The LA Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC) is building a community of organizations working in concert to ensure that every youth is served in a holistic way with a coherent array of complementary services. We are building and strengthening bridges among more than 120+ public agencies, service organizations, educational institutions, and employers to better connect youth with education, jobs, and opportunity.
Building multi-sector partnerships to improve education and employment outcomes for Opportunity Youth to thrive.
Opportunity Youth in Los Angeles County have the knowledge and skills to allow them to achieve economic mobility and flourish in their personal lives.
We advance systemic change for Opportunity Youth through a multi-pronged, equity-driven approach grounded in cross-sector collaboration, youth voice, and continuous improvement.
Opportunity Youth Voice
Engage youth to voice their experiences and utilize their expertise to inform systemic solutions.
Promoting Awareness
Distribute information about the needs, barriers and realities of Opportunity Youth and communicate about how to access available resources.
Making Connections
Create a platform for information-sharing by bringing together organizations that serve and interact with youth who have been impacted by systems.
Building Capacity
Provide education and training to help partners learn, adopt, and improve their capacity to support Opportunity Youth who have been impacted by systems as they transition to independence.
Transforming Systems
Improve the impact agencies serving youth by enhancing services coordination, institutionalizing best practices, driving systems change, expanding resources and developing shared measurements to drive continuous improvement.
We believe real systems change requires both collaboration and clear, actionable data. By tracking outcomes across Los Angeles County, we uncover barriers and opportunities that guide our strategies. This ensures our solutions are equitable, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of Opportunity Youth—while keeping our partners aligned and accountable.
Key Insight: Pandemic caused a temporary spike, but long-term recovery is still ongoing.
Key Insight: The pandemic had a lasting impact on young adults’ disconnection rates, indicating longer recovery times for this group.
Key Insight: Systemic barriers persist, and racial/ethnic disparities in disconnection have remained consistent pre- and post-pandemic.
Key Insight: Post-pandemic recovery is slower for youth in the city compared to the county, and disparities persist across racial/ethnic groups.
Key Insight: The young adult age group has been hit hardest by pandemic-related disruptions, indicating long-term recovery needs.
Key Insight: Racial disparities in disconnection remain persistent pre- and post- pandemic.
Jasmin Ambrosio
Kahlen Barnes
Daniel Bisuano
Sherrie Bradford
Iziko Calderon
Nyla Davis
Cristopher Espino
Roberta Frame
Taneil Franklin
Jasper Garcia
Christopher Hendrix
Kamaurah Hogan
Mercedes Jackson
Ya’Jan Johnson
Payton Kivett
Ka-Leah Mucthison
Tahir Nance
Alexis Obinna
Marlene Ochoa
Maya Ochoa
Nancy Olivares
Jacqueline Robles
Giulyana Rodriguez
Sarai Rojas
Abigail Rubtsova
Alaska Romero-Crosby
Adriana Segura
Micheal Strickland
Joel Swazo
Jennifer Vega
Lania Whiteside
Ashanti Wince
Managing Director
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Lauri Collier (she/her) is the director of the LA Opportunity Youth Collaborative. Lauri has over 20 years of experience working with vulnerable populations, and her expertise is working with child-welfare programs serving transition age youth. Previously, as vice-president of housing and operations at St. Anne’s, she worked in collaboration with DCFS Youth Development Services to bring the Transitional Housing Plus (THP+) funding stream into Los Angeles County in partnership with DCFS and licensed one of the first Transitional Housing Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) housing programs in Los Angeles County. She also served as the director of the Los Angeles Transition Age Youth Collaborative, which developed an evidence-based, trauma informed, work-force development curriculum in collaboration with Columbia University School of Social Work’s Workplace Center. She expanded the reach of work readiness curriculum by and partnering with over 15 community-based organizations, and the curriculum is currently being embedded into the public workforce system.
Director
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Melanie G. Ferrer-Vaughn (she/her) is a macro social worker who keeps the individuals and the community at the forefront. Melanie’s compass is driven by justice, equity and liberation. She uses an intersectional lens paired with a strength based and empowerment approach. Melanie believes in bringing your whole self into the room and values authenticity, humility, and intention. Prior to joining the Opportunity Youth Collaborative, she worked for Seneca Family of Agencies where she held an array of positions – as a therapist, supervisor, and director designing and overseeing programs such as a Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Prevention Program, Immigration Program, Juvenile Justice Assessment Program, Outpatient Clinic, and Wraparound Program. She is passionate about working with youth and families, and seeing healing take place on an individual level and helping systems transform. Melanie is originally from the Bay Area, but Los Angeles has been her second home for many years. She resides in Compton with her partner and two kids. Melanie received her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California with an emphasis on community organization, planning and administration.
Opportunity Youth Assistant
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Alex Guerrero (she/her) brings four years of dedicated experience in promoting equitable access to educational opportunities for former foster youth. With a focus on systems alignment, Alex has been instrumental in amplifying youth voices within the Horizons 32k strategic plan. This initiative aims to minimize disconnection from education and employment by fostering collaboration between workforce centers and essential social services, including mental health supports.
Before joining the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative, Alex worked with a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing programming in early childhood education centers throughout LA County. During this time, she gained valuable insights into the impacts of adverse childhood experiences and built connections with hundreds of organizations serving children. Additionally, she has advocated for former foster youth, championing their needs and rights over the past few years.
Alex holds a degree in Sociology and International Studies from California State University, Long Beach.
Systems Change Project Manager
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Brisia Gutierrez (she/her) is currently the Systems Change Project Coordinator for the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative and is now Co-Chair of the DCFS Director’s Advisory Council. Brisia graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science, and a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Brisia is a former foster youth who is extremely passionate about uplifting the voices of foster youth and working with foster youth to shift power and leadership to those most affected by the system.
Associate Director
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Rachael Parker-Chavez (she/her) has worked at the intersection of systems change and social justice for over a decade. Before joining the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative, Rachael was an independent strategist working with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to foster equitable community engagement and drive community-led solutions. Rachael has also worked as an advocate for youth impacted by the child welfare and juvenile legal systems, most recently serving for two years as the Luskin Fellow at the L.A. County Office of Child Protection and in social work practicum at Youth Justice Coalition. Rachael holds dual master’s degrees in public policy and social welfare from UCLA, where her research focused on social and economic policy, prevention, and wealth redistribution. Originally from Michigan, Rachael has called Southern California home since 2003. She currently lives in South L.A. with her partner and their many pets, all of whom are happiest spending time outdoors.
Youth Mentoring Nexus (YMN) Engagement Coordinator
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Consultant
Ena Volic (she/her) is the Learning and Impact Lead for the Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative and an independent consultant dedicated to improving educational and workforce outcomes for Opportunity Youth. With nearly two decades of experience in education and youth development, Ena has designed and implemented comprehensive educational programs, provided targeted professional development, and developed strategic initiatives to serve some of the region’s most vulnerable young people.
She began her career through Teach for America, teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District before moving into leadership roles, including Director of Education at Youth Emerging Stronger. She later advanced innovative workforce and curriculum initiatives as a coach and trainer with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity. Her career also includes service at Pacific Clinics, where she strengthened volunteer engagement to support community-based programs.
Ena holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA. Grounded in both classroom practice and systems-level strategy, she continues to partner with public agencies, nonprofits, and community stakeholders to create pathways that allow all young people to thrive.
Assistant Director of Operations
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Melisa Urbina (she/her) is a non-profit professional with 10 years of experience working with systems impacted youth. She began her non-profit career at Orange County Human Relations (OCHR) in the city of Santa Ana. There, as a Human Relations Specialist, she successfully ran the BRIDGES Safe and Respectful Schools Program in five different school sites across Orange County. She began working within the Child Welfare system when she joined the Alliance for Children’s Rights in the Summer of 2017. Melisa is originally from the San Diego/Tijuana border area. and moved to Orange County to pursue her education. Melisa wanted to pursue a career as a college professor. However, the universe had other plans, as she fell in love with working with youth and seeing them thrive. Melisa holds a B.A. and M.A. in Spanish Literature and Linguistics from California State University, Fullerton.
Senior Manager, Workforce Development Policy and Systems
UNITE LA
Edgar Castillo (he/him) advances UNITE-LA’s systems change efforts to build a skilled workforce that is aligned to regional employer demand for talent and is inclusive and representative of local, diverse communities.
In his prior role, he was part of the growing partnership between UNITE-LA and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) to support ACCE’s Education & Talent Development Division (ETD) in efforts to improve the capacity of chambers of commerce across the nation to have a measurable and sustainable impact on cradle-to-career education and workforce development outcomes.
Additionally, Castillo staffed the Education and Workforce Development Committee of the Regional Economic Association Leaders (R.E.A.L.) Coalition, an association of California’s most influential business and economic development entities, representing 19 member organizations and up to 15,000 employers who collectively provide up to 3.9 million California jobs. Most notably, he facilitated the first R.E.A.L. Coalition Press Call highlighting California’s business community support for the passage of the Clean Dream Act. Castillo also led UNITE-LA’s Smart Justice reform policy efforts that aimed to reduce crime and build a thriving and inclusive economy.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and studied Community Politics and Development in the European Union in Germany and Italy. In his spare time, Castillo loves to travel and discover new cuisines, enjoys watching anime and is a high school soccer coach.
Director, Workforce Systems & Policy
UNITE-LA
Amber Chatman (she/her) Director of Workforce Systems and Policy, is responsible for advancing systems change in the Los Angeles region in partnership with workforce systems, including employer partners, public agencies and private community-based organizations to upskill and retain a strong workforce.
Chatman has more than 15 years of experience in youth workforce development, progressing marginalized communities’ access and retention in strong career pathways to support economic sustainability for themselves, their families and their communities.
Chatman received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from California State University Los Angeles and a master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University Northridge. In her spare time, you will find Chatman enjoying a game of soccer, football or basketball, as she is a big sports fanatic
Senior Manager, Workforce Systems
UNITE-LA
Senior Director, Systems Change Strategy
UNITE-LA
As Senior Director for Systems Change Strategy at UNITE-LA, Carrie Lemmon (she/her) leads the strategic advancement of the L.A. Compact partnership and facilitates the development of collaborative solutions to complex social challenges in the public sector. Carrie helped launch the OYC in 2013 and co-convenes the OYC Foster Youth at Work and Foster Youth College Promise campaigns. She is driven by a passion for not only public service, but also the power to transform systems and change the odds for youth who are deprived of equal opportunities to succeed in school, career and life. In her role with the L.A. Compact, Carrie is particularly focused on facilitating cross-sector engagement around issues related to community schools, transition-age foster youth, college enrollment, and youth workforce development. A native of L.A. County, Carrie holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Senior Program Manager
John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY)
Jessica Petrass (she/her) currently serves as a Senior Project Manager at John Burton Advocates for Youth. In this role, Jessica leads the Foster Youth College Advancement Project, an initiative of the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative, that convenes a robust network of leaders in L.A. County to co-design systems improvements and collaborative strategies to increase postsecondary attainment for current and former foster youth in the region. Jessica also provides technical assistance and training to public agencies, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations. Prior to her work at John Burton Advocates for Youth, Jessica spent nearly 15 years working with transition-age youth (TAY) in a direct service capacity, many of whom were current and former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Jessica is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has experience providing therapeutic services, including crisis-management, to youth ages 5-21. Jessica has designed and managed a TAY drop-in center in Pasadena, California. She has earned her B.A. at the University of San Diego and her Master’s in Social Welfare with an emphasis in Organizations, Communities and Policy Settings from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Alliance for Children’s Rights is the backbone agency for the LA Opportunity Youth Collaborative, and the OYC is co-convened in partnership with John Burton Advocates for Youth and UNITE-LA.
City of Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department (EWDD)
City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office
City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department (YDD)
Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS)
Los Angeles County Department of Youth Development (DYD)
Los Angeles County Prevention and Promotion Systems Governing Committee (PPSGC)
We appreciate our generous partners who make this work possible. Our deepest gratitude to this dedicated community of funders who support the Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative.
Angell Foundation
The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions
The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Walter S. Johnson Foundation
Pritzker Foster Care Initiative
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
The Stuart Foundation
If you are interested in joining the LA Opportunity Youth Collaborative as a partner, we’d love to hear from you!
