HamiltonFamilyCenter

Hamilton Family Center is successful thanks to the hard work and expertise of our staff, from the Leadership Team listed here to the dedicated Residential Counselors, Case Managers, Coordinators, Therapists, and other professionals working in all of our programs.

Diane Luther, Executive Director
Diane joined Hamilton Family Center as Executive Director in June 2011, bringing to her position an impressive record of visionary community leadership spanning more than twenty years. Prior to coming to HFC, she held positions as Housing Director for Multnomah County, Oregon; Executive Director at Northwest Housing Alternatives; Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Oregon; and Associate Director at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, where she was instrumental in helping to create and implement Sacramento’s 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.  She earned a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State University, Northridge.

Diane is committed to a Housing First philosophy and is excited to work with Hamilton Family Center’s staff, board, and community partners in our shared mission to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness for families and children in San Francisco.

Devra Edelman, Deputy Director, Programs
Devra has worked at Hamilton Family Center since 2005 and previously worked for five years as Executive Director of the Haight Ashbury Food Program. She received a Master of Social Work and a Master of Arts in International Development from the University of Denver in 1996 and worked in Colorado, California and internationally with homeless families and individuals for more than 18 years. She directly supervises and oversees the program directors of Hamilton Family Center’s shelter programs, homelessness prevention services, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and youth programming, and provides operational oversight for all of these programs.

Jack Fagan, Deputy Director, Operations
Jack joined HFC in 2008, but has been working in nonprofit human services since 1987. At Penn State, he majored in Individual and Family Studies with minors in women’s and African American studies. For many years, he directed programs at disability service and advocacy agencies and has extensive experience in organizational development, strategic planning and outcomes management. From 2004-07, he was co-chair of the San Francisco Mayor’s Disability Council under both Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom. At HFC, he is responsible for facilities, provides key support to the Board of Directors and works closely with the leadership team to ensure operational efficiency, compliance and quality assurance.

J. Davey Gerhard, Director of Development
Prior to starting at Hamilton Family Center in 2009, Davey worked for more than a decade in research, writing, and reporting on foundation and government grants.  He brings experience and skill developing online annual fund campaigns, online events, branding and awareness, developing content and publishing blogs, and using social networking websites to build online communities. His passion for ending the cycle of poverty comes from his dedication to the intersection of faith and policy, learning how our work and values inform each other.  Davey has a Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College, and pursued graduate studies at Episcopal Divinity School and the Kennedy School of Government.

Rosa Martinez, Director of Finance
Rosa has worked for Hamilton Family Center as Director of Finance since 1998. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University. As Director of Finance, Rosa works closely with the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, the Board Finance Committee, and the agency’s Independent Auditors, as well as with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office on Housing, the Department of Human Services and the Superior Court, among other local, state, and federal agencies.

Sergio Samame, Human Resources Manager
Sergio has worked at Hamilton Family Center since 2007 and began his employment here as a home-based Case Manager in our First Avenues program.  Prior to his academic and career shift to human resources, Sergio worked for nine years in social welfare.  He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and professional background in photojournalism.

Rayana Egea, Program Manager, The Dudley Apartments Permanent Supportive Housing Services
Rayana returned to Hamilton Family Center to assume her current position in 2010, having been a case manager at Hamilton Family Emergency Center and at Hamilton Family Transitional Housing Program from 2003-2005.  She has worked at several child and family service agencies in the Bay Area over the past ten years including St. Joseph’s Family Center.  She has a Master of Science in Child and Family Therapy from San Francisco State University.

Keely McCave, Program Director, First Avenues – Housing Solutions for Families
Keely began her role as Program Director for First Avenues Program in 2010, although she previously worked for Hamilton Family Center from 2004 to 2007 in various roles including Associate Program Director at First Avenues.  Keely brings additional experience as a program officer with the National Association of Community Health Centers to her position.  She has a Master of Public Administration from San Francisco State University.

Ralph Payton, Program Director, Hamilton Family Residences and Emergency Center
Ralph Payton joined our team in August 2011. He has several years of experience directing homeless shelters, transitional housing and youth programs in Miami and The Bronx, and has a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

Debbie Wilber, Project Potential Services Coordinator
Debbie Wilber joined Hamilton Family Center in October 2009 as children’s program coordinator at our emergency shelter and was promoted a year later to her current position coordinating and overseeing children’s and youth services across all four HFC programs, as well as managing volunteer services for the agency. Prior to coming to Hamilton Family Center, Debbie worked for Conservation Corps North Bay and The Salvation Army. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University and worked for several years managing construction projects for a private firm as well as for Habitat for Humanity International for 2 years each in Poland and Hungary.

Jill Winters, Program Director, Hamilton Family Transitional Housing Program
Jill began her career at Hamilton Family Center in 2009 as a Case Management Coordinator for the Hamilton Family Transitional Housing Program and was promoted to Program Director in 2010. Jill brings over 10 years of experience in program coordination, field research, case management and counseling to her position. She has a Master of Social Work from San Francisco State University.