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Our Staff

Usha Gongal

Executive Director

Usha is a Bakery Bootcamp graduate who came to The Bread Project as a student in 2013, became a part time employee following graduation, and joined the team full time two years ago as Instructor, Production Manager, and more recently as Operations Manager. A native of Nepal, she is an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur, ‘green’ manufacturer, and
scholar dedicated to improving the lives of women through meaningful self-sufficient work. She is Founder and Proprietor of Young WoW Craft in Nepal, an organization that employs 35 women and produces, markets, and distributes natural, fiber-based cloth and clothes from Lokta Paper globally. Usha speaks six languages and has a wonderful combination of spirit, passion, and direct experience for helping the unemployed acquire new skills and jobs.

Shelby Starks

Chef Instructor

Oakland native Shelby Starks has worked the entirety of her 13-year career in the greater Bay Area. Inspired by the flavors of California, her flavor profile is a mix of fresh bold fusion, combining a flair for creole cuisine with new American traditions. Shelby began teaching shortly after graduating culinary school, partnering with school districts and local nonprofits to teach farm to table cooking for youth programs. Utilizing the skills of the trade to carve out her own space in the world of culinary, she started her first culinary business in 2012, and has gone on to lead kitchen teams, food startups, food product development, and solving issues of food insecurity in food deserts. Farm to table cooking and teaching has always been the heart of her journey, moving through the industry as a leader in sustainable practice, and creating equitable paths to food access.

Lynn Luckow

Chief Development
& Strategy Officer

Lynn Luckow is a senior advisor, consultant, coach, and four-time CEO. He served as President & CEO of Craigslist Foundation, Northern California Grantmakers, and Jossey-Bass Publishers, and more recently LikeMinded, Inc. Over the past four decades he has acquired expertise in and practiced organization leadership, strategy, change, nonprofit governance, philanthropy, education, and youth and adult development. Lynn has served on or consulted to over 50 nonprofit boards, including chairing the national boards of Chanticleer, the Kinsey Institute, Project Open Hand, and National 4-H Council. Currently he serves on the board of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity and on the advisory boards of Project Open Hand, QuarterZero, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, and World Arts West. He has also served in Interim Executive Director roles for Chanticleer, Sunflower Wellness, and The Bread Project in the Bay Area.

Maggie Fry

Employment Services Manager

Maggie joined The Bread Project team in 2021. They bring extensive experience in nonprofit program development with a focus in programs supporting whole person well-being. Maggie is a passionate advocate for approaching complex social issues through community-based education and supports. Before the nonprofit world, Maggie worked in academia, developing curriculum and teaching adults across five disciplines. Maggie also loves food(!) and is driven to support and celebrate The Bread Project participants’ discerning careers in the many, exquisite East Bay food communities.

Ivey Williams

Program Services Manager

Ivey Williams is a long-time community activist born and raised in East Oakland California. With nearly 20 years of community activism and small business development practice, he has built strong relationships within economically and socially disadvantaged communities. Ivey’s experience ranges from providing case management service to justice-involved transitional-aged youth to managing employment services for formerly incarcerated adults and unsheltered seniors around the East Bay. As the Program Services Manager, Ivey is committed to delivering socially competent, data-driven services to ensure quality training and job retention for TBP graduates.


The Board of Directors

Lisa Caronna

Board President

Retired Deputy City Manager
City of Berkeley

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William ‘Bill’ Miner

Board Vice President

Retired Executive
Chevron

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Scott Miller

Board Vice President for Development

Principal
Scott Miller Executive Search

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Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Karkazis, MSW

Board Secretary

Community Volunteer

Jane Micallef

Board Treasurer

Professional & Leadership Development Coach

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Courtney Aasen

Associate General Counsel
Product at Maven Clinic Co.

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Elliott Adams

Entrepreneur & Professor

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Jane R. Kaplan

Attorney at Law

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Richard Golfin III

Chief Compliance & Privacy Officer
Alameda Alliance for Health

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Keith Morris

Architect & Principal
Studio KDA

Sarah Rahman, MD

Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer
Alameda Health System

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Our Leadership Council

Clayton Chan

COO
SF Soup Company

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Tom Frainier

CEO & Owner
Semifreddi’s Bakery

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Amy Kirkpatrick

Food Entrepreneur & Co-founder
Two Haute Cowgirls

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Marsha McBride

Chef/Owner
Cafe Rouge

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Jill Portman

Food Entrepreneur & Founder
Shake it Up Brands

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Our History

The Bread Project was founded as a California nonprofit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation in December 2000. Lucie Buchbinder and Susan Phillips, specialists in subsidized housing, created the organization to help low-income housing tenants obtain job skills training and become self-sufficient. After a successful beginning at the San Francisco Baking Institute in South San Francisco, The Bread Project transferred to the East Bay and partnered with Berkeley Adult School and Oakland Unified School District Adult and Career Education.

With growth came the opportunity for The Bread Project to operate its own training facility and wholesale bakery. In 2010, we moved to Emeryville. In 2015, we moved again to our current facility – zoned for both retail and wholesale operations –in Berkeley, California. Since 2000, we have served over 2,200 low-income individuals. Today 80-85% of graduates find jobs, and average time to employment is 30-60 days.

Contact Us

For questions or correspondence, please contact our Executive Director Usha Gongal at Usha@breadproject.org or 510-594-1702.

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