Who We Are
The mission of LEAF is to improve economic outcomes for all currently socio-economically disadvantaged Latinx students and other students of color.
By providing support services and advocacy, through higher educational attainment and career mobility, and to accomplish such predominantly in East San José.
Vision
We believe that every low-income Latinx student is entitled to an equal opportunity to succeed in higher education and pursue the career of their choice to obtain social and economic mobility.
Strategic Plan
Our four key programs are dedicated to enhancing academic achievement, promoting parent engagement, and fostering economic advancement.
Our Board
Our Board of Trustees have backgrounds in education, business, finance, fundraising, and nonprofit management with extensive ties to the Silicon Valley nonprofit industry.
Edward Alvarez
Chair
Executive Director at Silicon Valley Equity in Education Institute
Jose Iglesias
Vice-Chair
Executive High Tech Consultant & Independent Director
Monica Tijerina
Secretary
Head of Drug Product Development at Crinetics Pharmaceuticals
Lenny Alugas
Executive Vice President, Customer Success at Veritas Technologies LLC
Dr. Violeta Barroso
Family Medicine Physician at The Kaiser Permanente Medical Group
Stephanie R. Bravo
Co-Founder & President at StudentMentor.org
André V. Chapman, MA
President & CEO at Fostering Promise
Heather Herrera
Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at San Francisco Bay University
Mark Ruiz
Ramon L. Jimenez, M.D.
Orthopaedic Surgeon at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
John Ottoboni
Attorney | Board member at San Francisco Bay University
Lilly Pinedo Gangai
Inaugural Senior Director, Identity-Based Retention Centers at San José State University
John M. Sobrato
Director of Impact & Learning at Sobrato Philanthropies
Jennifer Thompson
Mission-Driven Executive & Contributing Author at Cambridge University Press
Our Team
The team behind our vision for impact — and the education that helped shape it.
Brittany Alvarez
Executive Director
University of Washington & Loyola Marymount University
Elizabeth Hernandez
Deputy Director of Finance and Operations
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Sonia Avitia
Senior Director of People & Culture
Santa Clara University
Erika Miguel
Senior Director of Programs
CSU Long Beach
Lucia Fernandez-Palacios
Senior Director of Growth and Strategic Communications
Centro Español de Nuevas Profesiones
Emily Ramos
Director of Student Success
Mills College & Harvard University
Libier Gonzalez
Family & Advocacy Program Director
Universidad del Valle de Atemajac
Jacqueline Ramírez
Senior Program Manager, Career Exploration & Discovery
Santa Clara University & San José State University
Thomas Leavitt
Senior Manager of Data Strategy and Learning
Santa Clara University & Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cynthia Melendez Quan
Program Manager, College and Career Preparation
Colgate University
Alejandra Sanchez
Program Manager, Family Engagement & Advocacy
Santa Clara University
Jorge Bañuelos
Manager of Data Strategy & Learning
UC Davis
Ashley Rosas
Senior Program Coordinator, College Success
West Valley College, Santa Clara University
Andres García Chaidez
Senior Program Coordinator, Community College
Evergreen Valley College, San José State University, & University of San Francisco
Jennifer Muñoz
Senior Program Coordinator, Career Exploration & Discovery
UC Berkeley
Christopher Wanis
Senior Program Coordinator, Family Engagement
Santa Clara University
Angela Lomeli Arriaga
Program Coordinator, College & Career Preparation
Santa Clara University
Daniela Cardoso
Program Coordinator, Family Engagement & Advocacy
Santa Clara University
Magda Kosowicz
Finance and Special Projects Associate
University of Warsaw
Cesia Rangel Espinosa
Operations Assistant
UC Davis
Ingrid Hernández Loera
Program Intern, Career Exploration & Discovery
Santa Clara University
Danna Rengifo
Communications Intern
Santa Clara University
Our Partners
Our partners stand alongside us in advancing our mission.
With their support and shared dedication, we are able to strengthen our reach and deepen our impact.
BelleJAR Foundation
