Our Staff

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Senior Director
Derick Brown
(415) 422-4114
debrown@usfca.edu
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Derick Brown is the Senior Director of the Leo T. McCarthy Center where he has strengthened the mission of inspiring students to pursue ethical public service since 2020. A San Francisco native, Brown is a community advocate with 20+ years in community building, fundraising, and relationship management. His previous roles include Senior Community Engagement Advisor for the San Francisco Police Department and Director of Neighborhood Services where he served under Mayors Ed Lee, London Breed, and Mark Farrell.

Brown serves on several boards, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco, Coro Northern California, the San Francisco Interfaith Council, the San Francisco Police Community Foundation, and the Fillmore Collaborative. Brown holds a master’s degree in public leadership from the University of San Francisco and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from UC Berkeley. He is dedicated to fostering resilient communities through collaboration and the power of collective action.

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Director, Engage San Francisco
Karin Cotterman
(415) 422-5469
kmcotterman@usfca.edu
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Karin Cotterman is a seasoned community engagement and higher education professional with 25+ years of experience leading and building teams with a focus on social justice. Karin has taught at University of Illinois at Springfield, Stanford University, University of San Francisco, and University of Cape Coast. Karin received her MA in English: Creative Writing from SFSU and will receive her EdD from University of San Francisco with an emphasis in Racial Justice Education in Spring 2023. Her interests include strategic and ethical considerations in service, community-campus partnerships, the intersections of identity and community engagement, anti-racism work, white identity development, contemplative pedagogy, and strategic thinking. She is a trustee at The Bay School San Francisco, a board member with the California Coalition for PKU and Allied Disorders and a volunteer with the National PKU Association.

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Director, External Relations
Leslie Lombre
(415) 422-2983
llombre@usfca.edu
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Leslie Lombre joined the McCarthy Center in June 2014 as the Associate Director, leading Development and Communications for the Center’s programs. She previously worked as the Director of Development for the Museum of the African Diaspora and the San Francisco Center for the Book. Leslie comes from an extensive background in the public and commercial broadcast marketplace including the promotion/syndication of PBS-produced series and programs including Time Magazine, Money Magazine and Goldman Foundation Award Specials. Leslie serves on numerous Boards of non-profits. With a B.A. degree in Communications and Public Policy from UC Berkeley, Leslie uses her expertise and cultural competency to promote diverse images across broad audiences.

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Assistant Director, Community Engagement and Public Service Programs
Angeline Vuong
(415) 422-5205
amvuong@usfca.edu
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Angeline Vuong is an educator, organizer, and policy advocate with over ten years of experience advancing policies and programs promoting justice and equity. She currently supports community-engaged learning across the University, combining her public policy background to pathways for young people who are committed to public service and community engagement in ways that honor their lived experiences. She has experience working as a lobbyist, academic researcher, and consultant at the local, state, federal, and non-government sectors including organizations such as UNICEF, Center for American Progress, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Angeline holds a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies from Trinity University.

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Literacy Program Manager, Engage San Francisco
Dresden Frazier-Smith
djsmith8@usfca.edu
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Dresden joined the McCarthy Center in 2019 as the Graduate Intern. She coordinates undergraduate participation in K-5 literacy tutoring at various sites in The Fillmore/ Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco. Dresden is currently pursuing a PhD in Higher Education Administration and Policy at UC Riverside. She comes to us from San Luis Obispo where she received her BS in Psychology at Cal Poly. Dresden is passionate about Black prosperity and creating a more equitable education system.

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Program Assistant
Beth Gonzales
(415) 422-5836
bbgonzales@usfca.edu
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Beth Gonzales joined the McCarthy Center in 2016 as the Program Assistant. Beth was born in the Philippines and grew up in San Francisco. She graduated from Mercy High School and studied business management at Holy Names College. Beth previously worked for a global energy and sustainability consulting firm. Outside of the office, Beth loves to travel and is an avid softball player in the Bay Area.

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Graduate Assistant
Kiah Combs
kcombs2@dons.usfca.edu

Kiah Combs joined the McCarthy center in 2023 as a graduate intern to coordinate undergraduate participation in Engage San Francisco’s literacy tutoring program in The Fillmore / Western Addition while pursuing a master of arts degree in Student Affairs at USF. Originally from Washington state, Kiah received a B.A. in Biology from Lawrence University. During her undergraduate studies, she worked in educational settings as a tutor, mentor, summer counselor, and volunteer coordinator. She is passionate about environmental protection, educational access equity, radical love, and improving support systems for underserved communities.

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Student Communications Assistant
Isabella Castrezana
icastrezana@dons.usfca.edu

Isabella is a second-year undergraduate at the University of San Francisco, pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. She excels in digital marketing and social media, where she’s able to use her creativity to share the insights of her world and her passion for helping people come together on digital platforms. In her free time, she loves to go to the beach, explore new cities with her friends, and spend time with family. Having a background in dance, she is a member of the Varsity Hip Hop Club on campus.