Meet Our Team
We are PGK
PGK is a movement, and like all movements it is made up of many people, many faces, and most importantly, many giving hearts. A few of the most involved are shared below, but we are grateful to every single person helping us along in this journey to create #GivingKids.
Our Staff
Our Board
Molly
Yuska
I am the founder of PGK and a life-long student of the nonprofit sector, having received my Master’s of Management and Social Policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University and a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University.
[read more= ‘Read More’ less= ‘Read Less’] But most importantly, I am the mother of four kids who teach me the importance of patience, empathy and compassion every day. Having served as a policy analyst for a safety-net health care system right out of college, started a business to assist first-generation college students understand the accessibility of higher education, and provided consulting services to the nonprofit sector through my own practice, I have spent my entire career working to advance the agendas of mission-driven organizations.
It was in seeing the struggles of these organizations fulfill their inspiring missions with limited resources and the almost limitless potential of the next generation to usher in a new era of philanthropy and volunteerism, that I set out to start PGK. I believe in two fundamental truths: the goodness that lies within all people and the ability to change the world when we teach our young people to tap into and stay connected to that.
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Heidi
Johnson
I am a nonprofit director, founder, and blogger. I serve as the executive director of TACSC, a nonprofit cultivating leadership among Catholic middle and high school youth. I founded and co-chaired the The Spiritual Care Guild
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at CHLA which has become a national template for pediatric chaplaincy. I am also the creator and founder of the blog, Charity Matters, which tells the stories of small nonprofits and their beginnings. I am the mother of three boys living in Pasadena, with my husband, Ron, and a proud graduate of USC.
I serve on a number of educational and nonprofit boards supporting the causes I care deeply about, and am a strong believer in philanthropy, having seen the impact it can have on so many, especially young children during their formative years. My passion is using my voice to make a difference and connecting people and causes that matter.
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Katie
Terino
With a degree in Business Administration from Boston University and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, I started my career in high-tech operations, then transitioned to higher education,
[read more= ‘Read More’ less= ‘Read Less’] with a decade of experience working for and with top-tier MBA programs. For the last six years, I have been volunteering, consulting and working in local elementary schools, primarily in the areas of strategic planning and institutional advancement. I have previously held Board positions with the Wayland Children & Parents Association and Saint Joseph’s Elementary School, in addition to being a founding Board member of St. Benedict’s Elementary School and part of the team that set up the school’s operations in its founding year.
I currently serve on the Board of House of Possibilities, Inc. and Project Giving Kids, while also continuing my consulting and volunteer work. Living outside of Boston with my husband, Joe, and three school-aged children, I believe in the paradigm PGK represents and the importance of developing a culture of empathy and inclusion among youth.
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Ilona
Barskaya
I am an operations strategist and mother of two, with a business degree from San Francisco State. Throughout my 17-year career, I have established a reputation as a transformational leader who is driven by challenge,
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undeterred by obstacles, and committed to furthering standards of excellence. My expertise encompasses aspects of business development and administration ranging from controlling costs and maximizing revenues to harnessing team strengths to improve company-wide performance. But, my most rewarding job is being a mother of two beautiful individuals (a girl and boy) who I get to watch grow up into caring, empathetic and smart young adults.
My kids are what brought me to PGK – their expressed interest in giving back, their awareness and care for others, and their desire to share their good fortune with others who are less so. PGK allows my family to find and connect to causes that we truly believe in and to give back to our San Francisco community.
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Jeff
Kuan
I am currently an MBA student at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, I worked as a product manager at Globality, Inc., a technology marketplace focused on B2B
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premium professional services, and as a consultant at Parthenon-EY, where I focused on private equity and corporate strategy. I graduated from the University of Southern California and from the General Course program at the London School of Economics.
As a millennial, I believe in the important role service plays in youth development. I joined PGK because I was inspired by the unique opportunity to leverage technology to better connect kids and teens to volunteer opportunities.
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Seema
Otoya
I am a strategy and business development professional with over 14 years of experience in consumer packaged goods and management consulting. I am currently part independent consultant
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and part stay-at-home mom. As the founder of Vartoya Consulting, I am a driving force behind critical strategic, operational and organizational initiatives for my clients. I work with domestic and international clients to provide thought leadership in developing practical solutions to complex challenges. Prior to this, I spent several years working in internal strategy roles at Beachbody, Wonderful, Disney and Microsoft. I received my MBA from Harvard Business School and my BBA from The University of Texas at Austin.
As mom, I have two little children (4 year-old boy and 2 year-old girl) and a sweet little dog who are the light of my life. Living in LA, I felt it was important for me to help teach them the importance of giving back from an early age, and that is what led me to identify with PGK and its mission. I am honored to be a part of such a great organization and look forward to empowering others to join us!
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Our Advisory Team
Supervising Producer, Scripted & Unscripted Television
Research Analyst at Global Family Research Project
News Anchor, NBC Boston
Senior Trust Advisor, Northern Trust
Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior, Pepperdine University
Heather Simpson
Actress
Private Wealth Advisor
Communications and Media Professional
CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley
Assistant Director of Advancement at the Rivers School
Executive Director, Meyers Learning Center
Recruitment Support Contractor
Journalist/podcaster
Digital Marketing Consultant
Independent HR Consultant, Board Chair Boys & Girls Club of Venice
Entrepreneur
Consultant
VP of Programming at the Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester
Julie Ngo
Pharmacist
Consultant
Clinical Operations at Gilead Sciences
University Recruiting and Diversity/Inclusion Manager, Nvidia
PGK is looking for dynamic board members who share our passion for kids, service and technology. If interested in learning more, email us at admin@projectgivingkids.org.
Want to help? Join us!
Know someone who might want to get involved?
Support PGK!
Our Sponsors
Thank You!
There are many individuals and organizations who make our work possible. We are incredibly grateful for all the support provided in ways large and small that allow us to connect kids to causes. Thank you!
Brin Wojcicki Foundation
The Tucker Family
Other Supporting Organizations
