At Tipping Point, we bring together nonprofit leaders, experts, partners, and supporters to push the needle on solutions to poverty in the Bay. Whether that’s planning professional development retreats for our grantee leaders or sharing out our latest research with our supporters, cultivating community is what drives our staff. Meet team members Erica, Jason, and Quynh-Chi and learn more about how community plays a role in their lives, both at Tipping Point and within the Bay Area neighborhoods they call home.
Erica Hooton, development operations manager, is the backbone of our development operational work, supporting everything from events to gift processing. Erica also utilizes data to inform our team’s fundraising strategy.
Growing up, Erica would spend her summers going to the San Francisco Zoo with her dad, stopping by Ocean Beach so he could check out the surf. Now, whenever she visits the Sunset, she’s reminded of that bonding time with her family. To her, community helps us all feel connected to one another, bringing comfort through hardship and connection through times of celebration. The belief that everyone deserves to find and foster community drives her work at Tipping Point.
Jason Lee, accounting manager, works on our Finance and Operations team. As a member of the team for nearly 10 years, Jason is our go-to financial expert, from our annual audits to budgets and payroll.
As a native San Franciscan, Jason has seen—and loved—Downtown through all its booms and busts. He remembers the times as a child taking the bus to Powell and Market Street and walking to the Woolworth’s food counter for a burger and milkshake. Now, Downtown is just a short walk from the office. When Jason thinks of community, he thinks of people coming together for a purpose greater than themselves, because we know we are stronger together. Today, Jason still frequents Downtown, grabbing a bite at his favorite Korean fried chicken spot, or jogging up Market Street at the annual Bay to Breakers race.
Quynh-Chi Tran, development associate, oversees Tipping Point’s donor events and stewardship activities to ensure engaging, inspiring experiences for our donor community.
Quynh-Chi finds community in the Little Saigon neighborhood on Larkin Street, where she shops for groceries, practices her Vietnamese, and grabs a bite to eat. Originally from San Jose, she gets a taste of home whenever she finds herself in Little Saigon. It’s a chance to reminisce about running errands with her family in the Tully and Senter Road neighborhoods in San Jose, where the primary language is Vietnamese and the hustle and bustle never ends. To Quynh-Chi, community represents a sense of belonging, where everyone feels connected, regardless of their background. Building a Bay Area community that reflects her values is what drives her work at Tipping Point.
Learn more about our team, made of our staff, Board of Directors, and Leadership Council. As a team, we rally together to support our grantees in creating a Bay Area where everyone can prosper.
