“I joined PRC’s Board because of my deep interest in behavioral health in underserved populations, and the opportunity to support a mission-driven organization in strengthening its impact and reach.”
Chaney brings a deep commitment to improving behavioral health outcomes and supporting organizations that serve communities with care and intention.
Professionally, Chaney has built a career at the intersection of healthcare data platforms, digital product strategy, and clinical workflow innovation. With a strong belief in the power of data and technology, Chaney sees meaningful opportunities to unlock new pathways for impact.
“I see real opportunity for data and technology to scale service delivery while unlocking new service lines that expand how organizations like PRC support their communities.”
Beyond his professional work, Chaney writes and speaks on topics such as digital product strategy, commercialization, and the role of AI in life sciences. He is also trained in leadership coaching through the Co-Active Training Institute and is passionate about applying human-centered design principles to organizational growth.
Chaney is also a third-culture kid, having grown up in the United States before moving to Nigeria at a young age and returning in his teens. This experience shaped his ability to adapt across cultures and bridge different perspectives—an asset in both healthcare and technology spaces.
“That early experience taught me how to navigate different environments and bridge worlds—something that continues to shape how I approach work at the intersection of tech and healthcare.”
As a member of the Board, Chaney is excited to help PRC tell its story.
“I want to help PRC tell its story through data and technology in a way that supports staff, strengthens accountability, and clearly demonstrates impact to funders, partners, and the communities it serves.”
Please join us in welcoming Chaney to the PRC community.
From the very beginning, Shairah felt a strong connection to PRC’s work—not just because of the mission itself, but because of how that mission comes to life.
After spending time with PRC’s leadership and clients, she was struck by the organization’s intentionality and authenticity.
“PRC is not only mission-driven but also deeply thoughtful in how it executes. It didn’t feel transactional—it felt human. I wanted to be part of something where the impact is real and visible.”
That sense of meaningful, human-centered impact is at the heart of PRC’s mission—and it’s what continues to draw dedicated leaders like Shairah into our community.
A Shared Commitment to Long-Term Impact
In her professional work in wealth management, Shairah focuses on helping individuals and institutions think beyond immediate needs—toward long-term financial security, stability, and growth.
That perspective closely aligns with PRC’s approach.
“PRC’s mission resonates with me because it sits at the intersection of health, dignity, and access… supporting individuals not just in the moment, but in a way that sets them up for stability and success over time.”
This shared commitment to long-term, holistic outcomes will be invaluable as PRC continues to expand its reach and deepen its impact.
Bringing Experience, Perspective, and Community Focus
Outside of PRC, Shairah is deeply engaged in mentoring, community-building, and fostering professional connections through speaking and volunteer work.
She also brings a unique, multi-regional perspective, having lived and worked in cities across the country—including Atlanta, Alabama, New York, and now the Bay Area.
“Each place has shaped me in a different way, and it’s given me a diverse perspective on how people think about communities and opportunity.”
Looking Ahead
As a member of PRC’s Board, Shairah is focused on contributing in meaningful, tangible ways—particularly in areas like financial sustainability and long-term planning.
“I want to be someone who adds real value—not just in conversations, but in outcomes… If I can help PRC expand its impact while staying grounded in its mission, that would mean a lot to me.”
We’re honored to have Shairah join us at this exciting moment in PRC’s journey and look forward to the leadership and insight she will bring.
Please join us in welcoming Shairah to the PRC community.
Each year, a group of us makes the intentional choice to step away from our daily responsibilities and show up together for the good of improving social challenges and conditions in California. We volunteer our time, bring our lived experiences and community concerns, and commit to engaging in a process that can often feel distant, emotionally charged, or inaccessible— civic participation.
What makes this work meaningful isn’t just the policy conversations or the setting. It’s the people.
People who carry full lives, demanding work, and personal responsibilities, yet still make space to advocate, to learn, and to stand in collective purpose to help our communities across the state.
BLC members l to r: Tiyesha Watts, Nichelle Kitt, and Tamara RaspberryAssemblymember Corey Jackson, and Al Gilbert, CEO Felton Institute and BLC Co-ChairBLC Supporter, and Carol Burton
There is something powerful about working with individuals who choose to lean in, not because they have to, but because they believe in what’s possible.
We are the Black Leadership Council.
A statewide coalition of leaders seeking reforms across four policy pillars: health, wealth, housing, and education.
BLC members l to r: Meron Agonafer, Nichelle Kitt, Dr. LaWanda Wesley, Darris Young, Tasha Henneman, BLC Director, Brett Andrews, BLC Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Chris Brown
Our fifth annual Advocacy Day, “Black in Action,” on June 17th, is just a few months away, and we are gearing up! This full day of civic engagement is designed to move community voice into meaningful policy impact.
Civic engagement, at its best, is not transactional. It is relational. It is about building trust with our elected officials, strengthening voices — our own and others — and reminding ourselves that democracy is not something that happens somewhere else, it is something we shape together.
Assemblymember Matt Haney meeting with members of the BLC
This work can be complex. It can be frustrating. It can require patience in systems that don’t always move at the pace of urgency we feel. But in those moments, it is our resilience that sustains the effort.
There is meaning in choosing to participate anyway. There is meaning in being in the room. There is meaning in doing it together.
And perhaps most importantly, there is meaning in knowing that change is not driven by a single voice, but by many, aligned in purpose, showing up again and again and again.
Help turn commitment into action by supporting the Black Leadership Council today.
To learn more about the Black leadership Council visit our website at: https://blacklc.org/ or email Tasha Henneman, Chief of Policy & Government Affairs at [email protected].
PRC was proud to welcomeguests to our fourth annual Open House, an evening dedicated to connection, reflection, and learning more about the programs and people working every day to support San Franciscans experiencing housing instability, unemployment, and behavioral health challenges.
Guests were invited to explore our space, meet staff members, and learn firsthand about PRC’s programs—from Emergency Financial Assistance and legal advocacy for SSI/SSDI to workforce development, residential treatment, and the Hummingbird walk-in centers that provide immediate support for individuals who would otherwise be homeless.
A particularly meaningful part of the evening was a tribute to the late John Fostel, whose leadership shaped PRC’s residential treatment programs for more than 20 years. Guests visited a Pay It Forward tribute wall, composed of small acts of kindness inspired by John’s philosophy of care that they can carry forward in their daily lives. The tribute also showcased a plaque and photo of John that will be placed at the entrance of the home, now named in his honor.
In addition, PRC presented a magnolia tree that will soon be planted in the backyard during a ceremony honoring John’s legacy and his commitment to compassionate care.
Following the open house tours, guests gathered in the third-floor café for a semi-formal program led by members of PRC’s leadership team.
The program was opened by Board Treasurer and event champion Ahmad Henry, who welcomed guests and introduced PRC’s new CEO, Dr. Deborah Hawkes.
Dr. Hawkes shared a powerful story about a recent interaction with a person experiencing homelessness outside PRC’s building. When she stopped to offer support and conversation, the individual shared that no one had spoken to them in 30 days. It was a sobering reminder of the isolation many people experience and a call for all of us to remain compassionate and aware of the humanity in every person we encounter.
Dr. Hawkes then introduced a PRC client speaker, who shared their journey with the organization. They described how PRC’s Emergency Financial Assistance program (EFA) helped them avoid homelessness during a financial crisis, and more recently how EFA supported them in accessing dental care—an experience that restored not only their health but their confidence. They shared that they are currently working with PRC’s Legal Advocacy team and expressed deep gratitude for the compassion and immediacy they have experienced throughout their interactions with PRC’s staff.
Next, Tasha Henneman, Chief of Policy and Government Affairs, highlighted the work of the Black Leadership Council, an initiative of PRC focused on uplifting Black voices in policy conversations. She shared how the council recently partnered with other Black-led organizations to host a Gubernatorial Debate, ensuring candidates addressed the pressing issues affecting underserved communities and the systems needed to support them.
Melida Solorzano, Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Programs, then delivered a heartfelt tribute to John Fostel, reflecting on his more than two decades of leadership at PRC. Beginning as a program director at the home formerly known as Grove Street—now named in his honor—John later became PRC’s Chief Clinical Officer, helping develop the wraparound support systems that continue to serve hundreds of San Franciscans each year.
Melida invited guests to take one of the Pay It Forward messages from the tribute wall home with them and incorporate it into their daily lives, keeping John’s compassion and dedication to humanity alive.
Dr. Hawkes closed the evening by expressing her deep appreciation for the staff, partners, and community members who make PRC’s work possible. She emphasized that with uncertainty around federal funding, community engagement and support are more important than ever, and that we are all in this fight together.
Throughout the evening, guests generously contributed nearly $10,000 to support PRC’s programs, helping expand access to services including:
Emergency Financial Assistance
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) legal advocacy
Workforce development and career training
90-day residential treatment programs
Transitional living homes
Hummingbird walk-in support centers
We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended and honored to have welcomed new friends into the PRC community. Events like this allow people to better understand the impact of our work by meeting the individuals who deliver these services every day.
As we look ahead, we invite our community to stay involved—whether by spreading the word about PRC’s work, volunteering at an upcoming Healing Spaces event, exploring corporate sponsorship opportunities, supporting grants and donations, or simply joining our mailing list to stay connected.
Together, we can continue building a San Francisco where everyone has the support they need to live with dignity and hope.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 25 volunteers chose to honor the holiday with action—coming together to revitalize San Jose Place, one of PRC’s residential treatment homes where PRC Baker Places clients receive life-saving treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use needs.
San Jose Place provides 11 treatment beds, serving people who are actively building stability and recovery through wraparound care. It’s also one of PRC’s 30 residential treatment and Co-op homes throughout San Francisco, each one requiring ongoing maintenance and care. Volunteer support plays a vital role in helping our homes remain safe, functional, and dignified—while ensuring funds can be applied directly to what matters most: client services, so PRC can serve as many people as possible.
A space that holds stories—and supports healing
The living room and dining rooms at San Jose Place are two of the most important areas in the home. They are where clients often gather to build independent living skills in community with peers and staff, strengthen relationships, and participate in group counseling and other treatment offerings
Over the life of the program, these walls have held hundreds of personal stories—moments of struggle, breakthroughs, laughter, and courage. And, unsurprisingly, after more than a decade without being repainted, the walls looked like they could tell stories themselves.
From prep to paint: a lavender renewal
Throughout the day, volunteers worked shoulder-to-shoulder to patch walls, tape edges, protect floors and furniture, and apply fresh coats of paint to the home’s shared gathering spaces. Clients and staff helped choose the colors—thoughtfully selecting tones that would create a calm and comfortable environment for group sessions as well as social and movie nights.
A lavender theme won the vote, and the results speak for themselves.
With such an incredible turnout, the work moved quickly and beautifully. Every coat of paint seemed to carry a message—encouragement, care, and solidarity—sealed into the space with each brushstroke.
Going beyond the scope
Because so many volunteers showed up, the day expanded well beyond the original goal of painting.
While one group focused inside, others tackled the backyard—removing overgrown shrubs and weeds that flourished in the winter rains, and spreading decorative rocks to refresh the outdoor area. Additional volunteers brought their artistic talents to the decorative fireplace mantel, refurbishing and restoring it with care and detail. The final result reflects the patience and perseverance of clients receiving treatment and building new futures within these walls.
Closing the day in community
Once the work was complete, volunteers gathered in the freshly manicured backyard for a thank-you BBQ. It was a wonderful way to connect more deeply—sharing personal motivations for giving back, learning about PRC’s impact, and building community through service.
With the sun joining us, the day felt like a perfect San Francisco “summer” afternoon—one that Martin Luther King Jr. would have been proud to be part of.
Thank you
We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated and helped make this day possible. Special thanks to:
Genentech, our event sponsor and volunteer group
PRC Board President Darren Smith
Board members Colin Hartke and Gia Jung
Your support helps create spaces where healing happens every day.
If you or your company would like to sponsor or volunteer for our next Healing Spaces event, please contact: Development Communications Manager, Seth Abrahamson at: [email protected] | 415-972-0853
Before the year ends, I want to personally invite you into a conversation.
We’ve just launched the first episode of the PRC Podcast, “Where Hope Grows,” and it’s the best way to get to know me—and why this work matters so deeply. In this candid conversation, I share my own story, what I’ve witnessed in my first months at PRC, and why stability, care, and community can change the course of a life.
This conversation isn’t just about me. It’s about the people PRC serves every day—individuals who come to PRC for the chance to feel safe, supported, and believed in.
As we close out the year, your generosity helps turn that chance into reality.
A year-end gift to PRC restores dignity, strengthens recovery, and reminds someone they are not alone. With your partnership, we will meet even more people where they are—and help them move forward.
If you’re able, I invite you to make a year-end gift today and help us make everything better, together.
P.S. Your year-end gift changes real lives. It creates stability, restores dignity, and reminds people that their community hasn’t given up on them. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping make everything better.
What an extraordinary way to usher in the holidays. This year marked the 33rd incredible Songs of the Season, and our community showed up with overwhelming love and support — selling out both nights in record time and helping raise nearly $40,000 for PRC’s life-changing services.
Held at the iconic Feinstein’s at the Nikko, this year’s show sparkled with an unforgettable lineup of San Francisco legends and powerhouse voices including the event’s remarkably talented producer Brian Kent, Songs of the Season founder and fundraising extraordinaire Donna Sachet, Sister Roma, Kenny Nelson, Charles Jones, Kippy Marks, Brian Justin Crum, Meghan Murphy, Leanne Borghesi, and our phenomenal band — Roberta Drake, Dee Spencer, Trevor Acebo and Collin Williams.
It was also the first Songs of the Season attended by PRC’s ever-charismatic new CEO, Dr. Deborah Hawkes, whose presence lit up the room. Dr. Hawkes shared her deeply personal motivation for serving communities impacted by HIV: the loss of her “biggest advocate and beloved cousin” who supported her in being her true self and embodied all the fabulousness and beautiful energy imaginable, in the days before today’s lifesaving regimens were accessible.
Her heartfelt tribute to those we’ve lost, and to those we continue to support, moved the entire room into a tidal wave of generosity — raising an additional $3,000 in under five minutes. The energy was electric.
And we are so close to our goal.
We’ve raised nearly $40,000 to support PRC’s lifesaving services— and with just a little more support from our incredible community, we can reach this milestone.
If you’d like to help bring us across the finish line, we are still gratefully accepting donations.
A huge part of what brought us so close to our goal includes a record number of sponsors including our presenting sponsor, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and the steadfast support of PRC’s Board of Directors — including Songs of the Season Board Event Champion and sponsor Michael Kyle, Board President Darren Smith, and board sponsors Ahmad Henry and Jacob Schaaf. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and their unwavering commitment to PRC’s mission.
Thank you for helping make this season brighter for the people we serve — and for ensuring PRC remains a lifeline of stability, dignity, and hope for thousands across San Francisco.
With so much gratitude, The PRC Team
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SONGS OF THE SEASON SPONSORS
On December 1st, PRC joined organizations throughout San Francisco to honor World AIDS Day, standing together in remembrance, resilience, and action. Across three powerful events, our team uplifted community voices, connected people to resources, and celebrated the legacies that continue to guide the fight for health equity.
On Monday, December 1, PRC was proud to table alongside AIS Legal Referral Panel and Maitri during Project Open Hand’s World AIDS Day Open House, which also marked their 40th anniversary of service. Guests toured the kitchen and saw firsthand how meals are made, packed, and served to thousands across San Francisco.
Project Open Hand’s CEO, Paul Hepner, reflected on the organization’s history, which began in 1985 as the first in the country to provide medically tailored meals to people with AIDS. Today, they continue serving people living with HIV/AIDS, seniors, and individuals battling cancer and chronic illness, through meal pick-up, dining services, delivery programs, and congregate meal sites across the city. Every day, Project Open Hand prepares 2,500 nutritious meals and distributes over 200 bags of healthy groceries.
PRC employees (left photo) – l to r: Troy Boyd, Supervising Employment Specialist, Dr. Deborah Hawkes, Chief Executive Officer, Salvador Viramontes, Workforce Development Navigator, Martin Muneton, Director of Client Services, Jason Cinq-Mars, Managing Legal Director, Beth Mazie, Chief Programs Officer
Chief Development Officer Randi Paul represented PRC at the National AIDS Memorial’s annual World AIDS Day event. Each year, this ceremony brings together leaders, advocates, and community members to honor the lives lost to HIV/AIDS and to recommit to advancing equity, prevention, and care.
Randi Paul, PRC Chief Development Officer with longtime PRC volunteers, Joanie Juster and Troy Brunet
Several public officials attended, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, State Senator Scott Wiener, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Other luminaries included Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day, Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, Representative Matt Haney, Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Tyler TerMeer, and PRC longtime volunteers Joanie Juster and Troy Brunet, who was honored at the event with the 2025 Thom Weyand Unsung Hero Award.
Troy Boyd, PRC’s Supervising Employment Specialist,Devin Posey, UCSF Alliance Health Project, and community organization partner
On Friday, December 5, PRC partnered with the UMOJA Health Access Point, a collaboration with San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Rafiki Coalition, UCSF Alliance Health Project, 3rd Street Youth Center, and Sis Unleashed, for A Seat at the Red Table, an evening of celebration and dialogue centering the experiences of Black women impacted by HIV.
Guests shared dinner, stories, solutions, and fellowship rooted in healing and resistance. Together, participants examined how HIV continues to affect African Americans, particularly Black women. The event underscored the importance of culturally grounded care and the power of community-led spaces where voices are honored rather than overlooked.
Participants break out for group activities after opening remarks from San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Dr. Tyler TerMeer
At PRC, we remain committed to supporting people living with HIV/AIDS through access to care, housing, legal advocacy, treatment, workforce development, and healing-informed services that affirm every person’s worth. We also facilitate the SF Frontline Organizing Group, a network of workers dedicated to the HIV community.
Building partnerships, expanding access, and strengthening community voices to advance a future where every person living with HIV/AIDS can live stigma-free and flourish is something we pursue every day alongside our clients and partners.
Today is Giving Tuesday, a day that reminds us just how powerful it is when people choose to care for one another. And at PRC, that power shows up in the most real, human ways because of you.
Every day, someone comes to us carrying far more than they can hold alone.
A rent notice taped to the door.
A utility shut-off warning.
A medical bill that makes it impossible to choose between medication and food.
A quiet fear of losing the one place they finally felt safe. In those moments, your generosity becomes a turning point.
Through PRC’s Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA), your support helps people stay housed, connected to medical care, and rooted in their community. This program doesn’t just cover a bill—it preserves stability, dignity, and the chance to keep going.
Your gift today is more than a donation—it’s relief, safety, and the reminder that someone truly cares.
Someone living with HIV can maintain access to life-saving treatment
A neighbor facing crisis can breathe again, knowing they won’t face it alone
One client recently told us that receiving emergency assistance didn’t just help them pay rent—it gave them their “first full night of sleep in months.” That’s the kind of impact your support makes. Quiet. Profound. Life-changing.
At PRC, we often meet people at one of the hardest moments of their lives. But thanks to you, that moment doesn’t have to define their future.
From all of us at PRC—and from the clients whose lives you make more stable, more hopeful, and more whole—thank you for being part of this community of care.
With heartfelt gratitude, The PRC Team
P.S. Giving Tuesday comes once a year, but crisis doesn’t follow a calendar. If you’re able, your gift today will ripple through the lives of people who need it most—right now.
Dear Friends, As we enter this season of gratitude, I’ve been reflecting on the many forms that family and belonging take. I learned early on that care, stability, and love come from the people who choose to show up for you. That truth has guided my life—and it’s one of the reasons I feel so deeply connected to PRC’s mission.
At PRC, we meet people at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. We walk alongside them until they can stand firmly again. In many ways, we become a chosen community—a place where people are met with dignity, respect, and real support.
These numbers represent more than outcomes—they represent people: people who found safety, support, confidence, and community because someone believed in them.
And that someone includes you.
As you gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, I hope you feel immense pride knowing you are part of a community that makes healing possible: a community whose generosity helps people move from crisis to stability every single day.
If you’re able, I invite you to help keep this hope growing by considering a year-end gift—especially as we approach Giving Tuesday. Thank you for ensuring PRC remains a place where everyone is welcomed and empowered.
415-777-0333 
