1. California Youth
Connection
Created by Jahaira
Fernandez

2. MISSION
CYC is a youth led organization that
develops leaders who empower each
other and their communities to transform
the foster care system through legislative
and policy change.

3. GOALS
Increasing CYC membership.
Promoting skill development &
leadership with youth.
Expanding CYC financial & community
support.

4. CONT.
Strengthen CYC organizational infrastructure.
Advocating for effective implementation of
statewide legislation & changes in practice at
county & state levels.
Strengthening & increasing the ability of the
chapters to promote, create, & respond to
emerging & current policies & being able to
initiate at a state & county level.

5. Main Goals
• To increase youth
membership. In
order to see an
increase, members
attend different
events where they
are able to establish
relationships with
other members.
• Change policies.

6. POPULATION-AT-RISK
CYC addresses the needs of foster
youth that are from ages 14-24.
It focuses in trying to make changes
for youth from ages 0-24.

7. WHAT COMMUNITIES DOES CYC
SERVE?
Fresno
Madera
Mariposa
Merced

8. MEMBERS’ INCOME LEVELS
 The income of all youth
varies:
 Depends on the type of
foster parents they
have.
 Some youth have jobs
others do not.

9. TRANSPORTATION
Bus
Social Worker
Adult
Volunteers
Personal
transportation

10. AGENCY INTERACTION
 Court Appointment Special Advocates: Advocates
speak for those who have experienced neglect and
abuse in the foster system.
 Independent Living Program: Prepare youth to become
independent.
 Building Healthy Communities: Hub of network
agencies that provide funding for the central valley
office.

11. CONT.
Youth Engagement Team: It is an extension of
Building Healthy Communities where youth
organizations work together to change local
policies.
Youth Training Project: All CYC members work
on curriculum and leadership (statewide level).

12. Services
 CYC does not give direct
mental health.
 Offers Indirect:
• Support services
• Moral support
• Emotional support
 Members have check-ins
with other members or
with Hector Cerda the
Regional Coordinator.

13. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TOP MANAGEMENT
 California Youth Connection is a non-profit
organization founded in 1988. The Board Of Directors
are:
 Parissh Knox is the Past-President in Los Angeles, CA
(Attorney, Best Best & Krieger LLP, 2nd Generation Orphan).
 Edmund Fernandez is the Treasurer in San Bruno, CA
(CPA, Oracle).
 Carlos Senior Admin Analyst, Management Rotation
Program, City of Santa Monica (Former Foster Youth
Collard, President, in Los Angeles, CA.

14. CONT.
 Cassie Morton, Resides in Coronado, CA Dean for the San
Diego Community College District (Retired).
 Daniel Heimpel, Resides in San Francisco (Director, Fostering
Media Connections).
 Jennifer Rodriguez in Davis, CA (Attorney, Youth Law
Center, Former Foster Youth)
 Karen Grace-Kaho, Resides in Sacramento, CA (Foster Care
Ombudsman, State of California

15. CONT.
 Laura Ziemer, Youth Member in Arcata, CA (Trainer
(PRIDE), College of the Redwood, Foster/Kinship Care Education
Program; Former Foster Youth.
 Marilyn Mackel in Sausalito, CA (Commissioner in, Los Angeles
Superior Court (Retired).
 Myesha Jackson in Sacramento, CA (Chief
Consultant, Assembly Human Services Committee.
 Shawn Clark in Thousand Oaks, CA (Owner, Applied Network
Solutions, Former Foster Youth.

16. CONT.
 Sokhom Mao Youth Member in Oakland, CA (Data
Specialist, UC Berkeley, Former Foster Youth)
 Sopheavy Clarke in San Antonio, TX (Student at UT San
Antonio, and Intern at Valero Energy Corp, Former Foster Youth).
 Tonya Hightower in Anaheim, CA (Senior Adjustor, Infinity
Insurance, Former Foster Youth).
 Lazara Martinez, Secretary, Youth Member in Fresno, CA
(Student, Former Foster Youth).

17. Executive Director Joseph Tietz
Bookkeeper (Contact)
Lynette Cox
Director of Program
Jenny Vinopal
Manager Programs NorCal
Hermal Sharifzada
Regional Coordinator Bay
Area Kate Teague
Regional Coordinator Central Valley
Hector Cerda
Regional Coordinator SoCal
Kenny Brown
Regional Coordinator SoCal Rebecca Leach
Social Media Coordinator (Contact) Theo
Fowles
YTP Coordinator Sophia Herman
HCTACY Admin Sarah Duncan
Director of Training Jaime Lee Evans
Conference Coordinator Jude Koski
Director of Operations Tiffany
Johnson
YTP Admin Jeanie Yoon
Volunteer Coordinator Darryn Green
Director of Development
Jacque Lindeman
CYC Admin Assist/Development
Associate Angela Martin
Legislative Coordinator Chantel Johnson
Director of Policy Vacant
Contact Policy Coordinator
Crystal O’ Grady
Regional Coordinator
NorCal Roderick Venter
Regional Coordinator
NorCal Chris Ketchum

18. FRONT-LINE WORKERS &
INTERNS
Jenny Vinopal
Hector Cerda
CYC Interns

19. ROLES
 In CYC, members are considered the clients and they work
together as a team to find ways they can add or eliminate things
on the foster care system.
 The consumers create trainings for foster parents so that they can
have more knowledge on how to help the youth be more
dependent and learn how to open savings accounts.
 The constituents have meetings where they discuss what policies
they want to change, help with foster care trainings, organize
events, and make decisions of what person will make the best fit
as a supporter.

20. HOW CYC FUNCTIONS
Principle of social work:
• CYC brings justice to the foster youth who might not
have had rights before.
• It serves as a voice of foster population.
Empowerment Model:
• The foster youth are the voice of fosters.

21. INTERNATIONAL AGENCY IN CANADA
 Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks is a non-
profit organization and it is led my foster youth.
 The youth members from ages 14-24 work together to
make positive improvements on the lives of many BC
members.
 Some members are in foster homes, group
homes, residential mental health, & independent living.
 FBCYICN helps the youth form their own voice in order
for them to change policies in the foster care system.