About

Kathy Booth codirects the Center for Economic Mobility, transforming data into practical solutions. She connects education and workforce development by designing state longitudinal data systems, such as the California Cradle-to-Career Data System, and improving coordination between agencies, including California’s Career Education Master Plan. Her work helps clarify student economic outcomes, such as documenting earnings gains associated with upskilling, and guides the use of labor market information to create pathways to better paid, more stable jobs. Kathy has led statewide reform efforts in the areas of developmental education, expansion of student supports, the redesign of accountability frameworks, and Guided Pathways. She has a BA from Wesleyan University.

Randy Tillery co-directs the Center for Economic Mobility. He has 28 years of experience helping build large regional and state partnerships between educators, workforce and human services, agencies, communities, employers, and organized labor to expand economic opportunities for individuals and communities in poverty. Randy has led workforce and community development efforts through roles such as Senior Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Contra Costa Community College District and Workforce Director at the Spanish-Speaking Unity Council. He’s also served as a consultant for workforce and education projects, always working to improve access to education, job training, and long-term career success across populations. He has a BA from Evergreen State College and an MA in cultural and visual anthropology from Temple University. He is ABD in social anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Rachel Antrobus leads projects that boost student success and economic mobility from kindergarten through college. She has worked across K–12, higher ed, and government to improve pathways, build systems, and support youth and young adults. Her past roles include developing research and professional development at the RP Group, advancing K-12 to college transitions at Career Ladders Project and Gateway to College’s National Network, and improving education and workforce programs for target populations for more than a decade in municipal government. She has a BA in communication studies and an MPA from California State Long Beach, and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of Southern California.

John Brauer specializes in workforce development, focusing on apprenticeships, high-road training partnership creation, labor-management partnerships, WIOA systems alignment, workforce development best practices, green jobs, CTE, job quality, industry needs assessments, and sector partnerships. He works to strengthen connections among education systems, employers, and labor organizations. His background includes serving as Workforce Director at the California Labor Federation, leading the Oakland Army Base Workforce Development Collaborative, and working as an Alameda County Planner. John spent 11 years as an appointee on California’s Workforce Development Board under Governors Brown and Newsom and has served on Oakland’s Workforce Development Board. He has a BA in political science from UC Berkeley and an MPA from California State East Bay.

Erik Cooper is leading the team to build integrated, longitudinal data systems across the country. He helped develop the California Community Colleges DataVista dashboard and is helping develop similar systems. With over 20 years of experience across higher education in multiple states, including roughly 15 years with two California community colleges and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Erik has extensive experience stitching together complex data systems and turning that data into useful information. He has an MS in psychology and neuroscience from the University of Oregon and a BA in psychology and an EdD in educational leadership from California State Sacramento.

Angela Estacion oversees the successful design and execution of the Center’s research and evaluation projects, partners with state and local education agencies and postsecondary and workforce partners to improve education and training pathways for economic mobility, and leads strategic efforts to expand research evidence on pathways to living wage careers. She uses statewide data alongside qualitative interview data to understand what helps learners succeed. Angela leads a statewide study of career and technical education programs in Florida, co-leads evaluations of statewide workforce programs in Connecticut, and co-leads multistate efforts to support rural adult learners to boost economic and workforce development. She has a BA in child development from Tufts University and an MA in sociology from Johns Hopkins University.

LeAnn Fong-Batkin manages intersegmental data systems at the Center. She helped develop California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System and has helped other states create similar systems. With over 25 years of experience across California state agencies— including Sacramento State, California Department of Education, California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and the California State Auditor’s Office—LeAnn has extensive expertise in educational data systems and previously administered continuing education programs for professionals. She has a BA from UC Santa Cruz, an MBA from Sacramento State, and a EdD in educational leadership and policy from UC Davis.

For more than 20 years, Tracy Huebner has led cross-functional teams solving complex educational problems across state, national, and international levels. She excels at managing projects that connect policy, research, and practice by bringing together stakeholders and building collaborative networks of educators, leaders, and tech innovators. Recently, she led intersegmental programs improving college and career pathways in California and Colorado, directed a global team testing a tech-enabled teaching framework, and studied networks supporting student mental health. Her background combines experience as a researcher, practitioner, and leader dedicated to improving education systems. She has a BA from Cornell University and an MA and PhD from Stanford University.

Meghan McBride is an adult education and workforce development leader with expertise in WIOA Title II and data-informed professional development for educators. Her areas of specialization include policy analysis, strategic planning, and using data to strengthen adult education systems. Previously, she led adult education programs at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, including English language learning and workforce training. Meghan has progressed from teaching to leadership roles, focusing on developing noncredit/workforce training, improving educational access, and enhancing learner transitions through data-informed strategies. She has a BS in secondary education, an MA in history, and an EdD in curriculum and instruction from Valdosta State University.

Sally Montemayor Lenz brings extensive experience from her tenure at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, where she contributed to leading statewide initiatives that advance postsecondary education reform. She specializes in policy, strategic planning, professional development, and technical assistance to expand student access, improve retention, and advance achievement. Sally has led curriculum reviews, student services assessments, and program development across California’s community colleges and other institutions nationally. Her leadership includes major initiatives such as Guided Pathways; Associate Degree for Transfer; Dual Enrollment; Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA); the Puente Project; and Rising Scholars. She has a BS in business administration from Fresno State, an MA in counseling from Chapman University, and an EdD from the University of La Verne.

Grace Calisi has over 2 decades of experience leading complex, high-impact education and workforce initiatives. She specializes in high school reform and postsecondary programs for underserved youth and currently directs multiyear, intersegmental projects in California and Colorado. Grace brings expertise in strategic planning, qualitative research, and cross-sector collaboration, while working closely with state agencies, philanthropic organizations, and public institutions. She is known for translating policy into practice, using data to drive continuous improvement, and building trusted relationships across systems. Grace holds degrees from Richard Stockton College and Rutgers University.

Erin Carter contributes to the research, development, and implementation of internal and external technology projects. She assists clients in stakeholder engagement and developing functional requirements for solutions that support program needs. Erin has years of project management experience in enterprise web development, data management, and training for education audiences, working closely with state, county, and district education groups and end users. She serves as product manager for WestEd SPARK and North Far North Careers and supports ongoing research on digital credentials and related technologies for the California Cradle-to-Career and Career Passport projects. Erin graduated with a degree in communications from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Svetlana Darche works with high schools and community colleges to improve student services and instruction within career exploration, pathway development, and work-based learning. She focuses on identifying the skills needed for college and career readiness and long-term success. Svetlana implements NASA’s GLOBE program in California and New Mexico, where students learn 21st century skills and STEM content through projects that generate data for professional scientists. She has extensive experience in evaluation, strategic planning, program design, and partnership building to improve education and social services; development of assessment tools; and strong classroom and work-based learning strategies. Svetlana has a BA in anthropology and an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Quay Dorsey specializes in evaluation, inclusive data collection, and initiatives that address opportunity gaps for underserved students. Before joining WestEd, Quay worked in Washington, DC, public schools as a STEM educator, curriculum writer, and teacher coach. At WestEd, he leads national systems improvement efforts, supporting consortia focused on closing education and workforce gaps for underserved populations, including Indigenous students, women, and students from low-income backgrounds. Quay is passionate about improving transitions from K–12 to postsecondary education and careers. He holds an MS from Johns Hopkins University.

Pam Fong brings expertise in providing educational leaders and practitioners with actionable recommendations and research-based information to improve the outcomes of students and educators. Experienced in qualitative methodologies and data analysis, she generates and synthesizes findings with broader research to inform strategic decision-making about program improvement and policymaking. She amplifies promising practices in K–12 and postsecondary education through storytelling and descriptive case studies. Leaning into her program development and teaching experiences, she leads conceptual development and creation of consumable products and resources, including career development toolkits, instructional guides, and frameworks. Pam holds an MA in education from UC Berkeley.

Rajinder Gill focuses on nontraditional learning and training programs that support skills-first hiring practices. She brings her previous experience as the cocreator of the New World of Work program, which scaled across all 116 California community colleges, and her role as Essential Skills Program CEO to projects at WestEd. Rajinder provides insights, synthesis information, and resources related to durable skills training, assessments, digital credentials, and learning and employment records (LERs) to help employers, learners, and job seekers navigate the rapidly changing workforce. While earning her MSEd at Dominican University, Rajinder analyzed effective college and career counseling practices through her thesis work at Oxford University.

Greg Hill, Jr. is skilled at both quantitative and qualitative analysis, group facilitation, applied data science, geospatial intelligence, and data visualization, which he leverages in his work to highlight access and outcomes gaps and design evidence-based interventions. He has created dashboards for the departments of education in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as the National Association of Higher Education Systems. Recent projects include a green-energy workforce development planning project with a city council of governments, a Strengthening Community Colleges grant evaluation, an evaluation of a local digital upskilling initiative for adult learners, and technical assistance and strategic planning projects for the California Adult Education Program and individual consortia statewide.

With over 20 years of experience, Laura Lara-Brady is a passionate advocate for building student- and community-centered higher education systems that empower underserved communities to thrive. As a leader in the postsecondary work strand, she manages impactful regional, statewide, and national projects. These include mapping the scalability of the PUENTE program, connecting educational pathways in Utah, evaluating the implementation of Guided Pathways nationwide, and co-leading an NSF-funded project. Formerly a Dean of Student Equity at CCSF, she established a statewide Guided Pathways regional coordination model supporting all 115 community colleges. Born in Mexico, Laura obtained her doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Northern Colorado.

Lisa Le Fevre coordinates research, evaluation, and technical assistance of workforce development, systems improvement, and education initiatives. She explores innovation and collaboration for students’ academic and career success. Her skills include qualitative research design, data collection and analysis, and project implementation and outcomes support. Lisa has extensive experience evaluating federally funded grantee projects, including Strengthening Community Colleges training grants. She managed grantee monitoring on a U.S. Department of Labor H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant and led qualitative analysis on evaluations of two Workforce Innovation Grants. She has a PhD in applied anthropology from Columbia University.

Joy Lewis focuses on program implementation and structural reform of postsecondary institutions, regions, states, and school districts. Over the past 20 years, Joy’s work has centered on K-16 policy, large-scale assessment, accountability, curriculum alignment, early childhood education, and implementation of state and local data systems. She bridges gaps between policy and practice, advocating for equitable access and sustainable reforms in postsecondary systems, ultimately empowering students and educators with impactful education solutions. Joy holds a BA in sociology from University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MA in education policy and administration from Stanford University.

Alex is Senior Project Manager on WestEd’s Postsecondary and Workforce Development, where she is responsible for designing professional development for postsecondary and workforce development clients. In this role, Alex leverages training in policy analysis and human-centered design with experience leading student success initiatives at public universities. The focus of her work is to empower clients to transform data into action that equitably improves outcomes for students with marginalized identities.

Alex earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

David Maduli supports professional development, practitioner engagement, and technical assistance to improve college and career pathways. He brings over 25 years of experience as a teacher, school leader, and CTE coach in Bay Area secondary schools. Before joining WestEd, he led pathway development as a district administrator in Oakland, California. David’s work is grounded in the lived experiences of students, educators, and families. His interests include interdisciplinary curriculum, community-centered project-based learning, ethnic studies, and ecological justice. He holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley; an MEd from Harvard; and an MFA from Mills College.

Mansi Master is an Operations Manager in WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility. Managing daily operations in the Center for Mobility and Measurement, she contributes to proposals, finances, team management, recruitment, and professional development. She also directs the Code Alignment Project. Previously, she coordinated the LaunchBoard statewide data system and other postsecondary projects. Mansi holds a BA in psychology and economics from the University of Virginia and an MPA from George Mason University.

Jasmine McGee has 15 years of experience in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Her areas of expertise include data-informed approaches and trends, student centered strategies, K-16 education, and data systems, with a focus on underserved populations. She has worked in education services in Northern California at organizations like East Oakland Youth Development Center, College of Alameda, American River College, and Youth Radio. Jasmine received a BA in psychology and African American studies from the University of California, Davis, and an MA in counseling from the St. Mary’s College of California.

Kate O’Rorke is the lead Project Manager for DataVista, the statewide data system for California Community Colleges. Throughout her career, she has focused on expanding education and career development programs for K–12, community college, and adult education students. Kate is the Chief Operating Officer and cofounder of the Essential Skills Program, which teaches employability skills and is supported by a curriculum, training, and verified credential process. She also led New World of Work, a career program that expanded across all 116 California community colleges. Kate has an MS in organizational leadership from Colorado State University and a BS in business from Arizona State University.

Val Pedroza leads research and evaluation projects with schools, universities, and state agencies. He is a recognized expert in the evaluation of higher education STEM pathways, community college and university systems, workforce development, and Hispanic-serving institutions. His expertise spans quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, capturing rich data to tell compelling stories that illuminate the lived experiences behind the numbers. He transforms complex datasets and narrative insights, combined with advanced data visualization tools like Tableau and innovative AI applications, into powerful visual stories that drive policy decisions and institutional improvements. Val holds an MA and a BA in psychology from the California State University, Fullerton.

Debi Pezzuto supports adult education consortia across California through data-informed strategies to improve programs. Her expertise includes English as a second language, high school equivalency, adult basic education, student transitions, Integrated Education and Training (IET), and WIOA Title II. Before joining WestEd, Debi was the Student Services Coordinator for Truckee Meadows Community College’s Adult Basic Education program, where she led outreach, advising, enrollment, and IET program and curriculum development. She has a BA in English from California State Sacramento and an AA in English from Cosumnes River College.

Ravinder Singh primarily works on integrated data systems projects, including DataVista, a visualization platform that tracks student progress, graduation, and employment outcomes in California community colleges. Before joining WestEd, he worked at the University of California Office of the President and UC San Francisco, reporting on the university’s efforts to improve outcomes for underrepresented students. Ravinder is passionate about community and workplace issues. He was chair of the UC Staff Assemblies and Oakland’s Community Policing Advisory Board. He has a BA from Millsaps College and an MS in history and philosophy of education from Florida State University.

Sterling Smith helps educators and workforce professionals make data-informed decisions with social, economic, and labor market information to support student success and economic mobility. Before joining WestEd, he was a senior consultant at Lightcast, specializing in economic impact studies, workforce gap analysis, and program market assessments. He has worked with colleges, universities, and nongovernmental organizations across the United States and internationally, including California Community Colleges, South Dakota Board of Regents, and Colleges Wales. Sterling has a BS in agricultural economics from Washington State University, where he researched college debt and entrepreneurship and won an international business plan competition.

Jenna Terrell leads research and evaluation studies to improve college and career outcomes, with a focus on career-connected learning, college access, and workforce development. She partners with federal and state agencies and philanthropic organizations to conduct research, supporting evidence-based strategies to reengage adult learners, expand career pathways, and strengthen alignment between postsecondary education and labor market needs. Her recent work includes a labor market alignment study in Florida, dual enrollment research in California, evaluations of union-led demonstration projects, and Strengthening Community Colleges grants. Jenna holds a BA from Georgia State and an MS in public policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Thomas Torre Gibney designs applied research studies to help states, school districts, and postsecondary partners to develop student-centered college and career readiness policies. His areas of expertise include CTE, early postsecondary and college access policy, and career-connected learning models that blur the lines between high school, college, and the workforce. He works closely with partners to develop the right research design to fit their needs, from early-stage needs assessments to rigorous impact evaluations that elevate student and practitioner voices. Thomas is a graduate of the Education Policy program at Vanderbilt University and is an Institute of Education Sciences–trained researcher in CTE program evaluation.

Rocio Ambrocio brings her project management expertise to high-visibility initiatives focused on data systems, workforce development, and adult learners. She oversees project progress, budgets, and contracts while drawing on her background of supporting Title I K–12 schools, after-school programs, and nonprofits to build college and career readiness programs. Ambrocio is passionate about collaborating with postsecondary administrators and educators to address factors impacting educational and economic mobility. Her work centers on supporting students with nonlinear educational paths, particularly first-generation, transfer, and adult learners. She additionally mentors staff across the agency and supports their growth. Rocio holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a project management certificate from Google.

Nisha Bala works on many forms of design, from graphic design to data architecture, to support sectorwide collaboration and strategic decision-making. They use skills in graphic design, programming, and quantitative research to contribute to efforts around user-centered design, data collection, database and metadata management, and technical assistance. Previously, they worked on data analysis and technical support for school climate projects and in COVID-19 student experience research. They also lead the PRIDE Alliance Employee Network, advising leadership on employee experience. Nisha has bachelor’s degrees in math and economics from the University of Chicago and an MPP in education policy from Vanderbilt University.

Marisa Castellano’s work focuses on expanding opportunities for underserved students through research, evaluation, and needs assessment of school districts and colleges. At WestEd, she has supported middle school CTE program development, community college alignment of career programs with local high schools, and adult school consortium efforts to help jobseekers update their skill sets. She previously worked at the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, researching pathways, credentials, and college access. She has also taught work-based English as a second language in a hospital program and university-level English in Chiapas, Mexico. Marisa received her PhD in education from the University of California, Berkeley.

Rhegille Baltazar supports teams with project management and helps lead professional development during team meetings. She’s experienced in running engaging meetings, supporting and facilitating online technical assistance sessions and webinars via Zoom, and coordinating project tasks. One of her notable projects includes the coordination and facilitation of the California Cradle-to-Career Planning Process. Baltazar also has a background in teaching and curriculum development through Pin@y Educational Partnerships, which offers ethnic studies programs in San Francisco’s Excelsior District. She holds BAs in sociocultural anthropology and Asian American studies, with a minor in education, from the University of California, Davis.

Alyssa Blanchard helps plan studies, collect and analyze data, and share findings. She is currently working on evaluations of a school-based mental health workforce program in North Georgia and a workforce training program in Connecticut. Previously, at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, she was the lead analyst on a study of English Learners and school leadership. Alyssa holds a BA in public policy and an MPP in education policy from Vanderbilt University.

Adriel Garcia supports dashboard development and educational data tools to help improve decision-making across education and workforce systems. He brings experience from California Title I public schools, nonprofits, and his prior work with Lindsay Unified School District. Adriel uses data to help organizations and agencies address educational gaps. He has a BA in psychology and social behavior with a minor in management and a certificate in data analytics from the University of California, Irvine.

Brenda Hernandez supports college administrators, educators, and staff to use data, collaborate across sectors, and develop student-centered solutions to improve learner outcomes. She specializes in helping first-generation, low-income, and underserved students prepare for and access college. Brenda has a BA in sociology with a minor in Chicana/o/x studies from the University of California, Davis, and an MA in educational leadership and policy studies from California State University, Sacramento.

Sanskruti Kolpe is a Data Science and Analytics Engineer with a background in software engineering, specializing in building and automating data pipelines using Python and SQL to support advanced analytics and metric development. Skilled in several databases, she helps design complex queries and efficient data transformations that turn raw siloed data into actionable insights. With a systems-oriented approach and a strong emphasis on technical execution, she contributes to data-driven, equity-focused solutions at WestEd. She holds a BS in electronics and telecommunication engineering from the University of Pune and has pursued software development coursework at UC Berkeley Extension and City College of San Francisco.

Teddy Koumoutsakis is a Research Associate, with over 6 years of experience in developing pathways for transfer students between 2-year and 4-year colleges. Collaborating with institutions and community organizations, Teddy supports opportunities for adult learners, transfer students, and those seeking college success in STEM fields. She specializes in research design, utilizing qualitative and quantitative data, and creating data visualizations in Tableau. Additionally, she researches gestures’ role in learning and has published studies on their impact. Teddy holds a BA in psychology from Northeastern Illinois University and an MA in social work from the University of Chicago.

Margarete Lee provides operations and project support for the Center for Economic Mobility. Before joining WestEd in 2019, she worked as a radio program associate and executive assistant for nonprofit educational and media organizations, including KQED Public Radio. She has an MA in broadcast communication arts from San Francisco State University.

Adriana Magana coleads research and evaluation projects designed to improve student support systems and outcomes. With over 15 years of experience in college and career advising, she specializes in student support services, CTE, and school counseling. At WestEd, she partners with school districts, higher education institutions, and nonprofits to research, design, and evaluate interventions and student support systems. Adriana has a BA in sociology and Chicano/a studies, an MS in counseling, and a PhD in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in career and workforce education from the University of South Florida.

Farnel Maxime manages projects, client documentation, and data organization. He also helps college administrators, educators, and staff use data and work together to create student-focused solutions that improve learning outcomes. In previous roles, he helped develop and run college access and success programs for Washington, DC, youths. Most recently, he was a program manager at the University of Houston in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department. Maxime has a BA in political science and philosophy from Gordon College and an MA in education policy from George Washington University.

Mari Mendoza specializes in data analysis and visualizations, focusing on creating fair, student-centered data presentations that help stakeholders understand key information to drive improvement. She is skilled in Python, R, SQL, and Tableau, which helps her manage large data sets and develop comprehensive data systems like REDCap. She was a research assistant at San Diego Mesa College, where she created student data dashboards that guided campus leadership decisions. Mari has a BA in astronomy and an MS in Earth and planetary sciences from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Phyllis specializes in program evaluation and implementation, qualitative data analysis, instructional design, and professional learning for postsecondary education. She brings subject matter expertise in work-based learning, community college systems, and adult learning.

Phyllis has a BA in Public Policy from Mills College and an MLIS from San Jose State University.

Diana Roldan-Rueda leads data collection and analysis for mixed-methods research and evaluation projects. She works with longitudinal data sets from school districts and colleges and develops surveys and interview protocols for data collection activities. Diana coordinates data collection from education agencies, analyzes data, and creates visualizations and reports to share findings with partners. She is currently working on a research project about the alignment of CTE programs and the labor market and has experience evaluating Magnet Schools Assistance Program grants and other K–12 and postsecondary programs. Diana has a background in science and holds an MS in public policy.

Izzy Rubin creates dashboards, data and research tools, and other online products using Tableau, R, and SQL to transform data into actionable information for stakeholders. She served as a Strategic Data Project Fellow through the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and has experience working in K–12 and higher education. Her previous human resources career in manufacturing and insurance gives her unique insight into matching education with workforce needs. Izzy has a BA in psychology and Spanish language and literature from the University of Chicago and an MEd from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Marisela Sifuentes creates and manages online surveys using tools like Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey. She builds and maintains databases, collects and analyzes data, and tracks project activities using SPSS, Stata, and R. Mari also handles recruiting schools and sites for research projects. She is skilled in software like Zoom, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, creating informative charts, graphs, and presentations. In addition, she translates documents between English and Spanish. Mari earned an associates degree in business management and continues to work toward her bachelor’s degree in e-business management.

Ayanna Smith provides program evaluation and designs professional development opportunities for K-16 and adult learners. In previous roles, she worked with federal and state-funded grant programs supporting higher education and access to college options for K-12 students. Her expertise includes qualitative research and data analysis. Ayanna has a BA in sociology with minors in education and African-American studies from the University of California, Berkeley.