Staff: Veronica Coppolino

Veronica joined Friends-SF as a Professional Mentor in 2025. A Bay Area native, born and raised in San Jose, Veronica’s journey is deeply rooted in her own lived experiences. As a young person navigating adversity, she was fortunate to have mentors who guided her through the challenges of her childhood and supported her path to higher education. These early influences shaped her passion for mentoring and helping young people through pivotal stages of life.

Veronica earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus on Child Development from Southern Oregon University, attending on both academic and athletic scholarships. While there she began working as a youth wrestling coach and later as a behavioral therapist—roles that deepened her dedication to positively impacting young lives.

After graduation, she returned to the Bay Area and became a counselor for a government program in San Francisco, where she gained extensive experience working with high school students. In this role, she provided mentorship, counseling, resource navigation, and personal goal planning—supporting youth as they transitioned into young adulthood.

Veronica brings 7+ years of hands-on experience working with youth across various settings. Her philosophy and approach are grounded in her own experiences as an under-resourced young person. She is deeply committed to being a consistent, supportive adult in the lives of youth, just as others were for her.

To Veronica, this work is more than a profession—it’s a calling. Outside of her role with Friends-SF, Veronica coaches wrestling clinics for middle and high schoolers, volunteers at youth skate camps, and organizes events to distribute essential supplies to unhoused individuals. Veronica’s drive to give back is rooted in gratitude, and her commitment to youth empowerment remains the heart of everything she does.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill