then came to California where she worked in the mortgage industry until moving on to earn a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. Since then, she has worked in a range of fields, including program evaluation and project management, sales and marketing, community relations, and event planning. Ms. Moore has also done extensive volunteer work for non-profits such as the American Cancer Society and Water & Education International.
Helen Vance
Finance and Administration Associate
Helen Vance is a Pennsylvania native who has been living, working, and studying in the Bay Area since 2003. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Mills College, where she was an active member of student activities planning and diversity support. Ms. Vance comes to OSF with years of customer service, administrative, and operational support experience in small business environments.
Benj Vardigan
Senior Communications Coordinator
A former managing editor at Consumer Health Interactive, Benj Vardigan has been freelancing for Oakland schools and media organizations since 2005. Mr. Vardigan has written investigative pieces on health topics from hypochondria to the effects of illiteracy on health care. In 2001, the northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists named him an Outstanding Young Journalist for his series on the hazards of ephedra supplements. Mr. Vardigan is also a published poet. He holds a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor – his hometown.