The team behind our vision for impact
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Edward Alvarez has extensive background and experience in the education sector. He was elected to the East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) Board of Trustees and served a seven-year term during which the District constructed eight high schools. He was also a founding member of the board of trustees of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School San Jose. He served a seven-year term on the Board of Trustees of Santa Clara University as well as the Board Real Estate and Finance Committee. He is a Trustee Emeritus of the University as well as a member of the Role Model Board of Trustees, an elementary school mentorship program. His education experience also includes services on various advisory committees, including the California Community Colleges Advisory Committee on Minority Affairs and Cristo Rey High School San Jose.
During his law practice tenure, he represented the Mission-De Anza Community College District and was instrumental in the information of the formation of the Mission -De Anza Community Foundation, including the creation of enabling legislation required by law. Mr. Alvarez has been recognized as a recipient of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s first-ever Latino Leadership Awards. Mr. Alvarez is now the President and Chairman of the Latino Education Advancement Foundation (LEAF).
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Brittany Alvarez has been sorting out educational opportunity gaps across the country for over a decade. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the Latino Education Advancement Foundation. She joined LEAF after serving as the College & Career Pathway Director at the Foundation for Hispanic Education and working to desegregate AP/IB programs with the Seattle-based nonprofit Equal Opportunity Schools.
She has a data-driven vision with student voice at the center. Brittany uses direct feedback from students and staff as the foundation of her strategic planning and leadership. She has deep, direct experience in program development for underserved communities and first-generation college students, specifically supporting college enrollment, persistence, and socio-emotional development.
Brittany is the founder of the LEAF Center for College Success andthe LEAF Scholarship. This program’s core components include a robust network of peer mentors, college partnerships, and community volunteers currently supporting over 500 students and families.
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Libier Gonzalez joins LEAF to guide parents and students with a hands-on approach as they navigate higher education. She has a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Universidad del Valle de Atemajac. Before joining LEAF, Libier held leadership roles at the Parent Institute for Quality Education, a data-driven organization that has impacted over 2,000,000 students to date. For nearly 8 years, she served as an Associate Director and as a Regional Director optimizing operations, organizational structure, and employee retention.
In addition, Libier served as Community Engagement chair at Bellarmine High School and worked alongside the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Presentation High School to establish the first ever Latino parent group, “Familias Unidas de Pres”.
Libier brings to LEAF the qualities that epitomized our foundation’s company culture: an unwavering involvement in community-focus work, a devotion to educational equity, and a knack for revealing the most impactful resources available to the students who need them most.
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Emily is from Garden Grove, California and holds a B.A. in English Literature and Urban Education from Mills College, and Ed.M. with an emphasis in Culture, Race, and Ethnic Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Before joining LEAF, Emily served as a College and Career Coordinator at Girls Inc. of Orange County, a non-profit organization with the mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. In her previous role, Emily worked to successfully implement culturally responsive college and career readiness programs for high school girls and non-binary youth in her own community. In addition, Emily supported the development and delivery of research-based curriculum focused on self and community advocacy, healthy sexuality, body image, and college confidence.
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Jacqueline Ramírez recently graduated from Santa Clara University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Ethnic Studies, Spanish Studies, and Urban Education. She joins LEAF with a passion to serve the East San José community where she was raised. Once a participant and leader of SCU's LEAD Scholars Program, Jacqueline supported first-generation students through programming efforts for socio-emotional wellness, mentorship opportunities, and financial and academic support. As someone who fully understands the difficulties of navigating higher education as a first-gen, low-income, Latina student, she hopes to support our LEAF students and families who experience similar challenges.
Jacqueline's work in San José and Santa Clara has always been grounded in combating inequalities through community outreach efforts and educational advocacy. She is excited to continue her efforts of deconstructing misrepresentative narratives about her East San José community by supporting our LEAF students and families and advocating for educational equity.
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Arturo Muñoz has seven years of experience in advocacy and communications, empowering communities and bringing about social change. Despite facing several challenges, including gang violence and work in agriculture during his adolescence, Arturo turned to poetry for solace. He is a published poet and holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from California State University, Monterey Bay. Arturo is also the host of Varrio Voices, a nationally recognized podcast featuring impactful stories from the Latino community and guides listeners on how they can make a difference. At LEAF, Arturo promotes educational equity and equal access to higher education for Latinos in San Jose through narrative-driven marketing campaigns.
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Ashley Rosas is a graduate of Santa Clara University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Math, Spanish Studies, and Urban Education. Being a first-generation college student herself, Ashley knows firsthand the obstacles that college students face and how important it is to receive support along the way. She has tutored and mentored middle and high school students in East San José throughout her college experience because she is very passionate about education and eager to pass on any knowledge that can be useful to others.
With 6-7 years working in the Human Resources department at West Valley College, Ashley joins the team eager to help things run smoothly in the office while supporting the work that we do for students and families in East San José.
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Diego, a native of San José, CA, recently graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he earned his Bachelor's of Science in Business Management.
Driven by a passion for finance and operations, Diego has joined LEAF with the goal of ensuring a seamless financial journey for the organization. He is committed to maximizing the impact of every dollar, and aligning financial strategies with the dynamic goals of each facet of the organization. Diego firmly believes that sound finances serve as a guiding force towards supporting LEAF's mission of eliminating educational disparities and facilitating its expansion to serve the East San José community.
Motivated by LEAF's profound commitment to bridging educational gaps, Diego joined the organization, hoping to contribute to its mission. In his role as a Finance and Special Projects Associate, Diego aims to support the LEAF team with tracking, implementing, and sharing financial systems and perspectives.
His personal journey, rooted in the experiences of first-generation immigrant parents, fuels his commitment to creating opportunities that empower families to navigate and overcome societal and economic obstacles.
Diego aspires to contribute to LEAF's offerings, connecting education to employment and fortifying the East San José community with a solid foundation for success.
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Evelyn Vazquez Urzua is a recent graduate of Santa Clara University, where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science, Ethnic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. Given her experience as a first-generation college student, Evelyn joins LEAF with a strong desire to support students and families who have lived similar experiences find their place within institutions of higher education. She brings to LEAF her experience as the Associate Director of the Multicultural Center at SCU where she managed 14 multicultural clubs to advance racial justice in a predominantly white institution. She was also a peer mentor in first-generation college support programs and has various skills leading clubs and participating in internships throughout her time in school. She is proud to work alongside families and community members to bring about educational equity and opportunities.
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Jorge Banuelos joins LEAF as a graduate of UC Davis where he received his Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics and a minor in Technology Management. Jorge is a First Generation college student who was born and raised in the East Side of San José. He is excited to support students just like himself. Jorge participated in programs similar to LEAF such as the Upward Bound TRIO Program, focusing on college success throughout high school and college which motivated him to be a part of LEAF.
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Andres is a first-gen East San José native whose roots are grounded in México: Michoacán + Tecate. They are a poet, activist, and performing artist. Andres joins LEAF as a first-gen college graduate - they attended San José State University in 2014 and then decided to stop-out in 2016. In 2019, they obtained an A.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Education from Evergreen Valley College. After transferring back to SJSU, Andres obtained a B.A. in Chicanx Studies with a minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Andres brings their passion supporting first-generation students who are from the East Side San José community, and are excited to merge their first-hand experience in navigating community college transfer process with their passion for college access and equity.
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Jennifer Muñoz recently graduated from UC Berkeley, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with minors in Education and Chicano Studies. She is a first-generation, low-income Latina born and raised in East San Jose. Jennifer knows firsthand the importance of access to educational opportunities and resources in navigating higher education. Her work experience has been heavily focused on supporting underserved students as they navigate the complexities of our K-12 education system and higher education through mentorship efforts. In 2021, Jennifer was a mentor through LEAF and saw the impact of the organization's intentional resources and meaningful connections on a scholar's transition to higher education. Jennifer is excited to return to her community and serve LEAF students and families as they prepare to become college and career-ready.
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Christopher Wanis is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and holds a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and Political Science from Santa Clara University. He most recently taught ESL at El Instituto Tecnológico de Tláhuac in Mexico. Wanis is an educator, researcher, and community advocate dedicated to using his professional skills to support students and families facing challenges similar to those he experienced in accessing higher education institutions. He brings his experience as an educator to LEAF, having worked in East San Jose and as a professor at El Instituto Tecnológico de Tláhuac in Mexico City. As someone who understands the struggles of navigating university as a low-income child of immigrants, he hopes to support students and families who face similar difficulties.
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A proud SJSU Spartan and Child and Adolescent Development major, Mayra is passionate about promoting equity through her work at Breakthrough Silicon Valley and Latino Education Advancement Foundation.