About Us

Meet our Volunteer Leadership Team, Park Advocates and Past Members:

Since getting started back in 2009, we've had the support and guidance of many community leaders, friends and families -which we are truly grateful.   The below list represents both past and present neighbors who have come together, made a generous donation of time and effort –all for the benefit of McKinley Square.

McKinley Square Park Foundation Leadership Team:

Joyce B. -  Joyce is a long-time Hill resident and serves the day to day needs volunteering as Executive Project Director since 2009.  Joyce's professional background includes digital media. data and creative software production. Affiliations: Vermont St. Neighborhood Assoc.[2006-Pres], SF SAFE Neighborhood Crime Watch [2007-Pres], American Association of Advertising Agencies [AAAA], Impact Investor and SD Forum.   Joyce and her family live across from McKinley Square and have two dogs.

Marjorie G.-  Marjorie is the Treasurer for MSPF and currently serves on the San Francisco board of the Park, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Committee. Marjorie enjoys leading the community funding and contact liaison on funding initiatives.  Marjorie works closely with city agencies and government decision makers like District 10 Board of Supervisor, Malia Cohen and Bevin Duffy.  Marjorie is a public policy advocate and an active member of the Potrero Hill Boosters Association.  She recently served as a volunteer on the 2012 Community Opportunity Fund project working closely with individual neighbors and Recreation and Parks Department staff resulting in a COF award.

Karl H.- Karl leads the McKinley Square Park Funding Strategy to support advancement of the approved 2012 SF RPD Master Plan. Karl is currently working to identify large funding resources and community members interested in "pitching" the park plan alongside Studio Green, SF RPD and our fiscal sponsor.  Karl and his family live adjacent McKinley Square park and has over 10 years experience in neighborhood association and community advocacy efforts.

Henry W.-  Henry is the Advocacy Director for MSPF and volunteers as the community liaison when communicating between the many active neighbors and local groups like the Potrero Hill Boosters, SF SAFE and the Vermont St. Neighborhood Association.  Henry is a longtime hill resident living along San Francisco's "crookedest street" where he currently serves as a co-captain for the Vermont St. SF SAFE Group [900 block of Vermont St].  In 2009, Henry joined a group of fellow neighbors to form the Friends of Vermont St. Enclave project leading the much needed improvements efforts with SFPD, SFRPD, Department of Public Works and Caltrans.

Joe T.-  Joe is a long-time neighbor, active community volunteer and San Bruno Ave. resident for over 35+ years.  He currently serves as co-captain for the San Bruno Ave. SF SAFE Neighborhood Association, which includes 100+ residents living across a (3), block area. In 2011, Joe was appointed as the official garden coordinator for the "Benches" community garden located at 18th and San Bruno Ave.

Peggy L.- Peggy brings expertise in the areas of environmental health sciences, specialization in environmental toxicology and epidemiology.  She has a Masters Degree in Public Health, Environmental Health Science and a Bachelor of Arts, Physiology from the University of California, Berkeley.  She currently teaches Biology and Environmental Science as an Instructor City College of San Francisco. Her professional membership includes California Science Teachers Association; Human Anatomy and Physiology Society; National Association of Biology Teachers; North American Environmental Education Association; Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences.  She has experience in grant writing and administration.  Peggy and her family are long time hill residents living on Vermont Street.

Lester Z. - Lester and Kayren own The Good Life Grocery, which opened in 1974 and is located 20th Street with a second location in Bernal Heights.  They have a well-respected history of community advocacy and leadership on the hill.

Dr. Frank G., D.C.: Dr. G. owns Potrero Chiropractors and Acupuncture Neck, Back and Headache Pain Relief Center.  Frank also participated with leading the efforts for Franklin Square Park and has been an instrumental Executive Board Member of the Potrero Hill Merchants and Business Association (PHAMB) for the past 5 years.  He is a 1998 graduate of Life Chiropractic College West and club chiropractor for 24 Hour Fitness.  He is an active community leader hosting numerous funding raising events throughout the community on behalf of the Potrero Hill Library, Daniel Webster and Star King Elementary Schools as well as the NABE over the years.  Dr. Gilson is also PHAMBS representative for the PREFUND Committee that established the Spanish emersion program at Daniel Webster.

Community Advocates and Past Advisory Team:

Dick M.:  Dick M. is the Potrero Hill community expert and historian on land use and planning issues and has demonstrated commendable civic mindedness in his continued efforts as a strong advocate of planned growth for his neighborhood while preserving its unique community.  Dick currently serves on the Potrero Hill Power Plant Task Force, the Mission Bay Citizens Advisory Committee and UCSF-Mission Bay Citizen Advisory Group, was a member of Potrero League of Active Neighbors, a member of the San Francisco Tomorrow, and is a member and past president of the Potrero Hill Boosters Neighborhood Association.  Supervisors Sophie Maxwell and Mark Leno declared May 29, 2001 as Richard D. Millet day in San Francisco on behalf of the Board of Supervisors to congratulate him on this honor and thank him for his many years of service to Potrero Hill.

Mark A. - Principal, Downtown High School & Wellness Center:  Mark has worked in San Francisco Public Schools for 13 years, which has offered him the opportunity to work collaboratively with most of the community-based organizations in the Mission, Potrero, Excelsior, and Hunters Point Bay View Districts.  While Principal at Buena Vista Elementary School Mark worked closely with SF Parks and Recreation initially planning Potrero del Sol Park, which, at the time was underutilized, by the community and now is a well visited vibrant park including soccer playing fields and a skate park.  Currently as of Principal of Downtown High School, Mark is looking forward to building a strong partnership within the community and McKinley Square Park. Downtown High is a project-based program, which includes classroom themes that focus on environmental justice, sustainable gardening, and park reclamation of indigenous plants. Therefore, Mark is motivated to build natural connections from the park into the classroom.  As a founding board member, Mark remains an active friend, advisor and advocate of McKinley Square Park Foundation even after resigning in late 2011 due to his busy work schedule.

Antje K.-  Antje is a Steering Committee member of Friends of Franklin Square, which spearheaded the recently completed renovation of Franklin Square Park. As the only green space in a 10-block radius, which had received an F rating by Park Scan 3 years ago, the highly successful renovation succeeded in turning a deserted park into an active neighborhood-gathering place.  Friends of Franklin Square have a demonstrated history of community advocacy when working closely with other non-profit organizations like the Neighborhood Parks Council (PNC), Citizens Housing, neighborhood associations, and local businesses to coordinate efforts and raise funds.  Friends of Franklin Square have been successful in creating a united front among its highly diverse stakeholder groups, which has proved instrumental in advocating for the park's needs.  As a founding board member, Antje remains an active friend, advisor and advocate of McKinley Square Park Foundation even after becoming in active in late 2011 due to her busy family and work schedule.

Past Advisory Committee Members:

Sara O.-  Sara is a Potrero Hill Parents Association leader and founding member and President of Slippery Fish, a cooperative childcare center located at Axis Café on 8th Street. PHPA is a 700+ group of parents in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco who are interested in building community, supporting each other, and creating a family-friendly neighborhood.   [2009-2012]

Michele S.- Michelle has the joy of living and working on Potrero Hill. As a real estate agent, she has married her environmental beliefs with her business practices, making Potrero Hill the first green certified Zephyr Real Estate office, formerly known as Ford Real Estate where she has worked since 1994. Michelle is currently the Treasurer for the Potrero Hill Association of Merchants and Businesses. She actively supports many neighborhood projects and looks forward to continuing her advocacy and community-building role for the neighborhood she loves and lives in. [2009-2012]

Harry A.- Harry and his family, Roberta, Julian and Sienna have lived in Potrero Hill since 1999. In 2003 they purchased and renovated a single family home adjacent to McKinley Square and between kids and a dog, they have become daily users of the park for years. Harry is an Executive at a Bay Area Technology company and races bicycles for a non-profit organization that raises significant funds annually for the American Brain Tumor Association.  Harry and Roberta’s son, Julian, will attend Friends of Potrero Hill Preschool in the fall. With multiple ties to the Potrero Hill community and intentions to raise his family long term in the neighborhood and in local schools, Harry is seeking to take a more active role in efforts to see our neighborhood be safe and the best in the city for families.  Friends of Potrero Preschool and the McKinley Square Foundation are great places to be able to contribute time to make a difference in the community. [2009-2012]

Erica H.- Before Erica and her family moved to the East Bay, they were active members of the Vermont St. Neighborhood Association (VSNA) and project members of the Friends of the Vermont St. Enclave Project.  In 2009, Erica championed VSNA’s efforts under the Caltrans Adopt-a-Highway (AAH) program in partnership with DPW to raise awareness about the importance public safety and much needed improvements along Vermont’s historic "crookedest street".   Erica is a member of the Potrero Hill Parents Association (PHPA) and currently works as Program Director for the Family Support Services of the Bay Area (FSSBA), which is a private, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization based in Oakland.  Erica and her husband Russell enjoy McKinley Square Park on a daily basis with their “almost” 3-year old daughter, Olivia. Erica actively supports many neighborhood projects and looks forward to continuing her advocacy and community-building role for the neighborhood she loves and lives in. [2009-2012]