Key Staff Contacts

ADMINISTRATION

Nestor L. Fernandez II, Executive Director (415) 421-6443 x 11 nfernandez@tel-hi.org
Nestor has been involved with Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center since 2002, first as a volunteer, then as a board member, and since 2009 as a staff administrator. He has been a San Francisco resident for almost 40 years and earned his bachelor of science degree from San Francisco State University and his master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of San Francisco. Nestor is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, a public speaker on various business topics, and a youth basketball coach. He is actively involved with various public service organizations as a member, board member, and volunteer.

Ruchira Karamchandani, Finance Director (415) 421-6443 x 20  ruchira@tel-hi.org Ruchira has been with Tel-Hi since 2007, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a master’s degree in Business Administration – Finance. Ruchira did volunteer work in India  before relocating to the United States. She enjoys contributing her financial skills to an organization that makes a difference in people’s lives. 

Ciel Mahoney, Development Director (415) 421-6443 x 27  cmahoney@tel-hi.org  

Ciel joined Tel-Hi in 2010, bringing with her 12 years of hands-on experience in management, fundraising, strategic planning and business execution in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining Tel-Hi, Ciel was Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology (DSPT) at the Graduate Theological Union where she guided fund development and institutional partnerships in the Western Dominican Province. In her current role at Tel-Hi, Ciel is excited to introduce a strategic fundraising pilot program using the Benevon Model for Sustainable Funding.

Ciel is passionate about Tel-Hi’s dynamic mission, having spent her formative and college years being involved in organizations and institutions that help improve the social conditions of her beloved country, the Philippines. Ciel’s diverse experience includes fundraising, coalition-building, non-profit communications, direct service delivery, community organizing, as well as well as managing agency branding and public relations.

Ciel holds a B.A. in Economics from University of the Philippines and a MA in Public Policy at the Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy in UC Berkeley. Ciel shares her commitment to the Tel-Hi community with her family, husband and 2 daughters by having them volunteer at Tel-Hi. Ciel is a passionate advocate for girls' participation in sports and is currently very involved in an East Bay Soccer Club.

PROGRAMS

Tony Tyson, Director of Programs (415) 421-6443 x 13    ttyson@tel-hi.org

Tony has been at Tel-Hi for almost 3 years and spent over a decade working in the non-profit sector at a variety of organizations. His career began as an outdoor environmental education specialist, where he facilitated youth, teen and adults in team building, high and low ropes activities, outdoor survival skills and horseback riding. After relocating to Connecticut, he ran a State Certified After School and Camp program and remained with the YMCA of Norwalk for over 7 years. During that time he gained 5 years of experience managing a robust Child Care Department of 350 children daily including preschool, afterschool, summer camp and teen programs in 10 locations throughout the city.

After relocating to San Francisco, he spent a year working with non-profit organizations across the country on the power of developing a performance management approach to their work. Tony feels fortunate to have found Tel-Hi and joined the organization with a commitment to improving the quality of programs and enriching the lives of the people we serve.

Tony enjoys playing a wide variety of sports and played competitive men’s rugby for over 10 years. In addition to sport he likes outdoor activities including skiing, hunting, fishing and camping.

Jeffrey Ng, ASA Program Manager  (415) 421-6443 x 28  jng@tel-hi.org 
With Tel-Hi since 2004, Jeffrey has worked with youth since 2000. Currently earning his Site Supervisor permit at SF City College, he was born and raised in San Francisco and enjoys working out at the gym and doing anything competitive. Jeffrey loves seeing youth doing well five and ten years after they have left Tel-Hi programs.

Jora Atienza Washington, Beacon Director
(415) 956-1234     jwashington@tel-hi.org 
Jora was hired in 2010 to lead the new Youth Employment Services program. Previously she served as Senior Program Director with Oakland Asian Students Educational Services and as an After-School Learning Site Coordinator with Mission Learning Center and the San Francisco Unified School District. Jora is proud to have been an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years, where she worked with and coached SFUSD school teachers to improve their classroom practice. She has also been involved with the Youth Development Peer Network/Youth Worker Collective as a Steering Committee member and was selected as one of 50 state-wide Peer Mentors for California Afterschool Network's Statewide Mentoring Project. She grew up in the Philippines and Los Angeles and holds a bachelor’s degree in Italian with a minor in Linguistic Anthropology from UCLA. She enjoys creating engaging, relevant programming for young people.