Shane Williams

Commissioner

Shane Williams is a Mayoral Appointee. Her term ends on October 16, 2027

Shane Williams native of Oakland, CA.  She worked for Alameda County Probation department for 24 years.  Throughout her career she has experience working with juveniles and adults in the community and in the facilities.  Dedicated to developing and implementing effective trauma informed programming rooted in restorative practices, she possesses expertise in contract management, labor relations, staff recruitment and development.

 With a strong passion for identifying resources and best practices, she has experience managing budgets, procuring case management systems, safety equipment, and  overseeing various RFP processes. She is skilled in strategic planning and has successfully implemented and maintained the fidelity of behavior development systems. Additionally, she has served on nonprofit boards focused on youth development and education.

Email Address: SThomas-Williams@oaklandcommission.org

Term Start Date: Oct 17, 2024

Term End Date: Oct 16, 2027

Ricardo Garcia Acosta

Commission Chair

Ricardo Garcia-Acosta is a Selection Panel Appointee. His term ends on October 16, 2025.

Ricardo Garcia-Acosta has worked with high-risk, systems-impacted youth and young adults for the past 20 years. He is a National thought leader on Crisis Response and Community Intervention Strategies as well as Care Management frameworks rooted in traditional healing practices that seek to reduce gun violence and build community peace. 

After many years of working in San Francisco, where he helped lead the City’s Street Outreach and Crisis Response Initiative for 8 years, he returned to his home city of Oakland, and began working with Youth ALIVE! in 2014. There, he would manage nationally recognized programs that focus on hospital response to shooting victims and supporting young people and their families as they work through the trauma of a homicide. 

In 2016, he would become the City of Oakland’s first Violence Prevention Liaison, working crucial lines of communication between the City’s Community-Based efforts, the Mayor’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. 

His passion for collective healing, self-determination and community empowerment, continue to guide his commitment to build systems that best support youth and families impacted by violence. Mr. Garcia-Acosta now serves as the Director of Community Peace Initiatives for CURYJ (Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice). 

He is also a member on the UCSF Police Department’s Community Safety Board, while also continuing to work on a broad spectrum of projects focused on building trust between Community and Law Enforcement throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

October 16, 2023 – Appointed as an Alternate Commissioner by the Selection Panel. 

May 8, 2024 - Elevated to Commissioner during a Special Meeting to replace exiting Commissioner Jesse Hsieh. Serving remaining term until 10/16/2025.

July 11, 2024 - Elected Vice Chair during Regular Meeting

October 18, 2024 – Assumed the position of Chair following the departure of Chair Emerita Marsha Carpenter Peterson.

Email Address: RGarcia-Acosta@oaklandcommission.org

Term Start Date: Nov 2, 2023

Term End Date: Oct 16, 2025

As of Oct. 17, 2025 - holder-over period began

Angela Jackson-Castain

Commissioner

Angela Jackson-Castain is a Selection Panel Appointee. Her term ends on October 16, 2027.

Commissioner Jackson-Castain is a Senior Management Consultant with 18 years professional experience dedicated to using data to drive business outcomes through innovation and thought leadership. Proven track record of cultivating and fostering strategic global partnerships. Adept at successfully organizing and managing large, cross-functional, highly skilled teams of professionals to develop maximum impact programs and execute complex projects. Proven success in data-driven decision making to deliver high-quality, customized results.

Ms. Jackson-Castain demonstrates excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills. She provides professional project management and oversees teams of executives, SMEs, subcontractors and technical professionals. She is adept at analytical and technical writing, technical editing, briefing diverse executive-level stakeholder groups and has extensive foreign and domestic travel experience. Ms. Jackson-Castain holds a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with minors in Spanish and Sociology. Ms. Jackson-Castain also completed primary coursework at La Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain and Stanford University.

City Council Confirmation 9/17/24 - most recent term

Term: October 17, 2024 – October 16, 2027

Email Address: ajackson-castain@oaklandcommission.org

Term Start Date: Oct 17, 2024

Term End Date: Oct 16, 2027

Mykah Montgomery

Chief of Staff

Mykah Montgomery is a distinguished professional with a Master's Degree in Leadership and an MBA in Executive Management, complemented by industry-respected certifications in Project Management, Customer Success Management, and Business Etiquette. As the CEO and founder of LARs (Leaders are Readers, Inc.), Mykah's dedication to youth literacy has seen her organization donate hundreds of books to children. Her tireless advocacy for children's literacy and anti-bullying efforts earned her recognition from the Honorable Libby Schaaf, former Mayor of Oakland, who declared April 3rd as "Mykah Montgomery Day". Additionally, Mykah was honored as the distinguished Alumna of the Year by Saint Mary's College of California and received the esteemed Jefferson Award for Public Service, founded by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Robert Taft, Jr., and Samuel Beard.

In her capacity as Chief of Staff, Mykah has honed her leadership, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration skills. She has effectively supported senior executives in defining organizational goals, streamlining processes, and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Her wealth of experience enables her to align teams, resources, and initiatives to achieve overarching business objectives seamlessly.

Department: Police Commission

Email Address: MMontgomery@oaklandca.gov