Los Angeles, CA, February 27, 2025 – Foothill Unity Center, Inc. is proud to announce the appointment of Jhoana Hirasuna as their new Executive Director.
Jhoana Hirasuna brings extensive experience in community service and non-profit leadership to her new role as Executive Director of Foothill Unity Center. Her career includes serving vulnerable populations for over 20 years, including work with Pacific Clinics Passageways and the Salvation Army Pasadena. She most recently led Shepherd's Pantry as Executive Director. Jhoana is a past president of the Pasadena Host Lions Club and a member of the Glendora Kiwanis Club. She holds degrees from CSU Fullerton (B.A.) and Arizona State University (MSW) and lives in Covina with her family.
"I am honored to be the new Executive Director of Foothill Unity Center and work alongside its dedicated team of staff, board, volunteers, and community partners. I am deeply committed to Foothill Unity Center’s mission of empowering neighbors in crisis to achieve self-sufficiency.," said Hirasuna. "By working together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those we serve, providing vital support with love and dignity."
About Foothill Unity Center, Inc.
To learn more about Foothill Unity Center visit: https://foothillunitycenter.org/
About Envision Consulting
Envision Consulting is a boutique firm that specializes in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions exclusively for nonprofit organizations. With offices in New York, Denver, Lexington and Los Angeles, Envision’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is integrated throughout its practices, which include a structured hiring process and anti-biased decision making. In 2023, Envision was named by the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy as a Top 10 Search Firm that Works for Women of Color for the third year in a row.
Los Angeles, CA February 11, 2025 – Connections for Children is proud to announce the appointment of Patricia Oliver as their new Chief Operating Officer.
Patricia Oliver is an experienced nonprofit leader with over two decades of leadership expertise in education, public relations, and community development. She most recently served as Chief Operations Director for Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA), an organization providing community and sources to public school students. A South Los Angeles native, Oliver holds an M.S. in Management and Leadership and has executive-level expertise in operations, human resources, and financial management.
“I am honored to join Connections for Children and contribute to its incredible mission of supporting early childhood education and care,” Oliver says. “I look forward to applying my skills and passion to strengthen operations, empower families, and create opportunities for every child to thrive”
Connections for Children is a resource and referral agency serving parents and childcare providers in West Los Angeles and South Bay. For over 50 years, the organization has been committed to helping children reach their full potential by connecting them to resources, education, and economic support.
“We are thrilled to welcome Patricia to CFC’s Executive Leadership Team,” says Executive Director Jennifer Cowan. “Not only does Patricia bring a wealth of experience, but she is also deeply committed to CFC’s mission and desire to increase our impact on children, families, and the early care and education community.”
About Connections for Children
What began as a small team of women hoping to offer their community childcare information services has now grown into a thriving resource for West Los Angeles and the South Bay. Connections for Children offers professional childcare referrals, financial assistance, workforce development and family engagement, all under the mission of building stronger parents, education providers and early age communities which in turn strengthen the future possibilities for each child it touches. For more information, visit: https://www.connectionsforchildren.org/
About Envision Consulting
Envision Consulting is a boutique firm that specializes in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions exclusively for nonprofit organizations. With offices in New York, Denver, Lexington and Los Angeles, Envision’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is integrated throughout its practices, which include a structured hiring process and anti-biased decision making. In 2023, Envision was named by the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy as a Top 10 Search Firm that Works for Women of Color for the third year in a row.
Los Angeles, CA, February 4, 2025 – Center for Caregivers Advancement is proud to announce the appointment of Quintilia Ávila, MPA as their new Senior Director of External Affairs.
Quintilia brings over two decades of experience in public policy, community engagement, and social equity as Senior Director of External Affairs at the Center for Caregivers Advancement (CCA). With a passion for fostering collaborative partnerships and driving meaningful change, Quintilia leads the organization’s communications, development, and data/research initiatives to support the vital work of long-term healthcare workers across California.
Throughout their career, Quintilia has championed efforts to improve social determinants of health and civic engagement and empower underrepresented communities. She has worked extensively with public entities, leveraging their skills to enhance organizational effectiveness and promote equitable development strategies. Her leadership was instrumental during the 2020 Census, where they played a key role in statewide outreach and engagement efforts.
Deeply committed to social justice, Quintilia also serves as a Commissioner on the Riverside County Behavioral Health Commission, advocating for policies that promote behavioral health and equitable access to care.
Inspired by personal experiences—having seen the critical role in-home support service workers played in her own family—Quintilia is dedicated to advancing the mission of CCA. She is passionate about elevating the voices of caregivers, strengthening workforce development, and ensuring that long-term healthcare workers receive the recognition and resources they deserve.
Her narrative as a formerly undocumented immigrant and a first-generation college graduate infuses her professional endeavors with a unique and invaluable perspective. She earned her undergraduate degree in Women’s Studies from UC Santa Barbara and holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
About Center for Caregivers Advancement
The Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA) is building the workforce of highly trained caregivers that many Californians can’t live without. For over two decades, CCA has been at the forefront of an equity-driven movement for quality training and quality jobs. CCA is one of the largest providers of training for long-term caregivers in California– training over 35,000 home care and nursing home caregivers in the past 20 years. We are pioneers in home care training and are the only organization in the country to show the value of evidence-informed training programs on both the workforce population and the low-income older adults and people with disabilities for whom they care, with curriculum licensed in four other states.
CCA develops quality training programs for both IHSS home care workers and Skilled Nursing Facility workers. We have a deep partnership with SEIU Local 2015 - the labor union that represents IHSS and SNF workers across California. Our Labor Management Training Partnership for nursing home workers is grounded in partnership systems in which skilled nursing facility employers collaborate with SEIU Local 2015 in order to benefit the workforce and provide higher-quality care to residents through high-quality courses, certifications, and apprenticeship programs.
To learn more about CCA, visit: https://advancecaregivers.org/
About Envision Consulting
Envision Consulting is a boutique firm that specializes in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions exclusively for nonprofit organizations. With offices in New York, Denver, Lexington and Los Angeles, Envision’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is integrated throughout its practices, which include a structured hiring process and anti-biased decision making. In 2023, Envision was named by the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy as a Top 10 Search Firm that Works for Women of Color for the third year in a row.
Los Angeles, CA, January 17, 2025 – Pathways LA is proud to announce the appointment of Kayley Freshman-Caffrey as their new Chief Operating Officer.
Freshman-Caffrey brings over 11 years of operations, business strategy, and systems experience from a variety of industries. She has most recently worked with EL Education, a nonprofit that provides curricula and evidence-based instructional practices to K-12 schools.
“I value the commitment of Pathways LA to facilitate high-quality childcare and related programs for these children, their families, and their communities,” Freshman-Caffrey says. “I look forward to implementing systems and processes at Pathways LA that will support this work for years to come."
For 45 years, Pathways LA has been the leading resource and referral childcare agency in the Metro Los Angeles area. They connect eligible families to subsidies and services offered by state and county programs including CalWORKs, Department of Education, Alternative Payment, and the Berendo Program.
“Pathways LA is thrilled to have Kayley join the team!” says CEO Tamika Farr. “We look forward to the positive impact she will make in the organization as we work to increase efficiency, allowing us to focus more of our time supporting families and providers.”
About Pathways LA
Pathways LA’s mission is to, “Strengthen low-income and vulnerable working families with quality childcare.” Driven by data and innovation from experts in the field, their organization has resources for anyone looking to be involved with childhood development, whether they be a parent, childcare provider, or community advocate. To learn more about Pathways LA and their early care and education services, visit: https://pathwaysla.org/
About Envision Consulting
Envision Consulting is a boutique firm that specializes in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions exclusively for nonprofit organizations. With offices in New York, Denver, Lexington and Los Angeles, Envision’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is integrated throughout its practices, which include a structured hiring process and anti-biased decision making. In 2023, Envision was named by the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy as a Top 10 Search Firm that Works for Women of Color for the third year in a row.
Denver, CO January 16, 2025 – Minds Matter Colorado is proud to announce the appointment of Brad Reubendale as their new Executive Director.
Reubendale has spent his career serving organizations that deliver quality programs to under-resourced communities. His tenure has included SAME Café, a nonprofit focused on healthy food access, Urban Peak, which addresses youth homelessness, and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a program that supports court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children in the foster system.
"I’m thrilled to join Minds Matter Colorado and work alongside such a dedicated team to create life-changing opportunities for students,” Brad says. “I look forward to building on MMCO’s incredible legacy and helping our students achieve their fullest potential."
Minds Matter Colorado connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world. Through their mentorships, programming and summer college experiences, MMCO has seen a 100% success rate of its graduates getting into college with scholarships.
"The Minds Matter Colorado Board and staff are thrilled to have Brad join our team!” says Board Chair Anata Walsh. “We look forward to the positive impact he will make and how the organization will grow under his leadership."
About Minds Matter Colorado
Minds Matter Colorado is a volunteer-driven organization that creates a space for energetic, committed and successful college graduates to support high-achieving high school students from low-income families. Bridging the gap between potential and opportunity, Minds Matter Colorado empowers high-achieving high school students from low income families to thrive at the college of their choice, graduate with purpose, and launch fulfilling careers that enable upward economic mobility. For more information on the program, visit: https://www.mindsmatterco.org/
About Envision Consulting
Envision Consulting is a boutique firm that specializes in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions exclusively for nonprofit organizations. With offices in New York, Denver, Lexington and Los Angeles, Envision’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is integrated throughout its practices, which include a structured hiring process and anti-biased decision making. In 2023, Envision was named by the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy as a Top 10 Search Firm that Works for Women of Color for the third year in a row.