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KJLH Podcast Exclusive: LAEP Early Head Start

This month, in observance of Head Start Awareness Month, the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is underscoring the critical, life-changing impact of our Early Head Start (EHS) program. This vital message was recently amplified when LAEP leadership took to the airwaves on 102.3FM Radio-Free KJLH to shine a spotlight on EHS for local families.

On the Air! LAEP Leaders Dive into the Future of Early Head Start on KJLH Radio

This month, in observance of Head Start Awareness Month, the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is underscoring the critical, life-changing impact of our Early Head Start (EHS) program. This vital message was recently amplified when LAEP leadership took to the airwaves on 102.3FM Radio-Free KJLH to shine a spotlight on EHS for local families.

In a powerful and informative conversation titled The Future of Early Head Start, LAEP CEO Dr. Dawn A. Kurtz and Interim Director Meyli Martinez joined Director of Marketing and Communications LaCora Stephens (who hosted the episode) to discuss how early education is building critical safety nets for families across Los Angeles.

What Was Covered?

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in early childhood development and community impact. The LAEP leaders broke down several key topics, making it easy for the average listener to understand how these programs make a real difference:

  • Who is LAEP? They covered the organization’s mission and its deep, 40-year role in the community.
  • No-Cost Early Head Start Programs: The team detailed LAEP’s free services, including support for expectant parents (Prenatal), classic classroom settings (Center-Based), and flexible home visits (Home-Based EHS).
  • Building Community: Our guests shared how organizers and volunteers are creating critical support systems for immigrant families facing tough challenges like detention and deportation.
  • Your Role in the Movement: They outlined practical ways for you to get involved, volunteer, partner, and make a tangible difference in the lives of children and parents.
  • Enrollment Spotlight: The team provided easy steps on how families can enroll in the Home-Based Early Head Start program and explained why this particular model is so successful.

This conversation underscores LAEP’s dedication to educational equity and highlights the power of community partnership.

Click here to listen to the full episode.

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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.