Our Team

Eddie Kaufman has led Mission Graduates for over a decade, growing the organization to serve 5,500 youth and families with over 150 staff members and an $11 million annual budget. As the son of a first-generation college student, he understands firsthand the importance of building college aspirations within families.

Before joining Mission Graduates, Eddie led Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay for eight years, where he expanded service from two to four counties and increased youth served from 225 to over 1,500. His career has focused on youth development through organizations, including Youth Leadership Institute, Spectrum LGBT Center, YWCA of Oakland, and others.

For over 20 years, Eddie has also served as a faculty member at City College of San Francisco. He holds undergraduate degrees in Genetics and Psychology from UC Davis and a Master’s in Social Work from San Francisco State University.

Natalie Guandique brings a lifelong passion for education to overseeing Mission Graduates’ programs. Her career path includes teaching experiences globally, from classrooms in Spain and Tanzania to elementary education in New York City’s South Bronx.

Starting as an after-school teacher with Mission Graduates, Natalie now leads the alignment, continuity, and professional development of our Extended Day Programs. She also serves as a Senior Certified Trainer with CalSAC, developing the skills of after-school professionals throughout California.

A native San Franciscan, Natalie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Inclusive Elementary and Special Education from Syracuse University and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Anson Louie, a native San Franciscan and product of the city’s public schools, brings deep local roots to Mission Graduates. Having attended Marshall Elementary—now one of our program sites—Anson understands firsthand the communities we serve.

As a first-generation college graduate with a B.S. in Business Analysis from San Francisco State University, Anson combines financial expertise with personal insight into educational advancement. His accounting career spans the financial services sector, complemented by experience as Treasurer for the San Francisco Enchantees, a youth basketball nonprofit.

With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and volunteer engagement, Suzie Sheedy is dedicated to advancing education and equity through philanthropy. She has successfully raised $80 million throughout her career, surpassing annual fundraising goals and inspiring board members, donors, volunteers, and community partners to invest in meaningful change.

Suzie has held key leadership roles at St. Anthony Foundation, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, and Hamilton Families, where she led annual fund, major giving, donor stewardship, marketing campaigns, volunteer programs, fundraising events, and corporate and foundation grant initiatives.

As Chief Development Officer at Mission Graduates, Suzie continues to drive fundraising, marketing, and volunteer engagement efforts that expand opportunities for students and families.

Dianna Caracoza-Jacobs discovered her passion for helping students succeed while working as an academic counselor at UC Riverside, where she earned degrees in Psychology and Women’s Studies. After moving to San Francisco and obtaining her Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Social Justice and Equity from SFSU, she built her career supporting academic achievement through organizations including AVID, SF Promise, and Everyday Magic.

Joining Mission Graduates in 2014 as an after-school teacher at Marshall Elementary, Dianna progressed to Beacon Director at Bryant Elementary before stepping into her current leadership role. As the Senior Program Director, she now oversees the alignment and quality of our Extended Day Programs, Beacons, and Parent Partner Program while also providing professional development as a Certified CalSAC trainer.

Though not a San Francisco native, Dianna has found her second family in the Mission district, where she remains dedicated to supporting the students and families in our community.

Catherine Marroquin, a proud San Francisco native and daughter of Colombian immigrants, brings over 20 years of experience in youth development to Mission Graduates. Her passion for education equity was ignited at age 18 when she began working as an Employment Specialist for the Youth Employment Opportunity Program.

Navigating her own non-traditional college journey—spending four years in community college before earning a Sociology degree from San Francisco State University—Catherine developed a deep commitment to supporting students from similar backgrounds in accessing higher education.

She joined Mission Graduates in 2008 as the College Connect Program Lead Counselor and became a Senior Director in 2016. In addition to her work in education, Catherine is a founder of Community Well, a holistic wellness center in the Excelsior district, which has been serving the community since 2015.

Eli Moreno brings a deeply personal commitment to education and equity to his role at Mission Graduates. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles in a working-class immigrant family, he witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education—experiences that continue to inform his work today.

At Mission Graduates, Eli specializes in employee relations, talent acquisition, and organizational development. He implements HR policies that promote diversity, equity, and professional growth, helping the organization attract and retain passionate educators committed to expanding educational opportunities.

Eli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies with a minor in Education from UC Berkeley. His lived experiences and professional expertise fuel his commitment to empowering employees, strengthening organizations, and advancing educational equity.

Natalie Bess Picciano is the Senior Director of Program Impact & Evaluation at Mission Graduates, where she oversees data strategy, evaluation, and continuous improvement across all MG programs. Passionate about educational equity, Natalie works to ensure that data is used not just to assess impact, but to elevate the voices of historically underserved students and inform program improvements that close opportunity gaps.

Natalie brings over a decade of experience as a high school teacher, team leader, and policy strategist, with a consistent focus on translating data into action. Her background as an educator shapes her approach to evaluation—grounding data in the lived experiences of students and teachers, while making insights practical and actionable. 

Natalie holds a Master’s in Policy, Organization, & Leadership Studies from Stanford University and a BA in Sociology and Spanish from Northwestern University.