Meet the Board of Directors

Jesús Díaz Bonilla is a first generation college graduate with over a decade of experience in public education as mathematics teacher, college and career counselor and alternative education teacher. He also has experience mentoring and supporting students through their foundational mathematics courses through the Academic Excellence Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Jesús was born in Puebla, Mexico. He grew up in La Puente, California, where he attended Mt. San Antonio College to earn an Associate Degree in Liberal Studies. Jesús transferred to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Masters’ Degree in Education. Jesús is a Robert Noyce Scholar and McCarthy Dressman Education Foundation scholar.

Jesús is passionate about working with students and providing learning experiences that create a meaningful impact in their lives. He recognizes the significance of representations as positive Latino male role models and thrives to be one for his family and community.

Dr. Audra Verrier became the Associate Vice Provost of Career and Professional Development at Loyola Marymount University in January 2023. She has been a leader in higher education for the past 20 years. She has managed departments and teams that focus on career preparation, leadership development, experiential learning, and community engagement for Sonoma State University, California Institute of Integral Studies, Brandeis University, and University of Maine. She has coached and advised 1,000’s of students and professionals to pursue their passions, create careers they love, and complete degree programs while developing themselves as active citizens and engaged leaders.

Verrier is a facilitator and educator on topics such as strategic planning and organizational development in the non-profit sector, the psychology of leadership, ecopsychology and systems thinking, professional development, and entrepreneurial skills for leaders in education. She is passionate about equity and inclusion advocating for programs and services that provide access for all with a focus on antiracist program development and first-generation students. Dr. Verrier also supports women and professionals to develop a deeper connection to nature as a means of strengthening resilience and moving beyond self-preservation.

Verrier holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Master of Science in Organizational Management, and a Doctorate in Psychology. Her research focuses on women and BIPOC communities overcoming bias and adversity, career and leadership development, and first generation students. She is married to Rick Verrier and they have three children, Julia (3) and twins Logan and Layla (7 months).

Mairin McCarthy Weiner, a licensed clinical social worker, is an advocate for experiential learning and the proud owner of Middlepath Therapy. Originally from the Midwest, she has called San Francisco home since 2007. With a dual major in psychology and Spanish from Kenyon College and an M.S.W. from Washington University in St. Louis, Mairin is dedicated to guiding kids, adolescents, and parents through psychotherapy. As a parent of five children and a resident of San Francisco with her husband, she actively promotes the connection between education and achieving dreams. Whether reading, hiking, or swimming in the San Francisco Bay, Mairin is committed to breaking self-imposed limitations and fostering a love for learning through her involvement with The Magnolia Project.