Wednesday, September 13, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, Virtual

Moderator

Rafael Avendaño, Executive Director - Redwood City Together

Rafael has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit management and has served on councils and boards for the past 9 years. Rafael has been the executive director of RWC Together for the past 3 years. Redwood City Together is a collective impact organization enhancing public policy and whose mission is to advance the success of youth and families in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks through community collaboration. Rafael currently holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Management with a specialization in Human Resources from Colorado State University and has earned his Master’s degree in Organization and Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

Panelist

Jeremy Barousse, Director of Policy and Organizing - Amigos de Guadalupe

Jeremy Barousse was born and raised in San Jose and attended San Jose State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Journalism - Reporting and Editing in 2008. He is the Director of Policy and Organizing for Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment, a nonprofit organization that empowers East San Jose immigrant families through transformational change. Over the last 15 years, he has served as a community organizer and in director of policy roles for various immigrant rights organizations that worked to empower and uplift low-income immigrant and working families in Santa Clara County.

Mirna Cervantes, Executive Director - Multicultural Institute

Mirna Cervantes is a first-generation Latina leader with demonstrated experience of nearly 13 years working in the nonprofit sector. Mirna grew up in the low-income immigrant community of San Bernardino in Southern California and moved to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. As the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, her personal and lived experiences shape her passion for programs and initiatives tailored toward serving the immigrant community. In 2010, Mirna began volunteering at The Multicultural Institute (MI) and has since worked in various roles, helping to increase equity in the Latinx immigrant community. Mirna is a leader who believes in participatory decision-making, meaningful cross-sector collaboration, and the internal development of talent and leaders. With a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from University of San Francisco, she aims to continue creating institutional and strategic shifts at MI and in the nonprofit sector at large.

Judith Guerrero, Executive Director - Coastside Hope

Judith Guerrero was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and has called Half Moon Bay home for over 25 years. As the Executive Director of Coastside Hope, she has amplified its impact in the Coastside community. Judith finds fulfillment in providing services to those in her community from similar backgrounds and credits education as the bridge to her professional achievements. Judith is the first in her family to graduate from higher education, holding a master’s degree in public administration, a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice and sociology, and a certificate in human resources management. Before joining Coastside Hope, she was the executive director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside for five years. 

Bea Pangilinan, Deputy Director - Asian Law Alliance

Bea Pangilinan is Deputy Director at the Asian Law Alliance. As an advocate, she helped coordinate the local response to the DACA program, worked with partners to create the strongest county policy against local government collaboration with ICE, and co-designed campaigns to make legal services accessible to the community. Bea identifies with the immigrant experience, having grown up in the Philippines, where she completed her Bachelor's and Law degrees at the University of the Philippines. She has a Masters in Law from the Universite’ d’Aix Marseille in France and is licensed to practice in New York and California.