Board of Directors

FOUNDER and BOARD CHAIR

D.S.W., University of Southern California, 2018 M.S.W., University of Southern California, 2007 B.A., San Jose State University, 1999

ROBERT HERNANDEZ aims to educate and engage in practice-driven research to address critical areas of society that continue to hinder communities from flourishing. His areas of interest include vulnerable youth populations, adolescent social issues, adolescent gang intervention, strength-based/resiliency and youth empowerment models of practice. In particular, Hernandez's work examines risk and protective factors within communities that are associated with vulnerable youth populations residing in trauma-exposed communities. His focus is on advancing marginalized populations through a range of practical approaches addressing violence-related trauma through violence reduction, prevention, and intervention strategies. His area of emphasis is exploring violence related-trauma due to urbanization and rapid development and its impact on healthy youth development as well as the implications on urban communities as a whole.

BOARD PRESIDENT

B.A. Sociology , UC Los Angeles

M.S.W, University of Southern California

IRENE M. LIM, LCSW, is a Los Angeles native of Mexican and Korean descent, a wife, and mother of three multi-racial children. She has worked at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine since 2001 addressing the needs of youth, young adults, and their families by collaborating with schools, community-based organizations, and community stakeholders. Her experience includes working with youth who are unhoused, escaping violence, expectant and/or young parents, systems impacted, and seeking support and recovery from alcohol and/or other substance use. She has worked tirelessly to bring out the leadership skills of marginalized youth and their families and is humbled by their grace and passion to push towards brighter outcomes. She has committed her to work with youth because she knows that youth are passionate, creative, innovative, curious, and powerful in promoting healthy change in our communities.

BOARD TREASURER

Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature, Ewha Womans University, 2000

Master of Arts, Simultaneous Interpretation and Translation, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, 2002

Juris Doctor, Columbia Law School, 2009

Clara Lim has worked as the Associate General Counsel at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools since 2018. Founded on the belief that all children, regardless of ZIP code, income, ability, or background, are capable of achieving at high levels, Alliance College-Ready Public Schools is now one of the largest and most successful nonprofit public charter school networks in Los Angeles operating 26 high-performing, tuition-free middle and high schools in historically disadvantaged communities. Clara provides legal advice on a variety of matters relating to the operation of schools, including special education, student discipline, student privacy, and governance matters. Prior to joining Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, Clara was a tax attorney at large international law firms in both New York City and Los Angeles for 8 years.

BOARD SECRETARY

ERIKA J. GONZALEZ works in the Office of the President at the University of Southern California where she is the Senior Executive Assistant to President Carol L. Folt since July 2021. In her role, Erika oversees and manages all of the President’s administrative needs and special projects. She participates as a member of the Latinx graduation committee, and of the kitchen cabinet for the Department of Public Safety’s Community Advisory Board. Erika also serves as a member of the Good Neighbors Campaign and as a facilitator in the University’s Culture Journey Network, where culture is a shared commitment. She facilitates discussion sessions with faculty, staff and students centered around six unifying values: well-being, integrity, excellence, accountability, open communication, and DEI.

Prior to her role in the President’s office, she assisted Dean Milton Curry at USC’s School of Architecture where she facilitated, managed and tracked special projects and major initiatives such as the Architecture Lab (A-Lab). This enrichment program partners with local LAUSD high schools in providing immersive instruction to students in the field of architecture, with the goal of increasing diversity in the next generation pipeline of architects.

Erika was also a Director of Operations for Los Angeles Unified School District from 2013 - 2019, serving the communities of the West San Fernando Valley in Board District 3, and later serving the communities of North and Southeast Los Angeles in Board District 5, where she was raised. During her time at LA Unified, she served as a liaison between school communities and the board office, assisted colleagues with community outreach efforts, facilitated advocacy trainings for parents on educational equity and the importance of civic engagement - particularly in the Southeast region where communities have been historically underrepresented.

As a proud Angeleno and single mother of two children, who enjoys being in nature and considers herself a lifelong learner, Erika has committed herself to a life of service while building and fostering relationships in order to create an impact within communities, and collectively look at the world through a new lens – one where collaboration is key."

BOARD MEMBER

MANNY LOPEZ currently serves as a Police Special Investigator with the LA Police Commission’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG). His primary responsibility includes providing strong, independent, and effective oversight of the Los Angeles Police Department. In addition, he is charged with conducting community outreach to educate the public about the OIG as a Community Relations Coordinator. Prior to joining the OIG, Manny spent over seven years with the office of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti working his way up from intern to policy director. He was assigned to various projects aimed at promoting employment opportunities and improving housing for local veterans; to community organizing and outreach as a Senior Area Representative for the External Affairs team; and concluding as a policy director with the Public Safety office. In one of his last assignments, he was selected as the designated liaison between he Mayor’s Office and the Biden-Harris Administration for the Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety initiative.

An alum of USC’s Suzanne-Dworak Peck School of Social Work, Manny is committed to approaching his professional assignments with compassion, empathy, and integrity. He is a lifelong Angeleno born to Mexican immigrant parents, a proud US Navy veteran, and even prouder husband and father of two.

BOARD MEMBER

BA in Sociology, Mount St. Mary’s University

M.S in Education, Mount St. Mary’s University

EdD in Educational Leadership and Change, Fielding Graduate University.

Dr. Leslie Chang currently serves as Mass Insight's Education & Research, Chief People Officer (CPO). In this capacity, she leads the sustained growth of Mi’s people and culture, inclusive of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She oversees the Office of People and Culture, Human Resources, and serves as strategic advisor to DEI-related matters. As CPO, Leslie applies principles of equity driven leadership, liberatory approaches, systems thinking, organizational leadership, and executive coaching and development. Prior to taking on the role of CPO, Leslie was a Managing Director on Mass Insight’s School Improvement Team, supporting staff impacting at the school level and larger systems infrastructure to improve district strategy and school level effectiveness. Leslie brings over two decades of experience in high performing K-12 schools and organizational leadership having served as CEO, Chief Schools Officer, Superintendent, principal, and teacher in historically marginalized communities. During her executive leadership, Leslie founded an urban teacher residency program dedicated to diversifying the teacher workforce by increasing the representation of teachers of color in urban schools. Dr. Chang has led the design and strategic planning for new school and non-profit development, organizational systems, instructional leadership, and stakeholder engagement efforts amplifying the voices of underserved communities in Los Angeles, Ca. Additionally, Dr. Chang serves as lecturer at Loyola Marymount University teaching aspiring administrators in the areas of equity and instructional leadership. Leslie holds a BA in Sociology, and M.S in Education from Mount St. Mary’s University and her EdD in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University. Leslie’s doctoral research focused on Developing Latinx Parents as Leaders which became a codified model disseminated across the organization she led and presented the impact at the national level. cription goes here