Who We Are

LA Promise Fund Mission Statement
OUR MISSION STATEMENT

To improve academic achievement as well as college and career access and success for students in the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy, SLATE-Z, and beyond

Vision
Statement

Students are successful in college, career and life by reducing education inequities and opportunity gaps.

Our Values

Integrity

We are honest and guided by strong moral principles

Accountability

We are responsible to all stakeholders for all we do

Collaboration

We actively work together to reach our goals and outcomes

Professionalism

We are committed, respectful, responsive, and reliable with each other in all we do

Excellence

We have high expectations and are outstanding in all we do

Diversity

We celebrate the uniqueness and differences of all with whom we work and serve

Equity

We are just, unbiased, and inclusive of all with whom we work and serve

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At the LA Promise Fund, we believe that education remains one of the most powerful tools to break century-old cycles of oppression, violence and poverty for students, their families, and communities. We believe education can chisel away at racism by teaching diverse histories and perspectives and by disrupting a predominately white male perspective that has excluded and actively erased the voices and contributions of people of color. Institutionalized racism and systemic injustice pervade many aspects of society today, especially for our African American students and families. We are committed to eradicating racism within our organization, raising our voice against racism, and uplifting our South LA community and beyond.

Click Here to Learn How We Have Put This Into Action

Meet the LA Promise Fund

Megan Chernin
Co-Chair of the Board

Stephen Prough
Salem Partners

Cathy Bender
Amazon Web Services

Paul de Bernier
Mayer Brown LLP

Donnell Beverly, Jr.
Russell Westbrook Enterprises

Tanesha Duncan
Amgen Inc.

Ivelisse Estrada
Univision, Retired

Fernando Fernandez
The Jaime Escalante Program

Sophia Garcia
Verizon

Dean Hallett
Hallett Leadership

Kathleen Kennedy
Lucasfilm

Elizabeth Mann
Mann Legal Team

Frank Marshall
The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Brian McNamee
Amgen, Retired

Simon Osborn
Goldman Sachs

Ali Powell
Microsoft

Melissa Stephens
Ares Management

Alison Temple
Wild Card Creative Group

Jaime Ernesto Uzeta
Strategy and Innovation Consultant

Amit Verma
PwC

Danielle Vick
Citi Private Bank, Retired

Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook Enterprises

LEADERSHIP

Veronica Melvin
CEO/President

Michelle Cheang Ed. D.
Chief Advancement Officer

Kyle Miller
Chief Strategic Officer

Donna Jacobson
Chief Academic Officer, Westbrook Academy

Carla Yorke
Chief Program Officer

Liliana Vasquez
Chief Operations Officer

TEAM

Leslie Aaronson
Senior Director of Career Pathway Connections

Patricia Agalzoff
School Business Operations Manager,
Westbrook Middle School

Josh Arcia
Career Pathway Connections Manager

Wendy Ayuso
Family & Community Outreach Manager

Kristen Balagtas
Office Manager / Executive Assistant

Raymundo Baltazar
Associate Director of Arts Programs

Lawrence Berment
Director of Information Technology

Renee Bixby
ABE Lab Technician / Site Coordinator,
Pasadena Bio Collective Distribution Center

Roc’kale Bowman
STEM Manager, Black College Success

Monica Cardona
Senior Director of Family & Community Outreach

Camira Carter
Director of People & Operations

Charles Daroy
Technology Manager
Westbrook Middle School

Sarah Escajeda
Associate Director of Parent Engagement

Jasmine Evans
Black College Success, Academic Advisor

Jolene Fernandez
Artsmatter Teaching Artist

Lori Hashimoto
Associate Director of School Operations

Luz Hernandez
ABE Lab Technician / Site Coordinator,
California State University, Channel Island Distribution Center

Jhonathan Jimenes
Technology Manager, Westbrook High School

Christina Korn
Director of Arts Programs

Yazmin Mendez
Associate Director of Youth Leadership

Emely Moreno
Career Pathway Connections Manager

Jamia Morton
Associate Director of Black College Success

Camly Nguyen
Associate Director of Data & Analytics

Zeidy Revolorio
Principal,
Westbrook High School

Matt Reynolds
Artsmatter Teaching Artist

Alex Rincon
Associate Director of Advancement

Daisy Rodriguez
Black College Success, Academic Advisor

Nicole Rojas
Director of Community School Programs

Flor Romero
Associate Director, Career Pathway Connections

Yanelly Rubio
School Business Operations Manager
Westbrook High School

Hugo Sanchez
Director of Finance

Stefanie Sanchez
Communications Manager

Gerrel Sayles
Black College Success, Academic Advisor

Ibert Schultz
Executive Director, Black College Success

Karin Steinhauer
ABE Site Coordinator / Lead Lab Technician, Pierce College Distribution Center

Jade Stevens
Director of Communications

Riordan Tenney
People & Operations Manager

Nina Torres
Black College Success, Academic Advisor

Leslie Tresun Ed.D
Director of Grant Management

Chris Valenzuela
Data & Analytics Manager

Darla Vance
Principal,
Westbrook Middle School

Stacy Zamora
ABE Site Coordinator / Lab Technician, South LA Distribution Center

Young Professionals Council

The Young Professionals Council (YPC) is a group of dedicated allies who are committed to supporting the mission and programs of the LA Promise Fund.

SPONSORS

The LA Promise Fund would like to thank all of its donors for their generous support and give special recognition to our partners that contributed over $10,000 in the last year. We are especially grateful to Amgen, a longtime sponsor that has made considerable contributions to the organization’s fiscal and organizational health.

$100,000+
20th Century Fox
AEG
The Albertsons Companies Foundation
Amgen Foundation
Annenberg Foundation
Marina Berti & Steven Prough
Louise Bryson Family Foundation
California Community Foundation
Chernin Family Foundation
Entertainment Industry Foundation
Food Research Action Committee (FRAC)
Getty Foundation
Guess? Foundation
JMB Realty Corporation
Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall
Kissick Family Foundation
Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams Family Foundation
Metro
$50,000 – $100,000
AT&T/DirecTV
California Emerging Technology Fund
The California Endowment
Kate Capshaw & Steven Spielberg
Cheryl Saban Self-Worth Foundation
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
Flora Family Foundation
Mellody Hobson & George Lucas
Goldman Sachs Gives
Ghada & Ray Irani Family Foundation
Joseph Drown Foundation
Kevin Sharer
NoVo Foundation
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
$25,000 – $50,000
Ares Operations
Boeing Company
Citi Bank
Disney
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
The Green Foundation
Susan & Robert Kozlowski of L.I.F.T. Foundation
Lazara
Jill & Brian McNamee
Microsoft
The Moriah Fund
Ralph’s
Ressler/Gertz Family Foundation
United Way
Wells Fargo
$10,000 – $25,000
Bain & Co.
Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
Frank Baxter
Allison & Bennett Rosenthal
Giancarla Berti
Bloom Hergott
Boston Consulting Group
CAA Foundation
Americo Cascella TTEE
City National Bank
Eos Foundation
Dean Hallett
Hauptman Family Foundation
Home Box Office (HBO)
Maria Hummer-Tuttle
JP Morgan Chase
Kaiser Permanente
Meredith & David Kaplan
Martha & Bruce Karsh Family Foundation
Paramount
Latham & Watkins
Los Angeles Clippers Foundation
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Lionsgate
Morgan Stanley
NBC Universal
Pacific Gas & Electric
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Robert Day Foundation
David Sachs
Samsung
Schultz Family Foundation
Southern California Gas (SoCal Gas)
Alison Temple
Uber
Univision
Vanguard Group
Verizon
William Morris Endeavor (WME)
Mark Zucker
$5,000 – $10,000
SoCal Edison

Our History