A new talent strategy for the bay

In 2014, Braven launched its founding site in the Bay Area with partners across the region to ensure that all local talent thrives.

Braven – Bay Area Jobs Report

Braven – Bay Area Impact Report | SY2021-2022

An Engine of Economic Opportunity

Silicon Valley is the world’s number one startup ecosystem. Job growth in the Bay is predicted to be 69% higher than job growth across the state, yet local talent is often not filling these open roles.

The tech sector continues to be one of the biggest job markets in the region, but while 26.5% of Silicon Valley identifies as Latinx, only 6% of employees at the top 75% tech firms identify as such.

Braven is proud to be joining partners across the Bay Area who are working to build a strong, local, diverse workforce to power the local economy.

Founding University Partnership

With shared desire to innovate for student success, San José State University (SJSU) became Braven’s founding university partner in 2014. Together Braven and SJSU have successfully empowered 1,478 SJSU students toward graduation and career success, and in 2021 we signed a 5-year partnership agreement to ensure the work continues. We plan to serve 250+ new Fellows during the 2021-2022 school year.

“Many of our students have spent their time here trying to hide their story because they see it as a liability. After Braven, they realize that their stories — instead of being a detriment — can be an asset. They realize they belong.” – Elaine Collins, Associate Dean, College of Science

Employers fueling a new generation of local leaders

The Bay Area is home to the second highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies, many of which are looking for ways to impact their community, build their employees’ leadership skills, and create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Braven offers these local companies opportunities to do all three while also gaining access to rising talent. To date, partnerships in various capacities with LinkedIn, Salesforce, Adobe, ServiceNow, NetApp, PwC, and Deloitte have empowered talent of all levels towards strong careers and lives of impact. To learn more about our various partnership opportunities click here.

Bay Area Pipeline Partners

Pipeline partners are K12 organizations and community colleges that encourage their students and alumni to participate in the UNVS 101 SJSU Braven course, adding an additional layer of support to ensure their students persist, graduate, and secure high-quality career-accelerating outcomes. Some of our existing partners include:

Alpha Public Schools | Breakthrough Silicon Valley | Cristo Rey Academy | KIPP Public Schools Northern California | Latino Education Advancement Foundation | Richmond Promise

To become a pipeline partner, reach out to diana.phuong@bebraven.org

The Bay Area Braven Community

Our Fellows, volunteers, employer partners and university partners work together to make this startup hub a region of opportunity for all. In 2019, 88% of our Fellows identified as people of color and 61% as first-generation college students.

1478+

Accelerator and Post-Accelerator Fellows

64%

of Braven 2021 graduates at SJSU secured a strong first job or entered graduate school within 6 months

88%

of SJSU Braven Fellows graduate college on-time

Bay Area Employer Partners

Our employer partners encourage their employees to participate in Braven’s professional development and engagement opportunities, sponsor events and learning experiences, provide access to externship, internship and full-time opportunities, and offer critical financial support.

Lead Partners:

Anchor Partners:

Keystone Partners:

Innovation Partners:

Impact Partners:

Access Partners:

Bay Area Supporters

We are incredibly thankful for the generosity of our Bay Area supporters, who sustain and grow the Braven Accelerator in our region. For a complete list of Braven supporters, please go to our national supporters page.

$1M+

$250,000 – $999,999

Sarah Peter

$150,000 – $249,999

Susan & Thomas Dunn

 

$100,000 – $149,000

 

$50,000 – $99,999

$20,000 – $49,999

Leslie Family Foundation

 

$5,000 – $19,999

James Slavet

Since 2014, Teach For America-Bay Area has exclusively hired it’s summer interns from Braven. TFA has also provided Leadership Coaches and sponsored several events. Our first Braven Fellow joined the teaching corps in summer 2017.

Teach For America

 
 

$1-$4,900

Andrew Tran

Arvind Toor

Brian Federico

Gale Mondry

Jen Holleran

Juan Chung

Kayla Kahl

Kyle Barry

Laseandra Kelly

Latrece Johnson

Wendy Rowatt

 
 
 
 

Our Bay Team

Briannah Drew

Briannah Drew

  • Program Manager, Accelerator
  • San José, CA

Briannah oversees the overall student experience of Braven at San José State University. She runs operations and logistics for Learning Labs and Braven events where she supports Fellows, Leadership Coaches, Teacher Assistants, and professors.

LinkedIn

Brisdy Carrillo Vega

Brisdy Carrillo Vega

External Affairs Manager
San José, CA

Brisdy Carrillo Vega is the External Affairs Manager in the Bay Area. She works closely with our employer partners to represent the Braven Bay Area in a positive light while assisting the Executive Director to build meaningful relationships that contribute to an equitable future for our students. She also helps manage internal and external communications, heavily support fundraising and employer partnership efforts as well as raise brand awareness. She keeps certain values like equality, resilience, and family very close to heart which is reflected in her body of work. 

As an alum of SJSU in the class of Fall 2020, Bridy joined Braven’s forces as an Administrative Coordinator intern before joining full time. Her tie to Braven dates back to Spring 2019 when she took Braven. As a first generation DACA student, she realized that she wouldn’t have the same opportunities as other students and struggled to really find her place when she started college but Braven provided her with the community and network she didn’t realize she needed. She now hopes to give back to students that come from underrepresented backgrounds in her work with Braven. She hopes for a future where everyone can reach an equitable education. Brisdy’s work with employer partners has also led her to cross paths with impactful entrepreneurs and she hopes to lead a similar effort in her later years.

LinkedIn

Diana Phuong

Diana Phuong

  • Executive Director, San Jose
  • San Jose, CA

Diana Phuong is the Executive Director of Braven in the Bay Area. She joined Braven at San Josè State University as Site Director in January 2020, and in her first year, adapted the core Accelerator Course to an entirely virtual context, to much success. Prior to Braven, Diana engaged counties, districts, and schools in integrated STEAM education by leveraging hands-on learning as a Partnership Director for a local nonprofit RAFT. She launched a RAFT STEAM Summer Program through joint funding as a 4.0 Schools Tiny Fellow. Prior to that, Diana spent a decade in teaching and high school administration. Her teaching began as a Teach For America Fellow in Memphis, TN, where she taught 3rd-5th grade English as a Second Language. Diana earned her Bachelor’s in English from University of California-Irvine and Masters in Education from Christian Brothers University. She is the first in her family to receive her Bachelor’s and Master’s. Born and raised in the East Bay, she is the daughter of refugees who started over in America in the late 70’s.

LinkedIn

Guadalupe Emigdio

Guadalupe Emigdio

Program Manager of Recruitment
San José, CA

Guadalupe Emigdio is the Program Manager of Recruitment in the Bay. She joined Braven full-time in March of 2021, a recent graduate for San Jose State University. In her time at SJSU as an undergraduate she participated in the Braven course in Fall 2019. Lupe is a first-generation college student raised by a single mother who immigrated from Mexico in search of a better future. Lupe attributes her personal and professional growth to the experience acquired in connection to Braven. She, like many low-income college students we serve, supported herself financially through higher education. Unable to participate in many career accelerating experiences through the trajectory of her college career UNVS 101, a course offered at SJSU, in partnership with Braven opened a world of opportunities. Lupe interned with Merrill Lynch as a (Client Associate), Katie Couric Media (Media Intern), and Braven (Marketing/Recruitment Intern) through Braven referrals. Lupe’s  internships changed her life. They showed her that someone like her who two years ago was a street vendor has a voice. Braven showed her to own her story because it is her  biggest asset. She is the first to graduate from her family and land a strong job. Lupe is passionate about replicating her results to increase impact for first-generation and low-income nationwide.

LinkedIn

Jasmine Sindico

Jasmine Sindico

  • Program Operations Coordinator
  • Bay Area

Jasmine is the Program Operations Coordinator for Braven in the Bay Area. She supports all efforts related to the Accelerator Course at San José State University. As a first-generation student, Jasmine works to ensure all Braven Fellows are given the opportunity to embrace their own potential within the Accelerator, and beyond. Jasmine Prior to Braven, Jasmine worked as a Case Manager at Santa Clara University, connecting students to crucial resources in the community related to personal wellness. Based on this experience, Jasmine is dedicated to advocating for mental health resources for all, but especially folx that hold marginalized identities. Jasmine holds a BS in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California and a MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Connecticut. On her own time, Jasmine loves to bake, travel with loved ones, and read as many books as possible.

Priya Balasubramanian

Priya Balasubramanian

Program Manager, Workforce Development
San José, CA

Priya Balasubramanian is the Program Manager of Workforce Development for Braven in the Bay Area. She manages an ambitious multi-faceted program designed to professionally support over 1600+ Braven Alumni transition from a 4-year university to their first quality opportunity after graduation. As an immigrant and first-generation college student, Priya values the importance of community and building strong relationships in reaching an equitable future. Her work within Braven embodies a lot of her values surrounding economic equity, equal opportunity and widespread cultural education. ​​As a recent alum of San Jose State class of 2020, Priya is extremely grateful for the professional direction Braven provided for her when she took the course in Fall 2019. As a transfer student from Canada and one struggling to find a career that identified with her authentic self, Braven embraced her insecurities and guided her towards her true passion, supporting the growth of initiatives that seek to equalize the playing field for minority populations. 

In her spare time, Priya loves to travel, ambitiously building her itinerary for a post-pandemic future, hit the beaches of LA with her sibling, and read endless thought spiraling fictional philosophy books.

LinkedIn

Bay Board of Directors

Beth Sutkus Thompson

Beth Sutkus Thompson

Founding CEO, KIPP Bay Area Schools

Beth Sutkus Thompson has been the founding CEO of KIPP Bay Area Schools for over a decade, where she is responsible for the organization’s performance, growth and sustainability. KIPP Bay Area Schools currently serves nearly 6,000 students in 15 schools across 6 cities on a path to doubling in size in the coming years; and serves nearly 3,000 alumni on their journey to choice-filled lives. Previously, Beth was the West Coast Trailblazer at the KIPP Foundation, where she created and implemented a strategic growth plan for KIPP schools, including securing charters, start-up funding, facilities, and community support. Prior to her work at KIPP, Beth was on the founding team of NewSchools Venture Fund, a national nonprofit venture philanthropy working to reimagine public education. Beth holds a B.A. in political science, an M.A. in Education, and an MBA with a certificate in nonprofit management, all from Stanford University. She is a graduate of The Broad Academy and the Aspen-Pahara Fellowship. Beth serves on the Board of Cambiar Education, Kids Love Writing, and the Advisory Board of The Broad Center. She resides in Oakland with her husband and two young children.

Charlie Wolfson

Charlie Wolfson

Executive Director of Arrow Impact

Charlie Wolfson is Executive Director of Arrow Impact, a foundation that supports initiatives that create pathways to economic prosperity for communities that have been under-resourced. Prior to Arrow Impact Charlie served as Director of Data Strategy at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, a nonprofit charter management organization in Los Angeles, and before that he worked as a Senior Program Officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit community development financial institution in New York. Charlie holds a BA in economics and political science from Duke University and an MBA and an MA in education from Stanford University. He is a graduate of the Broad Residency in Urban Education and is an Education Pioneers alum. Charlie lives in Oakland, CA and serves on the boards of Tipping Point Community and NewSchools Venture Fund.

Jessica García-Kohl

Jessica García-Kohl

Executive Director, Westly Foundation

Jessica García-Kohl is the Executive Director of the Westly Foundation. For two decades she has dedicated her career to nonprofit, government and philanthropic sectors, serving to strengthen communities and create equitable opportunities for children, youth, and families. Previously, Jessica has held executive roles in non-profit education and affordable housing organizations, and has served as a policy advisor for the cities of San José and San Francisco. Jessica holds masters’ degrees from the University of California, Berkeley in Public Policy and Public Health, and a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University.

Muna Sheikh

Muna Sheikh

Deloitte & Touche

Muna Sheikh is a leader in the Deloitte & Touche Risk & Financial Advisory practice. She brings more than 27 years of professional experience in risk management and internal controls consulting. Muna has experience performing enterprise risk assessments, assisting clients to align strategy and enhance risk response, and partnering with senior corporate management teams to address significant issues. She has been a member of Deloitte’s San Francisco Volunteer Council for many years, participates regularly in Deloitte’s Impact Day of volunteerism and is passionate about education and preparing students for a successful future.

Sunita Suryanarayan

Sunita Suryanarayan

Manager Director – Global Strategy and Consulting, Accenture

 

Bay Area Stories

New Impact Report Highlights SJSU Partnership With Nonprofit Braven

SJSU has been a proud partner of Braven since 2014, helping to implement innovative career education into the undergraduate experience.

Read More

From Braven Leadership Coach to Ongoing Mentor: Impact Beyond the Accelerator

A Leadership Coach’s impact extends far beyond the Braven program. Joy Dahlen has continued to support her Fellows and helped one land his first internship.

Read the Full Story

Salesforce.org Announces Major Education Cloud Updates, Invests $1.75 Million in College-Ready Nonprofit Organizations

Salesforce.org has announced a new data architecture to support lifelong learning, new capabilities for its Education Cloud, and more.

Read the Full Story

Contact the Bay Team

Braven
1590 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
Suite 100

 

Braven Accelerator: Fall 2023

Enroll Now on MySJSU

San José State University

Eligibility

  • Open to all majors
  • Open to all undergraduate years; sophomore, juniors, and first-year transfer students are preferred
  • In good academic standing and able to register for ‘UNVS 101’ (lower & upperclassman can enroll)
  • Able to meet once a week on weeknight evenings during the semester
  • Able to commit an average of 4-5 hours a week to this course

Course Description

This course prepares students for the increasingly competitive, globalized job marketplace. Through online and peer learning, interactive experiences, and reflection, students will build meaningful networks, discover their innate leadership, and cultivate the “hard” and “soft” skills and habits of mind needed to thrive in twenty-first-century workplaces. This course will require your commitment. Nothing good comes easy, but this course will be equally rewarding as it is challenging.

Course Section

The Braven Accelerator is a 3 unit elective credit course that meets once a week in the afternoon or evening. Students must add UNVS 101 Leadership and Career Accelerator to their MySJSU.

  • There will be two options for the course in Spring 2023:
    • Tuesday or Wednesday, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm PT (hybrid)
    • Thursday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm PT (fully virtual)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

  • Exercise habits to persist through and thrive beyond college
  • Know and demonstrate the skills and mindsets employers hire for
  • Navigate the workplace
  • Build a record of achievement and apply skills to land a career-accelerating internship or research opportunity
  • Expand personal and professional networks
  • Lead with their assets and values

Location

There will be two options for the course. Select the one that best fits your personal preference: 1) Fully virtual 2) Hybrid: virtual AND in-person, on-campus sessions.

Enroll Now on MySJSU

Volunteer in the Bay Area

We are looking for professionals from all fields who are willing to share their career experience, personal stories, and unique talents with our diverse and driven Fellows.

All volunteer opportunities will be virtual while social distancing orders are in effect. To receive alerts about upcoming volunteer opportunities:

SIGN UP FOR THE BRAVEN NETWORK


Please contact diana.phuong@bebraven.org with questions.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BRAVEN’S VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES