Robert Nelson, Ed.D., Chairman

Superintendent of Schools, Fresno Unified School District

Robert "Bob" G. Nelson was appointed to the position of Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District in September 2017, launching a new era of student progress, improved employee relations, and expanded community partnerships for the state’s third largest district. Superintendent Nelson graduated from the University of Southern California (USC), completed his Master’s in Educational Administration and Supervision at Fresno State and then received his doctoral degree at USC. He has spent most of his career directly impacting Fresno Unified, starting as a teacher in 1991 at Burroughs Elementary School. Bob is the first internal employee to serve as Fresno Unified Superintendent in 30 years.

Misty Her, Vice Chairman

Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Fresno Unified School District

Misty Her was appointed Deputy Superintendent of the Fresno Unified School District in March 2021. Stepping into this role has allowed her to continue to improve student progress, build and develop employee relations, and expand community partnerships on a deeper level. Misty has been a part of Fresno Unified for her entire career, starting as a preschool aide and teacher in grades second through sixth. She became the first Hmong Vice Principal in Fresno Unified School District, and two years later became the very first Hmong woman principal in the United States. She has also served as an Instructional Superintendent with School Leadership.

Misty believes her calling is to lead educational missionary work to change the lives of children and their families in a positive way. She knows the decisions she makes have a direct impact in changing the trajectory of minds and inspiring hope. Misty believes the greatest gift we can offer someone is the opportunity to see their full potential. It is incredibly powerful to invest in and inspire HOPE in our youth.

Wendy McCulley, President/Executive Director

Chief Engagement and External Partnerships Officer, Fresno Unified School District

Driven to close the achievement gap for low-income students, Wendy leverages her extensive business and academic experience to increase access points to high-quality education for the nation’s most vulnerable students. With graduate degrees in both Education Policy and Business from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in History from Harvard University, Wendy brings a results-oriented approach to her advocacy work for social change in public education. Wendy is the Founding Director of Fresno Unified's Office of African American Academic Acceleration (A4).

Elizabeth Dooley, Treasurer

President and Chief Executive Officer, Educational Employees Credit Union

Elizabeth "Beth" J. Dooley has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) since December 2007. Prior to joining EECU, Ms. Dooley was appointed to the position of Deputy Commissioner of Credit Unions for the California Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) by Governor Gray Davis, continuing her service under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Beth oversaw the regulation of all state-chartered credit unions in California. Beth earned her B.A. in Economics from Mills College and her J.D. from Western State University College of Law. She is a member of the California Bar and is actively involved in the community serving on a number of boards and advisory committees.

Antonio Avila, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA, Secretary

Principal Architect and Director of Design, Darden Architects

Antonio “Tony” Avila has been the Principal Architect and the Director of Design with Darden Architects. He is a licensed architect and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from The California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Tony is a native of Fresno and a product of Fresno Unified Schools. As a graduate of Fresno's Leading Young Professionals Downtown Academy inaugural class and a contributing supporter to the Better Blackstone Design Challenge, he believes strongly in the betterment of the greater Fresno community. Tony is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects and has provided award-winning architectural services to clients throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

Matthew Grundy, Director

Deputy Mayor, City of Fresno

Recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and passion for building organizations, Grundy has expertise in organizational development, real estate, finance, and capacity building. Most importantly, he has a genuine love for people. Before coming to Fresno's City Hall, Matthew was Habitat for Humanity Greater Fresno Area’s CEO, a position he held since 2015. He helped the organization improve housing conditions for twenty-eight times the number of families it had served on an annual basis prior to his arrival. Nationally, Matthew has helped lead strategic visioning for 1,200 Habitat operations across the US. Prior to his work at Habitat, he worked as an organizational consultant, developer, and President of a national supplemental educational services company that focused on turning around failing public schools. His work helped improve K-12 academic outcomes for 250,000 low-income students within 1,000 schools, across sixteen states.

Pao Yang, Director

President/CEO, The Fresno Center

In 2017, Pao Yang became the Fresno Center’s third Executive Director and first President and CEO. In its 30 year history, The Fresno Center (TFC) has grown from three employees to over 130, serving diverse communities throughout more than twenty established local, state, and federal programs. These programs purposely encompass a wider scope and breadth in response to growing needs in all traditionally underserved communities. TFC now has a multi-cultural focus and works to provide an array of culture-based services that support self-sufficiency, economic viability, and empowerment. The Center is proud to help other organizations and individuals reach their cross-cultural goals and engage with their target audiences.