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​Floater, Las Luciérnagas

Ana first came to Project Commotion as a parent before joining our staff as an aide in early childhood and enrichment programs. She is excited about the opportunity to expand her understanding of child development beyond her experiences with her own six children. She enjoys working with Project Commotion's students because each has a unique, positive impact on her. During her free time, Ana likes to dance Zumba and cook.

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Site Supervisor, Las Luciérnagas

Cristina moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from Jalisco, Mexico when she was 9 years old.

Cristina holds a B.A. Degree from SFSU in Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood and a minor in Special Education and A.S. Degrees from CCSF in Child Development and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Since joining PC in 2016, Cristina has enjoyed fostering strong and healthy relationships with children and families through movement, play, and social-emotional interactions. She has collaborated in leading workshops for parents and caregivers through PC’s programs and currently co-facilitates Family Cafe’s for LL families.

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Kids on the Move Jr. Coordinator

Dayna supports Holly and Marion with PC Movement class, Camp Commotion, and youth-focused Schools on the Move coordination

Dayna was born and raised in San Francisco. She’s always loved children and started taking childhood development classes while in high school. She earned her BA in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University. Dayna started working at Project Commotion in 2018 and has enjoyed deepening her knowledge about the intersection of child development, movement and culture. When she's not causing a commotion, you might find her busy crafting!

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Kids on the Move Coach

Gennessey Martinez is a bi-lingual Bay Area native. She is a first-generation student studying Early Childhood Education at CCSF.  For the past 3 years, Gennessey has been serving children in San Francisco and Colorado in various roles including as a preschool teacher, intervention specialist, and aide for neurodivergent preschoolers. Gennessey is deeply enjoying serving Project Commotion families and impacting the communities in which she grew up. Outside of work, Gennessey enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors in nature.

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​Development Officer

Hannah Kahl has over a decade of nonprofit management experience, working both domestically and internationally. She has helped to grow community development initiatives and youth programs in Boston, Mexico, Uganda, and Oakland. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2013, inspired by the many progressive movements and the sunshine. She holds a BA in Anthropology and a minor in Spanish from the University of New Hampshire. Seeing the children’s love and enthusiasm for Project Commotion keeps Hannah motivated to find new resources and partnerships.

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Kids on the Move Youth Coordinator

Holly supports Marion in coordinating Project Commotion’s youth-focused programming including Camp Commotion and PC Classes.

A recent transplant from Boston, Holly brings a background in athletic administration, physical education, and strength coaching to the Project Commotion team. She holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and an M.S. in Sports Leadership both from Endicott College. From teaching lower-elementary sports to offering strength coaching to autistic youth, Holly is passionate about athletics and the transformative power of sports and movement to foster social and emotional development in children. She is committed to creating engaging and supportive relationships with children so they can grow and thrive.

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Kids on the Move Coach

Jose is a physical education teacher and soccer coach. In 2020 he served as the Physical Trainer of the Peruvian Down Syndrome Fútbol team and in 2023 he was a coach for San Francisco United F.C. Jose brings seven years of education experience to the PC team and holds a Masters in Neuroeducation and Physical Education with a specialization in Physical Education primary level soccer studies. He is excited to be on the PC team as he is passionate about movement as an important tool for children’s brain development. Jose loves being a part of children’s learning process and takes seriously the responsibility he has as an educator to impact children’s lives.

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Schools on the Move Jr. Coordinator

Lily supports Sarah and Marion with early-childhood focused Schools on the Move coordination

Lily has always been captivated by the healing power of movement. However, she was drawn to Project Commotion because it perfectly encapsulates her love for using movement and the body to support individuals in building empathy, confidence, and emotional regulation skills. Lily became passionate about holistic harm prevention strategies at Pitzer College, where she used dance to work with incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Legal Studies and is committed to using her education to support all people with their developmental needs.

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MSW, IMH-E

Kids on the Move Program Manager

Marion manages the operations and teams of Project Commotion's Schools on the Move, In-Studio Movement Classes, Jardín Family Playgroups, and Camp Commotion.

Marion is a social worker and movement specialist based in the Pacific Northwest. An endorsed Infant Family Specialist, they hold a B.A. in Dance and Psychology from Mills College, a graduate certificate in Infant/Toddler Mental Health from Portland State University, and an MSW from the University of Washington with a focus in community-centered practice. For the past decade Marion has been teaching in theater, dance, and early learning settings with a focus on supporting children and families with underserved identities. They are deeply grateful to be able to share their passion for the intersections of movement, mental health, and early learning with students, families, and the larger community. Outside of Project Commotion, Marion is an avid bookworm, karaoke attendee, and loves spending time with their friends and their cat, George.

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Operations Manager

Ney is the operations coordinator here at Project Commotion by way of Americorps. They’re excited to be able to work with Project Commotion and be able to help them in their mission to serve the community and provide amazing resources for the little ones. Originally from Florida but based out of Oakland they have worked in the non profit sphere for over 5 years doing stage technician work in non profit theater spaces. When not at PC they enjoy painting, illustrating, enjoying nature and participating in a Queer Pinball League.

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Las Luciérnagas Assistant Teacher

Originally from El Salvador, Paty moved to the United States with her two eldest daughters in 2001. Her love of teaching began when she sent her third daughter to a preschool program in San Francisco which led her to the Early Childhood Development program at City College San Francisco. Paty fell in love with her courses and the fact that she was constantly learning alongside children while teaching in classrooms. As an immigrant to the U.S., she recognized the adversity that many families face when moving to a new country which is an important motivator of her work. Outside of Project Commotion, Paty loves spending time with her children, grandchildren, and doing fun activities!

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Kids on The Move ECE Coordinator

Sarah coordinates Jardín Family Playgroups, Camp Commotion, and early childhood-focused Schools on the Move programming.

Sarah received her BFA in Dance Performance from the University of California, Irvine, taking keen interest in her classes on early childhood development and multicultural education. Since 2010 Sarah has been a caretaker for families as well as a preschool teacher and dance instructor for 2-4 year olds. In addition to working with kids, Sarah has worked as a professional modern dancer in New York for the last 7 years and continues to teach adults in the Gyrotonic Expansion System. Sarah enjoys getting to be a part of kids developmental processes, and loves nothing more than helping create a safe, nurturing space for kids to explore and express themselves in all their uniqueness.

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Las Luciérnagas Head Teacher

A native of El Salvador, Sonia has lived in San Francisco for 12 years. Her passion for early childhood education began when she started volunteering at a C5 Children’s School in the city. She is now taking child development courses at City College. Sonia is excited to be working at Las Luciérnagas and loves getting the opportunity to work with children of different ages in preschool and in after-school movement classes.

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Executive Director

Susan has worked with children of all ages and abilities in movement programs throughout the Bay Area since 2000. She was introduced to the art of Capoeira in 1998, which nourished her love of movement – primarily being upside-down! – and inspired her to combine this passion with the joy of working with children. With over 20 years of training, she is known in the Capoeira world as “Contramestra Formiguinha.”

Susan is also a former faculty member in the Child Development and Family Studies Department at City College of San Francisco, where she taught classes for parents and caretakers of children ages 0 - 5 years. She holds a BS in Communications from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Child Development from CCSF. In April 2011, Susan graduated as a Guild Certified Feldenkrais PractitionerTM from the Institute for the Study of Somatic Education in San Francisco.

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Accounting & Human Resources

Yuliana Macias is native from Jalisco Mexico raised in the Bay Area since a very young age. With more than 10 years of experience in Accounting and Business Administration, she has supported and managed several small businesses across the bay area and peninsula.

She holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from CSU East Bay College of Business & Economics with a concentration in Accounting and is a Certified Public Bookkeeper, Payroll Specialist, and QuickBooks Pro Advisor under the National Accountingand Public Bookkeepers Association.

As a parent herself, she is excited to be part of Project Commotion and their commitment to supporting children and families growth through movement.

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Kids on the Move Coach & Digital Media Assistant

Zez Wyatt started working with Project Commotion at the age of nine years old, as a student in Susan’s capoeira classes! After over a decade of taking classes and volunteering with PC, Zez is excited to use degrees in linguistics and creative writing to tell the stories of the kids and families that pass through 2095 Harrison and come out as changed as Zez once was.

When not working at PC or playing capoeira, Zez enjoys reading, birdwatching, and finding cool rocks at the beach.