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Strengthening Our Leadership

We are excited to introduce our newest leaders who are carrying LAEP's mission forward.

At Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), our goal has always been simple: to help every student succeed by removing the obstacles in their way. For 40 years, we’ve worked side-by-side with schools and families to create neighborhoods where children can truly thrive.

Today, we are excited to introduce the leaders who are carrying this mission forward. Together, they are making sure LAEP stays a strong force for change in Los Angeles.

Celebrating One Year of Impact

Before we look ahead, we want to celebrate two directors who just hit their one-year mark with LAEP. Over the last year, they’ve played a huge part in helping us share our story and grow our reach.

  • Calvin Chan, Director of Development Calvin has spent the past year building strong relationships with our supporters, making sure we have the resources needed to reach more families and schools.
  • LaCora Stephens, Director of Marketing & Communications LaCora is the voice behind our mission. She makes sure the hard work and success of our students, teachers, and families are seen and heard by the whole community.

Welcoming Our Newest Leaders

We are also proud to announce our newest leadership appointments. These professionals bring a deep passion for education and a wealth of experience to our team.

  • Melissa Peña, Chief Program Officer Melissa leads our overall program strategy. She focuses on making sure everything we do is effective, respectful of our community’s culture, and makes a real difference.
  • Danielle Watson, Director of Early Childhood & Family Engagement Danielle looks after our “diapers to diplomas” path, focusing on those critical early years that set the stage for a child’s entire education.
  • Alessandra Cascarano, M.Ed., Interim Director of Community Schools Alessandra brings years of classroom and leadership experience to our community schools, helping turn schools into hubs of support for the “whole child.”

Looking Forward: 40 Years and Counting

Leadership at a nonprofit is about more than just managing a team; it’s about being a good neighbor and a trusted partner. Whether they’ve been here for a year or a month, these leaders all share one priority: putting students first.

Get to know our full leadership team here

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Melissa Peña

Chief Program Officer

Melissa Peña serves as the Chief Program Officer at the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), bringing more than two decades of experience advancing educational equity, youth development, and community-centered systems change. A mission-driven and strategic leader, she has dedicated her career to eliminating barriers to learning and seeking equitable outcomes for historically underserved youth. Prior to joining LAEP, Melissa spent over 14 years at Green Dot Public Schools where she launched and scaled high-impact initiatives that reduced chronic absenteeism by 27%, expanded access to wellness services, and built network-wide support systems for more than 600 homeless and foster youth across 18 schools. Her leadership is rooted in both entrepreneurial vision and disciplined execution—designing programs, teams, and infrastructure that strengthen outcomes for students while supporting the adults who serve them. 

Melissa’s commitment to equity has shaped her work across roles in education, youth development, and human services, including senior leadership positions at The Door in New York City and national diversity recruitment efforts at Teach For America. She began her career as a fourth-grade teacher in Newark, New Jersey, a formative experience that continues to ground her belief that the key to ensuring every young person meets their full potential lies in the power of family–school–community partnerships. At LAEP, Melissa leads program strategy with empathy, clarity, and a deep belief that children thrive when systems work together from “diapers to diplomas.” She holds a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara. Outside of work, she enjoys researching her family history, exploring nature, and family movie nights with her husband and two children. 

LaCora Stephens

Marketing and Communications

LaCora is a seasoned communications professional with a passion for using multimedia storytelling to empower movements for social justice and equality. For over 13 years, she has honed her skills as a versatile multimedia director, overseeing media operations across diverse organizations, including the NAACP Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch and The Shirley Chisholm Education Foundation. Her deep understanding of the education and equity landscape fuels her creative vision, allowing her to craft impactful narratives that resonate with audiences.

With strategic communication​ and collaboration, LaCora excels in developing and executing compelling​ multimedia campaigns that not only raise​ awareness of critical issues but also​ inspire action and drive meaningful change. Her proficiency in concept​ development, production execution, and​ team leadership ensures projects are​ delivered with exceptional quality. Furthermore, LaCora fosters strong​ relationships with internal and external​ stakeholders, cultivating partnerships​ that maximize campaign reach and impact.

LaCora's educational foundation began with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from Florida A&M University. She then pursued a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Alliant University of San Diego. This passion for storytelling, fueled by her background in education, translates to her belief in the power of shared narratives. Her work in this area was recognized through her selection as a Women in Film Mentee and film director for Viola Davis’ sponsored film showcase, Diversity in Cannes. Now, LaCora leverages her love of storytelling and commitment to educational equity in her role leading marketing and communications for Los Angeles Education Partnership, while also serving on the board of the Pasadena African American Film Foundation.

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.