Nonprofit Office

Laura has worked in the expanded learning field for a decade, and joined LA’s BEST in 2016. She works with the organization’s public partners – including the City of Los Angeles and LAUSD School Board – and on advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal levels, resulting in significant new investments into afterschool and summer learning programs in recent years. Prior to LA’s BEST, Laura worked at the Partnership for Children & Youth, an advocacy and capacity-building organization championing high-quality expanded learning opportunities for underserved youth. She is also an alumni of the Capital Fellows Program, where she worked on Government Affairs for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson at the California Department of Education, and was a member of the inaugural cohort of Coro Southern California’s Lead Los Angeles program. She has a B.A. in Politics from Pomona College and began her career through an AmeriCorps year of service.

Christine began working at LA’s BEST in November 1998 as an Administrative Associate and transitioned into her current role in 2010. As a member of the administrative team, she manages the President & CEO’s calendar, provides overall office management and is the liaison to the Governing and Advisory Boards. In that role she supports the boards, and develops processes for strong board development and engagement. Christine has more than 19 years of experience as an administrative professional in the nonprofit sector. She earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Peter was first introduced to LA’s BEST in 2014 as its financial statement auditor, and has audited many private foundations, charitable organizations, and businesses across Los Angeles. In July 2021, he transitioned from auditing LA’s BEST from the outside to offering his services in support of LA’s BEST as Interim Controller. As Interim Controller, and now the permanent Controller, Peter manages the finances of the organization, maintains the accounting records, tracks budgets and compliance for restricted grants, oversees the financial systems and internal controls, and helps ensure the organization’s future monetary wellbeing. Peter is a CPA, and in addition to working as a financial statement auditor, he has worked as a contracted CFO managing businesses and nonprofits for several years. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Business Administration specializing in Finance and Management from the Master’s University.

When not combing through spreadsheets, you can find Peter enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. He enjoys skiing down mountains in winter, and hiking back up them after the snow melts. You can also find him cycling along the beach, playing volleyball, or finding a new favorite mom-and-pop shop to eat!

Jessie Rojas began her journey with LA’s BEST as a Program Worker in 2010 while pursuing her degree in Communications Studies at CSUN, aiming to become a learning facilitator within the organization. Over time, she held every site-level position before transitioning to a role as a facilitator for the Staff Development Team. Continuing in this capacity, she provided invaluable support to her colleagues and discovered the fulfillment of conducting trainings for sites and staff across all regions. Completing her degree in Communication Studies, Jessie now serves as our Communication Manager, shining a spotlight on the impactful work carried out within the LA’s BEST organization.

Christie is an education professional who is devoted to creating transformative learning experiences. She started working with LA’s BEST in 2007 as a Program Worker, and her dedication and enthusiasm helped her quickly progress to various roles within the organization. From being a Program Supervisor to Site Coordinator, Traveling Staff, and Program Coordinator, Christie’s diverse experiences have made her an adaptable and resourceful leader. Currently, she serves as the program’s Engagement Associate and works closely with the fundraising, advocacy, and communications teams to enhance partner engagement.

Salvador Manriquez is a dedicated public servant with a diverse background in community advocacy, legislative affairs, and legal services. With a Master’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge, and coursework in law from Northwestern California University School of Law, Salvador brings a unique blend of academic knowledge and practical experience to his work. Salvador’s commitment to public service is evident in his professional journey, which includes serving as a Field Representative for Assemblywoman Luz Rivas, where he builds relationships with constituents and advocates for their needs. Previously, Salvador worked as a paralegal at the Law Office of Michael Poole, assisting with immigration and criminal law cases, and gained valuable experience through internships with Congressman Tony Cardenas and Senator Robert Hertzberg. Salvador’s passion for community engagement extends beyond his professional roles. He has volunteered his time on political campaigns, including Luz Rivas for California State Assembly and Monica Rodriguez for Los Angeles City Council.

James began working at LA’s BEST in September 2023 as the nonprofit’s first Human Resources Manager. James manages all HR efforts, including recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and offboarding. He joined LA’s BEST with over 13 years in human resources experience and attended the University of La Verne, where he earned his BS degree in Organizational Management with a concentration in HR management.

I have worked at LA’s BEST all these years because I see the value in what we do for our students and their families.

Kristina joined LA’s Best in 2024 as the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO. Kristina has worked in the nonprofit sector for almost a decade implementing onboarding, managing operations and leading teams. Most recently, she was the Director of Operations at a workers’ rights firm hired to evaluate and implement operations. Previous to that, she was the Manager of Project Services with the Foundation for California Community College where she was a key stakeholder for onboarding and led two shared interest groups. She has also held the roles of Software Operations Manager with Children’s Bureau of Southern California and Operations Coordinator with Chrysalis Enterprises. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology from UC Irvine and holds her Scrum Master Certification from Scrum Alliance.

Counselor turned Fundraiser, Christine is a relationship builder, fundraiser, storyteller, and
community advocate. Her approach to fundraising is a mixture of tradition with a twist of out-of-
the-box ideas that captures the attention of donors, sponsors, corporations, and foundations.
Christine started life in a province of the Philippines called Cavite. She moved to the United
States at the age of 8 with her family. Even at an early age, Christine was exposed to the rough
inner-city streets of Los Angeles where her father was a senior pastor of Filipino Christian
Church. She grew up knowing there are homeless, marginalized, and vulnerable people. She
grew up knowing that love and compassion coupled with action is the key to transforming lives
and communities.
Christine moved back to the Philippines for a couple of years with her family and earned her
bachelor’s degree at Union Theological Seminary. She eventually came back to the United
States and continued her studies at San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Christine has worked for several churches as a youth pastor and a worship leader, but she felt
her true calling went beyond the church walls. She pursued the non-profit world.
With more than 20 years of experience, Christine has worked for small and larger non-profits
(Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, Dr. Phil Foundation, Union Rescue Mission just to name
a few) in Los Angeles. She worked in the frontlines, providing services as a lead Counselor that
eventually led her to become the Health and Human Services Director overseeing the
Counseling Program and After School programs for at-risk youth and low-income families. After
10 years of being at the forefront of serving at-risk population, she transferred to fund
development.
At heart, Christine is a counselor. She translates those skills into her passion for fund
development. She believes that telling the stories of the voiceless, sometimes faceless, and
vulnerable communities connects to the hearts of people to the heart and mission of the
organization.

I have worked as an education researcher and evaluator in school and community settings across Los Angeles County, with a focus on wraparound supports for underserved students and families and the intersection of academic and social-emotional outcomes. I have collaborated with universities, K-12 schools, community-based nonprofits, and government agencies on program implementation and evaluation. Most recently my work has focused on community school implementation as a school transformation strategy.

Susana joined LA’s BEST in 2005 as a Program Worker, where she supported the operations department by reviewing and verifying attendance data for CDE reporting. After transitioning to the evaluation department, she gained experience in data collection, entry, and preparing field staff for compliance and quality assurance reviews.

Her work has deepened her understanding of how data not only impacts funding but also drives quality programming and staff development. By supporting site staff in quality reviews, Susana has seen firsthand the vital role of high-quality programming in student success and educator growth. Her passion for using data to enhance educational outcomes makes her a key asset to the evaluation team.