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EDUCATION

Education is a catalyst for economic prosperity.

Increasing Opportunity for Every Student to Earn a Degree

Around 25% of low-income students from Bay Area counties achieve a bachelor’s degree, compared to 50% for middle and high-income students in the region. Tipping Point is working to ensure all students, especially first-generation, low-income students, have the support they need to earn their degrees.

Our Impact in Education

5,968

total students

achieved key educational milestones, such as graduating high school and college.

79%

of high school graduates

who were served by our grantees enrolled in college, compared to 55% of students in California from a similar socio-economic background.

91%

of college students

served by our grantees persisted after their first year of college, compared to 73% of all college students.

education Spotlight

A Path To + Through College

For 25 years, College Track has equipped first-generation scholars from underserved communities to earn a bachelor’s degree. Through Tipping Point’s capacity-building services, College Track has built robust data systems to more deeply understand the journey from ninth grade to college graduation. Today, 98% of Bay Area College Track scholars enroll in college and are on track to earn a degree each year. Nationwide, they graduate college at more than 2.5 times the rate of their demographic peers, reflecting the organization’s position as a leader in college completion.

Our Education Strategy

OUR GOAL

Supporting Students on the Path to Graduation

We invest in education and mentorship programs in K-12 and college to increase the number of low-income and first-generation Bay Area students who graduate from college.

Our Approach

FIND + FUND

Supporting Students To and Through College

When Tipping Point first invested in Beyond 12 in 2016, they were a small, tech-based startup with a big idea. They’re now serving more than 96,000 students nationally and are an industry leader in using data to drive coaching and college success.

PARTNER + STRENGHTEN

Proving Value for Increased State Funding

Guardian Scholars at SF State supports current or former foster youth students through their college years. Since 2007, we have partnered to help evaluate and improve their model, proving that support through college increases outcomes. Nationally, only ~3% of former foster youth graduate college, but 59% of Guardian Scholar students graduated in six years. These outcomes and their advocacy have led to an increase in funding for foster youth support across California.

Investigate + Change

Policy Grantee Spotlight: The Education Trust-West

The Education Trust-West advances policies that help Tipping Point’s education grantees deliver game-changing programs to students. Just this past year, they helped co-sponsor a bill, which passed, protecting financial aid for up to 1 million low-income college students in California.

Grant Seekers

We fund direct service organizations that help low-income high school students grow the skills needed to thrive in college, and help first-generation college students persist through graduation.

Our Team of Education Experts

  • Nick
    Arevalo

    Capacity Building Director
    Read Nick Arevalo bio

    Nick Arevalo

    Capacity Building Director

    "I believe the difference between poverty and a brighter future is usually dependent on the existence of opportunity. I joined Tipping Point Community, because I’m dedicated to helping create more opportunities for individuals in the Bay Area."

    Prior to joining Tipping Point Community, Nick was an Orfalea Fellow at the William J. Clinton Foundation in Harlem, where he worked on domestic programs focused on entrepreneurship and helping individuals gain access to the financial mainstream. He earned his M.P.A. from the University of Southern California and his B.A. in Political Science from Sonoma State University. He has worked as an Analyst at Wildan Financial Services and a Project Coordinator at the Sonoma Economic Development Board. Born in El Salvador, his Latino heritage inspires his passion for life, dancing and spicy food.

  • Leslie
    Eme

    Capacity Building Manager
    Read Leslie Eme bio

    Leslie Eme

    Capacity Building Manager

    Pronouns: she/her

    "I believe that meaningful collaboration across sectors and boundaries is essential if we are going to make real progress towards a more equitable Bay Area. I am proud to be a part of an organization that values collaboration and puts community-building front and center in its mission."

    Prior to joining Tipping Point, Leslie spent 10 years leading programs and strategic operations in the nonprofit and education sectors. Most recently she served as the Growth Operations Lead for the Summit Learning Program, an educator-powered nonprofit organization that partners with diverse schools and districts throughout the United States to support equitable classroom redesign. Leslie was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois and received her BA in International Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Drawn to California for its natural majesty, Leslie loves spending time outdoors, backpacking in the Sierras, soaking in hot springs, and enjoying ocean sunsets.

  • Katherine
    Georgiev

    Senior Program Officer, Education
    Read Katherine Georgiev bio
    Staff member Katherine Georgiev wearing a teal shirt stands and smiles.

    Katherine Georgiev

    Senior Program Officer, Education

    Pronouns: she/her

    "Lasting reform happens through a steadfast commitment to using our resources and expertise to bring down systems of advantage and build power for those most affected."

    Katherine joined Tipping Point because she believes in a poverty-free Bay Area and that transformative educational experiences change a student and their family’s trajectory for generations. Katherine is a results-driven leader with over 15 years of experience leading large, complex organizations centered on academic and curricular development. Most recently, she led Presentation High School in San Jose as Principal, where she overhauled core infrastructure, implemented innovative new programs, and steered the organization through its most challenging times. Earlier in her career, she worked in management consulting and public policy. Katherine received her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from University of California, Davis, holds a M.A. in Education Administration from Santa Clara University, and a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Business School Online.When she’s not at work, Katherine enjoys running, sailing in the Bay, and before-bedtime dance parties with her kids.

    Staff member Katherine Georgiev wearing a teal shirt stands and smiles.
  • James
    Hui

    Learning + Evaluation Manager
    Read James Hui bio

    James Hui

    Learning + Evaluation Manager

    Pronouns: he/him/his

    "Growing up in the Bay Area, I saw the barriers and challenges my peers and others have faced day-to-day, specifically homelessness and poverty. I am joining Tipping Point Community because I believe I am able to utilize my skills and knowledge in data analysis and evaluation to help end poverty in the Bay Area."

    James first got into the nonprofit sector after the 2014 midterm election. He remembers feeling helpless and a little bit lost thinking about what to do next in his career/life. He spent months soul-searching and thinking about how he could ultimately make a difference in his community. He made a decision later that year to dedicate his life to making an impact in his community through his work.James earned his Master’s in Public Administration in 2017 from New York University – Wagner. Prior to joining Tipping Point Community, he was the School Support Data Manager at the Urban Assembly. In this role, he supported the program team through evaluating the impact of their programs through analysis and Tableau dashboards.In his spare time, James enjoys going to Broadway shows, live music shows, and sporting events (Go Lakers and 49ers!).

  • Julie
    Lo

    Sr. Director, Grantmaking + Capacity Building
    Read Julie Lo bio

    Julie Lo

    Sr. Director, Grantmaking + Capacity Building

    Pronouns: she/her

    “I'm grateful for the opportunity to join a community of people invested in both the idealism of pursuing an end to poverty in the Bay Area, and are also committed to the necessary actions to achieve it.”

    Julie joined Tipping Point because of her belief that the right continuum of person-centered, trauma-informed services to address multiple domains of a person’s life can disrupt the harmful impacts of poverty that too many people continue to grapple with. Most recently, Julie was the Executive Director of California’s Interagency Council on Homelessness, where she served as a policy advisor and led a statewide entity responsible for significant homelessness initiatives and funding programs. Prior, Julie worked for Bay Area nonprofits (including Larkin Street Youth Services!) and as a consultant specializing in planning and evaluation. Julie earned a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley, and received her B.A. from Holy Names University. Julie is an avid learner and always reads the appendices first when reading reports, because that’s where all the good stuff lives.

  • Hunter
    Meyer

    Program Operations Associate
    Read Hunter Meyer bio

    Hunter Meyer

    Program Operations Associate

    Pronouns: he/him/his

    “We must take care of the most vulnerable among us to thrive as a community. So long as we are content to allow the suffering of others, we will never achieve true prosperity.”

    Hunter Meyer is happiest when he’s helping people. He comes to Tipping Point from the food and events world, where he ran large-scale food truck events for Off the Grid. Originally from Maine, Hunter earned a B.A. in Economics from Bard College. Since moving to the Bay Area over a decade ago, he’s fallen in love with the region, and is committed to making it even better through his work at Tipping Point. Outside of the office, Hunter enjoys spending time in nature with his young daughter, wife, and dog, and he is always on the lookout for a great taco.

  • Rohit
    Naimpally

    Senior Director of Impact
    Read Rohit Naimpally bio
    Staff member Rohit Naimpally wearing a grey shirt posing on a San Francisco street.

    Rohit Naimpally

    Senior Director of Impact

    Pronouns: He/Him/His

    "We all have a responsibility to create a just society." - Bryan Stevenson

    Rohit joined Tipping Point because it marries a moral imperative to serve the Bay Area community with a commitment to meaningful action. Prior to joining Tipping Point, Rohit worked at UC Berkeley's Possibility Lab on participatory, evidence-based policymaking. Earlier in his career, Rohit worked for ten years at MIT's Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab on impact evaluations around the world. In this role, he worked with a number of local and state governments in the U.S. on anti-poverty programs covering topics from homelessness to violence prevention to take-up of welfare benefits. Rohit graduated with an M.A. and B.A. from the University of Chicago. When he isn't trying to make research serve the public good, Rohit enjoys running with his speedier wife, working his way through a stack of books, and doting on his two dogs.

    Staff member Rohit Naimpally wearing a grey shirt posing on a San Francisco street.
  • Ali
    Sutton

    Chief Program Officer
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    Ali Sutton

    Chief Program Officer

    Pronouns: she/her

    "I believe that to be truly compassionate, one must directly support their neighbors who are struggling with poverty and also work to change and improve the systems that have allowed that poverty to exist."

    Ali joined Tipping Point to more directly serve her community while also continuing to work on the critical system changes necessary to ensure meaningful reductions in poverty. Prior to joining Tipping Point, Ali served as the State of California’s Deputy Secretary for Homelessness where she oversaw the state’s interagency council on homelessness and several large state homelessness grant programs. Earlier in her career Ali served as a Senior Advisor for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on a range of anti-poverty programs within the Administration for Children and Families. Ali graduated with a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California – Berkeley, and received her B.A from the University of Iowa. When not working to alleviate poverty, Ali can be found hiking, backpacking or reading a good book…outdoors!

  • Sam
    Tatum

    Program Assistant
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    Sam Tatum

    Program Assistant

    Pronouns: he/him

    “As long as poverty, injustice, and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest.” — Nelson Mandela

    The fight to end poverty hits close to home for Sam. When he was 11 months old, his birth mother placed him on the steps of an orphanage in Vietnam and walked away. She simply could not afford to raise him. Sam was dealt an early lesson on the power of community — its capacity to open doors, to radically change lives, and to break the cycle of poverty. His origin has molded his self-concept and forged his desire to pursue a career that enables others to thrive no matter their background.Prior to Tipping Point, Sam helped bring books into the world in marketing and editorial roles at HarperCollins and Pearson. He attended The Paideia School in Atlanta, Georgia and Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. In his spare time, Sam can be found running and training for upcoming races on the track and the roads around Lake Merritt and the East Bay.

  • Bing
    Wang

    Data Analytics Manager
    Read Bing Wang bio

    Bing Wang

    Data Analytics Manager

    Pronouns: she/her

    “Inequality and injustice are built into our systems and institutions. It is our duty to transform our systems until everyone, regardless of identity or background, has equal opportunity to thrive.”

    Bing is honored and humbled to be able to apply her research, business intelligence, and data analytics experience in support of Tipping Point’s empathetic and multi-faceted approach to fighting poverty. Prior to joining Tipping Point, she supported economic research and Cash Services strategy and operations as an analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Her passion for public service motivated her to pursue an M.S. in data science at the University of San Francisco, to better serve her community in an analytic capacity. During her master’s program, she interned at Human Rights Data Analysis Group, where she contributed to statistical analyses that enable accountability for human rights violations. Bing also holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago. Bing is a proud first-generation Chinese-American immigrant and a Bostonian, and she enjoys running, exploring cities through food, and listening to pop punk.