Penny Coulter
Chief of Protocol
Penny Coulter is the president of the Coulter Family Foundation, which is a nonprofit that offers funding to medical research and improving healthcare access in resource-limited areas. Apart from her work there, Coulter’s philanthropy focuses on arts and education. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the University of California San Francisco Foundation board of directors, and many more. As the chief of protocol, Coulter will welcome foreign officials, heads of state, diplomats, and scholars from around the world. She will also organize major civic events, and foster international relationships.
Meron Foster
Deputy Chief of Protocol
As the Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Mayor’s office of Protocol, Meron implements cultural diplomacy programs that promote cross-cultural exchange between the people and government of San Francisco and their partners around the world. Meron works to advance the foreign policy goals of the City and County of San Francisco by creating an environment for successful diplomacy.
Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office of Protocol, Meron worked as a Program Associate at the James Irvine Foundation. There, she managed and processed over 400 grants across seven initiatives, valued at $153M.
Earlier in her career, Meron worked at a family-operated nonprofit, working with AIDS orphans in Ethiopia. In that role, she served in various roles as Ambassador Program Coordinator, Project Manager, and Event Planner. She played a lead role in building international partnerships, creating and implementing strategic plans, and creating external communications and marketing strategies.
Meron holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Africana Studies from San Francisco State University and MBA in Management from Mills college. Though she is originally from Ethiopia, she now calls the Bay Area her home.
Bryana Marrero
Program Officer
Bryana Marrero is the Program Officer at the San Francisco Office of Protocol, where her work focuses on implementing cultural diplomacy programs that promote cross-cultural exchange between the people and government of San Francisco and partners around the world. She facilitates day-to-day activities and manages programming that fosters positive relations between the Consular Corps, public agencies, and private-sector organizations. A classically trained opera singer, she performs throughout the Bay Area and continues to pursue her passion for singing. Bryana holds a Master in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University.