Board of Directors
- Maria Matsu, President
- Vice-President (retired), Bank of America
- Maria’s dedication to working with non-profits that promote self-sufficiency and her love of great food and baking makes serving on the board of the Bread Project a natural fit. Also, she co-owned, baked, and served as a business manager of a retail bakery. A 25-year veteran of non-profit boards, Maria is a retired bank vice president with an MBA in Finance. In addition to her volunteer work, she enjoys hosting cookie-baking parties, creating art, traveling, attending jazz concerts, and playing outdoors.
- Seema Patel, Vice-President
- Senior Business Leader, Consumer Debit Products, VISA Inc.
- Seema Patel brings over 15 years of business, technology, and entrepreneurship leadership to The Bread Project, primarily through consulting and product management roles. Her experience spans a wide variety of industries, most notably in the payments sector. Driven by a longtime passion for self-sufficiency and financial responsibility, Seema also does volunteer work with KQED/PBS and the Women’s Initiative. In her free time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen or urban hiking around SF in search of good eats. Seema is a graduate of Cornell University (BS) and Stanford University (MS).
- Brett Baucom, Treasurer
- Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche, LLP
- Brett Baucom is a certified public accountant with Deloitte & Touche working in its mergers and acquisitions advisory practice. Brett holds a masters degree in accountancy from the University of Wisconsin. Along with his wife, Brett actively supports the Bay Area Multiple Sclerosis Society. In his free time Brett enjoys traveling and athletic competition.
- Adam Tullman, Secretary
- Attorney, Miller Law Group
- As an attorney specializing in employment litigation and consulting, Adam Tullman has dealt with all types of organizations, assisting them with discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour lawsuits, as well as all kinds of employee and management issues. Adam holds a B.A. From Northwestern University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. In his precious free time Adam enjoys catching up on the large pile of books awaiting him in his room, fiddling with his various computers, and travel. He has also been known to bake a mean sourdough bread and make various Thai inspired dishes.
- Justin Curley
- Associate, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Justin is an attorney specializing in employment law. Previously, he completed a two-year clerkship for a federal judge in Seattle. Prior to law school, he earned his certified public accountant license as a financial auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. In his free time, he enjoys keeping up with his family and cooking and eating out with his wife. Justin is a graduate of Duke University School of Law and the University of California, Berkeley.
- Olivia Ho
- Nutrition Faculty, San Francisco State University
- Olivia discovered her passion for food and nutrition in her high school home economics class and turned her curiosity of foods into a professional career. She is now an American Dietetic Association Board-certified registered dietitian with more than ten years experience in nutrition consultation, health policy development, and community health program management. Aside from her teaching position at SFSU and consultant work with several Bay Area nonprofits, she is currently serving as a Task Force Committee for American Heart Association. Olivia holds a B.S. in Dietetics from University of Nebraska and a M.S. in Nutritional Science from San Jose State University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring restaurants with her family.
- Jason Pera
- Certified Financial Planner Professional, Stark Miller Financial Benefits Group
- As a Certified Financial Planner, Jason Pera conducts investment reviews for the clients of Stark Miller Financial Benefits Group, presents at group enrollment meetings, and runs on-going employee education seminars. With his focus on financial stability, Jason assists families and individual investors through life's fluctuations. In his few free moments outside of the world of finance, Jason devotes his time to both his family and his volunteer efforts. Jason's current ventures include the Bread Project and hospital foundation fundraising.