Staff

Andrew Chong
Admissions Associate

Andrew was born in San Francisco and raised in San Rafael. He went to Sun Valley Elementary School, Davidson Middle School, San Rafael High School, and College of Marin. After a short stint at American University, he earned a BA degree from UCSD in International Studies and Sociology. During his time at UCSD, he studied abroad in Santiago, Chile for 6 months. Andrew enjoys basketball, studying languages, playing music, cooking, and exploring nature and traveling. Andrew is excited to take on his role as the Admissions Associate.

Education: 
  • B.A. - UC San Diego

Rob Elhardt
​Financial Aid Coordinator

Rob holds a BA in Communication from Stanford and a MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He has lectured and run workshops throughout the Bay Area for low-income students and their families seeking financial aid. He is responsible for millions of dollars of financial aid garnered by NGS students every year.

Education: 
  • B.A. - Stanford
  • MFA - University of Southern California 

Cherie Graham
Interim Executive Director​
Director of Development & Outreach

Cherie is passionate about empowering young people to be successful in their careers and lives through education and mentoring. She enjoyed a 20 year career in Financial Services before transitioning to the nonprofit space. She has been a mentor at Year Up for over 10 years and recently served as COO at Girls Leadership in Oakland where she led Operations, Finance, Human Resources, and Technology. Cherie moved to the Bay Area from Boston in 2015 to escape the cold weather. Cherie has a BA in International Studies from The American University and an MBA from Babson College. On weekends you'll find her hanging out with her dog, Baloo, enjoying a hike in Marin or browsing the local farmers market. Cherie is excited to take on her role as Director of Development and Outreach.

Education:
  • B.A. - The American University
  • MBA - Babson College

Brian Hernandez
Operations Manager

Having grown-up five blocks from the Scholar House, Brian holds great pride for the community that has supported him throughout his academic career. Having attended Davidson Middle School and San Rafael High School, Brian is devoted to reciprocate the encouragement he was given to bridge the local achievement gap. Part of the NGS Class of 2009, Brian went to study Biology at Gonzaga University where he volunteered his time as an educational assistant for 'troubled youth,' at Logan Elementary School. As an undergraduate, Brian was part of La Raza Latina, where he assisted in curating events to educate fellow students and community members about Latin culture. While in Spokane, Brian ran cross-country and track. Brian is happy to take on his role as the Operations Manager. 

Education: 
- Gonzaga University

Llesica Hernandez
​Director of Programs

Llesica Hernandez grew up in Los Angeles, California and moved to San Rafael, at the age of 12, where she attended Davidson Middle School and San Rafael High School. Llesica graduated from the University of California, Merced with a degree in Psychology. During her time as an undergraduate she worked as a peer health educator for UC Merced’s Health Education Representatives for Opportunities to Empower Students (H.E.R.O.E.S.), an organization that work to make UC Merced a healthier campus. She served as a group leader for two years tackling wellness issues on campus with her group. This year, Llesica is excited to teach our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade class.

Education:
  • B.A. - UC Merced

Marcia Mata
​Director of Family and Community Engagement 

Marcia Mata grew up in Marin County where she attended Venetia Valley K-8 and Terra Linda High School. In May 2018, she graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in Neuroscience. At Wesleyan Marcia served as an Assistant Director of Admissions, where she interviewed and vetted prospective applicants for the Wesleyan University Class of 2022. Marcia also volunteered her time at the Middlesex Hospital Emergency Department consulting with patients and their families to devise treatment plans to best address their needs and improve their well-being. Having been part of NGS as a student and Summer Academy teacher, Marcia is delighted to return to the program as the Director of Family and Community Engagement. 
​
Education:
  • B.A. - Wesleyan University 

Beverly Matsuishi, Ph.D. (PSY # 16203) Clinical Director​

As Clinical Director, Dr. Matsuishi, a psychologist, oversees the provision of social and clinical support services to scholars and their families. Dr. Matsuishi is dedicated to fostering and preserving the vibrancy of communities of color so they can nurture and sustain future generations of scholars. Her dissertation on Japanese American women and the internment won the Richard Allen Smith Award for excellence. She is a past recipient of a National Institute for Mental Health/American Psychology Association grant for specialized training in Asian American Psychology. She also received a grant from the People's Republic of China/World Health Organization to serve as a visiting scholar at the Hunan University Medical Center in Changsha, China.

Education:
  • B.A. - UC Berkeley
  • M.S. - Dominican University of California
  • Ph.D. - The Wright Institute

Sally Matsuishi
Founder and Director of College and Career Counseling

In 2003, after serving for nearly a decade in college access for underserved students in South Central and East LA as well as Koreatown, Sally returned to her native Marin to create Next Generation Scholars which has become a nationally recognized, award winning, educational access non-profit. She lectures and consults across the country on issues of educational justice, college prep curriculum for underrepresented populations, and college access. She is a proud mother, daughter and wife and owner of one large cat and one small dog.

Education:
  • B.S. - Vassar College
  • MFA - University of Southern California

Ague Ortega
Director of Academics and Admissions

Born and raised in rural Argentina, Ague Ortega lived and studied in multiple countries before arriving in the Bay Area. After attaining an International Baccalaureate degree at the United World College Costa Rica, Ague earned a full scholarship to attend Wesleyan University. Ague graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with High Honors in Latin American Studies and Sociology, with a concentration in Social, Cultural and Critical Theory. Ague has worked in immigration, labor and housing law, and has a passion for intersectional social justice work. After working in NGS a few years back, Ague is happy to return as Director of Academics and Admissions. 

Education:
  • B.A. - Wesleyan University