Activism

Terrence Riley Named New Executive Director for Hack the Hood

“Terrence Riley has demonstrated his deep commitment to youth development and education through his 13+ year tenure at Aim High. He will undoubtedly bring leadership and stability to our organization and lead us in the next steps of our vision,” said Samia Zuber, deputy director of Programs & Programs, Hack the Hood.

Published

3 years ago

October 29, 2022

Oakland Post

Terrence Riley brings extensive experience in providing thoughtful and inclusive leadership, budgeting, strategic planning, and programming for youth in the academic space.

By Y’Anad Burrell

On October 10, 2022, Hack the Hood’s Board of Directors named Terrence Riley as the new executive director. The organization’s mission is to provide youth and communities of color with tech skill-building programs and career navigation that are grounded in justice and support economic mobility.

Riley joins Hack the Hood from Aim High, the largest tuition-free academic enrichment summer program in Northern California, where he served as the vice president of programs.

When he was a middle school student, Riley participated in an Aim High program, and the organization will always hold a special place in his heart. He would go on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Southern California, and his master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from the University of the Pacific.

“The Board of Directors is thrilled about Riley leading the next phase of Hack the Hood’s growth and expansion to better serve our stakeholders! We are especially impressed by Riley’s deep commitment to tech justice, his professional experience in the space, and his unique ability to relate to and connect with the community we are serving!” said Jing Zhang, Hack the Hood’s Board chairman.

An avid and lifelong learner, Riley participated in the sixth cohort of the Allstate Foundation’s Non-Profit Executive Leadership Program at Kellogg School of Management and received a DEI certificate from the University of South Florida.

Riley was also a member of the inaugural cohort of Bridging the Bay, a cohort-based executive leadership fellowship for C-level nonprofit leaders in the Bay Area sponsored by the Warriors Community Foundation, Generation Thrive, and Coro Northern California.

Riley brings extensive experience in providing thoughtful and inclusive leadership, budgeting, strategic planning, and programming for youth in the academic space.

For more information about Hack the Hood visit www.hackthehood.org

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.