Thank You
Each year, the California Policy Collaborative engages in an extensive review and revision process to update the content in the organization’s Learning Management System (LMS) in preparation for the fall Learning Community experience. We would like to thank the following content contributors and editors who have participated in this process. While all final editorial decisions are made by the California Policy Collaborative, the contributions and insights by these individuals have helped ensure the LMS content is accurate, timely, relevant, and nonpartisan.
TK-12 Content Writers & Reviewers
Brooks Allen, Executive Director, CA State Board of Education
Megan Baier, Director Government Relations, School Services
Stephen Blake, Consultant, Anderson Blake Consulting, LLC
Samantha Dobbins-Tran, Executive Director, California Policy Collaborative
Erin Gabel, Principal Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Stephanie Gregson, Deputy Executive Director, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)
Martin Gonzalez, Consultant
Patti Herrera, Executive Vice President, School Services
Sara Hunkley, California Program Manager, Center for Cities + Schools, University of California, Berkeley
Phyllis Jacobson, Administrator, Professional Services Division, CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Ken Kapphahn, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Chelsea Kelley, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Tanya Lieberman, Chief Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Spencer Lively, Master of Public Policy student at UC Berkeley
Rob Manwaring, Senior Policy and Fiscal Advisor, Education, Children Now
Mary Perry, Consultant
Sara Pietrowski, Policy Director, State Board of Education (SBE)
Amanda Richie, Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Paul Richman, Consultant, PJR Consulting
Mary Vixie Sandy, Executive Director, CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Jeff Vincent, Director, Public Infrastructure Initiatives, Center for Cities + Schools, University of California, Berkeley
Early Care and Learning Content Writers & Reviewers
Claudia Alvarenga, Program Associate, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley
Megan Baier, Director Government Relations, School Services
Jacqueline Barocio, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Samantha Dobbins-Tran, Executive Director, California Policy Collaborative
Erin Gabel, Principal Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Patti Herrera, Executive Vice President, School Services
Lupe Jaime-Mileham, Deputy Director, Department of Social Services
Phyllis Jacobson, Administrator, Professional Services Division, CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Brian Lee, Consultant
Anna Levine, Branch Chief of Child Care and Development Division, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Debbie Look, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
Beth Meloy, Consultant, Meloy Child and Family Policy Solutions
Kate Miller, Consultant
Shanice Orum, Program Administrator, Community Care Licensing Division, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Alexandria Smith, Chief Consultant, Assembly Human Services Committee
Donna Sneeringer, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Child Care Resource Center (CCRC)
Marcy Whitebook, Director Emerita, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California, Berkeley
Multiple staff from the Early Education Division, California Department of Education
Higher Education Content Writers & Reviewers
Stephen Blake, Consultant, Anderson Blake Consulting, LLC
Shawn Brick, Associate Vice Provost, Student Financial Support, University of California, Office of the President (UCOP)
Steve Boilard, Professor, California State University Sacramento
Debbie Cochrane, Bureau Chief, Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)
Michael J. Cohen, Former Director, California Department of Finance
Samantha Dobbins-Tran, Executive Director, California Policy Collaborative
Judy Heiman, Consultant
Jacob Jackson, Director of Research Partnerships, California Education Lab, UC Davis
Hans Johnson, Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)
Colleen Moore, Consultant, Colleen Moore Consulting
Nancy Shulock, Consultant
Amy Supinger, Consultant, Supinger Strategies, Inc.
Terra Thorne, Consultant, Thorne Works
Jane V. Wellman, Retired Postsecondary Education Fiscal Analyst
Every fall, leaders from a diverse cross section of California’s policy ecosystem participate in the Learning Communities’ in-person convening experience. The California Policy Collaborative would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for contributing their time and expertise.
Facilitation Team
Samantha Dobbins-Tran, Executive Director, California Policy Collaborative
Andrea Johnson, Events Manager, California Policy Collaborative
Terra Thorne, Consultant, Thorne Works
TK-12 Learning Community Visiting Experts
Nancy Albarrán, Superintendent, San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD)
Brooks Allen, Executive Director, State Board of Education (SBE)
Christi Barrett, Superintendent, Hemet Unified School District
Debra Brown, Senior Policy Advisor, State Board of Education
Shannan Brown, Executive Director, San Jose Teachers Association (SJTA)
Manuel Buenrostro, Director of Policy, Californians Together
Brianna Bruns, Director, Policy & Advocacy, California County Superintendents
Polly Chandler, Strengthens Based Leadership Coach and Trainer, Polly Chandler Coaching
Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, Deputy Director, Californians Together
Edgar Cabral, Deputy Legislative Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Megan De Sousa, Policy and Fiscal Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Lisette Estrella Henderson, Superintendent, Solano County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Misty Feusahrens, Special Assistant to the Speaker, Office of Assembly Speaker
Mike Fine, Chief Executive Officer, Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT)
Eric Flores, Deputy Director, Legislative Affairs, CA Cradle-to-Career Data System
Judy Flores, Superintendent, Shasta County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Amy Fong, Executive Director, California School Information Services (CSIS)
Erin Gabel, Principal Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Stephanie Gregson, Deputy Executive Director, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)
Katie Hardeman, Legislative Advocate, California Teachers Association (CTA)
Nancy Herota, Deputy Superintendent, Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE)
Patti Herrera, Vice President, School Services of California (SSC)
Laura Hernández, Senior Researcher, Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
Heather Hough, Executive Director, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)
Anya Hurwitz, Executive Director, Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL)
Phyllis Jacobson, Administrator, Professional Services Division, CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Ken Kapphahn, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Tara Kini, Chief of Staff and Director of State Policy, Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
Tanya Lieberman, Chief Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Lynn Lorber, Chief Consultant, Senate Education Committee
Ed Manansala, County Superintendent of Schools, El Dorado County Office of Education
Andrew Medina, Education Policy Director, Office of the President pro Tempore
Efrain Mercado, Legislative Advocate/Liaison Coordinator, California Teachers Association
Jeannie Myung, Director of Policy Research, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)
Dowell Myers, Professor, University of Southern California (USC)
Margaret Olmos, Director, Compassionate Education Systems, National Center for Youth Law
Sara Pietrowski, Policy Director, State Board of Education (SBE)
Gina Potter, Superintendent, San Ysidro School District
Sean Reardon, Professor, Stanford University
Seth Reddy, Chief Business Officer, San Jose Unified School District
Tammy Reina, Teacher, Escondido Community School, San Diego County Office of Ed (SDCOE)
Marguerite Ries, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Brian Rivas, Senior Director of Policy and Government Relations, Education Trust-West (ETW)
Kelli Quan-Martin, Program Specialist: Science, Health, Family Life, Service Learning, Elk Grove Unified School District
Julie Montali, Executive Director, Early Learning, Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE)
Mary Vixie Sandy, Executive Director, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Greg Scull, Deputy Operations Officer, California School Information Services (CSIS)
Mike Torres, Director, Curriculum Framework and Instructional Resources Division, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Atasi Uppal, Director, Education Justice Clinic, East Bay Community Law Center
Vince Stewart, Vice President, Policy and Programs, Children Now
Rachel Williams, Principal, Las Palmas, Twin Rivers USD
Kristin Wright, Executive Director of Equity, Diversity, Early Intervention, and Support Services, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Edgar Zazueta, Executive Director, Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
Early Care and Learning Community Visiting Experts
Sara Bachez, Deputy Director of External and Governmental Affairs, First 5
Jacqueline Barocio, Branch Chief, Central Operation Branch, Department of Social Services (DSS)
Shannah Birkholz-Vasquez, Administrator, UPK Implementation & Support, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Corrie Buckmaster, Early Learning Director, Twin Rivers USD, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Brianna Bruns, Director, Policy & Advocacy, California County Superintendents
Edgar Cabral, Deputy Legislative Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Jeanna Capito, Founder and Principal, Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS)
Polly Chandler, Strengthens Based Leadership Coach and Trainer, Polly Chandler Coaching
Karen Chang, Assistant Deputy Director, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Danielle Davis, Administrator, Guidance and Regulations Office, California Department of Education (CDE)
Valerie Denero, Director of Policy and Education, EveryChild California
Amanda Dickey, Executive Director of Government Relations, Santa Clara County Office of Ed (SCCOE)
Martha E. Dominguez-Brinkley, Deputy Director, Program Innovation and Evaluation Division, First 5
Mark Drewes, Regional Lead: Region 3 Expanded Learning Programs, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Virginia Early, Policy Office Administrator, Early Learning Division, California Department of Education (CDE)
Chris Ferguson, Program Budget Manager, CA Department of Finance (DOF)
Rebecca Flores-Acosta, Teacher, Woodlake Elementary, Twin Rivers USD, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Regan Foust, Executive Director, Children’s Data Network
Michael Funk, Director of Expanded Learning Division, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Erin Gabel, Principal Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Angie Garling, National Director of Early Care and Education Programs, Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)
Linnea Hathaway, Project Specialist (ECE), Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Nancy Herota, Deputy Superintendent, Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE)
Patti Herrera, Executive Vice President, School Services of California, (SSC)
Steven Hicks, Early Learning Coordinator, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Lupe Jaime-Mileham, Deputy Director Child Care and Development Division, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Phyllis Jacobson, Administrator, Professional Services Division, CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Brandy Jones Lawrence, Senior Analyst, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE)
Nadirah Jones, Education Administrator, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Kerra Lancaster, Child Development Consultant, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Anna Levine, Branch Chief of Child Care and Development Division, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Debbie Look, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
Julie Montali, Executive Director, Early Learning, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Stephanie Myers, State Head Start Collaboration Director, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Shanice Orum, Program Administrator, Community Care Licensing Division, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Stephen Propheter, Director of Early Education Division, CA Department of Education (CDE)
Deborah Rawson, Educational Administrator, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Christina Rico, Policy Manager, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
Monique Ramos, Partner, California Strategies and Advocacy
Kim Rosenberger, Senior Government Relations Advocate, Services Employees International Union (SEIU)
Abby Schachner, Senior Researcher, Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
Elizabeth Schmitt, Child Care and Human Services Consultant, Senate Budget Subcommittee 3
Donna Sneeringer, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Child Care Resource Center (CCRC)
Ross Thompson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, UC Davis
Tabitha Thompson, Principal, Twin Rivers USD, Sacramento County Office of Ed (SCOE)
Twin Rivers Parents
Rachel Williams, Principal, Las Palmas, Twin Rivers USD
Shayla Williams-Barnes, Regional Director of Programming and Operations, Catalyst Family Inc
Jackie Wong, Chief Deputy Director, First 5
Simon Workman, Principal, Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS)
Chana Wynne-Swan, Assistant Program Administrator in Child Care Licensing, CA Department of Social Services (DSS)
The California Policy Collaborative would also like to thank several contract partners for their intellectual and creative contributions. They have been instrumental in the development and maintenance of the organization’s Learning Management System.
The launch and ongoing evolution of the California Policy Collaborative’s work has also benefited greatly from the organizational and strategic support our Advisory Committee, including Stephen Blake (former Executive Director of the Master Plan for Education and Governor’s Committee for Education Excellence), Arron Jiron (Director of Member Engagement, Northern California Grantmakers), and Merrill Vargo (former Executive Director for Pivot Learning Partners), our fiscal sponsor, Community Initiatives, as well as numerous senior staff in the legislature who have committed their time and offered their expertise, including:
Nycole Baruch, Principal Consultant, Office of the Senate President pro Tempore
Kelsy Castillo, Chief Consultant, Office of the Speaker of the Assembly
Natasha Collins, Principal Consultant, Assembly Appropriations Committee
Misty Feusahrens, Chief Consultant, Office of the Speaker of the Assembly
Erin Gabel, Principal Consultant, Assembly Budget Committee
Monica Henestroza, Principal Consultant, Assembly Speaker’s Office
Chelsea Kelley, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Tanya Lieberman, Chief Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Debbie Look, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Lynn Lorber, Education Staff Director, Senate Education Committee
Andrew Medina, Principal Consultant, Office of the Senate President pro Tempore
Marguerite Ries, Principal Consultant, Assembly Education Committee
Amanda Richie, Consultant, Senate Republican Caucus
Alexandria Smith, Chief Consultant, Assembly Human Services Committee
Jeanice Warden, Chief Consultant Assembly Higher Education Committee
Finally, the California Policy Collaborative would like to thank our previous and current funders. Without their support, this work would not be possible.
- Ballmer Group
- California Community Foundation
- College Futures
- Gates Foundation
- Heising Simons Foundation
- Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Silver Giving Foundation
- Sobrato Philanthropies
- Stuart Foundation