Community Schools
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources
Early Childhood & Family Engagement
Marketing and Communications
Evaluation, Accountability, and Impact
Early Childhood & Family Engagement
Dr. Dawn Kurtz is a developmental psychologist with a passion for social justice issues. She believes that all children deserve access to robust emotional, cognitive, social, and concrete supports to develop the foundation necessary to thrive and flourish in life. To that end, her work has focused on various contexts that impact children’s development; namely the families, schools, and communities they develop within. Dr. Kurtz is passionate about contributing to the development of an equitable education system that supports educators and engages children and families in a culturally and linguistically relevant manner. For the past decade, she has worked in early childhood education, contributing to multiple local and state-level systems change efforts, developing programs, and advocating for resources and supportive services for very young children and their families. She was previously the director of an NIH-funded research study on the developmental impact of child abuse and neglect on adolescent development.
Dr. Kurtz brings a unique perspective to LAEP’s executive leadership team, having worked in academia, for a publicly funded grant-making agency, and in nonprofit settings. Her strengths include strategic planning, program design and evaluation, data-driven decision making, managing organizational change, and cultivating relationships within and across sectors, including with community members, elected officials, county agencies, funders, and members of the media.
Dr. Kurtz served as LAEP’s Chief Program Officer before being promoted to the role of Interim CEO, and ultimately elevated to CEO.
Dr. Kurtz is a native Southern Californian and earned her doctorate from the University of Southern California. She currently serves as a board trustee for Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School in Pasadena.
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.
Rochelle comes to LAEP with over a decade of accounting experience and 8 years of non-profit experience. Her non-profit experience includes affordable housing and homelessness, social justice, and education and schools. Her passion for equitable education opportunities began with her own journey. As a first-generation college student, she relied heavily upon school and community resources to earn her degree and is excited to support LAEP’s vision of a liberatory education system.
Rochelle has committed herself to the community through her work with non-profits and volunteering. She has read resumes and college application essays for students, walked shelter dogs, and prepared tax returns through the VITA program, among other volunteer opportunities. Aside from volunteering, Rochelle loves trying new food and restaurants, traveling and spending time with her senior dog.
Rochelle earned her B.S. in Accounting from Bridgewater State University and her Master of Accounting from the University of Southern California.
Calvin Chan provides generous institutions and individuals pathways to express their
gratitude. He gained experience in real estate, finance, and banking before being called
to nonprofit. Prior to LAEP, he served in growing philanthropy programs for the largest
homeless service providers and charter school organizations in Southern California.
Calvin helps the philanthropic community see their gifts not as charity, but as
community investment and redistribution of wealth.
A native Angeleno, Calvin has served on the boards of The Salvation Army, A Place
Called Home, Jumpstart and the City of Alhambra's Housing and Community
Investment Citizen Advisory Committee.
Alessandra Cascarano is a relationship-centered educator, coach, and systems-level leader with over a decade of experience advancing equity, belonging, and student-centered practice in public education. She brings to LAEP a background spanning classroom teaching, school-based leadership, and district-level technical support, and is passionate about the Community Schools model. At the heart of her work, Alessandra is committed to creating the conditions for students, schools, and communities to thrive.
Alessandra began her Community Schools work as a Community Schools Specialist in Harford County, Maryland, where she supported the model as it was emerging and helped translate the framework into practice at the school level. She brings deep knowledge of the Community Schools strategy and its core elements, along with a foundation as an elementary educator that grounds her systems work in the lived realities of teaching and learning.
Now in her third year with LAEP, Alessandra serves as Interim Director of Community Schools. Previously a Community Schools Coach, she has supported leaders across Southern California to strengthen collaborative practices and advance sustainable, equity-centered change. She is experienced in designing professional learning that fosters reflection and collaboration, and in providing human-centered coaching to principals and leadership teams, empowering them to translate vision into action. She now serves as Interim Director of Community Schools, providing continuity, strategic guidance, and cross-team leadership during a period of transition. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that meaningful transformation grows from trust, reflection, and collective ownership.
Originally from the East Coast, Alessandra earned her B.A. in Elementary Education at Towson University and her M.Ed. in Methods of Teaching At-Promise and Diverse Learners at Goucher College.
Elsa A. Leal has over 20 years of experience in the education field. She has served in multiple leadership roles that have driven the innovation of services for school districts, early learning centers, family childcare homes and more. In her previous roles she has managed a client relations department, led a family engagement team and provided consultation to an array of clients with diverse projects.
With years of nonprofit management and social service experience, she attributes her passion for educational justice as the catalyst and foundation for the work she does now. Elsa’s career has followed a strategic path of supporting and empowering educators and families. She previously served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic Moldova, where she supported the largest social services nonprofit in the country to build the infrastructure to launch a national foster care program. She assisted in the opening of the second childcare center in the county and supported Educators, Psychologists and Social Workers with training on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework.
Elsa resides in the San Gabriel valley and enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, traveling and tasting different cuisines.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University of Los Angeles, and her Master of Arts in Human Development with a concentration in Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.
Has 15 years of experience working in an Early Childhood setting. She is dedicated to strengthening family development and building strong relationships with parents, schools, and communities. She is passionate about collaborating with other community agencies to bring support, resources, and awareness to families that are in need. Meyli is a native of Los Angeles and enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two daughters. She loves to explore other countries and cultures through her love of travel.
She received a Family Development Credential (FDC) from the University of Connecticut and completed the Head Start Management Fellows Program at UCLA. She was part of the Atlas Early Childhood Leadership Initiative cohort. She got her Master of Science in Psychology at Mount Saint Mary’s University.
John Resendez comes to LAEP after more than twenty years as a teacher and administrator serving communities throughout Los Angeles. John has built a career focused on ensuring that all students and their families have access to high quality learning that speaks to the needs and aspirations of the whole child. He believes that education is the greatest tool available to combat the systemic inequities that sit at the foundation of how this nation has historically underserved marginalized populations. John is excited to bring his passion and experience to LAEP as he works to renew the historical legacy of LAEP’s Teaching & Learning work while advancing the organization’s new STEAM initiative. In LAEP, John believes he has found his people and cannot wait to contribute to the amazing work being done to support communities from diapers to diplomas.
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.
For over 25 years, Dr. Rosa Valdés has conducted applied research on educational programs and teaching approaches, focusing on improving educational outcomes of underrepresented people. She worked at UCLA’s Center for Research on Evaluation Standards and Student Testing, helping to improve instructional and assessment approaches and conducting school-based program evaluations. At LAUSD’s Program Evaluation and Research Branch, she directed several multi-tier, multi-pronged studies of the impact of districtwide policies and programs spanning from Kindergarten to grade 12. Dr. Valdés has mentored educational researchers, research fellows, and interns, and she has advised executive staff on leadership professional development. She was recognized for her work on school-based interventions for struggling readers at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management and for outstanding evaluation by the American Education Research Association. She currently oversees evaluations in the areas of early education, community empowerment, teacher learning, and Early Head Start. Rosa is a native of Los Angeles and loves to explore LA neighborhoods through her love of running and hiking. She also lived in Mexico City and enjoys traveling, gardening, crocheting, and listening to her two sons’ music.
Danielle Watson is a seasoned leader in early childhood education whose work blends strategy, creativity, and heart. With over a decade of experience guiding programs that center equity, belonging, and family engagement, she is dedicated to creating environments where children and families feel seen, supported and inspired to thrive.
She has held leadership roles with Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Palmdale School District, and Jumpstart at California State University, Northridge. In these roles, she successfully led a federally funded early literacy and arts-based education program and oversaw program expansion while supervising a team of 70+, advancing high-quality teaching, cultural responsiveness, and meaningful partnerships between educators and families.
Danielle holds two master’s degrees, one in English Literature and another in Early Childhood Education, bringing together the art of storytelling and the science of learning. Her leadership is guided by compassion, creativity, and a deep belief in the transformative power of education.
Austin is a dedicated educator and instructional leader with a passion for inspiring student academic achievement and leading learning and development experiences for teachers, school administrators, and district leaders. As a former high school teacher, non-profit director, manager of teacher leadership and development, and learning and development specialist in ed-tech, Austin brings over a decade of experience in instructional design, pedagogy, and teacher development across multiple school networks and within both the corporate and non-profit sector.
As the Director of Teaching & Learning, Austin aims to develop students into critical thinkers with a global perspective, empowered to navigate their lives with agency and self-determination; jointly, he aspires to equip educators with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to hone their practice and grow their capacity for impact. A native of Southern California, Austin earned a B.A. in Political Science from Morehouse College and received his M.Ed. in Human Development Psychology and School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Sara Noji works closely with LAEP’s Board of Directors, leadership, and administrative teams to provide strategic operational support. She was formerly the Transform Schools coordinator, where she built the tracking system of fee-for-service contracts for the department and provided crucial transition support. As a recipient of a great education, Sara believes in the power of education, and is passionate about ensuring children from underserved communities have access to high-quality education. She earned her B.A. in integrated educational studies with an emphasis in community, and a minor in dance at Chapman University. In her spare time, you can find her dancing, doing yoga, or working on a puzzle.
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.
