Bio Prakash

Prakash Bhaskaran

Danville, CA

Prakash is a seasoned CFO with experience in start-ups, publicly-traded companies and non-profits. As a CFO, he’s successfully participated in taking three tech companies public. In his capacity as CFO and finance committee member, he’s had broad experience working with various boards in several organizations.

He brings a broad perspective to the boardroom, combining deep financial and operational expertise along with strategy and governance expertise. This broad experience enables him to provide meaningful insights that help drive informed decisions. Having worked in diverse industries, including high-tech, manufacturing, governmental entities and non-profits, he’s able to draw on a wide range of experiences which allows him to collaborate effectively with senior management and with fellow board members.

Having had a successful “first half” of his career and having grown up in Oakland CA, he’s developed a strong passion for the non-profit sector. In this “second half,” he wants to use his expertise and skills to help organizations that work with children and families of poorer and underserved communities. Following his heart, he pivoted to the non-profit sector, serving as CFO at a community Charter School in East Oakland and a Counseling Center in San Jose. He continues this passion by serving on the Board at Soul Shoppe.

As a young teenager, Prakash moved with his family from India to the Bay area, where he’s lived since that time. He loves photography, vegetable gardening and taking long walks during sunrise and sunsets. He currently resides with his family in Danville, CA.

Bio Dominique

Dominique McSwain

San Jose, CA

Dominique is an equity, diversity and inclusion leader who helps develop and operationalize strategies that promote inclusion and improve diversity in the healthcare industry. Dominique leads a mentorship program focused on developing future leaders from diverse backgrounds.

She has a broad range of Human Resources (HR) experience including HR Generalist, Recruiting and Process Improvement. Dominique holds a Master of Management and Leadership degree from Webster University. She completed the Leading Strategic Change for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Certificate Program at Northwestern University and is a trained Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

In her spare time, Dominique loves to hike and give back to her community through mentoring HR students at San Jose State University and volunteering for Sleeping Bags for the Homeless. She is passionate about inclusion, belonging and driving meaningful change. This passion brought her to Soul Shoppe.

Bio Matt

Mike Matt

Indianapolis, IN

Mike Matt’s life mission is to “create a safe, peaceful, interactive world by asking for help, helping others and appreciating myself and others.”  He’s an active member of a 12-step group and supports numerous causes, including Challenge Day (serving on the Board of Directors for six years), The ManKind Project (serving as the co-chair of the International Multi-Cultural Committee for two years) and Ascent 121.  

He graduated with a Masters of Social Work degree from Indiana University and is a Licensed Social Worker, providing therapy to children, adults and families. His specialties include therapy focused on Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Men’s work, the LGBTQIA community and child development.

Prior to his career in social work, Mike served seven years as the National Motivational Programs Manager at Herff Jones where he led efforts to create and launch the “Believe in You” motivational program focused on increasing graduation rates, building character, developing leadership, increasing participation and recognizing achievement in schools across the United States.

Mike likes reading, playing cards, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Bio Solomon

Solomon Wilkins

Oakland, CA

Solomon Wilkins is a corporate executive, executive coach and keynote speaker who’s worked with and for some of the world’s biggest brands. His passion and perspective on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) has allowed him to help companies realize that “Diversity Without Inclusion is an Illusion.”™

In addition to working in corporate America, Solomon is passionate about his family and making a difference in Oakland, the city he was born and raised in. As a student who spent K–12 in the Oakland Unified school district, Solomon knows firsthand some of the challenges students face. His passion for helping kids and his focus on giving back to Oakland brought him to Soul Shoppe

Fun fact about Solomon: in the mid-2000s, he spent about a year as one of Soul Shoppe’s big-hearted facilitators, delivering Soul Shoppe’s programs to kids across the Bay area. 

Bio Brandon

Brandon Lee-Hyde

(he/him)

Big-Hearted Facilitator

Brandon Lee-Hyde, better known as Coach B, is originally from Cincinnati,Ohio and has found home here in the Bay area. Brandon graduated from the University of Dayton with degrees in Education & Sports Management and has been of service to the youth as an educator, coach, mentor and leader.

Brandon has been a teacher, basketball and soccer coach, martial arts instructor and much more! Brandon has a passion for working with children of all ages and abilities and has spent over seven years working with children with special abilities.

His mission is to support children in developing lifelong skills that will help them create relationships, gain confidence, be active and have fun! Brandon’s approach is to be mindful of the whole-child and to structure his time with them so that they feel seen, heard and appreciated.

Brandon uses basketball, taekwondo and hapkido as tools to bring the best out of children and is grateful to use his knowledge to help shape the leaders of the next generation. Brandon is a devoted father and partner, avid smiler, world traveler and basketballer.