Meet The Team

In 1995, Dr. Cummins founded New Visions Foundation with the mission of bringing quality education to more diverse students. New Visions birthed New Roads School to offer Engaged Education in a private-school setting to a socio-economically diverse student body. He then helped start three charter schools in low-income communities, as well as programs for foster youth and incarcerated youth.

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Roberta has held C-Suite positions in various industries. Today, while seeking her desire to give back and give thanks, she is able to apply her cultivated skill set as Executive Director. She is a former film industry executive with over 25 years of operational and financial expertise where she managed multi-million dollar budgets.

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Ja'Murl started as a C/Forward youth, and later joined as a Youth Navigator while attending Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC).  After graduating  from community college, he returned to the Coalition, and now works to help youth with similar circumstances he once had. As the Program Administrator, he enjoys working with social media, the company website, office admin related tasks, and in overseeing our Youth Navigator Program.

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Before joining the Coalition, Christine, a mother of two daughters, worked as a Court Appointment Special Advocate (CASA) for seven years on vital tasks like appropriate placements, health care and educational rights. While advocating on behalf of foster youth in court, along with her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Juvenile Delinquency, she developed hope and understanding of pathways to positively impact underserved youth.

Hugo was born and raised in Miraflores neighborhood, in Lima, Peru. He immigrated to Los Angeles, California in 2004, and became American citizen in 2021. Having studied Accounting in a local college, and worked a long time as Math Tutor, helping students from humble origins, he realized how tough it was for young students to break through the obstacles of life. He has worked as Bookkeeper and Accountant using Quickbooks and Excel for over 10 years.

Chris is an Inglewood, California native and graduated from Auburn University with a Masters in Applied Economics in 2012. He has worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and SUNY Binghamton with over 10 years' experience in Data Analytics. As a resident of South Central, he believes in helping the next generation of Angelenos get a head start though community outreach. Currently, he is working as Senior Data Analyst for the Coalition for Engaged Education committed to making a difference in his community.

Stephanie Peoples is a Los Angeles native who obtained her master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. She has a vast array of experience working in the Mental Health profession by servicing inner city communities who struggle with substance use, homelessness, DCFS involvement, juvenile and foster youth populations. Stephanie is a licensed Clinical Social Worker who has acquired 13 years of field-based community mental health services. Track & Field was her main outlet and by doing that she was able to change the overall subjectory of who she was supposed to be. She is a product of her environment being that “Greatness” does come from Compton!

 Sian was born and raised in Los Angeles California, more specifically the Crenshaw district. She has been in this field of work for about 3 years on and off. Her previous job was also a nonprofit organization and working with both companies she  fell in love with the rewarding feeling of being a part of an organization circled around helping people. She is a very self-driven individual looking to provide not only herself but also her family with a financially free and comfortable life. In her free time, she has a social media presence and is a brand ambassador for a few up-and-coming clothing brands. 

Annie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Pepperdine University and brings extensive experience in data analytics and nonprofit work to the Coalition for Engaged Education. With a passion for supporting underserved communities, she combines her technical skills with a deep commitment to social impact. Annie previously worked in data analytics for University Advancement at Pepperdine, where she contributed to strategic initiatives and data-driven decision-making. Her nonprofit experience includes advocating for mental health and global causes. As Program Data Analyst, Annie is dedicated to using data to drive positive outcomes for foster and justice-involved youth in Los Angeles.

Justan has been involved in community activism all throughout Los Angeles County for more than a decade. Growing up taking the bus all over to attend workshops, protests, and backyard Punk Rock shows, he began to build relationships with likeminded individuals and groups that believed under represented communities were entitled to a higher quality of life.

Ana comes with over a decade of experience working with formerly incarcerated and gang-involved youth. She was born in Mexico and raised in South Central Los Angeles where she experienced challenges similar those of our young people first-hand. Ana’s love for working with system-impacted youth comes from her aspiration to be the help she needed when she was their age. 

Bertha was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles and has been working with foster and justice system impacted youth for 16 years. Having personal lived experience with the foster and justice system, she is driven by making a difference in the lives of youth that have experienced challenges similar to her own. Bertha is dedicated to building strong relationships with youth and advocate for them. In her free time, Bertha enjoys spending time with her six children and grandson and going to car shows and concerts.

Bryan’s interest in the Criminal Justice field began after his final release from probation camp at the age of 15, when he had the opportunity to receive a full scholarship to attend a UCLA mock trial summer institute program. There he developed his interest in law. Bryan received his Bachelor's Degree from Cal State LA, majoring in Social Work with a minor in Criminal Justice.

Christina joins the Coalition as our newest case manager. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and began her career in case management at the age of 19. Christina has earned her certificate as a gang intervention specialist from Cal State LA and has served youth in the community with passion and drive. Her 11 years served as a paralegal in the juvenile court system and having lived as a justice-impacted individual,  allowed her to gain much insight into the lives of struggling youth. A mother of three, Christina loves to watch documentaries and explore music genres in her spare time.

Christian has been with the C/HOPE program since 2011. He joined the Coalition because he wanted to get involved in assisting youth who have been impacted by the justice system. Working with youth and counselors and making a difference in others' lives is what motivated Chris to become a youth navigator. Now he works as a full-time case manager, helping youth and young adults accomplish their goals.

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Tatiana received her BSW from CSULA and her MSW from Cal State Dominguez. As a youth she was often labeled as the troublemaker, but there was one school counselor who really pushed her in a positive direction and made her feel heard. Tatiana has experience in counseling at continuation schools, as well doing reentry work with the probation department. Ms. Villegas has set the goal of getting her LCSW to be able to do therapy.

​Aniya joined the Coalition because she desires to help the youth of Los Angeles County get the resources they need and deserve. She also wants to help young people like herself accomplish their goals and succeed. Aniya plans to go to college to learn accounting. In her free time she enjoys using her creativity in various ways, like painting, designing, and making custom mugs. 

From cartoons to simple sketches Micheal is both an Artist and a Creator for most platforms of Digital Media who enjoys video editing as both a hobby and a career. Micheal is currently a student at Los Angeles Job Corps and Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC). In the process of getting an Associates Degree in Digital Media, Micheal has hopes of becoming a full-time editor.