Sam received a B.A. in Communication with an emphasis in Sport Management from UC Santa Barbara. He also studied abroad at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where he began his career in philanthropy, interning for a nonprofit focused on the development of micro-entrepreneurs in the township communities outside of Cape Town. Prior to joining Mount Tamalpais College, Sam worked in communications and development at the Santa Barbara Foundation before returning to Africa in 2022 with the sport-for-development nonprofit Shooting Touch. As Director of Communications at Shooting Touch, he led marketing, communications, and public relations efforts for both U.S. and Rwanda-based programs, while also supporting donor relations, fundraising, program operations, and strategic growth. During his three years on-ground in Rwanda, Sam helped cultivate and execute major cause-marketing partnerships with the NBA, Giants of Africa, UNESCO, and the U.S. Embassy in Kigali. Originally from Marin County, Sam is excited to return home to join MTC and contribute to the phenomenal work being done to uplift incarcerated individuals through higher education – at San Quentin and across the country.

Douglas Pentland (he/him/él) is the Senior Program Administrator with Mount Tamalpais College. Douglas is a passionate fourth generation educator and former classroom teacher. His teaching background includes creative writing and reentry classes in community organizations, dual language classes in K-12 public schools, and horticulture at Rikers Island jail. Most recently, Douglas managed a federally and California registered teacher preparation apprenticeship and job training program in both carceral and community settings. In college, he majored in Critical Theory and Social Justice with a critical race theory emphasis and minored in Spanish.

Sasha is the Chief Operating Officer for Mt. Tamalpais College, with responsibility for our planning, finance, systems, and people functions. Sasha brings more than 20 years of experience in the private sector in various leadership positions, helping organizations scale their capabilities and impact while staying true to their people-centric values.  He believes strongly in the power of higher education to transform people’s lives.

Danny Ho completed his Associate of Arts degree from Mount Tamalpais College in Spring, 2016, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Adams State University in June, 2021. Higher education has been truly exciting for him; he envisions himself obtaining a Master’s degree in Business Administration by 2026. Danny joined the MTC team in October, 2022. He enjoys hiking, traveling, visiting family and friends, singing karaoke, and playing guitar.

Zaw holds a PhD in Biophysics from Harvard University and a BS in Engineering Physics from UC Berkeley. Prior to joining Mount Tamalpais College, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher studying the essential cellular process called protein degradation at UC Berkeley. During that time, he volunteered in several programs that aim to promote the retention of historically underrepresented minorities in higher STEM education. He is excited to continue his passion to promote equitable higher education opportunities at Mount Tamalpais College. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, hiking, and photography.  

Sarah Manley has been involved in prison higher education since 2017. Prior to joining Mount Tamalpais College, she was the Program Coordinator for the University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP). Sarah earned her MA in World Languages and Cultures from the University of Utah and her BA in Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her academic research has appeared in the Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies and the Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature.

Frances brings over five years of experience in student learning disability resources to Mount Tamalpais College. Her passion for social justice and serving students from marginalized backgrounds has positively impacted families and students with disabilities in meeting their academic goals. She holds a master’s degree in Special Education with a concentration in Mild/ Moderate Disabilities from San Francisco State University. In her free time, she enjoys a variety of crafts including cross stitching images of her favorite musicians.

Carson brings five years of development experience to Mount Tamalpais College. She previously worked as the Development Coordinator at At The Crossroads, and prior to that as the Intake Assistant at the New England Innocence Project. She is passionate about permanent criminal justice reform and ensuring every person has access to high-quality higher education. She graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Criminal Justice and Political Science. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and finding the best nachos in the Bay Area.

Bekki has dedicated her career to supporting organizations that work to benefit marginalized communities. She hopes to bring the best of her experience to her work for MTC’s students.

Volker Kirchharz received a business degree from a professional academy in  Germany and started working with non-profit organizations until he moved to the US over 20 years ago. He continued his work in non-profit administration and finance with a variety of human and social service agencies, mainly in the  Bay Area. Most recently he was the school administrator for a German Saturday school, responsible for the entire operation of the school. He enjoys working in teams and likes to apply his experience to strengthen organizational structures.