STAFF
Mike King
Executive Director
As Executive Director of CAFE, Mike King leads the organization’s strategic planning, program development, fundraising, financial management, and day-to-day operations. His commitment to advancing age-friendly communities and improving the lives of older adults grew through his work in public policy, community development, and strategic planning, including leading age-friendly planning initiatives throughout Northern California as the founding Director of Pear Street Consulting.
Mike brings more than a decade of experience in public sector leadership, policy analysis, program evaluation, and community engagement. Throughout his career, he has partnered with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders to develop strategic plans, conduct program evaluations, and design data-informed solutions to complex public policy challenges. His areas of expertise include aging and senior services, human services, workforce development, community engagement, organizational strategy, and performance measurement.
Prior to joining CAFE, Mike served as Senior Project Manager at CivicMakers, where he led high-impact planning and engagement projects for public agencies and nonprofit organizations. He previously held leadership and analyst positions with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Children, Youth & Their Families, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. He began his public service career as a Human Services Analyst with the Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Mike holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Boston University.
Ann O’Brien Keighran, MSN
Strategic Alliance Lead
Ann O’Brien Keighran is a retired Councilwoman and four-time mayor of the City of Burlingame. She served the City from 2005 to 2022.
She was an acting City Liaison to the School District, Chamber of Commerce, and Central County Fire Board and a member of the Community Center Master Plan Advisory Committee. She helped establish the Economic Subcommittee in 2007 and has been quite active. She was also invited on behalf of the Board of Supervisors Blue Ribbon Task Force on Adult Health Care Coverage Expansion, which established recommendations to ensure health care access by many of its neediest community members.
Ann also served on the Planning Commission for almost eight years before the City Council. Ann was also a legislative aide to San Mateo County Supervisor David J. Canepa and focused on older adult issues. She collaborated with Supervisor Canepa to save Seton Hospital in Daly City and served as a liaison to the Commission on Aging, Middle Income Seniors, Emergency Services, and CAFÉ. She is experienced in researching legislation, developing policy issues, and summarizing complex policy topics. Ann has been an integral part of the CAFÉ core team in certifying cities in San Mateo County to become Age- Friendly. Her focus also is to develop action plans to assist cities in looking at developing policies and projects with an age-friendly lens.
Ann has a Master's and Bachelor's in Nursing from the University of San Francisco, focusing on Psychiatry. She currently lives in Burlingame and enjoys reading and playing pickleball.
Karen Cunningham BSc. MFA
Associate Community Organizer
Karen is the previous Mayor of the City of Brisbane CA, serving for seven
years and seven years as Planning Commissioner before that. She served
the City of Brisbane in these capacities from 2010 - 2024, which also
included serving on over 23 Boards, Committees and Commissions. Prior
to that, Karen served in many volunteer citizen capacities, including
successfully advocating for a heated pool for Brisbane and City Dog Park,
where all can gather. She is an accomplished author of “364 days of
Healthy Eating” and has participated at many levels in health and safety
related projects over many years, including films and documentaries.
Karen is past President and Managing Director of Shapes Health and
Fitness Center in Sydney. Karen assertively took the Lead in creating a
conscientious and diligent Task Force Team of Brisbane, CA residents to
help us become certified as an Age Friendly City. With >50% of Brisbane
residents, 50 years and older, she took the reins and had Brisbane CA
qualified in short order. She established herself as a safety and
inclusionary proponent for all, promoting Telehealth and Telehelp through
her participation as member, then Chair of the San Mateo County Library
JPA. Karen also assertively pushed our Local and State Officials for the
funds necessary to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety for all on our
local streets and along the Bayshore Freeway, as well as being a staunch
advocate for older adults to be provided comfortable accommodations
when utilizing open recreational space in of benches for all in our
Community. As Mayor during Covid, she assisted our County leaders in
ensuring that the most vulnerable in our Community were given the much
needed services that had vanished in the traditional sense, including daily
meals.
Paige Howell Taylor
Graphic Designer & Webmaster
Paige Howell Taylor is a creative design consultant and graphic designer based near Atlanta, Georgia. Her professional career spans over twenty years, where she has produced client work ranging from branding and identity systems to application user interfaces, from infographics to illustration — along with everything in between. Through her solo design venture Sage Sublime, she has had the privilege of working with various non-profits, educational organizations, businesses, and startups, and aiding in the development of their communication strategies and tools has always proved to be rewarding work. Paige was also fortunate enough to teach at Georgia State University, her undergraduate BFA alma mater, as an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design from 2008-2016. Additionally, she holds a Master of Science in Information Design and Technology from Georgia Institute of Technology. Paige serves as the webmaster and social media lead for CAFE.
Paige is inspired by CAFE's mission of inclusion for all generations, and is very excited to be able to contribute to their work. When she can assist those who are helping people, society, and the planet to be better and stronger, she feels that is the best use of her design abilities. Creating materials and tools that engage, inspire, instruct, and solve problems is a core focus in Paige's mission.
Tyler Smith
Program Support
Tyler Smith assists CAFE in the betterment of all communities through encouraging inclusivity for all. Tyler works with CAFE as the G Suite (Google Workspace) coordinator (community and other on-site meetings, zooms, G mail, Google Docs, calendar, staff coordination etc.) lead and serves as the administrative assistant to Dr. Pelham. He helps all staff with communications and tech issues. He coordinates with the CAFE board of directors. Tyler has volunteered with California Youth Connection (CYC) to advocate for California’s foster youth and has participated in multiple Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Summits for youth aging out of the foster care system.