CEO / President

Yolie Flores

Yolie has dedicated her career to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and families. Throughout her 30-year career, she has held various leadership, management, consultant and policy positions in city and county government, non-profit organizations, philanthropy, and in elected office. In every position, Yolie has committed herself to lifting up parents and helping ensure that all kids —  most especially children from low-income families — grow up with opportunities to lead rich and fulfilling lives.

Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Los Angeles, Yolie attended schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) – the same schools she represented as an elected member of the LAUSD Board of Education, where she served for four years, and the kinds of schools and students that she helped bring attention to as CEO of Communities for Teaching Excellence (2010-2012), focused on ensuring an effective teacher for every student, in every classroom, every day.

Upon graduation from Huntington Park High School, Yolie went on to be the first person in her family to attend a four-year university, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands, and a Master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Yolie began her career as a social worker at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, where she created and led DWP Family Care, a nationally recognized employer-supported child care and family support program. She later became the Director of Child Care Policy and Planning for the City of Los Angeles. After serving as a policy consultant to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Yolie served as CEO of the Los Angeles County Children’s Planning Council, the nation’s largest children’s partnership network. For almost a decade, she led an ambitious change agenda that focused on strengthening families and improving outcomes for children through large-scale reform, family and community engagement, and data-driven planning and policy development. Some of her key accomplishments include establishing community partnerships through the Los Angeles County Service Planning Area Councils, the development of a “safe surrender” policy, and the launch of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors, the nation’s first evidence-based parent leadership program for Latino immigrant parents with children 0-5 years of age.

Between 2007 and 2011, Yolie served as a member and Vice President of the LAUSD Board of Education, the second largest school district in the nation. She was elected to serve students that were reflective of her own experience as an English learner and child of immigrants. It was through this lens and her deep concern that, for too long, too many children of similar background have been denied a quality education, that she championed some of the most significant reforms at LAUSD. During her tenure, Yolie led efforts that challenged the culture of failure and that denied too many children a quality education. These efforts included the “Parents as Equal Partners in the Education of their Children” resolution – the district’s most robust plan to ensure parents a meaningful role in their children’s education, and the “Public School Choice” resolution, creating a sense of urgency for change, challenging the status quo, and demanding quality education plans for newly built schools and underperforming schools. Her focus on improving outcomes for English language learners,
improving quality and access to the District’s early education programs, and increasing dual language programs from preschool through grade 12 reflected Yolie’s commitment to challenging the structural inequities in public education for children from low-income families and children of color.

Prior to her role at Families In Schools, Yolie served as the National Campaign Director for Parent Nation, a project of the TMW Center at The University of Chicago. Together with Dr. Dana Suskind, Yolie laid the groundwork to mobilize parents to demand a society that supports them in doing the most important job there is: raising children. Prior to Parent Nation, Yolie served as Chief Learning Officer with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading where she led the Successful Parents initiatives and supported more than 350 communities across the nation in their efforts to ensure early school
success for more children from economically-challenged families.

Director of Advocacy

Sandy Mendoza

I advocate for underprivileged families whose lives are often overwhelmed by circumstances of peril, poverty, and race. All families have a right to see their children grow up healthy, and receive a quality education that prepares them to graduate, college and workforce ready.

My passion for social justice was ignited when as one of thousands of Los Angeles Unified students, we walked out in protest of the treatment by teachers and administrators because of our Mexican heritage.

Director of Training and Capacity Building

Lindsay Dumas, M.Ed.

Over the last decade, Lindsay’s work in higher education and non-profit organizations has been in advancing educational equity. She has several years of experience in creating brave spaces for intercultural dialogue through trainings, facilitations and workshops on inclusion, compassion, cultural humility and restorative practices. She is constantly pursuing ways she can be a better anti-racist leader, and enjoys challenging the status quo and empowering others to expand their worldview and perspectives as it relates to issues of intersectional justice. Lindsay holds her Master of Education in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership with an emphasis on diversity and equity from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Advocacy Manager

Sarah Garcia

Sarah Garcia (she/her) holds a BA in English with a Creative Writing Concentration and a Minor in Gender Studies from UCLA and a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Mills College. Her undergraduate creative writing thesis earned her Departmental Highest Honors, and her MFA thesis project was awarded the Amanda Davis MFA Thesis in Fiction prize. Her fiction has been published in FEM Newsmagazine, The Fairy Tale Magazine, BreakBread Magazine, and The Ana, and she has written articles for FEM Newsmagazine and Families in Schools. She has worked as a graduate assistant for the Place for Writers and as the managing prose editor for 580 Split’s 25th issue, “Fever Dreams.” Currently, she is volunteering as the Reading Series Coordinator for the nonprofit BreakBread Literacy Project.

For two separate stories in 2021 and 2022, Sarah won honorable mention and then first place for the Marion Hood Boess Haworth Prize in Children’s and YA Fiction. She also received first place for the Melody Clarke Teppola Prize in Fiction in 2022.

Whenever she can, Sarah loves to write fantastical stories, read the strange and unusual, and watch all things horror. She’s an avid Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast and enjoys iced coffee and Takis with an undying passion.

Operations Manager

Victory Onyekwere

Victory Onyekwere leads the organization’s internal operations – overseeing the overall functioning of business operations, including finances, staffing, policies, marketing, and goal setting. Victory received a BS in Public Health Sciences from the University of California, Irvine, with a focus on community organization and sustainability. During this period, Victory developed a deep admiration for the nonprofit sector as she began to realize how instrumental nonprofits were in their ability to improve the quality of life for the community. This awareness has empowered Victory to join the nonprofit sector to play a behind-the-scenes yet, very instrumental role in community and educational restructuring.

In this position, she plans to uncover the needs within Families In Schools, define and set policies/ guidelines, oversee and streamline financial information while working closely with HR to hire, train and support new employees. Furthermore, as a big-picture critical thinking leader, Victory will liaise within Families In Schools to ensure that the organization’s ongoing success remains sustainable for the next generation of leaders.

Program Manager

Silvia Torres

I am the program coordinator for the SKILLS Grant and the School2Home partnership. I am also part of a team that provides various professional development at various schools and agencies. I began my professional journey with Families in School as the program coordinator for GEAR UP Project STEPS. As a student I was part of the first GEAR UP Project STEPS grant at North Hollywood High School where I also graduated from. After graduating, I attended California State University Northridge, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Central American Studies. While earning my Bachelors I worked as a consultant working directly with students and parents.

Training and Capacity Building Program Manager

Meryah A. Fisher, MA, MPA, MAPP

Meryah A. Fisher, MA, MPA, MAPP (pronouns: they/she) earned a Master’s of Cultural Studies and a Master’s of Public Policy from Claremont Graduate University, a Master’s of Public Administration from Cheyney University. Additionally, they earned a dual BA in Africana Studies and Sociology with a Women’s Studies minor from Cal State Dominguez Hills. They are a current lecturer in the Department of Africana Studies at Dominguez Hills and a post-coursework fellowship student at Claremont Graduate University pursuing the school’s first interfiled Ph.D. in Cultural Studies and Policy/Politics. Meryah is a small-town South Jersey native who has worked for years as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, founded a small New Jersey-based homeless-to-work initiative, and has a long history of case management for disabled persons, those suffering with mental health, and families impacted by homelessness. Additionally, they are an ambitious underground neo-soul singer-songwriter. Meryah’s academic and personal passions include challenging human rights and social justice threats through intuitively bridging sociopolitical gaps created by disparities, marginalization, systemic oppression, lackadaisical and radical self care, and lost or intentionally muffled voices. Their research interests have focused on the impacts and implications of policy and political institutions on minoritized groups, with emphases on placed on racialized groups and sexual/gender minorities. Among the many awards they have received over their years of service and dedication to community uplift and engagement, recently Meryah was the recipient of the 2018 Marilyn Brady Award for Distinguished Service at CSU Dominguez Hills, a student nominated award for their dedication to queer and trans identified students of color, and the 2019 Ella Josephine Baker Outstanding Faculty Service Award for critical service and mentorships to students.

Training and Capacity Building Program Manager

Daniela Hernandez

Daniela was born and raised in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico; her bicultural and bilingual approach to life has always been a key component of her identity and it has allowed her to be curious and open to learn. At the age of 16, she migrated to the United States and witnessed many barriers in the education system that were designed to make her fail. However, with perseverance, resilience, grit, and support from her family and mentors, she was able to attend Crafton Hills Community College and transferred to California State University of San Bernardino (CSUSB) where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts, in Liberal Studies and a minor in Spanish.

She recently graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) with a master’s degree in Education, Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship with a concentration in Higher Education. During her time at HGSE, she was one of the leaders for the affinity group Comunidad Latinx, where she coordinated the Harvard-wide Latinx graduation.

Throughout her journey she has worked in a non-profit organization that is dedicated to create more equitable, and inclusive systems for communities. In this position as the Training and Capacity Project Manager II with Family In Schools (FIS), Daniela is committed to continue building pathways for equitable, anti-racist, anti-biased family, and community engagement systems.

In addition to her passion for working with communities and families, she envisions supporting transfer students in their transition from community college to a 4-year university. As a transfer student herself, she understands the importance of creating spaces that promote students to experience a sense of belonging; through partnerships with universities, a culturally responsive curriculum by creating welcoming and brave spaces for students.

Her hobbies include photography, running, and hiking. She is always ready for an outdoor adventure!

Advocacy Coordinator

Sarah Luna

Sarah Luna has earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside, as well as a Master of Professional Writing degree from the University of Southern California. Much of her writing focuses on the intersectionality of social justice and family life.

With Families in Schools, she hopes to develop in various fields of the nonprofit sector to aid in the rapidly-changing environment of education today. Holding a deep love for Los Angeles, she would like to be instrumental in assisting people from all walks of life to access the necessary tools to grow and flourish in a global city like Los Angeles while simultaneously helping to close the disparity gap for certain populations. In short, this job is what contributing to equity looks like.

In her spare time, she likes reading, cooking, and subjecting friends to her karaoke singing.

Trainer

Martha Castillo

Martha Castillo is a first-gen maverick turned edupreneur. Her mission is to equip students and leaders with the tools necessary to close the equity gap in education. As a former special education teacher and college readiness counselor for the most underserved students in The Bronx, NY, and Los Angeles, CA she is aware of the challenges first-gen students face when transitioning
to college and has dedicated her career to helping underserved students receive the guidance and resources necessary to successfully achieve their educational goals. Martha earned her bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of La Verne and her M.S. E.d in education from The City College of New York. As a first-generation college student, diagnosed with a learning disability while attending community college, she is familiar with the challenges
first-generation students face when transitioning to college. Martha has dedicated her career to helping underserved students receive the guidance and resources necessary to successfully achieve their educational goals. By continuously building relationships with fellow educators and members of the community she strives to provide the best tools and practices available to help students and leaders thrive.

Trainer

Tamara Renée Davidson

Tamara Renée Davidson is a Harlem-born interdisciplinary musician, educator, and curriculum developer whose work crosses the disciplines of music, mixed-media painting and collage, printmaking, writing, film, fashion, movement studies, and Africana studies. Tamara graduated from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2011. At Gallatin, she created an interdisciplinary major that combined Arts Education, Creative Writing, Africana Studies with a focus on The Caribbean and Latin America, and Jazz Vocal performance. Her undergraduate studies were bolstered by a semester abroad at The University of Havana in Cuba with The Tisch School of the Arts Film program, where she studied Afro-Cuban music.

In September of 2016, Tamara was commissioned by the Whitney Museum of American Art to co-lead and cultivate her first performance art piece entitled “shake the stars with your song”. In addition to her work as an artist, Tamara has become a seasoned educator, curriculum developer/consultant, and community liaison working with institutions such as The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, The Children’s Museum of the Arts, The Whitney Museum, The Bronx Children’s Museum, and Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education. Tamara currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is a teaching artist for the L.A. Philharmonic and an MFA candidate in Music Composition and Performance at The California  Institute of the Arts. Tamara is honored to join the Families In Schools team as a trainer and curriculum consultant.

Trainer

Julie N. Heifetz, PhD.

As an educator, trainer, and consultant/coach Julie works with students, teachers, and their families to support literacy, emotional management and wellbeing, stress reduction, and resilience. Julie shares social emotional learning best practices, resources, tools, and techniques with students of all ages, as well as adults.

An alumna of UCLA, Julie earned her doctorate in Cultural Anthropology and Education and received a K-12 teaching credential. She began her career in the classroom teaching underserved students in Los Angeles and new immigrants dealing with the challenges of adjusting to life in the U.S.

As a senior program manager at L.A. City Hall and International Literacy Association in Washington D.C., Julie led youth, family engagement and teacher training programs in the U.S., Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Her work includes empowering women and ensuring that girls, as well as boys, have equal opportunity for education and work from the early grades through secondary and graduate levels.

Julie is dedicated to promoting equity, cross-cultural understanding, and social emotional learning. Throughout her life, her domestic and international travel ventures have allowed her to engage in these efforts and create partnerships with people around the world.

Trainer

Lucy G. Muñiz

My name is Luzelena (Lucy) G. Muñiz I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley. I attended UC Santa Barbara earned my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Spanish. I continued on to the University of Southern California to earn my Master in Social Work. I currently reside in Indio; a place I have always home. After attending college and beginning my career in the Los Angeles area, I made the decision to return home and serve the community where I grew up. I am currently employed full-time as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker within the medical field helping individuals with chronic illness. 

I was blessed with mentors and family support in pursuing higher education and my goal is to assist parents and students identify their own support system. As an employee of FIS, I am able to share my own experiences and provide students and parents with skills and traits they can use daily to achieve success. I have been with FIS as a part-time employee for 8 years in an array of different roles: college workshop facilitator, coordinator for community engagement campaigns, facilitator for parent and student focus groups in assessing the needs of their schools, and as a professional development trainer for schools districts and community-based organizations. I have enjoyed every one of those roles as I am able to connect with individuals that share a common goal of wanting lifelong success for students. I am able to observe the level of commitment from different capacities; parents, teachers, counselors, principals, and mentors. As a first-generation college graduate, I understand the emotional component of having support from parents and community to help the students achieve their goals.

Trainer

Kathy Norman-Rich

I have worked in the Training and Development field for over 20 years in the financial industry, leading me to become further involved in CRA activities as a board member, partnering with schools and teachers to administrator programs to enhance students’ understanding of financial literacy.

Additionally, I have facilitated community health care curriculums and am a small business owner. Each one of these professions has offered me the opportunity to gain exceptional knowledge on various topics, to help train and teach others to develop to the next successful journey of their lives.

I have a passion for teaching and training, for sharing knowledge, life experiences and engaging others with techniques that encourage, inspire, and transfer the learning. I believe to fully understand what you are teaching, you must become involved in community service.

My skill set developed from courses in Communications and Public Speaking, as well as professional development on the job; both allowed me a unique experience to communicate with people from all walks of life.

As a mother of two, I was always involved in my children’s schools as a volunteer parent, leading various functions and fully believe that when parents are involved their children’s schooling, they blossom 100%; it helps close any learning or development gap because the students and teachers feel supported.

I am looking forward to facilitating with Families In Schools and learning much more about how to bring FIS to communities to educate, engage and inspire

Trainer

Joe Smith

Joe Smith’s life experience allows for a unique approach to understanding people, cultures, and the demographics that impact education. A husband and father of five, Joe Smith is best known as LineBackerDAD. Joe aims to engage schools, districts, parents, and stakeholders with the highest passion and integrity. Joe places a unique emphasis on intentionally engaging fathers and father figures. It is Joe’s humility and great skill to effectively engage, train, and inspire stakeholders and communities, expanding how parent engagement is practiced.

Trainer

Liznergly Trujillo

Liznergly is an enthusiastic, creative and passionate educator and mentor from Caracas, Venezuela who fell in love with working and empowering at-risk communities as she was developing herself after moving to the United States, without speaking the language and not understanding the culture. She deeply believes that all people can learn and thrive in a learning environment that is stimulating, comforting, and welcoming to their unique talents and abilities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and has more than 17 years of teaching experience.

In addition, Liznergly has earned certifications in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapist), Anger Management, Relationship and Emotional Intelligence Facilitator, Emotional Life Coaching, and Psychology & Therapy of Addiction. Throughout her career, she has shown the ability to display the highest degree of personal integrity and the responsibility for personal growth. In her role as a leader in the Latino community, Liznergly uses a balanced blend of motivational and educational methodology to enhance, empower, and focus on integration, education and participation.

Trainer

Nasario Vasquez Jr.

Nasario Vasquez Jr. is a Program Coordinator for a TRIO-Talent Search project at California State University, Dominguez Hills serving middle & high school students learn the ins and outs of the college admissions process and support their family attaining an understanding of the importance of creating a college-going culture at home, serving the communities of South Central Los Angeles, Watts, and the South Bay. 

Additionally, Nasario has been involved with Families in Schools for over 3 years and was the recipient of the Excellence in Parent Engagement Award from FIS in 2018. He now serves as a Trainer and Facilitator for the organization.

Nasario is also pursuing a master’s degree from California State University, Los Angeles, in Latin American Studies. He obtained a B.A. from CSULA in Spanish in 2019, after transferring from community colleges. He is also a father of two kids and is navigating pre-school with his eldest son.

Trainer

Estephania Vazquez

Estephania is a grassroots leader and a first-generation college graduate from Los Angeles. She identifies herself as an indigenous womyn of color who immigrated from Mexico at a young age, due to her family’s economic situation. As a highly optimistic and passionate professional, she has focused all her efforts on improving the quality of life for families and children in disadvantaged communities.

For the past 10 years, she has worked directly with youth and families in holistic models such as community schools, placemaking initiatives, and civic engagement efforts across Southern California and the southern region of Atlanta. She is currently supporting the Los Angeles movement by looking at systems-level change through local and statewide partnerships.

She is proud to be a ULF 2020 alumna, where she had the opportunity to serve in the Atlanta region as a Fellow as well as their Regional Director. She is passionate about leadership development, coaching, community, family engagement, and puppies (as she is a dog mom to a wonderful 2-year-old named Future the Frenchie).