About Us

Steve Chamberlin was raised in Hawaii, where he attended public school as a young scholar. After service in the US Army, Mr. Chamberlin earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii, and a Master’s in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. His successful career in real estate development spanned 45 years. As an Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley, Mr. Chamberlin taught urban planning and real estate development for 16 years. He founded the Berkeley / Stanford Real Estate Challenge at the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, and the Urban Plan immersive learning experience at the Urban Land Institute.

Susan Chamberlin was raised in Hawaii, where she attended public elementary and secondary schools. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Cornell University, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of California Berkeley. Mrs. Chamberlin enjoyed a successful career as an architect and in project management. She taught as an Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley for six years. She has served on the boards of the Richmond Art Center, the Oakland Museum of California, and the Center for Social Sector Leadership. She currently serves as a Trustee of the UC Berkeley Foundation.

Melinda Erkelens is a seasoned attorney with a deep passion for sailing. With over three decades of legal experience, she has seamlessly merged her legal expertise and love for the sport by serving as general counsel for three America’s Cup sailing teams. Erkelens’s dedication lies in supporting organizations to achieve their goals. Her experience spans a wide range of areas, including contract drafting and negotiation, compliance, risk management and governance. 

Anne Hoffman spent over 30 years developing and managing commercial real estate in the Bay Area before her retirement in 2011. A Richmond resident since 1987, Hoffman once served on the Richmond Economic Development Commission, and participated in the Many Hands program that supported Washington Elementary School. Hoffman previously served as an officer of the National Association of Industrial Office Properties, and as a guest lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. She was recognized as a Woman of Influence by the SF Business Times in 2010.

Dr. Stefanie Phillips, currently serves as the Chief Talent Officer at WestEd, a national organization focused on education research, evaluation, and policy. She leads WestEd’s Human Resources, Learning & Development, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging teams. Dr. Phillips led the Chamberlin Education Foundation as CEO from 2019 – 2024. Prior to her time at CEF, she served as the Superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District. As the first African American in that role, she focused on increasing leader efficacy to drive instructional improvements. Dr. Phillips earned her MBA in Finance from UC Davis and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from USC. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct faculty of USC Rossier School of Education and faculty member and mentor with the Urban Superintendents Academy. 

Dr. Arun Ramanathan is the former Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Learning, an Oakland-based non-profit that partners with schools and districts across the nation to improve teaching and learning. Dr. Ramanathan previously served as the Executive Director of the Education Trust-West, a state-wide policy, research, and advocacy organization in California. Prior to that role, he served as Chief Student Services Officer in the San Diego Unified School District. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, his master’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Boston College, and his doctorate Administration, Policy and Social Planning from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.