About Us

George Hammond (2007) is an international mergers and acquisitions attorney and the author of four novels, a collection of short stories, and six books on various philosophical issues. He has lectured on many different topics in various forums, including at Humanities West seminars and at the Commonwealth Club. He has a B.A. from Dartmouth College in Russian Literature and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

Charles W. Bowman (Secretary Treasurer) (1999) has been a licensed attorney and international tax specialist for more than 35 years. Now retired, he has participated in civic and pro bono publico professional activities, including the American Bar Association Indochinese Refugee Legal Assistance Program and the Bar Association of San Francisco Volunteer Legal Services Program. He has earned degrees from the University of Denver (B.A.-History and J.D.) and New York University (LL.M.-Taxation).

Jessica Hickok (2017) joined the Pisces Foundation, an environmental foundation based in San Francisco, as its first grants manager. She previously worked at two Bay Area philanthropies: The James Irvine Foundation and the Koret Foundation, as well as the Mpala Wildlife Foundation in Kenya. Jessica is Secretary of the Board of The Brooklyn Quarterly, a nonprofit literary endeavor; the regional membership chair of PEAK Grantmaking; and a volunteer metal fabricator and finance officer for the Flaming Lotus Girls, a collaborative, female-driven metal and fire arts group. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Jessica graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature.

Clifford (Kip) Cranna (2008), retired Dramaturg at San Francisco Opera, served on its staff since 1979. He has a BA in music from University of North Dakota and a PhD in musicology from Stanford. He has served as vocal adjudicator for numerous groups, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council. For 30 years he was Program Editor and Lecturer for the Carmel Bach Festival. He lectures and writes frequently on music, teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory and the Fromm Institute, and often moderates panel discussions such as the Opera Guild’s “Insights.” In 2008 he was awarded the San Francisco Opera Medal, the company’s highest honor, and in 2012 he received the Bernard Osher Cultural Award for distinguished efforts to bring excellence to a cultural institution. Dr. Cranna was a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of Chanticleer, a professional vocal ensemble. He is currently on the board of Humanities West and the Advisory Board of the contemporary music group Opera Parallèle.

Christen Hall (2024) has been with Humanities West since 2016, first as an intern, then as an administrative assistant, and now as a volunteer and board member. She has a BA in English from Portland State University. In 2020, Christen received her Masters in Humanities from San Francisco State University.

Margaret C. Hauben, Ed.D. (2011) is a consultant in education and project management who served as Assistant Superintendent of the Oakland Public Schools, as well as Adjunct Faculty member at Mills College, Holy Names College, and John F. Kennedy University. She has also served on the boards of Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland; the California State Parks Foundation; and the School of Education, College of William and Mary, Virginia among other non-profit organizations. Margaret currently serves as a board member with the San Francisco Zoo. She is a docent at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and a volunteer with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

Jolene Huey (2019) is a Human Resources practitioner who specializes in Compensation. Her current non-profit Board affiliations include Next Concept Human Resources Association (Chair of the East Bay Region) and Bay Area Compensation Association. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and a Master’s degree in Labor Economics from San Francisco State University. She has been a regular volunteer with many arts and cultural organizations including the Commonwealth Club, Mechanics Institute, Cal Performances, San Francisco Opera/Ballet and San Francisco Symphony for the last thirty years. Jolene is also a current tour guide with SF City Guides; leading tours at the Fairmont Hotel. Jolene’s cultural interests include Art History, Geography, Literature and Travel. Having worked in technology for many years, she is interested in exploring and exposing new audiences to the interdisciplinary aspects between Art, History and Technology.

Theresa Nelson (2010) is the co-founder of Humanities West, and has re-joined the Board of Directors, after serving as a musical advisor on the HW Advisory Council and performing on HW programs. Theresa is the Principal of Theresa Nelson & Associates, a consulting firm dedicated to advising nonprofits on fundraising, board development, and strategic planning. She was an adjunct professor in University of San Francisco’s Institute for Nonprofit and Organization Management and a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business Nonprofit program, and presents workshops for nonprofit organizations and conferences. Theresa is an active vocal soloist with the California Revels and Solstice Ensemble and appeared in opera productions with SF Opera Cabaret and Holy Names College. She co-produced a CD, “Lullaby My Sweet One,” with early music specialist Shira Kammen. Theresa is Vice-Chair of the Board of Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. She has an MBA in Nonprofit Management from Golden Gate University, and BS in Marketing with a minor in Humanities from University of Illinois Chicago.