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Celebrating a New Wave of Early Childhood Educators: LAEP’s Ready2Teach Cohort Graduates

We at the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our second Ready2Teach cohort, a significant milestone in ushering in a new generation of qualified infant/toddler associate teachers across Los Angeles County.

On Saturday, June 28, 2025, proud participants walked across the stage at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) during a vibrant two-hour ceremony. A cheering audience of family and friends celebrated their remarkable achievements as they received their Certificates of Completion. This event commemorated the culmination of their 12-month journey through our innovative “earn-and-learn” teacher accelerator program. Graduates completed crucial training, including classroom preparation, CPR, and specialized instruction in brain development, alongside free college courses and materials. This prepared them to earn their California Child Development Associate Teacher permit and take a significant step toward becoming early childhood educators, ready to make an immediate, positive impact on our youngest learners.

“Witnessing the dedication and growth of this cohort fills us with immense pride,” shared Elsa Leal, Director of LAEP’s Ready2Teach program. “This program goes beyond training; it cultivates passionate educators who truly understand the profound importance of early childhood development. We are incredibly proud of each graduate and eager to see the vital contributions they will make to our communities.”

LAEP extends our deepest gratitude to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Their generous lead funding has been instrumental in making this transformative initiative possible, enabling us to build a robust and highly skilled early childhood workforce.

LAEP remains at the forefront of educational transformation, committed to ensuring every child in Los Angeles has access to high-quality early learning experiences. The graduation of this second Ready2Teach cohort powerfully testifies to our enduring mission and the collective effort to empower both educators and the families they serve.

Learn more about LAEP’s Ready2Teach program by visiting: https://laep.org/collaborate-with-us/ready2teach/

Upcoming cohort: https://laep.org/now-enrolling-first-ready2teach-cohort/

Apply to the 2025-2026 Cohort by visiting: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8229051/Ready2Teach-Application-2025-2026

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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.