Board of Directors

Mary Kelly Persyn, J.D., Ph.D

Founder and Principal

Persyn Law and Policy

Elected:  2015

Mary Kelly Persyn, prior to founding PLP, practiced law for several years at marquee law firms, most recently Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in San Francisco, and served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable John T. Noonan, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Her law practice focused on criminal defense and appellate matters, and she participated in cases at all levels of both state and federal courts, including twice participating in teams arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mary Kelly is a member of the bars of the State of California, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mary Kelly graduated with honors from Columbia Law School. Prior to her legal career, she was a scholar of English Romantic poetry, earning a M.A. and Ph.D. with honors from the University of Washington and teaching literature and writing for over ten years. The Romantics’ passion for individual vision, creativity, and human dignity still inspire her view of the human condition.

Maryam Muduroglu

Child Advocate & Philanthropist

Elected: November 2018

Born and raised in San Francisco, Maryam Muduroglu is a child advocate, philanthropist, and community leader. Prior to becoming a mother of two boys and immersing herself in community service, she had a 12-year career in Healthcare IT, working with clients such as UC Hospitals, Stanford Medical Center and the VA Hospitals. Maryam received her MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, and her B.A. in International Development & Development Economics from University of California, Davis.

Maryam serves on the board of Children of Shelters, whose mission is to provide enrichment and educational opportunities for children and families living in transitional shelters in San Francisco. Maryam’s entire family volunteers to help homeless children in the city. In addition to chairing several events for non-profit organizations, she has served on the board of trustees of The Little School, The Bay School, the Bay Area Discovery museum, and the San Francisco Opera Guild.

Patricia Duffy, JD

Attorney, Community Leader

Elected: July 2018

Patricia Duffy brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in Bay Area philanthropic and community organizations during which time she has pursued her commitment to the poor and underserved populations of this region.  Ms. Duffy began her professional career first as a Corporate Associate with Pettit & Martin law firm in San Francisco and then as a Public Finance Associate for the law firm currently known as Sidley Austin LLP, also in San Francisco. 

Ms. Duffy has extensive experience with non-profit organizations, including service on numerous boards including Community Action Marin, San Francisco National Organization for Women Political Action Committee, Ross School Foundation and Sunny Hills Services Counsel, is an active member of the National Charity League and has served as a Marin County Court Appointed Special Advocate.  Ms. Duffy earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Pomona College in Claremont, California and her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

Shoba Farrell

Assistant Dean for Professional Growth, Math Dept, Student Life Committee at San Francisco University H.S.

Elected: July 2019

Shoba is a teacher and administrator at San Francisco University High School. Over the past 20 years, she has worked with K-12 students and teachers across a variety of California institutions, including independent and charter schools. Shoba has spent her career devoted to the zones in which equity, education, and emotional wellbeing overlap. She has led workshops on leadership, education, culture and program design and has served as a leadership coach to executives within the for- and non-profit sectors. Shoba graduated with honors from the University of California, San Diego, earning a BS in Neuroscience and BA in Political Science. She earned an MA from Stanford University in Math Education. A resident of San Francisco, she lives with her spouse and their two children who are fourth – or maybe fifth? – generation San Franciscans.

Lisa Fortuna, MD, MPH

Chief of Psychiatry and Vice-chair @ Zuckerberg SFGH, Associate Professor of Psychiatry @ UCSF

Elected: April 2020

Dr. Lisa Fortuna is associate professor of psychiatry at UCSF and Chief of Psychiatry and Vice-chair at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. She is a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry and has participated in several NIH-funded studies, among them studies in immigrant health and integrated health. I met Dr. Fortuna as counsel to a panel of pediatric experts that briefed Congress on conditions in federal detention centers holding migrant children last September. Lisa is a graduate of Yale College, New Jersey Medical School, and Hunter College, and trained at St. Vincent’s Hospital-Manhattan and Harvard Medical School.

Joy Cooper, MD 

Affiliated OB-GYN @ Highland Hospital in Oakland, Co-founder @ Culture Care

Elected: April 2020

Dr. Joy Cooper is an OB-GYN affiliated with Highland Hospital in Oakland. She focuses on fibroids, adolescent medicine, and health disparities. She is also co-founder of Culture Care, which focuses on providing culturally responsive and appropriate care to Black women through telehealth. She has a special interest in expectant teens. Joy is a graduate of Harvard University, University College London, and Howard Medical School, and trained at U Penn Health System.

Elizabeth Ross, LCSW

Elected: 2020

Elizabeth Ross is a social worker with over 18 years of clinical, program design and leadership experience in the social service and non-profit field. Elizabeth is the founding director of The Karsh Family Social Service Center, a co-located integrated social service center serving the Koreatown community of Los Angeles.  Previously, Elizabeth was the Associate Director for the Magnolia Community Initiative (MCI) in Los Angeles until September 2015. MCI is a strategy for population well-being and a collective impact approach based in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. 

Originally from New York City, Elizabeth was the Clinical Coordinator for 6 years of the Mount Sinai Medical Center Child Advocacy Center. During her time at Mount Sinai, she also worked in the Department of Health Evidence and Policy on a large NIH funded grant addressing post-partum depression. Upon first moving to Los Angles, she continued this work at UCLA Medical Center with direct patient care. Elizabeth taught as an Adjunct Professor in MSW programs at Fordham University and NYU and has supervised MSW students in their field practicum in New York and Los Angeles programs.