Dulce Torres-Petty
Dear Members of the Tandem Community,
I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors to share an important leadership update at Tandem, Partners in Early Learning. After a thoughtful and comprehensive search process, I am delighted to announce that Dulce Torres-Petty has been appointed as Tandem’s Executive Director, effective January 12th, 2026.
This transition comes at a moment of strength for Tandem, thanks in large part to the extraordinary leadership of Savitha Moorthy, who has led the organizations with vision, purpose, and deep care for more than six years. During her tenure, Tandem strengthened its equity-centered foundation, expanded high-quality early learning programming across the Bay Area, and built a talented, values-driven team. I am deeply grateful to Savitha for her partnership and for the thoughtfulness with which she has supported this transition. She leaves Tandem well-positioned for the future.
Dulce steps into this role with 20 years of experience advancing education and family well-being through equity-driven, community-rooted work. She is widely respected for her ability to build trust, lead in complex organizations, and cultivate strong partnerships that center children and families. Her experience includes large-scale program development, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainable growth in close partnership with boards.
This appointment is also a homecoming. Early in her career, Dulce worked at Tandem as a Program Coordinator and later as a Program Supervisor, helping to launch and grow community-based literacy initiatives and partnerships across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Since then, she has held senior leadership roles at Oakland Promise and Kidango, overseeing multi-county teams, managing multimillion-dollar budgets, and advancing programs that support children, caregivers, and educators to thrive.
Dulce stood out for her deep alignment with Tandem’s mission, her proven executive leadership, and her genuine connection to this community. She brings both continuity and fresh perspective as Tandem enters its next chapter.
As Dulce shared, “Tandem is where my commitment to early learning and community partnership truly took root. I am honored to return to this organization and help lead it forward alongside such dedicated partners and supporters.”
I am confident in Dulce’s leadership and excited for the future of Tandem. With gratitude for Savitha’s remarkable stewardship and optimism for what lies ahead, we look forward to continuing this work together to create joyful, community-centered learning experiences where children and families can flourish.
Thank you for your continued support of Tandem’s mission.
With appreciation,
Samina Diamond
Chair, Board of Directors
Tandem Partners in Early Learning
PS – Read Savitha Moorthy’s letter to our community on our blog.
Samina Diamond
Board Chair, Tandem Partners in Early Learning
Samina is a Principal Product Manager at Nutanix, formerly a Senior Program Manager at DoorDash (pre-post IPO) in the Operational Excellence area, before which she worked at a variety of software consulting firms. Samina became involved with Tandem through a volunteer project for Tandem through partnership with Full Circle Fund and their Education Circle efforts. She is passionate about being involved with philanthropic efforts that help in providing experiences that assist in building a strong foundation for children in their early years of critical development.
