Steering Committee
Eric Morrison Smith
Alliance for Boys & Men of ColorEric Morrison-Smith is the Executive Director for the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color (ABMoC). He formerly was the Policy Director for the Alliance and supported the network’s operations and communications. As the Executive Director, Eric works to center directly-impacted people and grassroots organizations to translate their vision and aspirations into structural change and works with network partners to build power to abolish systems of oppression and transform the material conditions of Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.
Zima Creason
California EDGE CoalitionZima Creason is the Executive Director of the California EDGE Coalition and President of the San Juan Unified Board of Education. At EDGE, her work seeks to address workforce shortages in high road industries, create pathways to the middle class, and to advance shared prosperity for all Californians. She is committed to stakeholder empowerment and coalition building to establish and sustain thriving communities.
Robert Sainz
New Ways to WorkThanks to a clear vision for how to reengage young people, Robert established the City of Los Angeles YouthSource System, Los Angeles Performance Partnership Pilot (LAP3) and is a founding member of LA:RISE – an innovative model serving homeless and re-entry populations. He also established HIRE LA, one of the nation’s largest public-private youth employment initiatives that combined the visibility of corporate America with solutions designed by policy experts.
Kim McNulty
OneFuture Coachella ValleyKim’s leadership has influenced college and career pipeline development across the region since 2005, when she launched the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership’s Career Pathways Initiative. As OneFuture’s Vice President of Regional Strategy, Kim is responsible for building workforce, education and community partnerships to further implementation of the Regional Plan, including providing staff support for eight of the region’s Alignment Teams. Kim currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Riverside County Workforce Development Board’s East Region Committee and on the National Leadership Council for the Ford Motor Company Fund’s Next Generation Learning Network (Ford NGL). Locally, she serves on the Palm Springs Historical Society Board of Directors, the St. Theresa Catholic Church Parish Council and as a Regent for Xavier College Preparatory High School, which she helped to found.
Nick DeVico
San Diego Workforce PartnershipNick DeVico has over a decade of experience developing and executing innovative programs for opportunity and transition age youth from under-resourced communities. He believes all people deserve the chance to thrive and live fulfilling lives and works hard to ensure this opportunity can be realized by all communities. Having started his career conducting direct service work, Nick is passionate about all youth-related work being informed by the young people the work is intended for. He is currently the Director of Strategic Youth Initiatives at the San Diego Workforce Partnership where he continues to design programs that uniquely meet the needs of youth throughout San Diego County.
Jocelyn Gama
Youth MemberUC Berkeley
Hailing from Oakland, California and born in Jalisco, Mexico, Jocelyn attends UC Berkeley where she majors in Legal Studies with a double minor in Education and Global Poverty and Practice. She remains committed to critical dialogues throughout the city, nation, and the world in order to advance the cause of justice.
Michelle Fuentes Miranda
YouthBuild Collaborative of Southern CaliforniaAlliance for Community Empowerment
Michelle is a community leader and human development professional with over 25 years of experience as a teacher, school principal, program director and nonprofit administrator. Michelle is the grandchild of migrant farm workers who became successful business owners and community leaders in California’s Central Valley. Inspired by the spirit of service and entrepreneurialism demonstrated by her grandmother, Michelle founded Alliance for Community Empowerment (ACE) to help disenfranchised individuals transform their lives and their communities through leadership development, education, and civic engagement. Michelle expanded ACE’s programming providing community intervention and case management services for gang-affected families in the city’s largest GRYD service area. ACE continues to expand its services to meet a wider range of community needs through collaboration, service, and community action.
Jesus Martin Gallego-Munoz
Youth MemberYouth Will
Son of immigrant parents, Jesus Martín is an advocate for the rights of immigrants and refugees. He is currently partnered with Al Otro Lado, through AmeriCorps, where he works as a Legal Assistant in defensive legal proceedings. Through this role, he helps detained immigrants and asylum seekers obtain legal relief. Jesus Martin serves as a Commissioner in the San Diego Youth Commission, as well as a Councilmember in the SDCCD Trustee Advisory Council. He believes all youth have the right to be part of the solution-building process and hence advocates for just and equal inclusion. As a 2022 COYN Fellow he worked with Youth Will addressing youth-driven focus and success, justice, employment and education.
Safia Haidari
Youth WillSafia Haidari is a first generation Afghan-American. After graduating from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s in Social Science, Safia started working with various community based organizations. She spent time volunteering with the International Rescue Committee and working with refugee youth to assist them with navigating career and educational advancements. Hearing these stories of resiliency allowed her to discover her passion for amplifying youth voices and providing young people the tools needed to create the communities they wish to see. Safia currently serves as the Director of policy advocacy and organizing at Youth Will.