BayKids empowers children facing serious medical challenges to express themselves through the art and magic of filmmaking. We are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of hospitalized children by teaching them a wide range of moviemaking skills and helping them discover the power of self-expression.
We invite you to join us in our mission. Donate.
BayKids' roots took hold in 1994 when founder Dave Spencer started a community outreach program for the San Francisco Giants. Inspired by the program's success in helping children, Dave founded BayKids in 1997 with the goal of offering new and innovative ways to empower children through self-expression. Initially, BayKids developed cutting-edge multimedia programs to teach kids how to create websites, animated shorts, narrative films, documentaries, music and art.
Today, BayKids has evolved to focus its multimedia expertise on serving children in the Bay Area facing medical challenges. Working in partnership with Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland and UCSF Children's Hospital, our digital filmmaking programs provide kids with the opportunity to explore their creativity while learning filmmaking, teamwork and leadership skills. As of July 2009, BayKids has helped over 5,000 children and their families get through cancer and other medical conditions.
Dave Spencer, MBA - Founding Director
Dave is the Founding Director and former Executive Director of BayKids. In 2006, he launched Senspa, a beautiful, 13,000 square foot spa in San Francisco dedicated to wellness. Dave spent many years in community outreach, working with the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants. Born in New York City, Dave has lived in the Bay area for eleven years. He enjoys travel, sports, and relaxing with friends and food.
Devora Kanter Kothari - Executive Director
As the Executive Director of BayKids, Devora brings expertise from both the nonprofit and corporate sectors. At Hands On San Francisco, Devora lead a variety of projects and events, working with children's agencies in the Bay Area community. Prior to joining BayKids, Devora negotiated numerous international business partnerships with Fortune 500 companies as the Latin America Marketing Manager at UUnet and the Partner Marketing Manager for AvantGo.
Devora is a Bay Area native, mom of two and an avid hiker.
Jade Waters-Tippo - Program Manager
Jade comes to BayKids with over ten years of television industry experience as a promo writer/producer. She has worked for Warner Bros., NBC, CBS, PBS and has a degree in production from USC Film School. She is also the owner of Twig Films, a small post-production company that transforms personal family video and stills into treasured memories that captivate and enchant their audience. In her free time, Jade enjoys reading with her kids, volunteering at their school, sailing, and hiking.
Michael Siegel - Treasurer
Michael joined BayKids as Treasurer in May of 2008. Prior to BayKids, he volunteered in San Francisco with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship and the Mayflower Foundation. Michael is an Investment Representative in the Private Wealth Management group at Morgan Stanley, where he started working in 2000. He is a graduate of Colby College. Born and raised in Palo Alto, Michael lives in San Francisco with his wife Jennifer. In their free time, they enjoy going to Lake Tahoe, skiing, running, golf, collecting and tasting wine, and spending time with family and friends.
Amrita Daing - Board member
Amrita is a Parent Educator & Child Development Specialist at Edgewood Center for Children & Families. She is currently serving the families of Hunter's Point housing project in San Francisco. Her primary focus has been to evangelize the BayKids mission and aid the executive administration. She holds a Masters degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in early childhood and a BA in International Relations: Economics from the College of Wooster. Her avocations include hosting dinner parties, reading, and escaping the city only to return to it!
Andrew J. Maxwell, M.D., FACC - Board member
Andrew J. Maxwell is a board-certified pediatric cardiologist practicing in the East Bay, where he cares for children of all ages with heart disease. With degrees from Johns Hopkins, UCSF, Stanford, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, he is the pediatric cardiologist on staff and responsible for the inpatient cardiac care of newborns and children at ValleyCare Medical Center, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, St Rose Hospital, Eden Hospital, Sutter Tracy, and Washington Hospital of Fremont. Dr. Maxwell has staff and academic affiliations with Children's Hospital Oakland, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and UCSF. His interests include the cardiovascular complications of obesity, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and screening for risk in young athletes. Dr. Maxwell is also involved with Big Hands for Little Hearts, an organization that helps kids with heart disease in former Soviet countries.
Mike Sanders - Board member
With his extensive film industry expertise, Mike assists BayKids with special projects and film festivals. He works for LucasFilm's Industrial Light and Magic as a special effects and creature expert. His credits include Titanic, Hulk, The Mummy, and the latest Star Wars Episodes. Not surprisingly, Mike enjoys film and working with kids. He is also enthusiastic about vintage cars, toys and movie memorabilia (oh yeah, and family and friends).
Clifford Chin, M.D., FACC
Co-Director, Pediatric Heart Transplantation
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Pediatric Heart Center
Edward Fong, MD
Bay Area Pediatric Pulmonary Medical Corporation
Assistant Director, Children's Hospital and Research Center at Oakland Cystic Fibrosis Center
Amy Houtrow, MD, MPH
Medical Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation and the Spina Bifida Program
Department of Pediatrics, UCSF
Andrew J. Maxwell, M.D., FACC
Pediatric Cardiologist
Heart of the Valley Pediatric Cardiology
Jacob A. Neufeld, M.D., MSPH
Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland
Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation
Jeanne Buchanan, RN, CDE
Pediatric Diabetes Educator, UCSF
Theopia Jackson, PhD
Dept. of Psychiatry
Northern California Sickle Cell Center
Children's Hospital & Research Center of Oakland
Marsha Lee, M.D.
Pediatric Nephrologist
Children's Renal Center
University of California, San Francisco
BayKids is proud to provide our services with our distinguished partners:
