Contra Costa County Office of Education

Adriel Rodriguez Soto, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2021. He currently supports the Youth Services Empowerment Program by aiding students and their families through a series of services such as case management, career, and educational guidance. He previously worked for the Twin Rivers Unified School District taking on the roles of tutor, mentor, translator, and eventually worked with the workability program for adult students with disabilities. Adriel has an AA in Social Sciences from American River College and a BA in International Relations from Sacramento State.

 

 

Alejandra Chamberlain, Youth Services Director, joined CCCOE in 2014. She manages, develops, coordinates, implements, and directs the Youth Services operations and activities including educational and vocational programs and services to enhance learning, achievement, and educational outcomes among identified vulnerable students (youth in foster care, youth facing housing instability, and justice involved). Alejandra started her career in youth services as a program intern for Sacramento County Office of Education while earning her master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Sacramento. She then went on to become a case manager at Sacramento Employment and Training Agency and the program coordinator for the City of San Pablo. Alejandra was born and raised in Contra Costa County and is humbled to have this opportunity to give back to her community. Alejandra's hobbies include running, interior design, and DIYs.

 

 

 

Alicia Franklin MS, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2021. Alicia currently supports the Youth Services Empowerment Program providing school enrollment assistance, suspension re-entry support, job exploration counseling, post-secondary enrollment counseling, and instruction in self-advocacy for at-risk and juvenile justice involved youth. Alicia began working with youth who have special needs in the WAI program of Eden Area Regional Occupational Program in Hayward while receiving her master's degree in healthcare administration from California State University, East Bay. After discovering her passion for working with this population, she then went on to work as an Employment Coordinator for the Adaptive Learning Center, a non-profit that gives independent living skills instruction and employment assistance to youth and young adults with disabilities. he now supports in-school and Transition Aged Youth within the Liberty Union High School District area. She is a lover of co-op survival video games and listening to young adult dystopian novels on Audible.

 

 

 
Andrea Gonzalez, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2020. Andrea started out with the county office as an instructional aide at Golden Gate Community Charter in Richmond. She currently supports the county by providing multi-subject tutoring for our foster, homeless, and justice involved youth. Previously, Andrea has worked in the Mount Diablo School District as a noon supervisor and for CARES after school programs throughout MDUSD. While working with CARES, Andrea volunteered with Girls on the Run as a youth coach and supported Junior Giants instructional baseball and reading program. Andrea’s main goal in all her work is to support and empower youth. Andrea received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from San Francisco State University.

 

 

Cameron Parr, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2023. Cameron E. Parr was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 19, 1985 and grew up in Oceanside, CA. In 2003, He moved to Los Angeles County to attend college. He attended California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) located in Carson, CA. In 2008, Cameron obtained his Bachelor's degree in Political Science, minoring in Sociology. For years he taught, mentored, and tutored for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Conservation Corps. He has provided effective service to the youth by working as a teacher, mentor, paraprofessional, and servant-leader intern for the Children's Defense Fund. He worked for the Department of Homeland Security as a Customs and Border Protection Officer at the San Ysidro Port of Entry for nine years. Cameron is a Youth Services Specialist for the Contra Costa Office of Education and works directly with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program (WIOA). Cameron works with homeless, foster, and justice involved youth. Furthermore, he has recently finished his Master of Arts in Education at National University and is a self-published author of The Book That Never Ends.


Dana Padilla, Administrative Assistant, joined CCCOE in 2015. She currently supports all Youth Services (YS) programs by performing clerical duties including planning, coordinating and organizing office activities and coordinating flow of communications and information for the managers and staff. She also prepares and maintains a variety of manual and automated records and reports related to assigned activities. Dana began as a part-time Administrative Assistant who supported the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act by assisting YDS Specialists with contacting previous participants of the program. Dana was born and raised in West County and graduated from Pinole Valley High School. She started her career by working as an Admissions Counselor at Simpson University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication.

 

 

 

Denise Clarke, Youth Services Manager, joined CCCOE in 2008. She currently supports the Homeless Education Technical Assistance Center (HETAC) to provide technical assistance to other County Offices of Education in the region to ensure they have the resources they need to support schools and districts in improving educational stability of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Prior to this position Denise managed early childcare and education programs and was Youth Services Supervisor, and a Youth Services Specialist with the Homeless Education and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs. at the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Denise started her career as a program director of early childhood programs in Southern California and then went on to become a project coordinator at Sonoma State University and case manager at the Regional Center. Denise has an M.A. in Psychology from California State University, a B.A. in English from Sonoma State University and an AA degree in Early Childhood Education.

 

 

 

Eric DuBois M.A., Youth Services Specialist , joined CCCOE in 2021. He currently supports the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) providing educational and employment case management in West CC County. As a teen, Eric was a resident of Youth Homes, Inc. and lived in a group home in Concord. In the spirit of giving back, Eric began supporting underserved, foster youth and justice involved students in 2000 for the East Oakland community at Fremont High School. While at Fremont, he served as Lead Case Manager and COST coordinator. Eric went on the become Dean of Students at Clayton Valley Charter High School. Eric has a B.A in Psychology from Cal State East Bay. Eric’s love for golf brought him to JFK University where he earned his Master's in Sport Psychology. Eric’s loves helping students and golfing.

 

 

 

Esperanza Velarde-Ellis, Youth Development Services Supervisor, joined CCCOE in 2016. Esperanza currently supervisors the workforce programs which include the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program (WIOA), the We Can Work (WCW) Program, the Transition Partnership Program (TPP) and the Workability (WAI) Program. She also assists with the Foster Youth Coordinating Program (FYSCP) and coordinates transportation for foster youth. Esperanza’s passion for youth advocacy started during her time as a domestic violence advocate with the Domestic Violence Intervention Center (DVIC) and her work in the childcare department. She then went on to become a Site Coordinator for an afterschool program with the Stonestown Family YMCA. Esperanza received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from San Francisco State University.

 

 

 

Gina Bills, Education Liaison, joined CCCOE in 2018. She currently coordinates the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program to provide professional development, technical assistance, trainings and support to CCCOE-operated schools and 18 school districts in Contra Costa to provide resources for students experiencing homelessness. Prior to this position, Gina served as a Director of Parent Education at a non-profit Family Resource Center and Youth Services Coordinator for United Way. She has also worked extensively with the justice-involved and the reentry population and is committed to helping families overcome barriers and achieve self-sufficiency. Gina holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Child Development from California State University, Stanislaus.

 

 

Hillary Reid, Administrative Assistant, joined CCCOE in 2023. She supports the FYSCP (Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program) by coordinating tutoring services and transportation services through HopSkipDrive, planning and assisting with the Foster Care/McKinney-Vento Collaborative and Foster Youth Education Advisory Council meetings and gathering/maintaining educational data. Hillary was previously the Clerk at John Swett High School, where she became familiar with the wide variety of educational barriers that students face at school. Prior to working in education, Hillary managed a Fiduciary firm, focusing on elder care and financial management for ill, special needs, and high-risk clients. Hillary started her career of caring for people by becoming a Certified Massage Therapist and Health Educator at The National Holistic Institute.

 

 

 

 
Jonah Hinckley, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2023. He currently supports the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) providing educational and employment case management in east county. Jonah previously worked for Lane County in Oregon in Street Outreach. He is passionate about community growth and development. Jonah has a BA in Public Policy, Planning, and Management from the University of Oregon.

 

 

 

Krystal White, Administrative Assistant, joined CCCOE in 2023.She currently supports all the Workforce Programs under Youth Services by providing administrative assistance for staff and youth entering the workforce. Krystal previously worked as an Administrative Assistant at an elementary school in Moraga. Her specialty is wearing multiple hats and multitasking. She has personal experience with both foster youth and children with special needs. Krystal has an AA in Theatrical Arts and an AA in Acting from Los Medanos College.









Leilani Pamplona Villegas, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2004. She is currently working with the WorkAbility, Transition Partnership Program and the We Can Work program. She has over 14 years of experience in the WIOA program, providing pre-employment training, career exploration and work experiences for youth. With her involvement in new programs, she is now also assisting juvenile justice-involved youth with disabilities obtain work experience. Leilani started her career in student services at UC San Diego and began youth employment work in the non-profit sector at Asian Americans for Community Involvement in San Jose. She has also worked with Filipino-American youth through Project Pull Academy and with prospective transfer students at Chabot Community College.

 

 

Lesi Valenzuela, Youth Services Supervisor, joined CCCOE in 2001. She currently supports the Youth Services Empowerment Program for juvenile justice involved or at risk of involvement youth providing one-on-one case management, educational and career services. She has over 22 years of experience working in workforce development programs. Lesi’s passion for youth began during her time at the Bay Point Community Career Center, focusing on youth employment work in two of Contra Costa County's most economically challenged communities. Lesi is certified as a Global Career Development and Parent Project Facilitator.







Lheywin (Lee) Lapuz, Tutor, joined CCCOE in 2014. Lheywin started her journey in CCCOE as an instructional Assistant for various sites across the County. In 2019, she worked consistently at Floyd Marchus I. Now, she has joined the Youth Services Department as a Tutor. Her goals are to incorporate her passion for learning and her patience for understanding into her work ethic to achieve an educational objective with her students. She is ecstatic to work for a company that serves the future. She strives to one day to live in Hawaii and have her own coffee shop.

 

 

Luis Serrano, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2022. Luis currently contributes to the Youth Services Empowerment Program, offering 1:1 mentoring, academic counseling, post-secondary guidance, workforce referrals, and vital resources. His mission is to guide and empower youth, ensuring they forge a positive path forward. Luis was born and raised in Oakland, CA. His journey began in the non-profit sector, working as a Violence Interrupter, providing crucial support to at-risk youth through case management and mentorship. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences within the justice system, he's spent the last decade as a case manager at Oakland Unified School District, including a leadership role at Fremont High School. Luis enjoys exercising, collecting shoes, coaching baseball and loves being a husband and a father to his four children.

 

 

 

Magdalena Montalvo, Youth Services Specialist, joined CCCOE in 2017.Magdalena serves youth in the YS Empowerment Program. Prior to joining CCCOE, Magdalena worked at various bay-area non-for-profit and government organizations. She worked as a WIOA case manager for the America’s Job Center of California Concord and just before that was a Work Based Learning Liaison at the Alameda County Workforce Development Board. Much of her earlier work was coordinator of grant funded projects at various bay area non-for-profits and has a bachelor's degree in human development from California State University East Bay. Magdalena uses her skills as a Youth Services Specialist to intervene in the lives of youth who are at risk of becoming justice involved or those who are serving time in Contra Costa Juvenile detention centers. Magdalena offers compassionate services, and her goal is to foster confidence, resiliency, and empowerment in every young person that she serves.

 

 

Yvonne Beals, Education Liaison II, joined CCCOE in 2016. Yvonne works to promote and advocate for educational needs and school stability for youth in foster care throughout the county. Yvonne has a public policy and community building background of over 20 years. Yvonne has a policy background that extends over 15 years at the state and local levels. Yvonne continues to serve her community through her service to various non-profit agencies developing public policy and increasing community awareness that address the needs and barriers that affect disadvantaged and underrepresented populations. Born and raised in Pittsburg, California, Yvonne Beals obtained her B.S. in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento and received a master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy from California State University, Hayward.