Our Leadership

Tomás A. Magaña, MD, MA, FAAP

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

Bio

Dr. Tomás A. Magaña is a Latino physician, program director, educator and advocate dedicated to improving care and health outcomes for the state’s most vulnerable children.

Dr. Magaña is a Principal Investigator at the Public Health Institute (PHI) in Oakland, CA, where he serves as Founding Director of the FACES for the Future Coalition. Dr. Magaña co-founded and directed the original FACES program at Children’s Hospital in Oakland before moving operations of the program to PHI. Additionally, he is Founding Director of the FACES Summer Medical Academy. Dr. Magaña is a leading expert in the design and implementation of health workforce pipeline programs for youth. He is actively leading the efforts to disseminate the successful FACES model throughout the nation. Dr. Magaña’s work with youth has been featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, NBC Bay Area News and in People Magazine..

Dr. Magaña is a board-certified pediatrician with expertise in the care of at-risk children and adolescents. He is a Lead Physician in the Department of School-Based Health Centers at La Clínica de La Raza, Inc. where he serves the complex medical needs of diverse youth from Alameda County. He is also Assistant Professor/Medical Director in the Masters Physician Assistant Department at Samuel Merritt University and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. Previously, Dr. Magaña was a member of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, where he served as Medical Director of Alameda County’s Juvenile Justice Center and attending physician at the Youth Uprising School-Based Health Center in East Oakland, CA.

Dr. Magaña is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and has served on a number of regional and national advisory boards focusing on pediatric health issues, healthcare workforce development and cultural competency in medicine. Dr. Magaña received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University, his Masters degree from U.C. Berkeley, and his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco where he was awarded the prestigious Gold-Headed Cane Award. He completed his pediatric residency at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland where he received the Kerry Spooner-Dean Memorial Award for community service. Other honors include the Regional Jefferson Award (Silver Medal), The California Wellness Foundation’s Champion of Health Professions Diversity Award, Univisión Television’s Medalla al Mérito, Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Local Hero Award and the Children’s Hospital Oakland Miracle Maker Award.

Dr. Magaña is a Commissioner of First 5 Alameda County and also serves on the board of directors of several non-profit agencies, including Seva Foundation, Safe Passages and MEDICC (Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba).

Dr. Magaña is a first generation college graduate, and has dedicated much of his life to serving underserved communities. He has a passion for programs that foster leadership, wellness and professional development for youth.

AMY SPADE

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Amy Spade is the Deputy Director for FACES for the Future Coalition at Public Health Institute. Amy has dedicated her life’s work to serving others and to fighting on behalf of those who have been marginalized. Her expertise in nonprofit management includes project and grant management, coalition building, collective impact, convening, policy and advocacy, operations, and program evaluation.

At the Bay Area Jewish Federation, Amy oversaw grantmaking, ensured operational excellence, established evaluation practices, and mentored staff to think deeply about goal-setting and outcomes. She supervised and coached managers of community programs in leadership development, security, and scholarships. Additionally, she held portfolios in social services and public affairs, with which she especially supported mental health and refugees.

While at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Amy served as the initiative director of the Los Angeles Regional Coalition for Linked Learning, a collaboration of more than 60 stakeholder organizations working together to increase postsecondary completions in Los Angeles County. She also worked closely with the Los Angeles Unified School District to develop work-based learning systems, manage an intermediary network, and house and analyze data.

In 2017, Amy was a Presidio Institute Cross-Sector Leadership Fellow, learning to apply principles of systems change, design thinking, and inclusion and belonging to collaboratively solve the world’s most complex problems.

Amy’s board service has been rich and varied. From 2013-2018, she served as the Board Secretary of Resolute Academy, a public middle school that opened in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles in 2015. At the Pacific Center for Human Growth in Berkeley, a 50-year-old institution run by and serving the QTBIPOC community, she served as the Board Secretary for two years from 2021-2023. From 2019-2024, she served on the board of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, working to advance anti-poverty and anti-hate policies in partnership with legislative caucuses and other state coalitions.

Before her nonprofit and philanthropic career, Amy taught and served in administrative roles at Houston, Detroit, New York, and Bay Area high schools. A first-generation college graduate, she holds a BA from University of Michigan and an MFA from University of Houston.

CHAD SEAMON

PROGRAM MANAGER

BIO

Chad Seamon (he/him/they/them) is the Program Manager for FACES for the Future Coalition. They earned a Master of Development Practice (MDP) from Regis University where they focused on program development and participatory planning as well as a BA in Music from Eastern University.

Chad has experience in multiple sectors including public health, international and community development, and education, with teaching experience in both the United States and India. Chad taught career readiness and life skills education while working with transitioning high school seniors at the Milton Hershey School and later managed teenage leadership programs within the Greater Philadelphia YMCA where they also partnered with community organizations to facilitate LGBTQ+ youth development and sustainability programs. Chad got their start in public health while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia, having most recently led La Salle University’s COVID-19 response efforts focused on engaging community members through collaboration and education to address issues of health equity and access. Chad is passionate about working with community stakeholders to co-create the conditions for healthy futures.

Community involvement, creative expression, and environmental reciprocity are important parts of Chad’s life. Outside of work, they can be found exploring outdoor spaces, cooking a delicious shared meal, caring for plants, or making pottery.

KELLY SALAZAR

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR

Kelly Salazar serves as the Program Administrator for the FACES for the Future Coalition program at the Public Health Institute. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from California State University, Fullerton, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from California State University, Chico.

Kelly‘s journey in public health began during her undergraduate years when she immersed herself in community health education through internships in local schools, community support centers, nonprofits, and volunteering at Napa State Hospital. Over the past decade, Kelly has focused her career on health promotion, grant management, and peer health education initiatives within Higher Education. She has successfully developed and managed health promotion programs, many of which were funded by grants or established through community partnerships, to address campus needs and enhance campus health education and promotion efforts.

In her current role with the FACES for the Future Coalition program, Kelly applies her expertise in grant and project management, capacity building, and strategic planning to support the team in various aspects of their work. Outside of work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her family, taking long walks with her dog while listening to podcasts, and pursuing creative hobbies.

VANESSA TAT

PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Vanessa Tat is the Program Assistant for FACES for the Future. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics.

During her time at CSU Long Beach, Vanessa was a cadet in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, where she received leadership training and served as Color Guard Team Captain. She also has three years of training in communication, active listening, and conflict mediation through the Peer Listener Program in Temple City. Vanessa went on to connect her passions for nutrition and mental health by working at Reasons Eating Disorder Center. Here, she enjoyed fostering connections with young adults through cooking and sharing meals with them. Most recently, she has been working with various school districts to ensure they are meeting the nutritional needs of each age group, as well as volunteering at a local wildlife rescue.

JACKIE PENATE

AMERICORPS VISTA

Jackie Penate is an AmeriCorps VISTA Community Health Development Program Coordinator. She graduated from UC Merced with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Public Health with a minor in Writing Studies. During undergrad, Jackie had the opportunity to serve as a mentor for local high students in Merced, work as a writing tutor on campus, and work as Peer Navigator for the SSHA Academic Advising Office where she advised and supported undergraduate students in service of their academic and personal goals. Her interest in public health and locally led health initiatives started by her work as a social media advocate for Building Health Communities, Boyle Heights. With a career interest in community work, health promotion, and education, Jackie hopes that her work at FACES will allow her to continue making a positive impact on the communities she serves.

JENNIFER MEJIA NIETO

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Jennifer Mejia Nieto is the Project Coordinator for FACES for the Future in South Alameda County and FACES Alumni Programs. She graduated from California State University, East Bay with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. As a proud Bay Area native, Mexican-American, and first-generation college graduate, Jennifer has focused her efforts on addressing the mental health needs of diverse communities.

Jennifer quickly identified a significant gap in mental health services, particularly for monolingual families seeking to support their youth. To bridge this gap, she utilized her bilingual skills to host Spanish-speaking parent groups, offering psychoeducation and fostering a sense of community to better support their children. During this time, Jennifer also played a crucial role in helping youth explore career paths, apply to college, secure jobs, and navigate mental health challenges, all while empowering them to pursue their own growth.

Reflecting on her own experiences, Jennifer’s passion for her work deepened, as she has expressed, “I want to be someone I wish I had during my adolescent years.” Her commitment to youth extends beyond her role at FACES; she also contributed to the creation of a new 24-hour crisis facility for adolescents in Alameda County and volunteered as a mentor for BUILD, a nonprofit that empowers underserved youth through entrepreneurship, helping them become CEOs of their own lives.

During her time at FACES for the Future, Jennifer aims to mentor students aspiring to careers in public health by emphasizing the critical importance of cultural attunement and diversity in all healthcare professions. She is dedicated to building bridges that connect these students to their goals, ensuring they are well-equipped to serve diverse communities effectively. Her core values include: Authenticity, Creativity, Respect, Humility, Community, and Resiliency.