Tracey Black

City of Oakland, Department of Human Services

Oakland

Ms. Black currently works as a Program Planner for the City of Oakland, Department of Human Services (DHS), Head Start/Early Head Start programs, and has held this position for the past 3.5 years.  She earned an MA in Education, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education, from Mills College and BA in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles.  Ms. Black is currently working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education.

Ms. Black worked in the field of ECE as a Program Director/Coordinator of the City of Oakland, DHS, San Antonio Even Start Family Literacy Program for 8 years, and brought over 13 years of prior experience as former educational researcher and content specialist in children’s educational multimedia, gained through her work with Sesame Workshop and Lucas Learning in NY.  Ms. Black former experience as a preschool teacher with the Children’s Collective in South Central Los Angeles, is where she became inspired to advocate for and contribute to quality early learning experiences for young children and their families.  This inspiration and appreciation remains with Ms. Black today, as she currently explores educational leadership in the field of early care and education and administration, multiple variables of victory and challenge, authentic leadership and voice, the impact on practice, as well as the quality of future early learning outcomes for children and families, across cultures, languages, experiences, and abilities. 

Jennifer Der

City of Daly City Library and Recreation Services Department

Daly City

Jennifer was born and raised in the field of recreation. Her volunteer and work experience consists of over 20 years in the field beginning with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, working in various neighborhoods and recreation divisions; planning, coordinating and implementing active and enrichment programs designed for participants from tiny tots to senior citizens and over ten years of experience as a supervisor for the City of Daly City, overseeing areas such as Aquatics, Adult Athletics, Tiny Tot Gymnastics, Event Planning Services, Facility Party Reservations, Class Development and Cultural Arts, and the coordination of Summer Camps.

Additionally, Jennifer has 5 years of experience as a CalSAC trainer, mentor and project leader and presently has been very involved with the NPASS and STEM programs where she has participated in the curriculum design and training of STEM activities. Her strengths include the ability to take initiative and follow through; perform multi-task projects within limited time constraints; teach, lead and train with enthusiasm; work with and supervise people of different ethnic, cultural, religious, and economical backgrounds; create new and viable recreation programs from scratch, and work with a team.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management, with a minor in Asian American Studies and a Masters of Science in Recreation Administration from San Francisco State University.

Michael Figueroa

Kern County Superintendent of Schools

Bakersfield

Michael Figueroa is a native of Bakersfield, CA. He comes from a large Mexican family who immigrated to the US to pick crops in the Central Valley. He has a beautiful wife and daughter who he spends most of his time with. He received his undergraduate degree at UCLA in Economics and Latin American Studies. He spent a year studying in Guanajuato, Mexico, his home away from home. In college, he became involved in youth service activities, exposing him to a field that would later become his career.

Through Michael’s professional experience, he has directed instructional day, afterschool, and service-learning programs and initiatives. He has managed up to 80 full and part-time staff, focused on serving at-risk and high-risk populations in conventional, continuation, and court & community schools. Michael also partner regularly with community-based organizations. He specializes in service-learning, a research-based strategy that improves academic achievement and school attendance and is recognized nationally as a drop-out prevention strategy. Michael currently manages a statewide AmeriCorps program with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. He sits on the board of Excel Youth Zone, mentor youth, and work regularly with the California School-Age Consortium at various capacities. Michael is in the process of obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics.

Beiling Gonzalez

Holy Family Day Home

San Francisco

Born and raised in Oakland, CA, in a family of six, Beiling Gonzalez recognized at an early age the importance of community-building and the need for strong leaders in her underserved community. At the age of 15, she began the course of her career by serving on the City’s Hall Youth Planning Committee for the creation of Youth Uprising (YU) - a 25,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art center in the heart of East Oakland for community transformation lead by youth. Her passion for working with youth and family services, lead her to attend the University of California, Davis where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development and Bachelors of Arts in Psychology.

Beiling’s experience in the non-profit field ranges from working with the California Migrant Education program where she provided tutoring and case management to migrant youth and families, home visitation services to at-risk homeless children and serving on the Sexual Assault Response Advocate (SART) team in Sacramento County. Beiling was recently promoted as the Admissions Coordinator for Holy Family Day Home, the oldest early childhood education center in the country west of the Mississippi, located in the Mission district of San Francisco.  Beiling has over 10 years of experience dancing and choreographing and in her spare time enjoys reading Spanish literature, traveling, and drinking coffee with her loved ones. 

Andre Ike

Alta Loma School District

Ontario

A Southern California native, Andre Ike began his career as a volunteer librarian for his local elementary school at the age of 12. While there he learned the importance of giving back and helping children. After high school, he decided to pursue a degree in psychology from the University of La Verne in La Verne, California. After finishing college, he worked with various populations from SED children to developmentally disabled adults.

For the last seven years, Andre has been working for Alta Loma School District (ALSD) as a before and afterschool child care coordinator.  It is at ALSD where Andre discovered the importance of quality afterschool care. Outside of child care, Andre enjoys going on vacation with his family and golfing with friends. 

Julpha Maniquis-Dormitorio

Newport-Mesa USD/Project Success

Costa Mesa

Julpha Dormitorio is a TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) for ASES programs at the Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Orange County.  She coordinates after-school programming for nine Title-1 elementary schools in her district.  She recently completed the administrative credentialing program at UC Irvine, and also participates in a leadership development cohort in her district. 

Julpha has taught in the classroom for 8 years previously, and has been in her current position for 4 years.  She believes there is endless learning potential in the world of after-school.  It is still full of possibilities!

Jerri Keyes

The Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Long Beach

Jerri Keyes fell in love with learning and helping people at a very young age and shared that passion with all those she has met along her educational journey. After graduating from Lakewood High School in Long Beach, CA she decided to become independent from her family and make a real difference.  She became a student at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA. Jerri majored in Psychology for 2 main reasons; she wanted to better understand people and she wanted to help people understand how to function better with others. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in 2001 and returned to Long Beach shortly after with a new found independence and a 5 year plan to change the world!

Jerri began working in Child Development Programs and Summer Camps, and took a few Child Development courses. She truly wanted students to have an opportunity to develop skills and passions independent of pressure from parents and teacher influence.  Jerri fell in love with changing lives and inspiring youth!  She didn’t reach all of the goals on her 5 year plan but it hasn’t stopped her from accomplishing so many other great things and it gives her more motivation to keep reaching for the moon! 

Sara Reyes

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

San Jose

Sara Reyes is from San Jose, California. Her parents are from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. She is the middle child of five siblings. She is also the single parent of two young boys, Jacob David Tapia 11 and Eli Daniel Tapia 9. Ms. Reyes dedicates many hours to her children’s activities ranging from fall football to spring baseball. She is always working on maintaining the balance of family, work, and her own education.

Ms. Reyes holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Cultures from The National Hispanic University, East San Jose, CA. She is currently a candidate in the Masters in Public Administration program at San Jose State University. She has been employed with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County since 2003 and is currently the Program Director for After School Educational Services. Ms. Reyes oversees twenty-two school sites, which serve over 3500 students yearly, with a budget exceeding 4 million dollars.

Aleah Rosario

Consult 4Kids/Riverbank Unified School District

Riverbank

Aleah is a Consultant and Trainer with Consult 4 Kids providing professional development to the afterschool field.  Beginning her career in afterschool as a volunteer, Aleah has experienced the world of youth development from the lens of a frontline program leader to a community organizer to her current position consulting and training.  She received her formal education from CSU Stanislaus, is a CalSAC Trainer, holds the position of Policy/Advocacy Coordinator for the Central California CalSAC Chapter and was honored to be a trainer and Advisory Committee member at the 2011 CalSAC Afterschool Challenge.  

A Central Valley native and believer in that the West Coast is the best coast, Aleah enjoys taking part in community events, exploring the local music and art scene, dancing and advocacy.  Aleah holds a deep-rooted passion for ensuring that t here is justice in this world, including giving every child the opportunity to be whatever they want to be. She believes afterschool and out-of-school time has a place in this effort, and her unconditional drive towards justice that keeps her in the afterschool field is something that Aleah hopes to share with others through advocacy and education.

Cecilia Terrazas

RYSE Center

Oakland

Cecilia Terrazas is a Los Angeles native who has over twelve years experience in the field of education, youth development, union organizing and advocacy efforts aimed at improving schools and communities in under resourced areas. She was born and raised in Hawthorne, California and attended UCL A where she obtained a B.A in Sociology. Prior to joining RYSE in 2009, she attended the University of California, Berkeley to receive her Master’s Degree in Social Welfare.

Cecilla is a former high school teacher and union organizer who has dedicated to providing at-risk and low-income youth with resources and assistance to reach their educational, emotional, and personal goals. Currently, she is the Education and Career Director at the RYSE Center, a youth center in Richmond, CA, whose mission is to create spaces that build youth power for young people to love, learn, educate, heal, and transform lives and communities. Cecilia is also the proud mother of a two children, Sol and Ollin, with whom she shares her passion for music, love, and laughter.

Jovon Torres

San Juan Unified School District

Sacramento

Jovon has eight years of youth development and after school programming experience within the non-profit sector.  Currently as a Prevention Specialist with the San Juan Unified School District, Jovon works closely with schools to provide brief prevention and intervention programs to middle and high school students district-wide.

In 2010, Jovon was promoted within the Bridges After School Program (SJUSD) to work at San Juan High School for its ASSETs After School Program. Jovon was able transform his ASSETs After School Programs attendance from 30% ADA (average daily attendance) to over an 85% ADA in just one year.

In 2007, Jovon was named by The Observer Media Group as one of Sacramento’s 30 under 30 recipients for his positive work within the Greater Sacramento area through Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento.  Additionally, Jovon is also an active member with the Citrus Heights Collaborative, Tobacco Control Coalition, and the Sacramento County Youth Subcommittee.

Jovon earned an Associates of Arts degree in Social Sciences from the Los Rios Community College District in 2010 and plans to transfer to California State University Sacramento. Jovon hopes to give back to his community one day by opening up his own after school youth center for underprivileged youth in urban areas, so that they have any opportunity to be loved, supported, and motivated to become productive, responsible, and caring citizens. 

Chris Tsukida

Richmond District Neighborhood Center

San Francisco

Chris Tsukida is a Site Manager for the Richmond District After School Collaborative with the Richmond District Neighborhood Center. Chris joined the Richmond District Neighborhood Center in 2009, after working as a site manager for an after school program in the District of Columbia Public School system.  Chris currently manages a program for 85 youth with a staff of 10 dedicated youth workers. Chris believes that the neighborhood center's mission to provide a safe, arts enriched, academically supportive, culturally relevant after school program is critical to the success and well being of many families in the San Francisco Richmond District.

Chris began work in after school as a Research Associate with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, conducting research and evaluation of youth development programs.  During his tenure with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency Chris also served on the advisory board for the South East Asian Young Leaders, a youth development program for South East Asian youth in Richmond, California. While working as a Research Associate, Chris was inspired by the vast array of community based youth development programs and the passion and commitment of youth workers in Oakland. This experience inspired him to pursue a career in youth development and after school programs.

Chris holds a bachelors degree in Sociology and Asian American Studies from the University of California, Davis.

Frances Vasquez

THINK Together

Orange County

Frances Vasquez served as the Middle School Specialist for three years at THINK Together.   She was responsible for program development and implementation for all THINK Together middle school and teen sites.  In this role she worked with curriculum, provided staff development and coaching for middle school staff as well as their Quality Assurance Coaches.

During the summer of 2005 Frances developed a THINK Together teen program for homeless students in Phoenix, AZ.  Prior to joining THINK Together, Frances worked for the YMCA and coordinated a mentor program for homeless students.  She has also worked as a church youth director for eight years. 

Frances received a B.A. from Vanguard University of Southern California in Religion with an emphasis in Leadership and Ministry.  You can always find Frances at a local youth event cheering on her favorite youth as they play, perform, or participate in any activity.  She is committed to helping the youth achieve their dreams and reach for the stars.