Silas Cha
Fresno Center for New Americans, Fresno
Silas Cha was born in Laos at the height of the Vietnam conflict. His family lived in a refugee camp for two and a half years. In 1979, his family was resettled in Nashville, TN and moved to Fresno in 1981. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in philosophy. He is the Associate Director of the Fresno Center for New Americans.

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Sergio Cuellar
Youth in Focus, Patterson
Sergio Cuellar was born and raised in Patterson. He earned a B.S degree in History from California State University, Fresno. He is the Site Manager and Academic Instructor at the California Charter Academy - Career Development & Technology. A public charter high school, it serves adults who have either dropped out of or never attended high school. Sergio was recently hired as a Central Valley Program Manager for Youth In Focus, based out of the Davis office. Sergio is a volunteer assistant coach for the junior varsity baseball team at Patterson High School.

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Holly Hart
Giraffix, Tehachapi
Born and raised in Los Angeles County, Holly graduated from California State University, Northridge with a B.A. in Industrial Design. Holly has designed and managed national and international exhibitions and corporate projects. Holly provides technical assistance to organizations on land-use issues and the needs of children, families, and senior citizens. She is on the Smart Growth Coalition Board, and has worked with Healthy Start. She has been involved in downtown revitalization, tourism, arts programs, numerous youth programs, and events such as the Tehachapi Wind Fair--a celebration of alternative energy. She recently completed a cultural assessment and evaluation for Tehachapi.

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Alejandra Juarez
California State University, Fresno
Alejandra Juarez is the Director of two pre-collegiate federal programs at California State University, Fresno, the Educational Talent Search Program and the GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs). She grew up in Kerman. Alejandra is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz and has a Master's degree from the University of Southern California. She is currently involved with the GEAR UP Partnership, Westside Educational Partnership (WEP) and the Mendota Community Partners to improve the quality of life of West Fresno County residents.

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Dana Karcher
Tree Foundation of Kern, Bakersfield
Dana Karcher is the Kern County Tree Foundation Executive Director. She previously worked in marketing in the private sector and was Public Relations Coordinator for the Kern County Museum. She serves on the Board of Directors for the California Urban Forests Council and the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee. She holds a BS degree in political science from CSU Hayward. Dana is a native Californian and has lived in the Central Valley for the past 15 years.

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Arturo Lomeli
Great Valley Center, Modesto
Arturo Lomeli was raised in Patterson, and graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. For the past two years, Arturo has worked as a the Program Associate for the Great Valley Center's Central Valley Digital Network. He serves as a facilitator for the Great Valley Center CATAPULT youth program. Arturo is also on the advisory boards for the Central Valley Opportunity Center and Modesto Junior College. He volunteers as a coach for the varsity football team at his high school alma mater.

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Arsenio Mataka
Grayson
Arsenio Mataka was born in Modesto and grew up in Grayson. He most recently served as a Circuit Rider for The Great Valley Center where he focused on valley-wide community outreach and capacity building. Arsenio was recently appointed to sit on the Stanislaus County Planning Commission. He is presently attending Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Stanislaus Arts Council..

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Nannette Potter
California Employment Development Department, Clovis
Nannette was raised on a family dairy in Selma, and now lives in Clovis. She has worked for the Employment Development Department since 1977 in a variety of positions and is currently a program manager for the Fresno Job Service at Workforce Connection. She works with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation, and the business community to enhance the economic stability of the community. Nannette has served on the Writers' International Network Board of Directors and was Conference Director for the annual William Saroyan Writers' Conference in Fresno.

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Allison Smith
Atwater
Allison Smith is a native of Atwater. She holds a B.S. degree in Psychology from California State University, Fresno. She is currently studying Non-profit Leadership and Management and Special Events Planning in the American Humanics Program at CSU, Fresno. Allison recently completed the Kauffman Social Entrepreneurial Internship at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is active in the Atwater Ag Boosters, Merced County 4-H and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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Darren Suen
Sacramento County Department of Transportation, Elk Grove
Darren Suen was born and raised in Sacramento. After graduating from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, he worked for RBF Consulting in Irvine on land development projects throughout the state. He now manages resource allocations and tracks revenues and expenditures as a facilitator for the County of Sacramento, Department of Transportation Project Management Office. He is the current Chairman for the Franklin-Laguna Community Planning Advisory Council and is a member of the Community Action Group for the County of Sacramento’s Pedestrian Master Plan.

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Deborah Thomas
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Hanford
Deborah Thomas was born in Lindsay and moved to Hanford in 1989. She is the Development Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fresno, Kings, and Madera counties. She has served on the Kings County Fire Department Ad Hoc Committee for Fire Services. Deborah volunteered her skills to help build a 40-acre soccer complex for the children of Hanford. She is president-elect of the Hanford Noon Kiwanis and active in the Governor's Mentoring Partnership.

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Eva Vasquez-Camacho
Consultant, Bakersfield
Eva Vasquez-Camacho was born in Texas and raised in Mexico and Delano. Eva is an independent-based consultant, doing planning, grant writing, evaluation and review with non-profits; as well as managing political, media, and educational campaigns. In her most recent project, Eva directed the largest voter registration drive ever conducted in the Central Valley for the State Assembly, registering more than 17,000 voters in Kern, Kings, Tulare, and Fresno counites.

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Katie Villegas
California Department of Health Services, West Sacramento
Katie Villegas is a native of Sacramento and has lived in West Sacramento for the past 12 years. She earned a B.S. in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work, Community Organizing and Program Administration from California State University, Sacramento. Katie has worked in politics, AIDS, domestic violence, child abuse, and community health. She now is employed part time for Healthy Families and BabyCal Media Campaigns for the California Department of Health Services.

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Caroline Wilson
Community Action Partnership of Kern, Bakersfield
Caroline Wilson was born in Guatemala but has lived in the Central Valley most of her life. She earned her BS in Business Administration from California State University Bakersfield, and a Masters in Education from the University of La Verne. She is employed with Kern Community Action Partnership of Kern, a nonprofit agency. As the Regional Manager of the Migrant Childcare AP Program, Caroline helps to provide a safe environment for the children of migrant farm workers.

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Gilda Zarate
Native American Health Group, Fresno
Gilda Zarate moved back to her hometown of Fresno a few years ago, after living in Mexico for twenty-three years where she earned a Degree in Economics from the University of Guadalajara. As the outreach coordinator for the Native American Health Center, a community-based nonprofit organization, she promotes the clinic throughout the Fresno area to the urban Indian community and other community-based organizations. Previously, she worked for the census as a recruiter and outreach coordinator. She is a member of the Latino Issues Forum advisory committee on environmental health and the Local Government Commission advisory committee on outreach and education on smart growth.

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