HOPE Regional Leadership Institute - Central Valley

Cesilia Acevedo is a Program Manager at Jobs for the Future (JFF), where she supports statewide initiatives focused on workforce and economic development in California. In this role, she manages multi-stakeholder projects that advance job quality, expand opportunities for immigrant and farmworker communities, and strengthen partnerships with community-based organizations, funders, and public agencies. A first-generation daughter of immigrants, Cesilia is passionate about advancing equity, amplifying community voices, and building inclusive pathways to opportunity.

Vanessa Alvarez Villagran is a dedicated civic advocate focused on immigrant justice, political education, and inclusive policymaking. She currently collaborates with Valley Voices, a Central Valley-based nonprofit, where she supports local outreach and community efforts, including volunteering at food distributions and representing the organization at public events like the Fresno Poderosas Summit. Her goal is to continue empowering her community through civic action, public service, and education, while helping build a future where more young women of color are represented and heard in all levels of leadership.

Lizette Avina is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Library and Information Science at San José State University, where she focuses on digital curation, archives, and community-based information access. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Fresno, where she held leadership roles in multiple student organizations. Lizette is deeply invested in preserving local knowledge and amplifying marginalized voices through archiving, storytelling, and public scholarship.

Adriana Brogger is a first-generation Latina scholar-practitioner, professor, and broadcaster with more than two decades of experience in media and higher education. She currently serves as Professor of Digital Media at San Joaquin Delta College, where she earned tenure in 2020, becoming the first woman and person of color to lead the digital media department. Brogger holds an A.A. from San Joaquin Delta College, a B.A. in Communications from CSU Stanislaus, an M.A. in Strategic Communications from National University, and is pursuing her Ed.D. in Transformative Action in Education at the University of the Pacific.

Erika serves as a District Representative for State Senator Jerry McNerney, where she resolves constituent issues and tracks emerging legislation concerns. She co-founded the Stockton Urban Revitalization Fellowship, a program created to resource homegrown community leaders. Erika holds a Masters in Education Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kenyon College.

Seleny Diaz is a Program Manager at Health Access California, where she began working in 2024. In this role, she advances the organization’s mission to achieve quality, affordable health care for all Californians through policy advocacy, coalition-building, and community engagement. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Science from California State University, Fresno, and a Master of Public Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Yazmine Enriquez is a passionate entrepreneur and community advocate based in Kerman, California. With a background in Fashion Merchandising and a certification in personal styling, Yazmine has built a career that blends creativity, leadership, and service. She is the proud owner of Fruta Fresca, a local ice cream plant in Kerman that not only serves sweet treats but has brought people together for 13 years. Always looking toward new challenges, Yazmine is currently exploring flight school to pursue her pilot’s license!

Felicia Estrada has spent her career building bridges between organizations and communities, families and opportunities, and people and the resources they need to thrive. She currently serves as a consultant for California Resources Corporation’s Carbon TerraVault project, fostering dialogue and partnerships throughout the Stockton Delta region. Since 2020, she has also led Port City Electric Corp. as Human Resources Director, helping shape a culture of growth and collaboration.

Rubi Gutierrez is a Community Organizer with the Dolores Huerta Foundation. She began organizing the community in 2023 in San Jose, CA as a Community Organizer and Health Community Educator for Latinas Contra Cancer. Prior to organizing, Rubi served as a Prevention Education Program Manager for gender based violence (sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking) organizations across the Bay Area and Central Valley.

Dr. Huante-Tzintzun is an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at Sacramento State University, where she also serves as Co-Director of the Chicanx & Latinx Studies Program. Her teaching and research center on Chicana and Latina identities, feminism, activism, and community-based knowledge production, with a commitment to creative and justice-oriented approaches. Dr. Huante-Tzintzun grounds her work in lived experience, sustaining work that connects the classroom and community in the pursuit of collective healing and justice.

Araceli currently serves as a Data Analyst at the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation, where she develops Salesforce infrastructure and analytics dashboards to optimize program delivery, strengthen resource allocation, and support Hispanic-owned small businesses and families across California’s Central Valley. Her experience also includes federal service through the White House Internship Program, where she analyzed constituent correspondence data to strengthen outreach and engagement strategies. She is committed to using research, technology, and storytelling to amplify community voices and create sustainable, meaningful impact.

Daisy Ana Lopez, MA, PPS, is the Senior Director of Program Services at the California Health Collaborative, where she leads over a dozen public health teams advancing youth development, mental health, and health equity across California’s Central Valley. In this role, she has secured more than $17 million in funding and guided initiatives that shift policies, systems, and environments in partnership with communities most impacted by inequities.

Patricia Lopez is a DEI strategist and founder of Toda Mujer, a platform empowering Latinas through leadership development, wellness, and community events. She serves as an Honorary Board Member for the San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and as an Advisor to United Way’s Eleanor by Women United. Patricia previously served as Director of Diversity at the University of the Pacific, where she advanced initiatives supporting first-generation and underrepresented students in STEM.

Maria serves as Associate Director at Stockton Service Corps, where she focuses on civic engagement and capacity building for community partners in the Central Valley. In this role, she works to strengthen relationships between organizations and the communities they serve while developing strategic initiatives that enhance civic participation. She holds a Master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Stanislaus.

Nancy is a Board Aide at the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. She is also sits on the Pixie Woods Board of Directors and is a City of Stockton Civil Service Commissioner. She volunteers her time with several local San Joaquin nonprofits, such as Heaven of Peace and Visit Stockton.

Dr. Cindy Quezada has built her career at the intersection of science, policy, research and grassroots advocacy. With a commitment to equity, she champions interdisciplinary, community-centered solutions that drive systemic change and address social, economic, health and environmental challenges. She is the Founder and President of The Midan Group, launched in 2024 to advise foundations, government agencies, and non-profits on evidence-based program design, administration and community-engaged research.

Esther Ramos is a highly accomplished marketing executive and community advocate with over 25 years of experience. A dedicated leader, she has committed her career to advancing representation and empowering diverse communities. She serves on the Traffic Safety Committee for the City of Reedley and is a member of the Fresno Metro Black Chamber and the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Maria Pricilla Ramos, who goes by Pricilla, is the Advocacy & Community Organizing Manager at the Education and Leadership Foundation (ELF), where she leads community education, organizing campaigns, and policy advocacy across the Central Valley. She conducts legislative research, delivers public comment at local, state, and federal levels, and pushes policies forward while providing direct legal support as a DOJ Partially Accredited Representative. Pricilla holds an Associate of Arts in Political Science from Fresno City College.

Ashley Espinoza Reyes, a proud Stocktonian, daughter of Mexican immigrants from Michoacán, Guanajuato, & Durango. She is a LEAP Fellow with the Munger, Torres, & Olson Chapter and a past HOPE College Leadership Program participant. She is a graduate of Yale University, where she earned her B.A. in Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, & Migration. Ashley aspires to attend law school and later serve as an elected representative.

Jazmin Segura is a first-year graduate student at University of the Pacific’s Benerd College, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership with a concentration in Leading for Social Justice. She is an academic coach with College of the Pacific’s Student Success Center, serving as a resource for undergraduates across the 31 major programs of the university’s liberal arts college.

Marisela Sosa has dedicated her career to linking community members with vital resources and support. She joined the Saint Agnes team in 2018. Since then, she has continued to address the community’s unique social needs while enhancing overall health and well-being. Marisela holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from California State University, Fresno.

Nancy Gonzalez St. Clair, with over two decades of teaching experience, is a leader in the field of education. She has played a vital leadership role at Live Oak as a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) coach, helping the school earn California’s Platinum PBIS recognition, while also serving on the School Site Council, AVID, and leadership teams. She is also the Poet Laureate of Lodi, where she teaches poetry workshops to the community and hosts poetry readings

Kendy Villa is currently a dedicated advocate at Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, where she has served since 2019. In her role, she provides trauma-informed crisis intervention, assists with temporary restraining orders, connects clients to counseling services, and offers ongoing support within the criminal justice system. She is a graduate of the Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy and currently serves as Vice Chair for the City of Fresno Women’s Commission.

Edith currently serves as a Board Aide to District 1 at the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, representing the busiest district in the county. Alongside this role, she is also a licensed real estate agent with a boutique brokerage firm. She actively serves her community through organizations including the Rotary Club of Stockton, San Joaquin County Family Justice Center Foundation, Stockton Sister Cities Association, and Comerciantes Unidos.

Nora Zaragoza was born in Merced County and proudly hails from Le Grand. She has faced the same inequities all rural communities see. With 15+ years of nonprofit experience, Nora helps build the programs that empower the Central Valley. She has a proven track record of driving meaningful change, particularly in the areas of public health, immigration, and social justice.