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Staff
Staff
Leslay Choy
Executive Director
Leslay Choy is a strategic corporate governance professional with a healthcare emphasis who is vested in the stabilization, diversification, and development of local economies. Before stepping into the role of General Manager at the San Pablo Economic Development Corporation, Leslay was Associate Director of Corporate Consulting at the Heroic Imagination Project, a San Francisco-based nonprofit creating learning programs, where she developed strategy, products, and services. Prior, she worked at Nygren Consulting, a firm which partners with boards and executive teams of corporations, nonprofits and private foundations to develop strategy and policy, conduct performance assessments, and guide leadership succession planning. Previously, Leslay held various project management and staff roles in at a private investment bank, a retained executive search firm, and Kaiser Permanente. Leslay received a Master’s in International Relations from the Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve, thanks to a Rotary International Scholarship. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and French with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Chico. A California native, Leslay lives in El Cerrito with her family.
Bradley Ward
Controller
A Certified Public Accountant with over 35 years of experience, Bradley Ward is the San Pablo Economic Development Corporation Controller. He is responsible for overseeing financial controls for the SPEDC and providing financial oversight of the organization’s new markets tax credit projects, like the Helms Community Center. Previously, Bradley was the City of San Pablo’s Director of Finance. Under his leadership, the City of San Pablo received the Government Officers Finance Association Award for Excellence in financial reporting for 17 consecutive years. He received his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, he serves as Treasurer for the San Pablo Rotary Club and is highly involved in community service programs.
Owen Hershey
Workforce Program Coordinator
Owen Hershey joined the San Pablo EDC is its Workforce Program Coordinator. Owen is an accomplished career services program manager and counselor with fifteen years of experience engaging workforce in seeking employment and training. He offers five years of successful experience managing a One-Stop Career Center, including program design, staff supervision, budget management, outcomes tracking, partnership development, and grant monitoring. He excels in meeting the employment and training needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented populations, including ex-offenders, homeless, dislocated and underemployed individuals, and transitional aged youth. Owen is a credentialed Global Career Development (GCDF) Facilitator and Instructor, and is fluent in Spanish. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree in History from UC Santa Cruz. Owen is a West County resident and vested in seeing its residents thrive.
Aurora Betancourt
Business and Housing Program Manager
With over 12 years of experience in finance, including 7 years specializing in residential finance and real estate. She leverages her strong financial background to equip her clients with the tools necessary to comprehend the financial implications of home ownership. Along with her real estate experience, she has worked with a diverse range of businesses and individuals in the greater San Francisco Bay Area from seasoned businesses to startups providing business planning and resources for those seeking to grow or start their businesses.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and later completed her Trans-Global Executive MBA from St. Mary’s College of California. Has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 26 years and enjoys spending time with her family, trying new restaurants and traveling.
Marco Sandoval
Small Business Program Coordinator
Marco Sandoval loves to share his knowledge and wisdom ensuring that people of all ages and backgrounds have the tools and resources to achieve their financial goals. As the Small Business Program Coordinator, Marco works closely with our underserved business community at San Pablo EDC. Raised in Richmond,California, Marco Sandoval holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from the University of California, San Diego. Before his career at San Pablo EDC, Marco worked as a portfolio management analyst at Hall Capital Partners. Marco enjoys to coach soccer on his free time, train his Belgian malinois dog, and research startup companies.