A. Saleem Shakir
Executive Director
510-267-9770 x 309
saleem@leadershipexcellence.org

David Philoxene
Bridge Case Manager
510-267-9770 x 302
davidp@leadershipexcellence.org

John Adams
Employment Specialist
510.267.9770 x 303
johna@leadershipexcellence.com
Our entire Leadership Excellence staff is made up of former LE youth, parents, and volunteers. LE staff shares a commitment to our community that is bigger than any one job. This level of personal commitment translates into programming that is thoughtful and engaging for our youth. It is infused in our organizational culture, ensuring that we stay responsible and in tune to the community.
Bro. Saleem Shakir joined the LE family in 2002 as an Oakland Freedom School parent. As a public school teacher, Bro. Saleem recognized the value of learning infused with fun and love taught from a culturally relevant perspective. Bro. Saleem joined the LE staff in 2005 as the Program Director. His commitment to the mission of the agency advanced him to the position of Associate Director. After two years of preparation under the direction of Dereca Blackmon, former Executive Director, Bro. Saleem was promoted to Executive Director to lead the agency through its next period of growth and development. Bro. Saleem graduated from Sonoma State University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Biology. He earned his Master's in Education at the University of San Francisco. Bro. Saleem takes the helm at a unique time as LE prepares to celebrate its 20-year anniversary! David Philoxene is an Oakland native who has worked with young people since he was a youth. An educator with over 10 years experience, he has worked in a variety of traditional and non- traditional schooling environments, from a large comprehensive high school in South Los Angeles, to an Oakland small, autonomous school, to a charter school. He has taught a variety of subjects as a classroom teacher, including Social Science, AP English, Ethnic & Cultural Studies, and Film. Additionally, he has many years working in the non-profit educational arena, from Richmond to Oakland. While Mr. Philoxene has earned his bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley in Sociology and African Diasporic Studies and possesses a teaching credential and Master's degree in Education from UCLA, he is most proud of his status as a graduate of Oakland Public Schools.