Carla Sanger was a founding member of Mayor Tom Bradley’s Education Council established in 1988 and was the first President and CEO of LA’s BEST. Through the years, she developed LA’s BEST into a premier afterschool organization. Her visionary passion has led to numerous policy and programmatic successes that resulted in afterschool programs becoming socially responsible and focused on student needs.
The Carla Sanger Leadership Award honors and recognizes an LA’s BEST employee who demonstrates exceptional leadership and visionary qualities.
2024 Award Recipient
Carlos Munoz Jr., Traveling Program Supervisor
From the day I got to work with Carlos, I’ve seen him take great leadership. Since he was a PS, since he was a SC and since now as a TS. He gives nothing but support, respect, and positivity. Whenever anyone is in need of help, they are there for support or to give advice in how to improve. He is a person to ask what can I do to help? What kind of support do you need from me? Which is something you don’t find in other work environments. He is very passionate and always finding ways or opportunities to improve.
Carlos without a doubt helped me become the person I am today. Without them I would have not won the Carla Sanger Leadership Award last year. I feel like he deserves it after 14+ years they have been part of this program. He mentored me to move up and grow not only in LAS BEST but as a person. When I had first started working here 5 (almost 6) years ago, I was this shy and unmotivated person who felt like I didn’t have what it took to be able to manage a class of 20. There were moments where honestly, I wanted to quit. There was one person who definitely did not let me quit and it was Carlos. Carlos took me under his wing. With some tough love, some motivational quotes that he loves sharing , and support Carlos helped me speak up, talk to parents, handle situations, motivated me, pushed me to complete goals I never thought I could’ve accomplished. I never thought I was ever able to grow enough to become a PS but I did it. I never thought I was able to become a SC but I did it. I never thought I was able to love and be motivated in this blessing of a job but I did it. All with Carlos’s help. ” Do what you can with what you have where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
I think on behalf of everyone, ( Principle, students, teachers, staff and past staff) can agree that Carlos has made such an impact to LA’S BEST. From staff, students to this community. He always has a way of bringing staff together and sharing laughs. Carlos always finds ways to help out staff to become better and support them in any way possible. He creates this bond with the students where they help them get on the right path or motivates them. Our school wouldn’t have been on the news and wouldn’t have gotten a visit from PepsiCo or any other opportunities without his leadership. Carlos was born and raised in this community and worked at our school for years. Through the thick and thin, our ups and downs in this community but Carlos was and is there for the students’ futures.
Carlos was nominated by Nancy Lomeli, both pictured above with President & CEO Michele Broadnax and Ronald James, Director of Central Operations.
2023 Award Recipient
Nancy Lomeli, Site Coordinator at First Street Elementary
Nancy shows outstanding leadership skills by always going above and beyond. A great example that shows this is when it comes to supporting the wellbeing of her staff. Not only for the betterment of the program but the drive of her staff. Nancy keeps the fire alive in the heart of the staff at First Street elementary by gluing in their minds the choice ” Do what you can, where you are with what you have”. Nancy says that any negative situation should be seen as an opportunity for self growth, thus allowing us to see life from a different angle.
Nancy has made the biggest impact not only at First Street but in the community as well by providing excellent services to the parents of our students. While not living in the safest community; Nancy expresses her importance of safety and understanding to the students by prioritizing safety. It is evident that First Street has gone through some tough challenges in prior years especially with local gang violence.
Nancy has met with staff to create an overall plan on how to incorporate a well driven enrichment program regardless of the situations in the neighborhood. As we know, safety is non-negotiable; Nancy expresses that there should never be an excuse as to why we neglect high quality programming. Her overall goal is to direct the students to make the right choices outside of the walls of LA’s BEST at First Street.
Parents have expressed many times that they are thankful that she is the Site Coordinator at First Street.