Staff Bio

Nelly Sapinski is a distinguished educational leader and nonprofit executive with extensive experience in community development and bilingual education. As Executive Director of Jamestown Community Center since 2020, she has led culturally responsive programming initiatives designed to support youth development through comprehensive community mobilization. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in education equity and justice, informed by her personal experience as an English Language Learner and her commitment to serving diverse communities.

Nelly holds a Master of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University. Her professional experience spans multiple educational and nonprofit organizations, including Reading Partners, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, and West Chicago School District, where she developed expertise in bilingual education and cross-cultural community engagement.

In addition to her executive role, Nelly volunteers her time on non-profit boards that align with her sustained commitment to community service and educational access.

Nelly lives in San Francisco with her family. She enjoys cheering on the Valkyries and walking her dog in Dolores Park.