Leadership and Administration
Shalom Staub, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director
Bio
Shalom joined the Center staff in September 2018. He has been involved in collaborative, community-engaged program development, pedagogy and research over his multi-sector 42-year professional career in state government, the private non-profit sector, and higher education.
At the Center, Shalom is responsible for strategic leadership to advance community-engaged learning and research opportunities as a cornerstone of the UCLA undergraduate experience. He introduced the new community-engaged course framework in 2019 and secured the approval of the Undergraduate Council for this open, expansive approach. He led the re-design of the Community Engagement and Social Change (CESC) minor, which is now a flourishing free-standing minor with over 90 students. He redesigned the Engaging Los Angeles course, which now enrolls 120 students each quarter. Engaging Los Angeles serves as the gateway to the CESC minor, focusing social inequality in contemporary Los Angeles and strategies for social change. Students in that course are matched with one of nearly 40 nonprofit partners, working with those organizations and gaining insights into the core themes of the course. Shalom also developed a new online course on Intercultural Communication for the Global Workplace available to students participating in the new summer Global Internships program.
Shalom leads the implementation of Goal 1 of UCLA’s Strategic Plan: Deepening UCLA’s Engagement with Los Angeles, providing leadership across the university to build the institutional structures and policies that enable community-engaged scholarship to flourish at UCLA. His efforts have successfully increased recognition for community-engaged research and teaching in the academic personnel review process. His efforts have contributed to securing national recognition for UCLA faculty from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Engagement Scholarship Consortium: “Exemplary Work” recognition in 2020 for Million Dollar Hoods and the Kellogg Community-Engagement Scholarship Award in 2021 for Congo Basin Institute.
Prior to arriving to Los Angeles, Staub was Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Civic Engagement at Dickinson College. In his 14 years at Dickinson, he collaborated with faculty colleagues to develop a civic learning and community-engagement program that was embedded in the curriculum spanning the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. While at Dickinson College, Staub was also a contributing faculty member to the departments of Religion, Sociology, Judaic Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He created Dickinson’s Conflict Resolution Resource Services program, offering conflict coaching, mediation, group facilitation, and conflict skills education to the campus community. Prior to his work at Dickinson, Staub was the founding President/CEO of the Institute for Cultural Partnerships, a non-profit organization located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He had also served as the State Folklorist and later Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Heritage Affairs Commission, a state agency.
Staub’s publications include Yemenis in New York City: The Folklore of Ethnicity; Craft and Community: Traditional Arts in Contemporary Society; Conference Proceedings: Governor’s Conference on Ethnicity—Exploring the Impact of Pennsylvania’s Cultural Diversity on Public Policy, and numerous articles on Yemeni Jews in Israel, Yemeni Muslims in New York, folk culture and cultural conservation, and civic engagement work in higher education.
Staub received his BA and MA in Anthropology from Wesleyan University, and a Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. He holds practitioner certification in conflict mediation and as a conflict resolution educator.
Douglas Barrera, Senior Associate Director for Faculty and Community Engagement
Bio
Douglas (Doug) first joined the staff in 2008, as the coordinator for the Civic Engagement internship course. He became an assistant director with the Center in 2012. He has been involved in community engagement work for over 20 years.
At the Center, Doug works directly with faculty and community partners to develop community-engaged courses for undergraduates. He has developed and directs UCLA’s Collaboratory initiative, the Astin Community Engaged Scholars and the Changemaker Scholars programs. He also facilitates the Center’s Engaged Pedagogy Workshop series and course development for the Chancellor’s Award for Engaged Scholars initiative, and is currently developing a place-based initiative related to youth empowerment in west L.A. He serves as the Campus Champion for the center’s Jumpstart program. Doug teaches courses for the Community Engagement & Social Change minor, and is an adjunct instructor for Labor Studies.
Prior to working for the Center, Doug was a research analyst with the UCLA Center for Community Partnerships and the Higher Education Research Institute. Before coming to UCLA, he was a program director for the Consensus Organizing Institute in San Diego, and taught community-engaged courses at UC San Diego and the University of San Diego. Dr. Barrera has published scholarly articles on student development through service learning and the development of community-campus partnerships. He is co-author of the Council of Europe publication, Advancing Democratic Practice: A Self-Assessment Guide for Higher Education, and the Higher Education Research Institute’s publication, First in My Family: A Profile of First-Generation College Students at Four-Year Institutions Since 1971. He serves on the editorial board for Collaborations: A Journal of Community-Based Research and Practice, and was previously a member of the program board of directors for a social service agency in Pacoima, CA. Doug received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Education from the University of California Los Angeles, and an M.A. and B.A. in History from San Diego State University.
Zack Ritter, Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives
Bio
Dr. Zack Ritter is currently Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives at UCLA’s Center for Community Engagement, where he also teaches a senior capstone on research methods. Previously, he was Associate Dean of Students at Cal State Dominguez Hills, helping students facing housing and food insecurities. He was also the Associate Dean of Diversity at Harvey Mudd College and University of Redlands. He also spent several years in the nonprofit sector, building bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities. Dr. Ritter received his PhD from UCLA, focusing on East Asian international students, racial stereotypes, and American media promulgation of globalized race/class/gender hierarchies. He also has co-edited four books with the latest entitled: Restorative Justice and Practices in Higher Education.
Bio
Munia Bhaumik is the Program Director of Mellon Social Justice Curricular Initiatives and an award-winning scholar of comparative literature, politics, and law. An alumna of UCLA, where she received her M.A. in Urban Planning, her research and teaching critiques racial and gender inequities as well as the multiple social factors impacting whose lives count before the law. Thus, as an academic researcher, she rethinks citizenship and democracy theory from the perspective of vulnerability, considering how marginalized noncitizen refugees, migrant workers, incarcerated persons, and undocumented (child) detainees are crucial social actors. Dr. Bhaumik received her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Berkeley before joining the faculty at Emory University in Atlanta where she engaged with new Asian/Latinx immigrant and African American community voting rights alliances in the South, while also developing a vibrant undergraduate degree program in comparative literature and critical theory. Based on her research about noncitizens as the “uncounted,” data and democracy, as well as on poetry as political action across the Global South, she received the prestigious Stanford Humanities Center, Herman Melville Society, and Cornell Society for the Humanities faculty awards. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Bhaumik also spent a decade as a primarily Spanish-speaking labor/community organizer on the staff of leading progressive organizations in Los Angeles shaping national debates about social justice through direct action. Her academic book, In Liberty’s Shadow: The Noncitizen in American Letters and Law, deploys close literary and theoretical readings of seminal literary and philosophical texts defining American political culture before 1900 to argue for a new democratic ethos of recognition for our present. Equally motivated by the humanities as by social movements, particularly the ethical dilemmas communities-of-color are mobilizing in this global (post)metropolis, her work brings to attention research protocols in alliance with the demands for abolition and noncitizen citizenship as well as multilingual, queer, migrant, worker, healthcare, and Black equal rights.
Bio
Mary Keipp has been the Program Director of the Community Youth Programs (previously the UCLA Community Based Learning Program) since 1989. During these past 33 years under Mary’s direction, the program has grown from a single $100,000 youth workforce program to over 10 extramurally funded youth programs, with contracts totally $3.5 million. The Community Youth Programs work directly with underserved adolescents and young adults, providing a variety of youth workforce development activities that strengthen the educational attainment and career readiness for approximately 700 youth annually. The program operates two youth centers: one in West LA and one in the Pico Union area. The other major area of Community Youth Programs endeavors is providing traditional afterschool programming to young people at six LAUSD high schools and one elementary school. Mary’s current tenure at UCLA is her “second time around” with the University, having first been employed from 1963 to 1968, as a Program Assistant initially fort he Institute of Government and Public Affairs and then the UCLA Overseas Programs Office. In the 21 years between her two UCLA engagements, Mary worked for Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Northridge in workforce and school related programs. Those years also found Mary volunteering in a host of school committees and community organizations, primarily focused on youth development and civil rights initiatives. These included the LAUSD Citizens Advisory Committee on Student Integration, the Martin Luther King Legacy Association, LACER, Communities in Schools Advisory Committee and YPICS Charter School Board of Trustees.
Clearly Mary’s passion for youth has guided her work and community activities for many years, but she has found time for her other loves. These include her nine adult grandchildren and of course, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Christina-Marie Santillan, Assistant Director for Community-Engaged Learning
Bio
Christina-Marie (or CM, for short) has worked at UCLA for nine years and joined the Center in June 2023. She brings with her experience in community education, higher education, communications, and business operations. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in women’s, gender, & sexuality studies from Cal State University, Long Beach. In 2017, she earned her MBA, with a concentration in project management, from Mount Saint Mary’s University.
At the Center, Christina-Marie is responsible for the coordination and management of undergraduate academic programs and initiatives, including the 195CE internship program and the Community Engagement and Social Change minor. She also oversees strategic communication and outreach.
Christina-Marie’s career at UCLA has afforded her the opportunity to work directly with academic policy, programs and services for UCLA students, as well as support faculty and staff. Previously, she served as the Manager for the Undergraduate Educations Initiatives unit, where she was responsible for operations across all programs. During her time as Communications Manager for the Department of Mathematics, Christina-Marie led the planning, coordination, and implementation of marketing programs to actively engage their 13,000 alumni and donor base.
Her community engagement experience falls mainly under community education, where she served as a national community organizer for a non-profit organization that focused on prevention education for youth dating violence. In this role, she helped to develop an online curriculum and trained over 500 youth and adults across the country to implement the program in their respective school districts. Locally, Christina-Marie taught a residency program at Animo Watts Charter High School and conducted several guest speaking engagements at various middle and high schools all throughout LA county. During this time, she worked with various populations and organizations serving Native American youth, LGBTQ youth, youth experiencing homelessness, and underrepresented youth in low-income areas.
Larissa Gurrola, Grants Manager
Bio
Originally from Zacatecas, Mexico, I earned a BA in Secondary Education with a concentration in English as a Foreign Language. Relocating to the US in 2016, I have worked as a preschool teacher in various Montessori schools, developing a deep understanding of early childhood development. While pursuing an Early Childhood credential at UCI, my passion for educational leadership led to an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Leadership from American University, where I gained valuable research experience. My recent work in community outreach at an elementary school in Ventura County solidified my commitment to building strong school-community partnerships.
Bio
Diana Alaberkyan is a Southern California native who began her career in pursuit of public service. Her past experience includes working for local city councils, Los Angeles county, and the California state government. Now, she has fully transitioned into supporting the University of California mission to serve society as a center of higher learning. Her work at UCLA began in August 2022 and she officially joined the Center for Community Engagement in January 2025.
As the CCE Manager, Diana oversees all general operations, including administrative, financial and HR processes. These tasks include but are not limited to: streamlining CCE operations, using her expertise to ensure that processes are run efficiently to best support the Center’s programs.
Diana graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a focus in Public Policy. Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration at Pepperdine University.
Bio
Xochitl Lopez (she, her, ella) was born and raised in Oxnard, California – where she learned how to become an advocate, organizer, and relative. A proud first-generation college graduate, Xochitl holds bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Spanish from California Lutheran University and a Master of Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
As Community Partnerships Coordinator, Xochitl oversees recruiting new partner organizations, organizing student volunteers with partners, and supporting community-engaged development and assessment. Xochitl’s previous work surrounding migrant rights, farmworker justice, and youth organizing has inspired her to increase opportunities for community engagement at larger scales.
Bio
Charlie is the Quarter in Washington and the UC Center Sacramento program coordinator. He has been working for UCLA since May of 2022. His previous role at UCLA was as the Undergraduate Counselor for the Political Science Department. Charlie became the Quarter in Washington and the UC Center Sacramento program coordinator in October 2023. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Dominguez hills in Sociology and went on to obtain his Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. He is passionate about supporting any and all students towards their personal and academic success.
195CE Internship Courses
Bio
Suzannah Cady is the Senior TA Coordinator for the Center for Community Engagement’s 195CE Program. She is a Ph.D. Candidate in the English Department who specializes in Restoration and 18th-Century British Literature and Culture. She has previously taught the English 195CE course.
CESC Lecturers
Bio
Originally from Ukraine, Marina has a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She teaches courses in public speaking, intercultural and global communication, communication theory and public relations, among others. Marina’s research has focused on community activism to resist the changes of gentrification and how residents’ consumption of media, or lack thereof, might help or hinder resistance to profit-driven neighborhood change. She has worked with and conducted research in various Los Angeles communities to better understand the residents’ perspectives of gentrification and its social and cultural effects. Prior to her Ph.D. work, Marina worked in communication for human rights organizations and nonprofits in Los Angeles, New York and Germany.
Bio
Dr. Rigoberto Marquez is a native of Los Angeles, first generation college student and a product of California’s three public school systems. Dr. Marquez is a higher education administrator, researcher, and educator at the intersections of inclusion, equity, access, and integrative learning. He has over two decades of experience working in the areas of program development and administrative leadership incorporating research, queer & critical race theoretical frameworks and anti-oppressive approaches to education, research, and policy development. Rigoberto has held teaching and research fellowships at Stanford, Columbia, Mills College, and the University of San Francisco. His work on the experiences of queer and LGBT Latine(a/o/x) families has been published in journals such as the Journal for Homosexuality, Equity and Excellence in Education, Curriculum Inquiry. Dr. Marquez holds a PhD from UCLA’s school of education and information studies, a master’s degree from the college of education at the University of Maryland, College Park, bachelor’s degrees from the UC-San Diego and earned a liberal arts degree from Santa Monica College.
Bio
Sjoerd Oostrik is an award-winning Dutch documentary filmmaker and educator based in Los Angeles. His work operates at the intersection of the artistic documentary and the socially engaged film. He has made documentary films with and about juvenile prisoners, indigenous youth from the Peruvian Amazon, African film operators, teenage moms, struggling lovers, and rebellious twelve-year-olds.
His films have screened at international festivals such as Locarno Film Festival, IDFA, FESPACO, Sao Paulo ISFF and Dokfest München. In 2014 he won the Media Fund Prize at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) for his feature length documentary A Quiet Place, which premiered at IDFA 2016.
Besides the Community Engagement and Social Change minor he has taught at UCLA School of Theater Film and Television and the Dutch Film Academy.
Student Assistants & Ambassadors
Amara Patel, CESC Student Ambassador
Bio
Amara Patel is a current Junior majoring in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution and minoring in Community Engagement and Social Change (CESC). During the 2024-25 school year, she holds the position of CESC Student Ambassador.
Coming from a small town in Minnesota, Amara was heavily involved in creating and running her school district’s BIPOC student group as well as the student activism club that worked to create a more inclusive community. She was also consulted on district-wide equity efforts addressing English and history curriculums.
Through the minor, she has begun to explore the topic of health inequities and social determinants of health as she plans to pursue a career in the medical field. The hands on work with people in UCLA’s surrounding communities has been invaluable to her personal and professional development.
As the CESC Student Ambassador, she works with other staff members to help grow the program and reach more students at UCLA . This involves helping manage CESC’s social media as well as performing class visits to get the word out about this program. With connections in both the STEM and humanities sides of UCLA, her goal is to get as many students as possible interested and invested in community-engaged learning!
Angela Ledesma-Grattarola, CCE Student Assistant
Bio
Angela Ledesma-Grattarola (She/Her) is a proud first-generation sophomore at UCLA, double majoring in Political Science and Public Affairs. She recently joined the Center as a Student Assistant, where she supports all CCE Programs– including social media, events, and special projects. Angela also serves as the primary contact for all student inquiries by phone or email.
Her community engagement experience began with her work as the Features Editor for her high school’s student newspaper, where she collaborated with other editors and writers. Her main goal during her time as Features Editor was to create a platform that highlighted global events and issues at a student level while also elevating student cultures. Currently, Angela continues to engage with her community, by amplifying student voices as the Chief of Senate for the Academic Affairs Commission (AAC).
In her current capacity as a Student Assistant for the Center, Angela is eager to assist any student who may have questions regarding the Center’s initiatives. She is also excited to expand the Center’s social media presence to raise awareness about its incredible opportunities.
Vacant, Quarter in Washington Student Ambassador
Bio
After-School Programs
Bio
For the past sixteen years, Jamie has worked with at-risk youth in vulnerable communities helping support their academic achievement. Throughout the time in Education, she has worked in early childhood education, primary and secondary school settings and managing after school programs.
Since 2005 she has been developing Expanded Learning Programs, that include working directly with youth program development, leadership roles, and collaborating with Los Angeles Unified School District’s Beyond the Bell, community-based organizations, and public and private agencies to help youth create pathways to higher education, and professional development through leadership opportunity.
She has witnessed firsthand the impact after school programs have in student success and is committed to providing services that demonstrated positive student outcomes in academic achievement, increased school day attendance, engaging learning, and social and emotional skills
Carmen Santiago, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Coming soon!
Bio
Josh Bahena, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Coming soon!
Bio
Mallory Adragna is the School Site Coordinator at UCLA Community School. She attended East Los Angeles College (ELAC) and received an Associate’s degree in Psychology. During her time at ELAC, she participated in the Puente Club where she mentored and provided support to her fellow peers. Upon transferring to UCLA, she worked at the UCR, Science center assisting with programs to help underrepresented students gain research experience. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies, she worked in the nonprofit & education sector in providing academic and professional development. Mallory desires to influence the next generation of students with mindfulness and emotional intelligence. She is passionate about working with youth and empowering them to find their voices and expand their perspectives. In her spare time, she enjoys getting outdoors with nature and engaging in sports such as soccer, volleyball and kayaking.
Bio
MaryAnn Szyskowski has been with UCLA for twenty-years; first working for the Workforce Investment Act program and since 2008 has been housed at University High School Charter as the School Site Coordinator for UCLA After School Programs. Additionally, Ms. Szyskowski is the advisor for the Peer Mediation program at University High School Charter which trains high school student in conflict resolution. In her spare time, Ms. Szyskowski volunteers with a local dog rescue and has fostered and adopted many rescue dogs over the last fifteen years.
Jayleen Cruz, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Jayleen Cruz is the School Site Coordinator for the Beyond the Bell program at Coeur D’Alene Elementary School. She graduated from UCLA with honors, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in physiological Science in 2024. Throughout her undergraduate education at UCLA, she participated in tutoring programs such as the Learning Assistant program and taught a UCLA course through the USIE program. Here, she found a love for mentorship and education. In her time working as an assistant to the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department of David Geffen School of Medicine, she advocated for fair and accessible education particularly to those from lower-income homes and marginalized backgrounds. Through participating in the A Moment of Magic foundation, Jayleen has plenty of experience working with children of diverse needs and backgrounds. She is committed to providing quality educational and enrichment services to LA youth.
Evelyn Jimenez, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Monique Blackwell, School Site Coordinator
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Monique is the Community Youth Programs Site Coordinator for the Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) in Los Angeles. A recent graduate from UCLA, she holds a double major in Education and African American Studies, demonstrating her strong commitment to educational equity and youth empowerment. Prior to this role, Monique served as an Access Coordinator at UCLA for SHAPE, where she supported diverse student populations. With a passion for fostering leadership among young students of color, she is dedicated to creating inclusive environments that inspire both academic and personal growth. Outside of work, Monique enjoys community engagement and exploring different cultures.
Selena Lopez, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Coming soon!
Sofia Muro, School Site Coordinator
Bio
Sofia Muro is the School Site Coordinator for the afterschool program at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Education. During her time at UCSC, Sofia worked as a behavior interventionist. She also worked at the Boys and Girls club as a youth development professional and lifeguard, where she established and coached a swim team. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, she developed a strong interest in helping her community thrive. Growing up, she spent most of her time volunteering at the Watts Towers Arts Center and at Jesse Owens Park. She is very passionate about helping others, and she hopes to inspire youth to become active in their own communities. During her free time, she enjoys dancing, swimming, and reading. She also loves music and fashion.
Youth Workforce Readiness Programs
Bio
Amanda Gonzalez has dedicated 20+ years to working with at risk youth ofLos Angeles.Amanda has worked for UCLA since 2000. This is when her passion for mentoring and assisting youth began. She started her career with UCLA as a case manager for the Community Based Learning Program working with at-risk youth enrolled in the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act(WIOA) and Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) Programs funded by the City of Los Angeles’ Economic Development Workforce Department. In 2007 she began supervising a team of case managers and part time support staff while overseeing the daily management of program operations oft hree youth workforce programs, WIOA, SYEP, and LA Rise Program.These programs offer work readiness training, education, career, and financial literacy guidance, and job coaching to up to 700 young individuals annually from underserved communities in Los Angeles that range in age from 14-30 years old.
Amanda has expert experience assisting youth with disabilities, teen parents, foster, unstably house, justice involved, and LGBTQ youth. In 2014 she collaborated with Los Angeles LGBT Centerto create the Transgender Youth Employment Toolkit, which was developed as a part of the Transitions to Work (T2W) project. The T2W project was a pilot project to address the challenges and issues that transgender youth face when entering the workforce. The experiences and best practices learned and developed are contained in this toolkit which is intended to be used by employment caseworkers and others in preparing this marginalized and disconnected youth population for the workforce.
As a first-generation college student Amanda graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California where she studied Public Policy and Management under the School of Public Administration. In her free time, Amanda enjoys attending Broadway musicals, watching movies, and cooking.
Bio
Carolyn began her tenure at UCLA in 1989. She began as receptionist for the Community-Based Learning Program and Field Studies. Throughout her 33 years, she has held different positions from receptionist to Case Manager to her current role as Information Management Specialist.She keeps staff updated on where we are in enrollments by providing bi-weekly tracking reports and reminders of what is needed for our files.She assists Case Managers with follow-up activities after our youth have exited the program for 12 months.Carolyn has been able to absorb the programmatic changes over the years and has been able to transition from the JobTraining Partnership Act (JTPA) to theWorkforce Investment Act(WIA), to our current Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Program (WIOA). She has acquired a wealth of knowledge and expertise on CalJOBS, which is the State of California’s system for participant tracking, and federal and state reporting.She regularly attends trainings to keep abreast of the updates and changes made to the system. Carolyn is passionate about helping youth find their voice, direction, and resources to become successful self-sufficient adults. Carolyn enjoys cooking, crocheting, and listening to all genres of music.
Bio
David Herrera has worked in non-profit organization and Educational Programs for over 20+ years. His activism was nourished at the University of San Francisco where the Jesuit philosophy of service rooted in justice and love for others was introduced. He started his career at Bienestar Human Services where he worked alongside his community helping the LGBTQ+ youth In East Los Angeles by providing targeted programs to bring awareness, prevention and stigma reduction around HIV/AIDS. He was then introduced to the Community Based Learning team by a researcher Dr. Ayala who had mentored him while serving as a board member for APLA Health agency representing Queer Latino/a youth for the City of Los Angeles. While at CBL David was able to work with diverse organizations all over the City of Los Angeles from the Harbor to the Valley and everywhere in between. He helped with resources for youth to gain knowledge in the world of work and financial literacy. He was then placed in the Beyond the Bell Program where he provided after school programming for at one point three South Los Angeles High Schools gaining a true understanding of service to others. Eventually continuing his Jesuit Education by attending Loyola Marymount University achieving his Master’s in Business.Now he looks forward to continue his service alongside the community in need of resources and support.During the Pandemic he focused on trainings around inclusion and diversity and implemented that knowledge to better serve his community and students. On the weekends you can find him enjoying a musical or concert when he is not playing tennis or creating art. David credits his great network of loving friends for reminding him every day that his work matters and is having a positive impact in our community.
Bio
Kevin Matthews has worked for UCLA since 2016. He began as a case manager for the Community Based Learning Program working with at risk youth enrolled in the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) Programs, and LA Rise Program. These programs offer work readiness training, paid internships, support services, and education and career guidance to underserved youth within the Los Angeles communities. Youth in these workforce programs range in age from 14-30 years old.Kevin manages a caseload of up to 60 youth annually.
Kevin has experience working with youth with disabilities, teen parents, foster, homeless, justice involved, LGBTQ youth, and military veterans. In 2020, he became a lead case manager for Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Student to Student Program. In this program students were recruited from various LAUSD high schools and given a paid internship that allowed them to tutor younger family members at home during the beginning of the pandemic. The program was so successful the first year, our agency was refunded for the project for a second year.
Kevin’s passion for working with youth began with coaching young people. He has been coaching high school basketball since 2014. He enjoys motivating young people and teaching them about responsibilities and how it relates working well with others now and in the future. He also enjoys helping young people develop and improve upon their skills. As a coach he can connect with students in the athletic arena just as he would at work with students in the education and career guidance arena.
Kevin is one of the first in his family to attend college. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Los Angeles where he studied Sociology under the School of Social Work. In his free time, Kevin enjoys attending sporting events, concerts, taking walks on the beach, and riding dirt bikes in the mountains with family.
Bio
Ana Peña has worked for the department’s Youth Workforce Programs for 21 years. Ana is a hardworking and reliable case manager with strong ability to identify clients’ needs. She provides services to disadvantage youth ages 14 –24 ,offering educational and work readiness training .She case manages up to 100 youth every school year. Ana is highly organized, proactive, and has a team-oriented mentality. When she isn’t case managing youth, you can find her camping with family or crafting.
Bio
Carlos Pena has worked for UCLA and its Community Based Learning Program since 2012. In his role as Youth Program Coordinator, Carlos helps manage the unit’s WIOA, SYEP, and LA Rise programs. Through these programs, Carlos is able to assist underserved and at-risk youth groups within Los Angeles with educational counseling, workforce preparation, mentoring, and other supportive services. Carlos maintains strong working relationship with local high schools, the various UCLA Afterschool programs, and community organizations such as The Rightway Foundation. He specializes in working with high school seniors, foster youth, and other students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Finally, Carlos works very closely with Human Resources to ensure that all of the program’s hirings are processed efficiently. Carlos personally hires approximately150 student workers every fiscal year.
Carlos is a first-generation college student and proud Bruin, having graduated fromUCLA in 2014 with a degree in Political Science, and minors in both Education and Afro-American Studies. He recently earned his Master’s degree in Higher Education Student Affairs from Grand Canyon University. Outside of work, Carlos enjoys hiking and attending live sporting events.
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Laura in her role as a youth program coordinator, primarily works with youth that live in high poverty areas and includes young people who live in households that are considered low income. Additional groups of youth that are served through other programs address the needs of youth that face housing insecurities, are system involved and foster and former foster as well. She has worked with numerous programs in partnership with the City of Los Angeles to provide employment opportunities along with college and career guidance.Special resources for outreach include system involved, immigrant youth, justice involved and other subcategories in these areas. The service areas for working with youth and outreach spread across the Central, East, and West side of Los Angeles. She has been doing this work for over 22 years since she started as a student at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). She is a fan of all UCLA sports, especially Softball.
Bio
Grecia joined UCLA’s Community Youth Programs as a Youth Program Coordinator in the spring of 2023. She graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, and minors in both Conservation Biology and Film. Throughout her undergraduate career she dedicated her time to various organizations that promoted sustainability and empowering LA’s youth. Grecia was the former Marketing Director for UCLA Dig: Student Garden Coalition, in which she maintained the organization’s social media presence while fostering a space for community members to learn about food systems. In the summer of 2022, she completed her year-long research practicum under the guidance of United States Fish and Wildlife Services to generate conservation strategies that could protect the federally endangered Arroyo Toad. As a first-generation college student, Grecia was inspired to join Mentorship at UCLA, where she planned and facilitated educational empowerment programs to support and educate underserved youth in North Hollywood. Her time as a mentor during her undergraduate years motivated her to continue working with youth after graduation. She wishes to continue uplifting and assisting in the personal development of LA’s youth. In her free time, Grecia enjoys spending time with her friends, going to the movie theater, attending concerts, discovering new music, taking dance classes, and going out for a cup of coffee or boba!
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Yeinsy Venoza began her journey with the team as a participant in the Youth Source program in 2009 and continues working closely with the youth of Los Angeles. Over the years, she has done a little bit of everything in the department, such as after-school coordinator work, working closely with all K-12th grade students, and being involved in the workforce program. These experiences have shaped her into who she is today. Yeinsy is grateful for the opportunity to empower and motivate the youth as they navigate through their academic lives. She finds great joy in seeing young people succeed and reach their full potential. Her dedication and passion for helping others have made a significant impact on the community.
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Majestic has been working for CBL since 2021. He received his Bachelor’s in Communication Studies & Political Science from Cal State Northridge. He is currently working on his Master’s in Education with an emphasis in College Counseling. He is also a member of the following organizations: Alpha Kappa Psi Co-Ed Business Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega Co-Ed Service Fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta Co-Ed Law Fraternity & Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. He is also involved with Hermanos Unidos which focuses on the retention rate of Latinx male students at a four-year institution as well as the African Student Union which focuses on the retention rate of Black students at a four-year institution.When he’s not studying or working, Majestic enjoys hiking, spending time with family & friends, Korean BBQ & Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. He also enjoys going to concerts, traveling & video games (Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros) on his Nintendo Switch.
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Franchesca has spent the past eight years advocating for youth empowerment and social equity, with a deep commitment to creating opportunities for underserved youth and young adults. She graduated with her Bachelors in Sociology and Communications Studies and later received her Master’s in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley. Her work centers on youth-led engagement, city planning, and building pathways for civic leadership.
Franchesca previously led the Not One More Girl campaign at BART, a groundbreaking initiative addressing harassment in public transit and uplifting the voices of girls, women, and gender non-conforming youth.
In addition to her policy and planning work, Franchesca has served as a Re-entry Case Manager with the Gang Reduction Youth Development program, where she supported formerly incarcerated youth and young adults in building personalized reentry plans and accessing vital resources.
Driven by a passion for equity, healing, and systemic change, Franchesca continues to create spaces where young people can thrive, lead, and reimagine their communities.