Side by Side Welcomes a New Chief Program Officer and Regional Director for the East Bay

Last month, Side by Side publicly introduced Jamila McCallum, the agency's new Chief Program Office through a Zoom community town hall attended by leaders from the community and our funding partners. Based on that conversation with SBS's CEO Christine Garcia, here's a bit about what makes Jamila tick and her perspective on youth mental health.

What drew you to Side by Side and excites you most about the agency?

Christine and I worked together previously at Edgewood Center for Children and Families in San Francisco - I admired her leadership and approach to the work and am excited about the opportunity to work alongside her again. I am most excited about the work that Side by Side does and the various ways I can contribute to its growth.

Who inspired you most in your career path? And why did you make the transition to being an administrator?

I am fortunate to have many inspirations along the way, starting with my parents who instilled in me the importance of contributing to community; followed by 20+ years of colleagues, supervisors, and parents/caregivers of clients from whom I have learned invaluable lessons.

I have been in an administrative/leadership role for most of my career. I enjoy direct service, however I gravitate towards roles where I can be strategic and do big picture thinking and execution.

Jamila McCallum

Chief Program Officer

What experiences from your time at Edgewood Center do you think you will draw the most strength from at Side by Side?

The work I’ve done in organizational change towards becoming a healing organization by building in more trauma informed practices.

Can you tell me a little about what cultural humility, equity, and inclusion mean to you and why those are so important in the context of the work that Side by Side does?

For me, cultural humility, equity, and inclusion mean that I stay curious about people and ask questions; actively consider how my bias or blind spots are interfering with my ability to be compassionate; and by examining who’s involved, who isn’t, and how to create spaces with room for all to belong.

Can you tell me how you think Side by Side is well positioned to respond to the current alarming state of youth mental health in our region?

Side by Side knows what we do well in service of community. We are well positioned to respond to the wellness needs of youth by staying focused on our strengths and connecting with other agencies to broaden our reach and our impact. 

New Regional Director for the East Bay: Matthew Holt

Matthew Holt joined Side by Side as Regional Director for the Easy Bay in January 2023 and oversees the region’s Community Counseling, Real Alternatives, and Our Space programs. Matthew has a B.S. in Social Work from San Francisco State and a Master’s in Social Welfare with a concentration in Community Mental Health from UC Berkeley. A LCSW, Matthew also holds a Pupil Personal Services Credential.

Prior to joining SBS, Matthew spent 14 years working within nonprofits, the education system, and Alameda County providing clinical services to systems-involved children and their families to ensure services were being delivered in an equitable and effective manner.

Matthew Holt

East Bay Regional Director