MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council Members
FROM: Office of the Mayor
DATE: September 10, 2025
RE: Appointment of Three Members to the Library Commission The Mayor's Office respectfully requests City Council consideration for the appointment of three new members to the Library Commission to fill vacant positions.
The Library Commission plays a vital role in overseeing library operations, policy development, and strategic planning to ensure our public library system continues to serve as a cornerstone of community education and engagement. These appointments will strengthen the commission's ability to guide library services and programs that bene fit residents of all ages.
Proposed Actions:
● Appoint three qualified community members to fill vacant positions ● Restore the commission to full operational capacity
● Ensure diverse community representation in library governance Next Steps: The Mayor's Office will present candidate recommendations at the next Council meeting. All proposed appointees meet the qualifications outlined in the municipal code and bring valuable perspectives and expertise to support the library system's mission.
Filling these positions will enable the commission to continue its important work overseeing library operations and advancing programs that promote literacy, community connection, and educational opportunities throughout our city.
We greatly appreciate any support you can provide in expediting this process and welcome the Council's prompt consideration of these appointments.
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Community Engagement and Service
Executive Board Member
Healthy T een Network | 2017 – Present
Digital Storytelling Instructor and Mentor
StoryCenter, Berkeley, CA | 2017 – Present
Facilitate workshops for underserved and historically marginalized populations, using storytelling to empower and educate.
Health Careers Mentor
3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic, San Francisco, CA | 2020 – Present Mentor youth from underrepresented backgrounds, encouraging careers in public health and medicine.
Black/African American Health Initiative Working Group Member San Francisco Department of Public Health | 2023-present Collaborate on strategies to reduce health disparities among adolescent and promote health equity through community engagement, policy advocacy, and resource development.
Troop Leader/Co-leader
Girl Scouts of Northern California, Oakland, CA | 2016-2020 Led troop activities and community service projects, mentoring girls in leadership and life skills
Executive Board Co-Chair
Stanford Women’s Impact Network | 2017 – 2023
Led strategic initiatives to support women alumni in advancing equity-focused projects.
Teaching and Mentoring
Mentor to first-generation college students and scholars from underrepresented backgrounds
Developer of youth-focused educational programs
Facilitator of community workshops and training sessions Guest lecturer on community engagement and equity
Key Skills
Community Engagement & Advocacy
Equity-Focused Program Development
Research Design & Data Analysis
Digital Storytelling & Narrative Research
Grant Writing & Fundraising
Leadership & Mentorship
Selected Awards and Recognition
Hellman Fellow, Hellman Foundation | 2023
Health Justice Scholar, UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine | 2022 Changemakers in Family Planning, Society of Family Planning | 2022 Award of Merit, Stanford University Associates Board of Governors | 2019 PAGE 3 OF 2
EDUCATION
• Claremont McKenna College, 2019
B.A in Government
• San Francisco State Univ., 2021
M.A. in Chinese Applied Linguistics &
Modern Literature
• Columbia University, 2022
M.A. in Political Science
• National Cheng Kung Univ., 2022
State Dept.’s Critical Language
Scholarship, Highest Level Chinese
Course (Tainan, Taiwan)
HONORS & AWARDS
• 2023 “Rookie of the Year,” InGenius
Prep (IGP)
• ACTFL Mandarin Oral Proficiency
Interview Score: “Advanced Mid”
FOREIGN LANGUAGES & SKILLS
• Mandarin (Adv.; Simplified/Tradition.)
• Spanish (Native Fluency)
• Project Management (Trello)
• Google Suite
VOLUNTEERING
• Mentor & Scholarship App
Reviewer/Interviewer, Oakland Promise
(2023 - Present)
• IGP Pro Bono (2023 - Present)
Gameheads Counselor (2024 – Present)
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
InGenius Prep, Transfer Admissions Manager
Jan 2024 – Present Oakland, CA (Hybrid)
• Lead a team of 29 transfer admissions counselors and
revise strategy reports from former admissions officers that resulted in 20+ successful applications and top
admission results (e.g., USC, Brown, NYU, UChicago)
InGenius Prep, Senior Counselor
Sep 2022 – Present Oakland, CA (Hybrid) • Advise 25+ high school/transfer students yearly from
6+ countries (e.g., USA, Taiwan, China), leading to top admission results (e.g., Brown, UCB, Rice, NYU)
• Liaise with parents in Mandarin to explain strategies for students' candidacy building and provide enhanced
support, including strategizing for students at risk
• Conducted 21+ webinars and in-person presentations
on summer programs, research mentorships, and NCAA
recruitment, which improved students’ understanding of
college admissions and resulted in 50+ leads of
potential clients
• Authored a 9-page report on AI essay detection, tested Custom GPTs for activities list and essay planner, and
advocated for AI staff training, which resulted in
improved counseling techniques
Scholar Launch, Admissions Interviewer
Apr 2023 – Present. Oakland, CA (Hybrid) • Conduct 142+ interviews of 20-30 minutes,
identifying 68+ top candidates for research programs in diverse fields (e.g., AI, aerospace, political economy) and advising on research proposal formulation
• Co-led 5+ webinars on research importance in college
admissions, which raised student enrollment in our
programs and generated 40+ leads of potential clients
Columbia University, Research Assistant
Aug 2021 – May 2022 New York, NY •
Created and analyzed a cross-national dataset (in R) of expatriate voting records for Dr. Chiara Superti, which provided insights into local politics’ influence on
expatriate voting in Western Europe and Latin America
•
Employed Spanish skills to liaise with electoral
institutes in Latin America, enhancing
data accuracy
EDUCATION (Cont’d)
• Shanghai Jiaotong University, 2016
Columbia’s Bus. Chinese Summer
Program (Real Estate Internship)
HONORS & AWARDS (Cont’d)
• Google’s “Generative AI for Educators”
Certificate (April 2024)
• Top 2 Finalist (Out of 17 Applicants)
for Oakland Public Ethics Commission
Vacancy (2023)
• “Taiwan’s hope in Latin America,”
Taipei Times (Sep 6, 2022)
• Lecture at Pace University (Mar 1,
2023): “Sino-Taiwanese-Latin American
Relations and Comparative Politics”
• Lecture at Fairfield University (Nov 10,
2022): “2022 US Midterms, China, and
Taiwan”
Community Fund LLC, Property Manager
Dec 2016 – Apr 2017 Oakland, CA • Managed 150 properties in East Bay by collecting
rent, inspecting homes, and liaising with maintenance
workers to ensure upkeep of properties, which resulted
in improved tenant satisfaction
• Maintained detailed property reports, which improved
tenant-landlord relations and ensured compliance with
Homeowner Associations and government regulations
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Intern
Jun 2015 – Aug 2015 Oakland, CA • Resolved constituent casework (i.e., loan
modification, mortgages) by effectively utilizing
federal, state, and local resources, which benefitted 50+ constituents
• Collaborated with local advocacy groups (e.g.,
Oakland Literacy Coalition) to discuss and promote
legislative initiatives, increasing community support for Lee’s efforts
May 2008 University of California – Berkeley Berkeley, CA Bachelor of Arts degree, English Literature May 2001 Mills College Oakland, CA EMPLOYMENT Clinical Director, Crisis Support Services of Alameda County February 2020 to present Developed and implemented clinical trainings for interns, staff, and volunteers on topics relevant to suicide prevention Provided individual and group supervision to clinical interns along with programmatic supervision Developed clinical documentation standards, ensured that documentation was compliant with legal and ethical standards Participated in weekly leadership meetings, developed partnerships with other agencies, and provided specialized grief support to programs throughout the county Clinical Supervisor, Stars School Success Program June 2017 to January 2020 Provided clinical supervision to up to 8 clinicians Facilitated ASW group Collaborated with QA team on training needs Ensured compliance with MediCal standards Youth and Family Clinician II, Youth and Family Services Bureau January 2016 to June 2017 REACH Ashland Youth Center Provide individual therapy and intensive case management services to youth aged 11 to 24 Design and facilitate youth development groups Provide consultation and training to milieu staff Staff Clinician, PREP Alameda August 2013 to January 2016 Provide individual therapy and case management to up to 15 TAY youth Provide individual clinical supervision to intern Develop and implement community trainings on topics related to psychosis Conduct thorough clinical assessments Maintain clinical documentation Day Treatment Therapist, Thunder Road February 2012 to August 2013 Provide individual, group, and multi-family therapy for adolescents and families Provide case management services, including discharge planning Maintain clinical notes, create assessments and treatment plans Clinician, Youth and Family Enrichment Services December 2009 November 2011 San Mateo County Child and Family Treatment Collaborative Provide individual and family therapy to up to seven clients aged 6 to 18 who are currently in the foster care system Provide case management and collateral contacts as needed Coordinated and facilitated weekly grief group at local high school. Case Manager, Youth and Family Enrichment Services September 2008 – June 2010 Redwood City, CA Transitional Housing Placement Program Plus (THP Plus) June 2010 – May 2011 San Mateo, CA Provided case management services to up to twelve emancipated foster and probation youth residing in San Mateo County Assisted youth in obtaining housing, employment, and educational services. Met with youth a minimum of one time per month. Supported youth in maintaining program adherence. Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP) Provided case management services for six foster care and probation youth who were living at the THPP program, including after care services. Planned and implemented bi-weekly groups on a variety of topics related to independent living skills. Provided individual therapy for up to three emancipated foster youth through the THP Plus program. Attended weekly group and hourly supervision. Practicum Intern, Kaiser Permanente September 2007 – June 2008 Oakland, CA Child and Family Psychiatry Provided weekly individual mental health services, including therapy, case management, and treatment planning for ten clients and their families. Co-facilitated weekly Intensive Outpatient Program group for teens in acute psychiatric distress, participated in weekly planning meetings. Participated in weekly ADHD screening group and weekly Early Assessment screenings. Attended weekly seminar focused on diversity issues and weekly training on topics related to social work. Received weekly hour and a half of individual clinical supervision under licensed clinical social worker.
Practicum Intern, Berkeley Mental Health October 2006 – June 2007 Willard Middle School Berkeley, CA Managed case load of up to five Medi-Cal eligible students at Willard Middle School. Provided one hour of weekly individual therapy along with case managements services. Developed and facilitated two eight week loss groups. Attended weekly staff meetings with school staff, provided crisis intervention for students, and developed treatment plans with teachers, case managers, and school psychologists. Received one hour of clinical supervision from licensed clinical social worker and three hours of training at Berkeley Mental Health. Shift Supervisor, Volunteer Trainer October 2002 – August 2012 Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS) Berkeley, CA Provided suicide prevention and crisis intervention to residents of Alameda County for 12 to 16 hours per week.
Concurrently provided one-on-one training to community volunteers and interns along with assisting the volunteer training in developing training policies and maintaining database.
Developed and implemented training on information gathering and database maintenance.
Friendship Line Coordinator June 2004 – July 2005 Institute on Aging San Francisco, CA Maintained coverage of 24 hour emotional support and suicide prevention line for the elderly. Conducted client intakes, manage client files, and referred Friendship Line clients to other agencies. Recruited, interviewed, trained, and supervised volunteers. Developed and expanded volunteer program. Maintained Friendship Line database, Friendship Line office, and created monthly reports for funding and grant purposes. Assisted in annual fund raising event, managed administrative duties for the Department of Psychology, attended weekly Andrea Henderson
Andrea Henderson •
EDUCATION
Licensed Clinical Social Worker January 2012 Master’s degree, Social Welfare May 2008 University of California – Berkeley Berkeley, CA
Bachelor of Arts degree, English Literature May 2001 Mills College Oakland, CA
EMPLOYMENT
Clinical Director, Crisis Support Services of Alameda County February 2020 to present
Developed and implement ed clinical trainings for interns, staff, and volunteers on topics relevant to suicide prevention Provided individual and group supervision to clinical interns along with programmatic supervision Developed clinical documentation standards, ensured that documentation was compliant with legal and ethical standards Participated in weekly leadership meetings , developed partnerships with other agencies, and provided specialized grief support to programs throughout the county
Clinical Supervisor, Stars School Success Program June 2017 to January 2020 Provided clinical supervision to up to 8 clinicians
Facilitated ASW group
Collaborated with QA team on training needs
Ensured compliance with MediCal standards
Youth and Family Clinician II, Youth and Family Services Bureau January 2016 to June 2017 REACH Ashland Youth Center
Provide individual therapy and intensive case management services to youth aged 11 to 24 Design and facilitate youth development groups
Provide consultation and training to milieu staff
Staff Clinician, PREP Alameda August 2013 to January 2016 Provide individual therapy and case management to up to 15 TAY youth Provide individual clinical supervision to intern
Develop and implement community trainings on topics related to psychosis Conduct thorough clinical assessments
Maintain clinical documentation
Day Treatmen t Therapist, Thunder Road February 2012 to August 2013 Provide individual, group, and multi -family therapy for adolescents and families Provide case management services, including discharge planning Maintain clinical notes, create assessments and treatment plans
Clinician, Youth and Family Enrichment Services December 2009 November 2011 San Mateo County
Child and Family Treatment Collaborative
Provide individual and family therapy to up to seven clients aged 6 to 18 who are currently in the foster care system Provide case management and collateral contacts as needed Coordinated and facilitated weekly grief group at local high school.
Case Manager, Youth and Family Enrichment Services September 2008 – June 2010 Redwood City, CA
Transitional Housing Placement Program Plus (THP Plus) June 2010 – May 2011 San Mateo, CA
Provided case management services to up to twelve emancipated foster and probation youth residing in San Mateo County Assisted youth in obtaining housing, employment, and educational services. Met with youth a minimum of one time per month. Supported youth in maintaining program adherence.
Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP)
Provided case management services for six foster care and probation youth who were living at the THPP program, including after care services.
Andrea Henderson •
Planned and implemented bi -weekly groups on a variety of topics related to independent living skills.
Provided individual therapy for up to three emancipated foster youth through the THP Plus program.
Attended weekly group and hourly supervision.
Practicum Intern, Kaiser Permanente September 2007 – June 2008 Oakland, CA
Child and Family Psychiatry
Provided weekly individual mental health services, including therapy, case management, and treatment planning for ten clients and their families.
Co-facilitated weekly Intensive Outpatient Program group for teens in acute psychiatric distress, participated in weekly planning meetings.
Participated in weekly ADHD screening group and weekly Early Assessment screenings.
Attended weekly seminar focused on diversity issues and weekly training on topics related to social work.
Received weekly hour and a half of individual clinical supervision under licensed clinical social worker.
Practicum Intern, Berkeley Mental Health October 2006 – June 2007 Willard Middle School Berkeley, CA
Managed case load of up to five Medi -Cal eligible students at Willard Middle School.
Provided one hour of weekly individual therapy along with case managements services.
Developed and facilitated two eight week loss groups.
Attended weekly staff meetings with school staff, provided crisis intervention for students, and developed treatment plans with teachers, case managers, and school psychologists.
Received one hour of clinical supervision from licensed clinical social worker and three hours of training at Berkeley Mental Health.
Shift Supervisor, Volunteer Trainer October 2002 – August 2012 Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS) Berkeley, CA Provided suicide prevention and crisis intervention to residents of Alameda County for 12 to 16 hours per week.
Concurrently provided one -on-one training to community volunteers and interns along with assisting the volunteer training in developing training policies and maintaining database.
Developed and implemented training on information gathering and database maintenance.
Friendship Line Coordinator June 2004 – July 2005 Institute on Aging San Francisco, CA Maintained coverage of 24 hour emotional support and suicide prevention line for the elderly.
Conducted client intakes, manage client files, and referred Friendship Line clients to other agencies.
Recruited, interviewed, trained, and supervised volunteers.
Developed and expanded volunteer program.
Maintained Friendship Line database, Friendship Line office, and created monthly reports for funding and grant purposes.
Assisted in annual fund raising event, managed administrative duties for the Department of Psychology, attended weekly supervision meeting and received weekly individual supervision from outside licensed therapist.
Residential Treatment Counselor October 2002 – June 2004 Generation House, Bay Area Youth Centers Hayward , CA Provided residential treatment to emancipating foster youth in group home setting.
Responsibilities include developing and implementing treatment plans, providing group and one on one counseling sessions, maintaining house and yard, developing emancipation plans and participating in crisis prevention and intervention.
Participated in weekly staffing meetings and took part in monthly trainings.
Office Manager October 2001 – October 2002 Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS) Berkeley, CA Managed business of crisis line. Responsibilities included providing receptionist services, tracking mailings, organizing monthly and quarterly billings, and helping maintain development database.
OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE
Therapist, A Home Within (Alameda County) January 2014 – January 2019 Adult Supporter, California Youth Connection (San Mateo County) September 2008 - present Peer Counselor , LYRIC Youth Talkline – San Francisco, CA March 1998 – March 2003