Tayonna Ewin

Operations Coordinator

Tayonna Ewin (she/her) weaves together strategy, systems, and storytelling to help move community-centered work forward in sustainable ways. At The Oakland Fund, she serves as Operations Coordinator, strengthening organizational systems, supporting leadership and board governance, and aligning cross-functional initiatives. Her work reinforces nonprofit infrastructure and supports partnerships across government, community, and philanthropy so community-rooted efforts can grow and sustain impact.

Tayonna began at the organization as a Special Projects Intern supporting media, communications, and partnership engagement before growing into her current organization-wide operations role. She is motivated by building clear, practical systems that help mission-driven teams work effectively and consistently.

Her background spans government, education, research, and nonprofit environments. In local government, she supported data-informed decision-making and equitable resource allocation as a Business Intelligence Analyst with the City of San José Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department. She has supported college-level learning for Title I high school students through Stanford Digital Education and the National Education Equity Lab; contributed archival research to The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Volume VIII; supported qualitative research with the Stanford Sociology Department; and worked in philanthropy and community violence prevention with the Women’s Foundation of California and Gideon’s Army.

Tayonna holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in African and African American Studies from Stanford University and was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Sand Hill Philanthropy Fellow, and recipient of the Kennell Jackson, Jr. Research Award.

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Tayonna brings a perspective shaped by the South that recognizes both the parallels and the distinct character of Oakland. Her work is grounded in an understanding of how community resilience, culture, and broader systems shape opportunity and access. She now lives in San Jose with her partner. Outside of work, Tayonna enjoys reading, tending to her plants, learning new skills, and exploring the Bay Area.