Welcoming New Leadership to Canal Alliance

In December 2023, we welcomed two new staff directors to the Canal Alliance team, both of whom bring valuable skills and experiences that will help us advance our key programs and track our growing impact on the community we serve.

James Sarria, our new Director of Education and Career, brings a wealth of experience to overseeing our Adult and Youth Education programs. James is a proud Peruvian-American and first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Community-based Natural Resource Management from UC Berkeley. With over two decades of global experience in community organizing, fundraising, communications, and organizational management, he has established programs aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. James has dedicated his career to education-focused community organizations in the Bay Area, including roles at the Seneca Center for Families, the Kapor Center for Social Impact, and Young Community Developers.

Last December, we also welcomed Gary Hume as our new Director of Information Systems. Gary spent the last nine years as the Director of Information Technology at Cognerate.org and previously worked in eCommerce for 12 years. With his extensive experience in information technology, Gary will track outcomes and compile data and reports to ensure our programs yield the positive results our community expects and deserves.