Fellows and Facilitators — Fresno Workforce Leadership Academy, Class of 2025

Mai Chang

Project Coordinator, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission

Mai Chang is a program coordinator for the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) at the Workforce Connection Young Adult Program, where she champions the growth and development of young adults in our community. Before her current role, Mai served as the navigation center manager for Fresno EOC. In this pivotal capacity, she spearheaded operations at the Navigation Assistance Center, integrating internal programs into the agency’s central intake system and successfully launched the Guaranteed Income Program. Preceding this, Mai dedicated a decade to the Fresno EOC Low-Income Energy Assistance Program. There, she not only helped families with energy arrearages but also connected them with vital resources, fostering greater self-sufficiency.

Mai holds a master’s degree in human resource management. She is deeply passionate about ensuring families have access to essential resources, truly embodying the spirit of a poverty fighter.

Susan Chudy

Program Administrator, City of Fresno

Susan brings a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering underserved youth to her role as the City of Fresno’s Program Administrator for the One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program and Internships. Since April 2022, she has successfully managed the $14.5 million One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program, employing over 500 young people. Her innovative approach enables her to connect with diverse stakeholders, ensuring that the program initiatives align with the mayor’s vision and the community’s needs. Susan’s strategic mindset, combined with her strong interpersonal communication skills, allows her to navigate complex challenges and drive impactful change effectively. As a public speaker, Susan thrives on engaging with others, sharing insights, and inspiring action.

Susan received a Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership from Life Pacific University, and she enjoys spending time with her three sons, hiking in Yosemite, and playing with her labrador retriever, Layla.

Lorin Dias

Program Advocate Coordinator, CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties

Lorin Dias has a background in child development, giving her a deep understanding of how early trauma affects the development and independence of young adults. For the past two years, she has worked with CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties, supporting transitional-aged youth as they navigate the transition to adulthood. 

Lorin’s role focuses on empowering young people to build stability and self-sufficiency, primarily through pursuing meaningful and stable employment. Lorin is passionate about breaking cycles of adversity by helping youth develop the skills, confidence, and resources they need to thrive.

Oneida Escobar

Strong Workforce Program Career Counselor, Fresno City College

Oneida is currently a strong workforce program career counselor at Fresno City College, with a background in providing direct student services, implementing programs, and facilitating career development. In her current role, she leads career exploration workshops, coordinates employer panels, and supports students’ career readiness within the Culture, Education, and Society (CES) Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway. Oneida works closely with faculty, industry partners, and local employers to ensure that student preparation aligns with regional labor market demands. 

With over a decade of experience in both higher education and K–6 settings, Oneida brings a comprehensive understanding of educational equity. She is deeply committed to expanding access to career pathways for historically underserved communities by leveraging education as a tool for upward social mobility.

Adriana Fonseca

Regional Apprenticeship Manager, LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network

Adriana Fonseca was born and raised in Fresno, California, and is passionate about supporting the community in which she grew up. 

After completing her degree at California State University, Fresno, she moved to Los Angeles. After four years of gaining valuable experience, she returned to the Central Valley. With five years of apprenticeship experience and a decade in marketing, she has played a key role in developing over 20 registered apprenticeship programs by collaborating with industry, labor, and education partners. 

Now, in her role as regional apprenticeship manager for the LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network, which the Foundation for California Community Colleges fiscally sponsors, she manages stakeholder relationships, develops registered apprenticeship standards, and guides partners through implementation.Bio forthcoming.

Maria Guerrero

Family Success Director, Reading and Beyond

Maria Guerrero serves as the director of family success at Reading and Beyond, where she oversees the organization’s workforce development initiatives. With over five years of experience within the non-profit sector, Maria demonstrates a profound commitment to serving her community and collaborating with others to enhance systems that foster upward mobility and self-sufficiency for the families impacted by the organization’s work. 

Maria possesses a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in school counseling. Her goal is to help youth navigate their college and career aspirations.

Luiz Guevara

Site Director, Center for Employment Opportunities

Luiz Guevara is a first-generation son of Salvadoran immigrants with over a decade of leadership and direct service experience focused on empowering marginalized and underserved communities by addressing systemic barriers to equitable access to physical and mental health, education, and employment. He currently serves as the site director for the Center for Employment Opportunities in Fresno, where he manages a social enterprise that employs nearly 32 people daily and a vocational program that delivers job training, placement, and advanced pathway programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.  

Previously, Luiz led youth mental health and violence prevention initiatives at Instituto Familiar de la Raza in San Francisco, supporting the integration of culturally relevant healing practices with traditional therapy and building partnerships to expand resources for immigrant and unaccompanied minors.

Kevin L. Belizaire James

Vice President of Impact, United Way Fresno and Madera Counties

Kevin James currently serves as vice president of Impact for United Way Fresno and Madera Counties. With a family heritage from Panama and Jamaica, Kevin is very grounded in his Afro-Latino identity. He has 15 years of experience in nonprofit and government strategic planning, program evaluation, grants management, facilitation, and community engagement strategies. Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in social psychology and American Studies, as well as advanced degrees in business administration, nonprofit management, and social psychology. 

Kevin is a trained facilitator who has provided training on equity, community engagement strategies, and program evaluation principles nationwide and has also served as a guest speaker for international media and news outlets. His hobbies include science fiction, comics, art, philosophy, and Legos.Bio forthcoming.

Garret Lecat

Rapid Response Coordinator, Central Labor Council Partnership

Garret Lecat currently serves as the rapid response coordinator for the Central Labor Council Partnership and the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board. With seven years of experience in Workforce Development, he has also worked as a career counselor and job developer, supporting both job seekers and employers.

Before entering workforce development, Garret spent a decade at AT&T in roles including customer service representative, small business representative, assistant store manager, and store manager.

He holds an associate’s degree and proudly served four years in the United States Navy. Garret thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and is passionate about building strong connections between employers and workers. His diverse background allows him to understand both perspectives and deliver responsive, effective workforce solutions.

Kimberly Lopez

Program Coordinator, Proteus

Kimberly was born in Chicago, Illinois, and is a proud Mexican American. She is currently a program coordinator for Proteus, overseeing the Youth Program on the rural east side of Fresno County. She has been in workforce development for five years and loves what she does. 

Kimberly enjoyed her time as a case manager, guiding participants to make informed career choices, and now she has the benefit of mentoring staff. Together, they will work to run the Youth Program successfully. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys baking, cooking, spending time with her family, and spoiling her two children.Bio forthcoming.

Dao Lor

Program Manager, The Fresno Center

Dao Lor was born in the Banh Vinai refugee camp in Thailand after his parents fled genocide in Laos following the Vietnam War. He was raised in Fresno, California, in a large farming family and earned a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology and Business from California State University, Fresno, in 2017.

Dao has worked across industries—from restaurants and sales to education and farming—but emerged as a community leader during the COVID-19 pandemic. He led a team that helped secure over $2 million in relief for more than 300 small businesses and farms in California’s Central Valley.

Currently, a program manager at The Fresno Center, Dao oversees special projects that support social services, employment, advocacy, education, and food access. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, working on DIY projects, and exploring new business ventures.

Tiffany B. Mangum

Executive Director, Beyond Housing Foundation

Tiffany B. Mangum is an experienced professional with 19 years in the public sector. She currently holds dual roles within the Fresno Housing organization: executive director of the Beyond Housing Foundation, where she leads strategic partnerships and fund development. Additionally, she serves as senior manager of strategic initiatives and partnerships, overseeing impactful projects, such as The CAN Project, a neighborhood revitalization project targeting the California Avenue neighborhood around the historic Edison High School in southwest Fresno (a historically marginalized and underserved community). 

Tiffany also chairs the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials DEI Advisory Committee and serves on multiple boards, including the Fresno Arts Council and Regenerate California Innovation. She’s also a media personality and producer at Believe Radio Fresno, as well as a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Kelly Trujillo

Program Coordinator, Youth Leadership Institute

Kelly Trujillo is a program coordinator at Youth Leadership Institute, where she leads REP 559, a youth advocacy program focused on economic and climate justice in California’s Central Valley. Born and raised in Corcoran, Kelly is a first-generation college graduate who began her career in education and college access, supporting first-generation and system-impacted students. 

Kelly’s experiences in education fueled a deep commitment to equity, youth voice, and healing-centered leadership. Today, she works alongside young people to shape policy, strengthen community power, and expand opportunities for youth and their communities.

Marco Vasquez

Program Supervisor/Manager, America Works

Marco Vasquez (el/he/him/they/them) is a DEI-focused educator and administrator with over a decade of experience in higher education, student support services, and workforce development. He holds a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis on Higher Education Leadership from California State University, Fresno, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Saint Xavier University in Chicago. His work centers on inclusive program development, student identity and belonging, and equitable access for historically marginalized populations.

Marco is certified in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), as well as Title IX Coordination, and has led institutional change efforts across multiple colleges and community organizations.

Beatriz Lopez

Senior Project Coordinator, ValleyBuild – Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Beatriz is a Senior Project Coordinator for the Special Projects Sector at the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board. She is responsible for providing technical assistance on a regional level (14 counties) for the MC3 Apprenticeship Readiness Program.

Beatriz is a graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz and has over a decade of experience in providing social services. Helping, empowering, and advocating for others has always been work she adores. Beatriz has experience working with a wide range of people from different backgrounds; from being a college advisor, case manager at a state prison, community college instructor, child advocate for a non-profit, high school teacher, and most recently a Senior Project Coordinator for ValleyBuild, a construction training program.

Sandra Vidrio

Business Services Manager, Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Sandra Vidrio is a native of Fresno County and a first-generation alumnus of California State University, Fresno. Sandra’s career in economic development started as a student assistant to assist innovators and entrepreneurs. Shortly after, she joined a Community Development Financial Institution, expanding her skills in small business development and gaining a new perspective on the ongoing challenges of small-to-medium sized businesses.Finding solutions through innovative strategies and educational programs has been Sandra’s passion. She continues to grow this mission by leading the Business Services Center at the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board.