Carolina Cortazar

Director of Housing & Support Services 

Carolina Cortazar has more than 15 years working with the special needs population as well as providing strategic leadership and programmatic oversight of organization programming and stakeholders. Carolina has successfully led and directed initiatives in permanent supportive housing (PSH), emergency shelter, bridge housing, recuperative care contracts, and affordable housing. 

Carolina has extensive experience in the mental health and housing sectors. During her past 10 years in senior management positions, she has focused on supporting executive leadership to expand and implement new projects. Carolina has served in multiple key leadership roles with HUD, DHS, VA, United Way, and Continuum of Care partner agencies. We believe Carolina’s experience will bolster the service delivery and scale of housing-based support services, homeless youth services in Service Planning Area 6 (SPA 6), and barrier reduction and removal for youth experiencing homelessness. 

Jose Guadron

Senior Director of Workforce Development

As the Director of Workforce Development, Jose Guadron leads a dedicated team of workforce development, education, and economic development professionals to deliver innovative programming and services for youth, adults, individuals returning to society, and families in South Los Angeles.

Working closely with the Associate Director of Youth Workforce Development and the Associate Director of Adult Workforce Development, Jose strives to develop and implement services that eliminate barriers to employment, quality training, education, and high-touch case management. Jose Guadron previously served as the Director of Youth Development Programming at CRCD, where he provided oversight and guidance on the various education and workforce development programs for youth devoted to transforming the lives of young adults throughout South Los Angeles. As Director of Youth Development Programming, he supervised all workforce development and education programs’ daily operations while monitoring service implementation, data entry, and grant performance.

Jose has more than 15 years of nonprofit experience working to improve the lives of disconnected young adults through employment, training, and education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from California State University Northridge and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University Los Angeles, where he also became a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance.

Latea Davis

Associate Director of Youth Special Projects

Born and raised in South LA, Latea Davis witnessed the everyday struggles of our service population and the barriers they are faced with daily. In August of 2012, Latea began her workforce development career with CRCD as an intake specialist, was promoted to youth advocate, later assumed a leadership role as the VCN YouthSource Center Manager, and most recently, stepped into the South Los Angeles YouthBuild Manager role.

As the Associate Director of Workforce Development for Youth, Latea leads a team of service providers and education professionals that work collectively to operate innovative workforce development and education programming for youth in the South LA area that face barriers when seeking education and employment. Latea oversees the daily operations of all youth workforce development and education programs while ensuring the implementation of CRCD’s client-focused service delivery model, confirming data entry, and safeguarding grant performance.

Latea’s leadership, youth development experience, and dedication to serving our South LA community exemplify CRCD’s core values. She holds a degree in Elementary Education/ English from Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas.

Alejandro Gonzalez
Director, South LA All In (SLAAI)

Alejandro Gonzalez serves as the Director of South LA All In (SLAAI), bringing over a decade of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors focused on urban planning, housing, policy, and design in Los Angeles.

Before joining SLAAI, Alejandro was a Program Manager at Genesis LA, where he led a homeownership initiative to reduce the racial wealth gap in South LA. By partnering with local organizations, he leveraged innovative housing policies to create lasting change. Previously, as a Design Fellow for the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Alejandro contributed to transformative initiatives such as the Low Rise Housing Ideas Challenge and the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Standard Plan program, shaping housing policy for the city.

Alejandro has also worked with renowned nonprofits, including LA Family Housing, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), and LA-Mas, ensuring that investments reach communities in need.

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Alejandro is deeply committed to advancing equity in his community. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Design and Community & Regional Development from UC Davis and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Alejandro leads SLAAI with a focus on building a more equitable future for South LA.

Aja Adeagbo
Associate Director, South LA All In (SLAAI)

Aja Adeagbo is the Associate Director of South LA All In (SLAAI), bringing over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector with expertise in program operations, case management, and community engagement.

Previously, Aja served as the Community Engagement Manager for SLAAI, where she led initiatives such as the CD9 Grants Program, Best Start Region 2 Initiative, and the Evermont Project. These initiatives focused on addressing socioeconomic disparities and empowering marginalized communities in South LA. Her innovative outreach strategies enhanced SLAAI’s visibility and impact, while her collaborative approach fostered partnerships that created sustainable solutions for racial and economic equity.

Aja’s professional journey includes roles as Care Coordinator at Children’s Institute, Inc., Administrative Manager at the Yetunde Price Resource Center, and Cultural Broker Coordinator at Shields for Families. In these roles, she tackled systemic disparities and developed trauma-informed programs. She also contributed to the Compton Pledge Guaranteed Basic Income Program, documenting the transformative impact of economic support for marginalized families.

Deeply connected to South LA’s faith-based community, Aja is creating a collaborative network to enhance regional partnerships. As an ordained minister at Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church, she merges spiritual leadership with community involvement advocacy.

Aja earned a BA in Advocacy & Social Justice from Pacific Oaks College and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Center for Nonprofit Management.

Darnetta Dartest

Associate Director of Human Resources

With over 25 years of experience, Darnetta is a seasoned Human Resources Director who has dedicated her career to enhancing employee engagement, fostering positive workplace cultures, and aligning HR strategies with organizational goals.

Darnetta’s expertise has shone throughout her career, including a pivotal role as Associate Director of HR at the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles. There, she streamlined processes to reduce turnover, ensured compliance with federal and state labor laws, and implemented strategic initiatives in Conflict Resolution, Talent Management, and Performance Reviews. Her ability to navigate employee grievances and champion professional development has cemented her reputation as a trusted leader.

Known for her innovative approach and strategic acumen, Darnetta consistently drives impactful change through insightful policy development and conflict resolution. Her work reflects a commitment to creating inclusive, collaborative, and thriving workplaces.

As an HR visionary, Darnetta continues to inspire and elevate the profession, leaving a lasting impact on organizations and individuals alike.

Elyce Martinez

Senior Director of Learning & Evaluation  

Elyce Martinez joined CRCD in 2019 bringing her experience and enthusiasm for data inquiry to her new role as Director of Learning & Evaluation with CRCD. Elyce has dedicated her career to using data analysis to expose and improve inequities in opportunities for all youth, from her start in direct service delivery, working with at-risk high school students in San Francisco, to her current work in Los Angeles non-profits. She focuses on program evaluation, integrated data systems, and crafting compelling impact and advocacy reports. Before joining CRCD, Elyce served as Assistant Director of Research & Evaluation at Youth Policy Institute (YPI) where she managed the architecture and implementation of a new integrated data system and worked with cross-department leadership on data-driven performance management to assess and improve program outcomes for participants.

As the Director of Learning & Evaluation, Elyce leads a team in building an integrated systems architecture to track and monitor the progress toward achieving CRCD’s 5-year strategic plan goals and grant funder outcomes through analysis and data visualizations to measure overall effectiveness and impact of the organization.

Alex Medina

Director of Marketing & Communications

As the Director of Marketing & Communications at CRCD, Alex serves as the agency’s marketing and communications professional to develop and implement effective strategies for CRCD and its programs in support of the organization’s strategic plan. 

Alex brings more than 15 of non-profit communications experience and has served as the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. In this role, he developed comprehensive strategies that significantly increased audience engagement and brand visibility throughout Los Angeles County while also working to improve internal communications. Alex’s professional journey includes impactful tenures at APLA Health and the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. His strategic insight and leadership have been instrumental in launching new digital platforms and producing engaging promotional media content. Beyond his professional achievements, Alex is also a governing board member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, demonstrating his dedication to community service and local engagement.

He holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University and an MA in Political Communications, Advocacy and Campaigning from Kingston University.