OUR TEAM

Choose a Category below to see team members across all locations

Kenyon DeVault

Executive Director, Bay Area

Kenyon joined the Summer Search community in January 2014, where...

 

Kenyon DeVault

Position: Executive Director, Bay Area
Email: kdevault@summersearch.org

Kenyon joined the Summer Search community in January 2014, where he helps to build the circle of individuals and institutions who invest in our Bay Area students and alumni. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Kenyon has spent his career in nonprofit resource development, leveraging his lifelong propensity for making personal connections in service to his values of social justice and equity. Prior to Summer Search, he held development leadership roles with Jumpstart and Peer Health Exchange.

Kenyon is an enthusiastic alumnus of Macalester College and earned his Master of Nonprofit Administration degree through the University of San Francisco School of Management. He was a singing member, volunteer, and board member of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus from 2008-2020 and remains an active member of that community.

SiMone Andrade

Director of Post-Secondary

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Dreaming of a world robust with social and...

 

SiMone Andrade

Position: Director of Post-Secondary
Email: sandrade@summersearch.org

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Dreaming of a world robust with social and educational equity, SiMone has spent the majority of her professional experiences working in youth development.

Her journey started as a first-generation college student at UC Berkeley where she graduated with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. Motivated to serve, she spent several years working within public schools in the Bay Area. Then, she first joined Summer Search as a high school mentor, and has since supported within the post-secondary program as an advisor, a program manager, and now as the Post-Secondary Program director.

Outside of Summer Search, she spends most of her time traveling around the larger Bay Area and Sacramento where she cherishes spending time with her partner, friends, family, and dogs. You might even catch her out on the dance floor performing, teaching, or enjoying song after song until her feet hurt.

 

Brian Mertens

Regional Program Director

Pronouns: He/Him/His Brian believes in the importance of introspection, critical...

 

Brian Mertens

Position: Regional Program Director
Email: bmertens@summersearch.org

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Brian believes in the importance of introspection, critical thinking and learning by doing. As Regional Program Director, he supports Summer Search staff in their work with participants and helps ensure that the entire program from outreach to post-secondary and beyond runs smoothly. His previous professional experience includes coordinating advocacy projects with youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems and assisting high school students build their job skills through workshops and internships. Brian holds a B.A. in Health and Societies from the University of Pennsylvania. He likes to travel, read and spend time with friends.

Christine Capacillo

Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers/Siya Born to immigrant Filipino parents, Christine Capacillo was...

 

Christine Capacillo

Position: Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services
Phone: (510) 601-2140
Email: ccapacillo@summersearch.org

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers/Siya

Born to immigrant Filipino parents, Christine Capacillo was born and raised in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, CA. Growing up, she was surrounded by strong family ties and embraced her community.  She was accepted into Summer Search as a student at Balboa High School. Her life changing summer experiences gave her the early exposure to becoming a leader in advocating for educational equity. Christine propelled to be the first in her family to attend college. At UCLA, she immediately emerged as a student activist and leader focusing on local and international social justice and educational equity issues. She went on to serve in various roles between the Summer Search San Francisco and New York City sites. In 2002, she served as the very first Summer Search Alumni Director.

 

Christine has dedicated her entire career in ensuring equity for underrepresented communities and has worked in the educational non-profit sector for the past 20 years. She earned her M.A. in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College and led efforts in bridging access to higher education for underrepresented students. She has contributed her work and leadership at other nationally recognized organizations such as Harlem Children’s Zone, College Summit (now known as Peer Forward), iMentor and Black Girls CODE. After living in New York for 13 years, she thrilled to be back in Bay Area and return to Summer Search full circle as the Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services. She is eager to lead efforts to address, combat and remedy the racial inequity in the workforce and provide thoughtful, relevant and quality programming to her fellow alumni community. She is also a founding member of Level, a diverse professional women’s network taking action in addressing the racial wealth gap by investing in Black women entrepreneurs. Christine enjoys attending concerts, hosting gatherings, and traveling with her fiancé and son.