Lorraine Orlandi, Beacon Director at Francisco Beacon Community School

Lorraine Orlandi joined the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center in July 2018 to become the director of Beacon programs at Francisco Middle School. Before that she spent seven years as the Community School Coordinator at Paul Revere K-8, where she built a network of community partners that helped to install gardening spaces and a soccer field, to strengthen family partnerships and launch an African American Parent Advisory Group, to expand mental health services and bring high quality arts programming into the school-day classrooms and the extended day. In 2018 the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department awarded her a “Keeping the Dream Alive Award” for her work building after-school partnerships at Revere. She previously worked for two decades as a journalist, spending 14 years covering human rights abuses, political crises and natural disasters in Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala. She also taught journalism at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Her daughter was born in Mexico and attends San Francisco public schools.Here are some appreciations from her Executive Director, Principal, and the San Francisco Beacon Initiative:

"Lorraine recently started as the new NBC Beacon Director in June 2018. She is enthusiastic, compassionate and a thoughtful leader. Her eagerness to collaborate and understand the needs of our staff, youth and families has already had a positive impact on our Beacon Center. I know that under Lorraine’s leadership the North Beach/Chinatown Beacon will continue to make a difference in the lives of the youth and families that we serve." - Nestor Fernandez, Executive Director of Tel-Hi Neighborhood Center

"Lorraine Orlandi has been a wonderful addition to the Francisco Community! We are excited to have her join our staff and look forward to all of the wonderful ideas that she will bring with her in her new role as Francisco Beacon Director." - Patrick West, Principal at Francisco Middle School

"Lorraine brings a rich history of community school work that is such a benefit to the Beacon Network. Her perspective and experience is a great addition to our work!" - Sally Jenkins-Stevens, Associate Director of SFBI

Great work, Lorraine!#coordinatorsrock #coordinatorappreciationweek#beacons#sfbeacon#sfbeacons #community #communityschools#beacondirectors #beacondirectorsrock#appreciations#thankyou