Presidio School of Management has assembled a committed, passionate team of leaders to collaboratively build and manage our innovative MBA, MPA and Executive Certificate programs in Sustainable Management. The team consists of university administrators, leaders in sustainable business organizations and non-profit agencies, and a wide array of professionals from diverse fields.

Administration | Board of Directors | Advisory Board

Nicola Acutt, Ph.D., Associate Dean
In addition to her administrative role, Nicola teaches the Business, Government & Civil Society course at Presidio's MBA program. She received her Ph.D. in the field of corporate environmentalism from the University of East Anglia in the UK, and has a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Natural Resources at the University of California Berkeley. Nicola has worked as a consultant to the South African Government on natural resource policy and coastal management, a researcher at the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment in the UK, and a part-time consultant for the London-based Business Partners for Development initiative on tri-sector partnerships.

Seyed M. Amiry, President and CEO
Former dean of the School of Technology at Golden Gate University, Seyed is a graduate of West Coast University and participated in the MBA program of Cal State University at Los Angeles. He has been president and CEO of Core Microsystems in San Jose, CA, and for four years was Chief Operating Officer of the 13-campus system of Heald College in San Francisco. With wide financial and IT experience, he has also been Executive Vice-President and CFO of Tri-Valley Growers and COO/CFO of California Gold Dairy Products.

Seena Berg, Director of Admissions
As Director of Admissions, Seena's team is often the first point of contact for prospective students. Prior to joining Presidio, Seena was Senior Assistant Director of Graduate Enrollment Services at New York University's Graduate School of Arts and Science. Prior to that, she was Program Coordinator for the School of Continuing Education at Columbia University. She received a Masters Degree in higher education administration as well as a B.A. with honors in economics, both from Columbia University.

Holly Dalton, M.P.A., Assistant Director of Admissions
Holly Dalton joins us from Alliant International University where she was the System-wide Recruiting, Admissions and Registrar Coordinator in the Graduate School of Education. She has also worked as an Undergraduate Admissions Specialist for San Francisco State University (SFSU) and Operations Manager at Stanford University. Holly received her B.A. in Anthropology and her Master's in Public Administration from SFSU. She aims to provide high-level service to incoming students, ensuring they have a positive and rewarding experience during their time at Presidio.

Nora Ganey, Admissions & Student Services Coordinator
Nora joins Presidio most recently from Valparaiso, Chile, where she taught college-level English classes for WorldTeach, the Harvard Center for International Development. Her experience in South America developed her interest in higher education, and outside the classroom, she enjoyed working with her students on their career paths. Before leaving for Chile, she worked as an Event Coordinator for Robert Mondavi Vineyards in Napa, California. She received her B.A. in History and Theology from Boston College.

Allison Guerin, Academic Operations Manager
Allison joins the Presidio School of Management from her previous role as a Merchandise Planning Analyst with GAP, Inc. She recently moved to the Bay Area from Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Ursinus College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business & Economics with honors. After college, Allison interned with New Leaders for New Schools, a nonprofit organization committed to training successful teachers as principals and placing them in under-served schools. For the past eight years, she has also volunteered with FIRST Robotics, an organization devoted to inspiring students to become leaders in science and technology.

Wilbur Lam, IT Manager
With over 9 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Wilbur specializes in project management, pre-sale engineering, implementations and maintenance operations. Wilbur has trained hundreds of end-users, IT administrators and technicians on telephony products. Nortel Networks Certified Support Specialist (NNCSS) and Nortel Certified Technology Specialist (NCTS) are just a few of Wilbur's certifications. He successfully designed and implemented telecommunication projects for Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, Costco, Vodafone, Verizon Wireless and Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP.

Diane Mailey, Senior Vice President for Business Development & Planning
Diane has nearly 20 years of development and marketing experience on behalf of social causes working with a range of organizations on both coasts and in communities located in Africa and Asia. She most recently served as fund development and communications director for BRIDGE Housing Corporation, California's largest affordable housing real estate developer. Prior to BRIDGE, Diane worked with World Learning, General Foods, the Global Security Institute, and the State of the World Forum where she developed and implemented fundraising, business development and marketing strategies. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston.

Jay Ogilvy, Ph.D., Dean and Chief Academic Officer
Jay brings a unique and well-seasoned blend of sustainable business and academic experience to his role as Dean and Chief Academic Officer. He is the co-founder of the Global Business Network, and has led strategic planning for Fortune 500 companies based on alternative scenarios and intelligence about the global social, economic and political environment. Jay has also held positions as a Senior Social Scientist at SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) and Director of Research for their Values and Lifestyles (VALS) Program. He has taught at Williams College, the University of Texas and Yale University. Jay is the author of numerous articles, reviews and books, including Creating Better Futures, Living Without a Goal and China's Futures. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Philosophy from Yale University, and B.A. from Williams College.

Jamie Okazaki, Event Coordinator
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Jamie comes to Presidio from UC Berkeley, Cal Recreational Sports. As the Coordinator of Marketing and Business Development there, she planned over 15 annual events and created customized marketing strategies for their 36 corporate partners. Jamie also led the PLAYgreen initiative, an interactive platform for those who want to pursue personal wellness while considering the health of the planet. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, she received her BS in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration with a concentration in Event Management and was honored for her Objectives and Contributions to the College of Agriculture upon graduation.

Lauren Ramsey, Receptionist
Lauren comes to the Presidio School of Management after working as Marketing Coordinator at West Coast Green, an organization that produces the nation's largest green building and innovation conference. Lauren's responsibilities at West Coast Green included research and reporting on Sustainable Innovations and Initiatives as well as coordinating and hosting green events and networking sessions. Having always had an interest in the environment and sustainability, Lauren attended the Environmental Studies Program at San Francisco State, earning a Bachelor's Degree in this field.

Jean Santullo, M.A.,  Director of Student Services
After a 17-year career in operations and supply chain management at Nestlé Foods, Jean entered the field of higher education while receiving her B.A. in cultural studies and psychology (summa cum laude) and M.A. in Integral Psychology at John F. Kennedy University. Jean received the American Association of University Women Outstanding Achievement Award and her personal experience in pursuing her education made her realize how much she wanted to assist other students with their educational and personal goals. Jean worked at the University for six years as the chair of the grant award program for the Diversity Affairs Council, as an Enrollment Advisor and lastly as the Administrative Director for continuing education.

Paula Thielen, Ph.D., Chief Financial Officer
In addition to her CFO duties, Paula teaches Managerial Accounting at Presidio School of Management. As a Certified Public Accountant, she has over 25 years of experience in the accounting profession, in both private industry and public practice. Past positions have included Vice President of Finance of a consulting firm and Corporate Controller of an industrial equipment manufacturer and distributor. Paula's educational background includes a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, an M.B.A. in Finance from Santa Clara University, an M.S. in Organizational Behavior and Development from Golden Gate University, an M.A. in Human and Organization Development from the Fielding Graduate Institute, and a B.S. in Business Administration and Management with an Accounting Concentration from the University of Phoenix.

Jonas Wright, Registrar
A native of Buffalo, New York, Jonas recently moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, were he worked for the American Film Institute (AFI) for five years. With a BA in Film History/Theory, he first traveled the 50 states working as a film festival gypsy in areas ranging from programming to development. He eventually settled into a full-time operations position at AFI. Having lived the surreal experience that is Hollywood, he found that he really loved working with the graduate students there, helping and challenging them to get the most of their education. He hopes to do the same at Presidio.

Danielle "Dani" Yamamoto, Executive Assistant
Dani comes to Presidio from Veritable Vegetable, the country’s oldest organic produce distributor, where she served as Communications Director. She had the privilege of knowing many farmers and learning about sustainable agriculture from the people who grow the food we eat; she remains extremely interested in the politics of food. Dani has also worked for Open Enterprises, a local women-owned cooperative, and for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Originally from the Mojave Desert, she received a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Secondary Education Teaching Credential from California State University, Northridge.