Associate Director, Workforce Development
Ro’Lesha Coleman brings over 10 years of experience in workforce development, program design, and team leadership. As Associate Director of Workforce Development at CRCD, she oversees the daily operations of workforce programs, leads program design and implementation, supervises staff, and ensures program compliance and performance outcomes. Ro’Lesha specializes in building effective systems that remove barriers for participants and foster growth for both staff and community members.
Her leadership is rooted in collaboration, equity, and the belief that strong programs begin with empowered people. She sees herself as both a builder and a teacher—committed to sharing knowledge, guiding her team, and creating spaces where transformation is possible.
Born in Louisiana and raised in Georgia, Ro’Lesha’s dedication to community service began early, through volunteering in community centers and mentoring youth in her church. These experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to ensuring every young person has access to guidance, opportunity, and a support system that believes in their potential.
Ro’Lesha earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Savannah State University. Prior to CRCD, she held leadership roles at WorkSource Cobb/CobbWorks Inc., where she led Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs and collaborated with partners to expand access to education and sustainable career pathways.
Associate Director, Workforce Development
Krystal Rivera brings over 15 years of experience in youth development, education, and community engagement. At CRCD, she leads programs that connect young people ages 16–24—especially those facing systemic barriers—to education, careers, and support services. Her work includes overseeing youth employment initiatives, managing state and federal grants, and building strong partnerships with employers, educators, and community organizations.
Grounded in equity and empathy, Krystal is committed to transforming systems for foster youth, opportunity youth, and those navigating reentry or housing instability. Her previous roles include leadership positions at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, Upward Bound House, and the Los Angeles Education Partnership.
She holds an M.A.Ed in Education, Equity & Social Justice from Cal State Long Beach and a B.A. in Child & Adolescent Development from Cal State Northridge.
Director, Workforce Development
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.
Senior Director of Workforce Development
As the Senior 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 Workforce Development team – the largest at CRCD – 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.
Associate Director, Housing and Support Services
Neri brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including six years serving people experiencing homelessness in SPA 4. His work has included providing services in interim housing settings and supporting the Inside Safe initiative, which helps people move from the streets into motels with services and prevents encampments from returning.
At CRCD, Neri has been appointed Associate Director, overseeing new Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) projects in Skid Row. These projects provide Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS), including wraparound support to assist participants with housing stability, physical and mental health care, substance use support, money management, community connection, and strengthening family and social support systems.
As Associate Director, Neri brings strong leadership to the development and expansion of Skid Row and other PSH projects, while building effective partnerships with property management and the surrounding community.
Neri earned a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a master’s degree in Psychological Education from California State University, Long Beach.
Associate Director, Housing & Support Services
Since joining CRCD in 2018, Ileana has been a tireless advocate for youth, adults, and families across South Los Angeles. In her new role, she will oversee Time-Limited Subsidy Housing, Permanent Housing, and the Coordinated Entry System—advancing CRCD’s mission to foster housing stability and opportunity in our communities.
Ileana began her journey at CRCD as a Housing Navigator at Ruth’s Place Access Center, where she helped unhoused transition-age youth (TAY) secure housing. She later served as an ICMS Case Manager on the Scattered Site team, assisting participants in obtaining permanent housing through Section 8 subsidies. In 2021, she was promoted to Program Manager, where she oversaw contracts funded by LAHSA, DHS, and private foundations, while also building strong partnerships with landlords to support long-term housing outcomes.
As Associate Director, Ileana will provide strategic leadership for CRCD’s growing Scattered Site Programs and play a key role in expanding both scattered site and project-based permanent supportive housing. With deep experience in housing services, mental health, and substance use support, her leadership will help guide the next phase of growth and innovation in the Housing and Support Services Department.
Associate Director, Housing & Support Services
Nelson Murcia-Chavez joined CRCD in 2022 and has played a key role in the expansion, lease-up, and operation of permanent supportive housing (PSH) sites, while strengthening client service delivery through strategic partnerships with county agencies and community stakeholders to advance housing stability.
With more than 18 years of experience in housing and social services, he has served transitional-aged youth (TAY), individuals with foster care experience, and families experiencing homelessness. Prior to CRCD, he served as Assistant Director of Supportive Housing Programs at St. Anne’s Family Services, overseeing Transitional Housing (THP) and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs while contributing to countywide initiatives supporting youth and other vulnerable populations.
As Associate Director of Housing and Support Services, Nelson provides leadership for multidisciplinary teams delivering project-based supportive services across multiple sites. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Spanish Translation and Interpretation, and is committed to collaborative leadership, Housing First, trauma-informed care, and comprehensive housing solutions.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Carolina joined CRCD in February 2021 as Director of Housing and Support Services. She brings her enthusiasm and passion for working with special needs populations, while providing strategic leadership and program oversight for CRCD’s housing initiatives.
Carolina has over 18 years of experience in mental health and housing support services within nonprofit organizations. She has successfully led and managed all operational aspects of permanent supportive housing (PSH), emergency shelters, bridge housing, recuperative care contracts, and affordable housing. For the past 16 years, she has focused on supporting executive leadership in expanding and launching new projects as a Senior Manager.
At CRCD, Carolina contributes her extensive knowledge, analytical and record-keeping skills, program development expertise, and dedication to addressing homelessness. She plays a key role in growing CRCD’s housing programs and managing relationships with both private and public sector partners.
As Senior Director of Housing and Support Services, Carolina oversees CRCD’s housing-based and Scattered Site service coordination, Coordinated Entry System for Youth programs, Time-Limited Subsidy, Drop-In Center, Housing Navigation, and partnerships with private foundations serving youth, families, and single adults in need of housing. She also leads special homelessness service initiatives and is responsible for tracking and reporting program metrics to CRCD’s executive leadership.
Carolina holds an Associate of Arts degree in Psychology from Cerritos College and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Veronica Garcia is an accomplished Human Resources Professional with more than 15 years of experience. She has held various roles within the Human Resources from Administration, Payroll Specialist, Generalist, HR Manager, Director, VP of Human Resources and Talent Management, and presently as the Chief Human Resources Officer at CRCD. She has worked in for-profit and non-profit organizations, having served the non-profit sector for the past 12 years. Before coming to CRCD, Veronica spent 8 years serving the formerly unhoused on Los Angeles skid row. Her expertise lies in aligning HR strategies with business objectives, playing a pivotal role in shaping the HR landscape and fostering a positive work environment.
Her education, various certificates, and a member of various organizations, including the Professional in Human Resources Association, Society for Human Resources Management and National Human Resources Association, and 2022 National Human Resources Nomination for Los Angeles Executive of the Year have propelled her to continue to pursue her passion within the Human Resources space. Veronica is a Southern California native, fluent in Spanish, who is family-oriented and enjoys hanging out with family, kayaking, hiking, and bowling.
Chief Community Innovation Officer
Kenta Estrada-Darley has over 15 years of experience working in the social justice sector with a specialization in community economic development in New York City and Los Angeles.
Since joining the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) in 2017, Kenta has spearheaded various initiatives that have improved the lives of South LA’s most vulnerable community members while uplifting innovative and community-driven approaches to economic development.
Kenta currently serves Chief Community Innovation Officer at CRCD and leads South LA All In, a collaboration driven, transformative initiative to address deep-rooted racial and socio-economic inequities in South Los Angeles.
Kenta has a Bachelor of Arts from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study from New York University and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University Los Angeles.
President, CRCD Partners, LLC
As an Affordable Housing Executive, Alejandro has dedicated his professional career to ensuring that underserved communities have access to quality affordable housing and appropriate supportive services in Boyle Heights, East LA, and throughout the City and County of Los Angeles. Alejandro has seen how developing affordable housing in these communities is not only a great tool for revitalizing the built environment but also the human spirit, which in turn inspires people in these communities to participate in civic and social engagement. Alejandro began his affordable housing career in 1999 and has developed many affordable housing projects throughout the City of Los Angeles and in unincorporated East Los Angeles.
Before joining the Coalition for Responsible Community Development as Chief Real Estate Officer, Alejandro was the Vice President of Real Estate and Asset Management at East LA Community Corporation (ELACC), where he led a team of 10+ that included the Real Estate Department, the Asset Management Department, and the Property Management Department. The Real Estate Department utilized every local, state, and federal program imaginable to develop a variety of project types, including single-family subdivisions (for-sale), acquisition/rehab of single-family homes (moderate-income for-sale), permanent supportive housing, and affordable rental housing for seniors, veterans and large families. During his 10-year tenure at ELACC, Alejandro developed more than $250 million in affordable housing projects and an additional $400 million+ in projects in pre-development.
Chief Operations Officer
As the Chief Operations Officer at the Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Jahrell works closely with the President & CEO while supporting Director-level leadership, which includes Human Resources, Facilities, Learning and Evaluation, Marketing and Communications, and Fund Development, with an overarching goal of securing the functionality of the business and driving extensive and sustainable growth. This includes programmatic projects and other special activities that magnify the CRCD brand and family of services.
During his 19-year tenure at CRCD, Jahrell has held a variety of positions at CRCD including youth advocate, program manager, associate director, director of youth development, and chief programs officer. As the Chief Programs Officer, he successfully developed comprehensive workforce development programs rooted in trauma-informed care and reinforced best practice programming across CRCD Workforce Development Departments, including youth programs such as South LA YouthBuild (YouthBuild USA), Jobs for Los Angeles Graduates (Jobs for America’s Graduates), VCN YouthSource Center, and Project Tipping Point for current and former foster youth and the City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department-funded Vernon-Central/LATTC WorkSource Center for residents 18 years and older.
Mr. Thomas has been an advocate for workforce development and inclusive education and diversity since joining CRCD in 2005. Since then, he has developed and designed proven model programs for CRCD and expanded services to youth and adults in Los Angeles who experience the greatest barriers to education and employment. After witnessing and personally experiencing social and economic injustices, he decided to prioritize focusing on creating opportunities and alternatives to reduce incarceration, homelessness, and unemployment.
He is currently responsible for the overall administration and operations of the organization. Enhancing the organization infrastructure and internal controls is a key priority for the scalability and sustainability of CRCD. He is responsible for CRCD’s policies and procedures, fund development strategies, learning and evaluation, marketing and communication, strategic planning, and facilities operations. This responsibility allows him to develop systems to scale CRCD’s workforce development, housing and support services, and education services that can be replicated in other communities and community-based organizations. As a professional with lived experience, he is personally and professionally invested in changing the lives of youth and adults who can succeed with the appropriate level of support.
Above and beyond his education and qualifications, Jahrell has extensive experience in partner and funder cultivation that leads to stewardship and commitment of resources that “changes lives and builds neighborhoods responsibly.”
Chief Financial Officer
Selerin Ntahitagabira is an accomplished business management professional and the current Chief Financial Officer for the Coalition for Responsible Community Development. He has more than 15 years of financial management experience at both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Selerin brings significant skills in cash flow management, budgeting and forecasting, financial analysis, internal controls design and maintenance, risk management, financial systems conversion, timely and accurate financial reporting, and superior management/coaching of fiscal and administrative teams. In his previous occupation, Selerin served as Vice President & Controller at United States Veterans Initiative from 2008 to 2016.
Selerin holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Accounting and Finance. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and holds the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant. Selerin is also active in several humanitarian endeavors, which include acting as board chairman for Burundi Development Initiatives and serving as the treasurer for Rainbow Humanitarian Caretaker Foundation.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mark Anthony Wilson, Jr. co-founded the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) in 2005 along with Ruth M. Teague, Noemi Soto, Fernando Miranda, and Hugo Ortiz. Mark served as CRCD’s Executive Director for a decade and now serves as the agency’s President and CEO. Raised in South Los Angeles, Mark previously served as the Director of the Youth Empowerment Project with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference/Martin Luther King Legacy Association, and the Director of Community Development with the Dunbar Economic Development Corporation.
Today, Mark directs CRCD’s comprehensive community development services in housing, education, and jobs for primarily Latino and African American youth ages 16–24 in the Vernon-Central Los Angeles community. He provides leadership on local and national levels to improve the policies, systems, and long-standing neighborhood conditions that impact young people’s lives. In a high-poverty community, Mr. Wilson spearheads effective collaborations with residents, businesses, nonprofits, community colleges, government, and foundations to create real opportunities for youth to stabilize and pursue their dreams. Since 2005, Mr. Wilson has strategically grown CRCD into an agency running 6 housing complexes, a high school, a YouthSource Center, a WorkSource Center, and its separate social enterprise CRCD Enterprises. Mark serves on the board of the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing and the LA Community College District Community Advisory Board (representing LATTC). He was recently honored with a YouthBuild USA Rising Star award.
