• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

All Children Thrive - California

  • Why ACT?
    • We’re Hiring!
    • Our Team
  • Our Cities
    • Readiness Assessment
    • Request for Application 3.0
    • Request for Application 2.0 Continued Collaboration
    • Request for Application 2.0 Continued Collaboration Sacramento
    • Request for Application 2.0 Continued Collaboration Conference
    • All Children Thrive (ACT) 3.0 Request for Application – Conference
  • Our Approach
    • Blog
  • Learning Communities
  • Resources
  • Join Us

Staff Bios

Staff Bios


Directors and Admin

Lourdes Perez

PHA Co-Director

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Lourdes’ focus has remained on improving child and family wellbeing for all through policy, systems and environmental changes, even in the face of adversity. Lourdes has over 16 years of experience in policy, systems and environmental change approaches. All Children Thrive gives her the opportunity to work alongside communities, and offer support to the communities who have been marginalized and underinvested in progressing social justice and creating protective environments for all children to thrive. Lourdes holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University Stanislaus.  


Todd Franke 

UCLA Co-Director

Pronouns: he, him, his

Todd seeks to improve how systems respond to the needs of and build upon the strengths of children, families, and communities. Over his 30 years of research and evaluation experience, he has worked in the fields of education, child welfare, mental health, and violence prevention with agencies that serve thousands of families representing unique geographic and cultural communities in California. Todd holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as well as a Master’s of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.




ACT Coaches

Crystal Harding

ACT Coach

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Crystal is a first-generation immigrant from Liberia, West Africa. She understands the importance of access, community, and education in order to contribute to positive change. For her undergraduate experience Crystal attended Alabama State University in Montgomery the heart of the civil rights movement. She moved back to Sacramento and earned her master’s degree in Social Work at CA State University, Sacramento. Crystal has served in various fields for over 15 years including academia, health systems, community, and nonprofits. She has been active in local governance and in 2020 was elected to serve a four-year term as Director on the Board of North Highlands Recreation and Park District. #MyDutyIsToServe


Mónica Acevedo Guerrero, MPA

Program Manager, ACT Coach & Policy and Sustainability

Pronouns/Pronombres: she, her, they, them / ella, elle, ellos

Monica has devoted her career to empowering diverse community and youth voices to take political action so that their sense of agency is nourished “Desde la Raíz’ (from the roots)’.  She acts because it allows her to remember her Community and Sus Raíces (Her roots)  and help others catalyze change through knowledge. Monica holds a Masters of Public Administration from California State University Long Beach and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a Minor in Political Science from California State University Dominguez Hills.

Oday Guerrero

ACT Coach

Pronouns/Pronombres: she, her, they, them / ella, elle

Oday Guerrero is committed to working side by side with youth and communities, so that they can channel their collective power into life-changing policies that would bring prosperity for all. She has more than 10 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in advocating for the advancement of resources and policies that can help families flourish in the areas of health, education and immigration. Oday holds a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Psychology and a minor in Sociology from the University of California, Irvine.


Youth Development, Sustainability, and Communications


Manuel Serrato

Youth Development Program Manager

Pronouns: he, him, his

Manuel acts because he strives to bring joy, safety, and a sense of agency to the lives of California’s youth. As a former Sacramento high school teacher and youth program leader at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center and American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Manuel brings years of experience in youth services, advocacy, and education. Manuel obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Master of Arts degree in Education, and a teaching credential from the University of California, Davis.



Data, Research, and Evaluation

Kristina Gelardi, PhD

Director of Research and Learning

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Kristina works to ensure that equity and community participation are more than talking points: she empowers people with tools and training so that every person – regardless of previous experience with data – can ask and answer their own questions about what policy change their community needs.In partnership with other ACT researchers, she provides technical assistance to cities, their community partners, and our staff.  Kristina has a PhD in Human Development from the University of California, Davis, and a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Barnard College, Columbia University.


Jared Schor

Data Manager

Pronouns: he, him, his

Jared provides guidance to program partners interested in using their communities’ data to better address issues of child wellbeing.  Prior to his current role, Jared worked as customer experience design analyst and is passionate about bringing human-centered design principles to the field of public health.  His ambition is to help communities co-design systems that allow people to live better lives.  Jared holds a master’s degree in Sociology from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in Economic History from the London School of Economics. 


Gabriela Magana 

Program Manager

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Gaby is a motivated researcher and facilitator passionate about seeking justice and equity for all. Throughout her career, she has focused on making data, information, and research methods accessible to communities, empowering them to improve systems and transform their neighborhoods to achieve the outcomes and vision they hold for their future. She acts because she believes hope and visioning become reality when material resources and efforts are strategically allocated to support community-driven change. Gaby holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Community and Regional Development from the University of California, Davis.


Jonathan Litt, JD, MSW

Evaluation Director – Agile Visual Analytics Lab (AVAL)

Pronouns: he, him, his

Jonathan is passionate about empowering others to use evaluation data to make more timely and sound decisions impacting children, families, and communities. Jonathan oversees the ACT evaluation including data collection, management, analysis, and stakeholder engagement to ensure diverse and dynamic information needs are met efficiently and effectively. Jonathan holds a Juris Doctorate, Master’s of Social Work in Organizational and Community Practice, and Bachelor’s of Arts degrees in International Relations and Psychology from Michigan State University.



Footer

© 2024 California Department of Public Health. Funded under contract # 21-10471.