Potrero Group is proud to celebrate the eight leaders appointed to the 10,000 Degrees Board of Directors through a national open board search. Potrero Group partnered with 10,000 Degrees to design and run the search, which invited applications from across the country and drew on recommendations from leaders in education, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector.
After a rigorous and collaborative open search process, 10,000 Degrees is welcoming:
- Ann Aylwin – Luxury Property Specialist, Compass & Pacific Union International
- Dr. María Villagómez – Former Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Academic Affairs, Accreditation Liaison Officer, Acting President, Santa Barbara City College
- Jane Machin – Chief Financial Officer, Peninsula Open Space Trust
- Kathryn Olson – Former Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair, Women’s Sports Foundation
- Loren Nickel – Director, Business Risk and Insurance, Google
- Manisha Shah – Former Director, Early Learning, Valhalla Foundation
- Sarah Moore – Founder, Brand & Board
- Shelley Gottlieb – Community Advocate
These eight open search appointees bring deep experience across higher education, policy, philanthropy, finance, growth strategy, and community leadership, and some share lived experience with the students 10,000 Degrees serves. Their range of perspectives, along with their commitment to educational equity, will strengthen the board as the organization enters its next chapter. Since its founding in 1981, 10,000 Degrees has supported 92,000 students and awarded over $123 million in scholarships, and its new 2027–2031 Strategic Plan aims to reach 155,000 new students from low-income backgrounds by 2031.
As board members, they will help guide strategy and governance as 10,000 Degrees prepares to serve more students and expand beyond the Bay Area. They will help steward the organization’s resources, activate their networks to build new partnerships, and keep 10,000 Degrees focused on the consistent, near-peer support paired with scholarships that drive its results, so that more students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds get to and through college and into meaningful careers.
To learn more about 10,000 Degrees, visit 10000degrees.org.
