Our staff

Executive Director

Melissa is a well known and respected nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience supporting traditionally under-served communities. Most recently, Melissa served for nearly 15 years as the Executive Director of San Mateo County’s only domestic violence services agency, CORA. Prior to that, she provided training and consulting on governance-related issues to local nonprofit boards. Melissa knows San Mateo County well, has a track record for building strong relationships with local and regional funders and creating strong partnerships with a wide variety of community leaders.

Accounting and Finance Manager

Hani is an accomplished financial professional, blending academic excellence with entrepreneurial acumen. With a CPA qualification and an MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas, Hani’s expertise is fortified by real-world experience. Formerly an export-import business owner, Hani brings a strategic edge to accounting management, navigating complexities with ease.

Beyond the ledgers, Hani’s proficiency extends to consulting on worker compensation matters, showcasing a breadth of understanding in regulatory landscapes. A lover of hiking and swimming, Hani’s tenacity in outdoor pursuits mirrors their dedication to precise financial management.

Environmental Compliance Project Manager

Jason began working with nonprofit organizations in 2015. He’s very passionate about helping others and contributing positively to his community. He’s also a strong advocate for civil and equal rights. His free time is spent volunteering, traveling, and attending concerts. He’s been to all 50 states, most cities in North America, several countries, and three continents. However, he always loves returning home to the great state of California.

Jason comes from LA, most recently as Vice President of Renovations for Fieldstone Construction where he was responsible for residential and commercial property rehab throughout the country. He’s experienced in managing contractors from bidding through project completion. He’s also managed financial reporting and grants for a neighborhood association in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio.

Marketing and Community Engagement Manager

Robert has a long career in partnership marketing, growing and servicing client relationships across various programs spanning advertising, sports marketing, tourism and more. For RTP, Robert is focused on engaging sponsors on key projects and opportunities. Away from the office, you can find him planning a trip, looking for a good meal, or following some sort of obscure sport. Robert is back in the Bay Area after long stays in Los Angeles and New York, and lives in Belmont.

Director of Programs

Greg came to the non-profit world after a mid-life career change. He spent the first twenty years in software working as a back end and systems engineer. After the dot com crash of the early 2000s, he traded in fluorescent lights for fencing, pipe dreams for plumbing, and computers for caring. After spending a few years working for a commercial contractor, Greg ventured out on his own running a home repair business for nearly a decade. Eventually he was persuaded to join Habitat for Humanity as a Site Supervisor in early 2014. Greg joined RTP in 2017 after a reduction in force at Habitat. He now assists home owners with their projects as well as working with the technicians in his new capacity. He is also an avid ice hockey fan (Detroit Red Wings) as well as an old punk music fan (though his days in the mosh pit are long behind him…).

Accountant/Consultant

Jan began her career in the nonprofit world working for Planned Parenthood of San Mateo County. After working in the legal sector and as operations manager for a San Francisco startup, she transitioned to accounting consulting specializing in small businesses and nonprofits. Jan’s first involvement with RTP was as a volunteer on an NRD project in 1993. The experience impressed her greatly, and she stayed connected to the organization as an annual donor. In 2003, she offered her services as a volunteer to modernize the accounting system and take over accounting duties. In 2004, she was hired as an independent contractor/consultant to handle all accounting tasks for the organization, a position she has held since then, making her the longest serving person in the RTP family. As she says, “Why not? RTP people are the best!”

A transplant from the Chicago area, Jan constantly celebrates the beauty and progressive attitude of the Bay Area and her luck in ending up in California. She loves reading, hiking, yoga, and was recruited years ago to take up scuba diving by her husband and son.

Project Manager

Josh Woodruff joined Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP) on August 10th, 2018. He is originally from Dayton, Ohio but spent quite some time in Atlanta, Georgia as well before moving to California for his AmeriCorps service. For about four years now, Josh has owned and run his own small urban clothing line called “Rebirth of Royalty”. Prior to RTP, Josh worked at a small credit union corporate office in Dayton called Wright-Patt Credit Union. He also competed once in a Men’s Physique Competition in Cincinnati and placed 3rd in his show! Josh has always had a passion for lending a helping hand and finds Rebuilding Together Peninsula a great way to continue to pursue his passion. RTP feels incredibly lucky to welcome such a warm-hearted and hard-working entrepreneur to the team!

Program Coordinator

​Esmeralda has worked for nonprofits for 12 years serving populations from children to seniors. At Head Start, through the Santa Clara Office of Education, she facilitated a team of parenting classes and conducted supervised visits for child custody cases. While working at Abode she was a case manager. Esmeralda is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Psychology. She lives in Belmont where she enjoys trips to the beach for picnics and taking sewing classes at Canada College. She is thrilled to be a part of the RTP team where she can dive into our programs and learn everything about construction.

Development, Impact, and Database Administrator

Georgia graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Rhetoric. She grew up in the Bay Area and is excited to work with RTP and serve some of the vibrant communities that have shaped her. Georgia’s experience includes working for the Stanford Law School assisting with database, website, admin duties and event management; and interning at the Riekes Center Film Barn and Fresh Takes Media Arts Center. She is dedicated to serving her community and lives by the motto, “Leave things better than you found them.” In her free time, Georgia enjoys going to concerts, scavenging thrift stores for vinyl records, and traveling.

Senior Repair Technician

Frank Tijerina comes to RTP with over 20 years of experience in construction. He loves helping neighbors to stay safe and healthy in their homes and finds his work with RTP very rewarding.

Safe at Home Manager

Rachel is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and she has always been passionate about social justice and community service. Her experiences in NC include grassroots canvassing and interning with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys singing, going to the beach, and hanging out with her cat, Muggle. After graduating from N.C. State University with a degree in Anthropology, she began her journey with Rebuilding Together New York City in 2019 as an AmeriCorps member. It was there that she fell in love with Rebuilding Together’s mission and a passion was ignited for housing justice and equity. She is very happy to be striving for that same mission here at Rebuilding Together Peninsula.

Office Assistant/Coordinator