
Dr. Jon Skolnick
Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Jon Skolnick
Chief Executive Officer
Jon Skolnick, Ed. L.D has over 15 years of experience supporting educational organizations to improve and innovate in ways that honor the diversity and potential of children, families, and communities. From 2016-2020, Dr. Skolnick served as Executive VP at Educational Alliance, a social services and education nonprofit, where he led the creation of a new strategic plan, a research and evaluation team, and new diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. He began his career as a high school history teacher. He later served as a manager in the NYC Department of Education's (NYCDOE) Office of School Leadership and senior director in the NYCDOE's Office of Innovation. He holds a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, a masters in the science of teaching from Pace University, and a bachelor's in modern U.S. history from Brown University. In his free time, Jon often plays guitar, travels, catches up with his eight siblings and seven nephews and nieces, or hangs with his Goldendoodle, Willie.

Melissa Bryan
Vice President of Growth and Operations

Melissa Bryan
Vice President of Growth and Operations
Melissa Bryan joined FACES SF as the VP of Operations and Growth in March of 2022. She brings nearly 30 years of experience with nonprofit social justice organizations focused on gender, racial, educational, and health equity. Melissa’s passion for service was sparked as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, where she volunteered as an environmental justice educator at under-resourced schools. Through this opportunity, Melissa first witnessed the transformative power of participant-led programming, built on values of community, collaboration, and compassion. She has carried this learning across her varying leadership roles to practice values-based leadership, restorative justice, and equity-centered design to transform how organizations partner with communities, staff, and stakeholders. As she embarks on her role at FACES SF, Melissa hopes to build authentic and joyful partnerships to co-design effective and equitable systems and growth, so our staff can focus on what’s most important- the children and families we serve. Outside work, Melissa enjoys hiking Wildcat Canyon with her two scruffy dogs, discovering delicious ways to make tofu, and watching Marvel movies with her family.

Robyn King
Campus Director

Robyn King
Campus Director
Robyn is an Oakland native and the Campus Director at FACES SF in Bayview, where her focus is on resurrecting programs and services to meet the community’s needs. She has an extensive background in Early Childhood Education, which began 30 years ago when she opened Toybox Tots, an accredited home-based preschool. Since then, Robyn has founded a nonprofit and held various positions in Alameda & Contra Costa counties that have prepared her to contribute to FACES SF. She is deeply committed to catalyzing positive change for families and children. She enjoys crafting, interior decorating, hosting, and hanging with her girls in her spare time.

Kim Wong
Senior Director of Child Development

Kim Wong
Senior Director of Child Development
Kim Wong is proud to serve as FACES SF’s Senior Director of Child Development. With more than 32 years of experience, she has truly made a difference in the Early Childhood Education realm. She joined the FACES SF team in 2011 when she recognized the challenges we face in providing every child access to quality education, and she was confident that she could be instrumental in upgrading our services. She was absolutely correct! Because of her, we are able to offer each of our students the very best. Kim received a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley, an M.A. in Education from San Francisco State University, and a J.D. from Hastings College of the Law. When she’s not changing the lives of our students, she’s an active volunteer in a variety of educational roles including as a Sunday school teacher and serving as a Board Member for her former organizations and her Parish. In her spare time, Kim enjoys reading mysteries, doing jigsaw puzzles, and baking for her staff.

Idalia Ruvalcaba
Enrollment Director

Idalia Ruvalcaba
Enrollment Director
Idalia Ruvalcaba has been working with FACES SF for 16 years. Before taking on this role, she worked as a school Secretary for the South San Francisco and Napa Valley Unified School Districts. She has been with FACES SF since it was originally Florence Crittenton services but decided to stay during the merger. She loves the mission of serving our community, families, and children. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as she walks into a classroom gives her the satisfaction that we are serving our mission of helping our families and making a difference in their lives. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her hobbies are baking for special occasions and decorating for the Holidays.

Maggie Ni
Finance Director

Maggie Ni
Finance Director
Maggie Ni joined FACES SF as our incredible Finance Director over ten years ago, after spending many years in various accounting roles. She initially joined the organization because it seemed like a once in a lifetime job opportunity but quickly found herself falling in love with not only the organization, but the people we serve. She adores how this organization changes the lives of others, as well as the lives of our staff. She received her A.A. in Accounting from City College of San Francisco and has grown tremendously. Outside of the office, Maggie serves as a member of Buddha’s Light International Association at San Bao Temple.

Seiko Velder
Sr. Dir. of Child Development Contracts and Compliance

Seiko Velder
Sr. Dir. of Child Development Contracts and Compliance
Seiko Velder has served as FACES SF’s Child Development Data & Compliance Director for the last nine years. Before taking on this challenging and incredibly important role, she served as the Child Development Supervisor at Head Start in Colorado. Having originally signed on to work with Florence Crittenton Services – she enthusiastically stayed on board during their merger with the Whitney Young Child Development Center. Seiko’s love for FACES SF’s mission is infectious, and her passion for supporting San Francisco’s children and families practically radiates from her. Passionate about the importance of Early Childhood Education, she received her M.A. in ECE from the University of Colorado, Denver. She is a proudly certified trainer of PITC – The Program for Infant and Toddler Care.

Roynika Hannah
Workforce Director

Roynika Hannah
Workforce Director
Roynika Hannah joined the FACES SF team in 2019 and has spent more than a decade providing workforce services, training, and overseeing programs in San Francisco. As FACES SF’s Workforce Director, she develops, implements, and manages systems and processes related to our workforce services, contracts, and programming. Ms. Hannah provides leadership and oversight for the Visitiacion Valley Job Center Workforce Development Team, where she cultivates and maintains relationships with external partners, employers, and businesses. She specializes in work readiness training programs and has expertise in providing instruction around foundational cognitive skills like problem solving and critical thinking as well as offering behavioral coaching. Ms. Hannah's overall goal is to improve the underserved population's economic status in San Francisco through holistic growth by helping them obtain, sustain, and achieve economic mobility.

Erika Pappas
Director of Family Support and Wellness

Erika Pappas
Director of Family Support and Wellness
Erika joins the FACES team with over 10 years of experience in the non-profit mental health sector, and she's not your traditional therapist. Trained as an Art Therapist and Marriage and Family Therapist she has valued and advocated for a social-ecological approach to trauma and its impact. She began her career interning as a therapist with families and children exposed to violence, experiencing trauma, and abuse. Recognizing systemic patterns of institutional violence in her clinical work, she shifted her efforts to focus on systems interventions. For several years she managed partnerships and community based initiatives working with city-wide funders, and supporting multi-agency teams working with children and families across the city. Most recently she designed and led a clinical program supporting at-risk and in-risk teens and young adults, centering art-therapy, movement and somatics while integrating agency-wide trauma-informed practices. Throughout her work, whether that be therapy or building strategic initiatives, she prioritizes integrity, creativity, and collective leadership.

Laura Fernandez
Director of People and Culture

Laura Fernandez
Director of People and Culture
Laura joined the People & Culture team at FACES SF in 2022. She brings over 15 years of
human resource and operations experience from a variety of organizations in both private
and public sectors. Laura’s passionate about scaling and prioritizing equity, owning your
voice & being authentic and empowering employees to grow in the career that brings
them the most happiness. She believes fostering an inclusive culture where employees
feel trusted and psychologically safe is the best platform for any organization. In her spare
time, Laura enjoys going on long walks with her three dogs and partner and checking out
the hottest new restaurants the Bay has to offer!

Ambreen Khawaja
Director of Family Child Care Homes Education Networks

Ambreen Khawaja
Director of Family Child Care Homes Education Networks
Ambreen Khawaja is a seasoned professional committed to excellence in family, career, and community engagement. Leveraging her academic background with degrees in Psychology and Child Development, along with a Master's degree in Universal Design in E-Learning, Ambreen is dedicated to advancing equitable early care and education.
In her role as the Director of Family Child Care Homes Education Networks, Ambreen orchestrates inclusive training programs that prioritize engaging and inclusive learning experiences for both young learners and adults. With a rich career spanning 28 years in leadership positions within government and non-profit agencies in the Bay Area, she seamlessly transitioned from being a teacher in Pakistan to a prominent figure in the United States educational landscape. Actively engaged in brain development research, Ambreen has contributed to a book project on early childhood education, showcasing her commitment to staying at the forefront of educational advancements. Notably, she has successfully implemented a "Response to Intervention" program and champions parent participation to enhance the educational journey for children. As a dedicated Program Director, Ambreen excels in education, community services, and program management. Her passion lies in promoting high-quality learning opportunities while providing unwavering support to families in achieving their children’s educational goals and overall development.
Ambreen's diverse background has cultivated a perspective rooted in empathy, driving her commitment to eliminating societal inequalities. Beyond her professional pursuits, she values quality time with family, exploring new culinary experiences, and embarking on enriching travels. Her love for nature is complemented by hobbies such as cooking, home décor, and travel, reflecting a well-rounded and accomplished individual.