For educators, by educators

Adriana Magaña (she, her, hers) is the Director of Student Success at EDvance College. She has held various positions within the education field through the years, including serving as a Jumpstart Corps Member, paraeducator, Early Interventionist, and Faculty Lecturer at San Francisco State University. Ms. Magaña’s work is fueled by fostering culturally responsive, individual and community partnerships and creating representation in higher education spaces. At the core, Ms. Magaña’s antiracist work centers on inclusivity and accessibility for marginalized groups. 

Ms. Magaña has collaborated with EDvance through various projects, including the summer study abroad service-learning program in Vrygrond Township of Cape Town, South Africa, where she partnered with ECE educators in modifying their environment to be inclusive for all children. She also managed the lower division program, taught multiple courses about social-emotional learning and inclusive practices in the upper-division program, and supported San Francisco ECE educators to meet their GE requirements for transfer eligibility. 

Ms. Magaña is a first-generation college graduate who completed her M.A. in Special Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education and her Education Specialist Credential. Her thesis focused on Early Intervention Services from the Perspective of Rural Families in Stanislaus County, California. Ms. Magaña also holds a B.A. in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley.

Leveraging her expertise and profound dedication to promoting inclusivity, Ms. Magaña is committed in her mission to cultivate an atmosphere that empowers EDvance College students, unlocking their boundless potential and thereby shaping a brighter future for both young children and the communities they touch.

Alicia Osborne (she/her/hers) is the Vice President of Workforce Development and Admissions at EDvance College. With 19 years of dedicated learning, growth, development, and community work, she has made a profound impact on children, families, and early care providers in various diverse communities, both within and outside California. 

Previously, Alicia held the role of Registered Apprenticeships Programs Director at Early Care Education Pathways to Success. During her tenure as a subject matter expert, she successfully led early care and education employers and community college partners in the creation and launch of workforce development apprenticeship programs. These programs were designed to cater to state, and federally funded early care providers, family child care providers, expanded learning providers, as well as high school students. 

Alicia’s professional journey began as an AmeriCorps member in Oakland preschool classrooms, where she discovered her passion for serving others. Over the years, she has assumed various roles within the early care education sector, including director, teacher, trainer, coach, professor, and program manager. Her diverse experience spans non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and state- and locally-funded early care and education agencies. Alicia has also presented at both state and national conferences to champion workforce initiatives.

Alicia is a first-generation college graduate, holding a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Leadership and Supervision, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Politics from Saint Mary’s College of California. Additionally, she possesses a CA Child Development Program Director Permit. Beyond her professional achievements, Alicia finds joy in traveling, beading, and crafting cherished memories with her daughter, husband, and extended family.

Alicia’s commitment to belonging, justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity is rooted in her practice of active listening and a deep understanding of people’s needs to enhance her ability to collaborate effectively. To further strengthen her equity perspective and uplift community voices, Alicia participated as an Education Trust West fellow in 2022 and a Surge Institute fellow in 2021. She remains unwavering in her dedication to empower early care educators, improve the workforce experience, and advance long-term sustainability in early care and education through strategic economic investments. Alicia’s steadfast commitment to building partnerships and nurturing relationships plays a pivotal role in achieving collective impact.

Amy Crown (she, her, hers) is the Director of Admissions at EDvance College. With more than a decade of higher education experience, Amy brings her knowledge and tools to lead EDvance College's partner engagement and student recruitment efforts. Amy’s various roles in higher education include Director of Admissions, Community Relations Manager, Business Development and Strategic Partnership Executive. Her career has focused on developing and enhancing partner relationships to retain a strong workforce while growing student enrollment. During her time as the Director of Admissions, Amy focused on creating opportunities and pathways that directly benefited the diverse community, families and their children. Amy's true passion is providing access to higher education and discovering ways to support students. In addition, she is a representative on two local planning commission boards and a higher education consortium in the Greater Sacramento Region. Amy earned her Master of Arts in Business from the University of Massachusetts and her Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing from Concordia University in Irvine, CA. 

Outside of her professional life, Amy enjoys camping with her family, hiking in the beautiful Sierra Mountains and finding new local restaurants. She is committed to the mission and vision of EDvance College and is eager to expand program options and provide support to communities across the county.

Andrea Cruz (she/her/hers) is a Student Success Advocate at EDvance College. Andrea comes with eight years in the field of Early Childhood being a teacher with children birth to five. After seven years of being in the classroom setting, Andrea stepped out of the classroom and began her path withWorkforce Development where she began supporting staff with completing their degrees and courses needed for their Child Development Permits. 

During the time, Andrea saw the difficulties that many teachers faced when completing degrees, especially those pertaining to transfer courses. As Andrea recruited staff with a goal of being Transfer Ready for their bachelor's Degrees, she met Dr. Lygia Stebbing and learned what EDvance College had to offer the current workforce. As she worked through the Workforce Department in her previous role, Andrea began to connect with Adriana Magana and collaborated in bringing in a group of YMCA of the East Bay staff into EDvance College. 

Andrea attended and graduated from California State University East Bay with her B.A. in Human Development with a concentration in Early Childhood Development. As a Student Success Advocate, Andrea aims to support students on an educational, professional, and personal level to make the best of their EDvance journey. Coming from the Early Childhood Field and the classroom setting, Andrea understands the needs that come from working full-time and being a full-time student and will support students to achieve their goals.

Anna Arambula-Gonzalez, M.A. (she/her/ella) is a full-time faculty and Associate Vice President of Early Childhood Studies (AVP of ECS) at EDvance College, and co-founder of the Language Justice Institute. As the AVP of ECS at EDvance, Anna oversees instruction, curriculum design and development, faculty training and development, and other initiatives to create an inclusive learning environment that empowers both students and educators to thrive. At the Language Justice Institute, Anna leads professional development projects focused on creating a more equitable early childhood workforce that prioritizes racial and linguistic diversity. Before joining EDvance, she served as Project Director of the Language Justice Initiative at the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence. 

Anna has dedicated her career to championing quality education and equitable opportunities for all children, actively contributing to numerous state-level initiatives. She served as a member of the Early Childhood Credentialing Workgroup at the California Commission for Teacher Credentialing, where she made valuable contributions to the development of an ECE Specialist Credential. She co-authored and translated the Dual Language Instructor Guide for the California Department of Education's Dual Language Professional Development Grant. She created and presented webinars and keynote addresses for Educators and Administrators in collaboration with Early Edge California and the CA Department of Education, with a specific focus on addressing the needs of multilingual learners.

Anna helps ensure equitable and full access to quality classroom experiences for multilingual learners by sharing her knowledge with those who work with them. As the Child Development Instructor/Coordinator at Madera Community College, Anna not only instructed but also supervised and mentored aspiring educators, ensuring they were well-prepared to deliver culturally sensitive and linguistically and developmentally appropriate teaching experiences. Anna extended her impact as an adjunct professor at California State University Channel Islands, San Francisco State University (CSU Fresno), Fresno City College, EDvance College, and Madera Community College, where she taught and developed courses.

She has extensive experience developing and delivering professional development in dual language learning, family engagement, and Personalized Oral Language Learning strategies. She has co-developed two Multilingual Learner Teaching Certificates at two institutions of higher education. Additionally, Anna has co-authored several publications, including "Designing Preschool Programs that Foster Bilingualism" for preschool directors, "Teacher, Teacher, What Do You See? Understanding Classroom Behaviors with Dual Language Learners" for educators, "Ensuring Equitable and Full Access to Early Learning for Multilingual Learners" for leaders and educators, and “Fruit or Vegetable? Dual Language Strategies to Expand Learning During Spontaneous Interactions” for educators, and “Designing Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Programs that Foster Bilingualism: A guide for PreK/TK Directors” for leaders. 

Anna is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies and a master's degree in early childhood education from CSU Fresno. Beyond her academic accomplishments, she is a devoted wife and a loving mother to two wonderful boys. Anna treasures quality family moments and finds joy in organizing gatherings that unite her siblings. Her life experiences as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, as a wife, mother, and as someone who has worked in the fields have deeply influenced her approach to multilingual learning and family engagement, shaping her practice in significant ways.

Anna's steadfast commitment to advancing equity and language justice in early childhood education serves as an inspiration, fostering a community of equity-driven educators and leaders dedicated to prioritizing justice, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Her belief in the pivotal role of culturally and linguistically competent educators highlights the importance of empowering diverse children, families, and communities to realize their fullest potential.

Anna Tivy is an Adjunct Faculty at EDvance College. She began working at EDvance College in Fall 2023. In the past years Professor Tivy participated in the Cross-Institutional Learning Community Faculty Fellows Program.  The cohort consisted of faculty from Moorpark, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara Colleges, and CSU Channel Islands. They worked together to improve teaching, learning practices, curricular innovations, and student learning outcomes. Anna and her CSUCI colleagues coordinated the STEM Learning Communities which worked together with Math and English courses. Additionally, she mentors many undergraduate students; some of these scholars have presented their research projects at SCURR and MAA regional meetings. Anna is an ASSET Fellow, HIS-SMART mentor, and has been involved in various grants. She has also contributed as an author to a PreCalculus textbook.

She advises her students to pursue their dreams and listen to their hearts. “Mathematics is not an easy subject, but you can learn it with a lot of practice and dedication. So invite Mathematics, Queen of Sciences, to be your friend, not your enemy. Together you can achieve your dreams, and success will follow.”

Professor Tivy holds an M.S degree in Applied Mathematics and a B.S degree in Elementary Education. Her passion for mathematics is sure to inspire and foster learning among her students.

Anna Wolde-Yohannes (she, her, hers) is the Partnerships Manager at EDvance College. With over a decade of dedicated experience in Early Care and Education (ECE), she is passionately committed to tackling ECE issues, emphasizing teacher empowerment and unleashing the untapped potential of individuals and communities. Anna's educator journey began in 2014 with a discovery of her passion for preschool teaching at an international school abroad, leading her to teach in various private and public child care sites in San Francisco.

As an alumna of the Surge Institute (2022 Fellow), Anna is dedicated to fostering collective impact and serves as a lead organizer for the SF ECE Advocacy Coalition (SF ECE AC) and an appointed member of the SF Black Early Educator Policy Council (BEEPC). Formerly, she was the Co-Director at Early Care Educators of San Francisco (ECESF), a nonprofit amplifying the voices of ECE educators to affect change. 

Anna's commitment to equity in ECE is reflected in her multifaceted leadership roles, including board membership with the East Bay Chapter of CAAEYC, participation in SF Educators for Equity, leadership within the Bay Area Network for Diversity Training in Early Childhood (BANDTEC), and work as an ECE consultant since 2018 specializing in equity-focused trainings. She also co-created the educator-led podcast series "Lesson Up!" to amplify ECE voices. She also holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies with a Minor in Politics from San Francisco State University, along with a CA Child Development Program Director Permit.

Anna's extensive travels to over 35 countries on six continents underscore her deep appreciation for learning from diverse cultures. Anna naturally makes others feel they belong and is happiest spending time with loved ones. In her role at EDvance, Anna's cultural understanding serves as a cornerstone enabling her to effectively navigate the landscape and cultivate meaningful partnerships to drive positive change within the ECE community.

Dr. Bernadette Pilar Zermeño (she/ella) is an Adjunct Faculty at EDvance College. With over twenty years of experience in early education, she is a movement maker, community mobilizer, and early childhood educator that will share successes creating, developing and teaching Transitional Kindergarten Programs, literacy and biliteracy cultivation from home to 5th grade, especially within Dual Immersion Programs. She is passionate about facilitating lifelong learners beginning at the earliest age as a multilingual educator, teaching in PreK-University levels. She is innovative in curriculum creation with expertise in training Pre-K, Transitional and Traditional Kindergarten Teachers, and TK/K Teacher Aides, Teacher Candidates focusing on biliteracy and language development. 

Bernadette builds open, trust-based relationships with students, caregivers, teammates, and community partners to support all learners, especially dedicated to helping newly arrived students and refugees with foundational social and emotional skills. Her passion and drive to support the earliest learners is taken outside of the walls of TK and into adult settings, focusing on Bay Area Preschool, TK and Kindergarten teachers. 

She currently works within Oakland Unified as a Multilingual Specialist in the ELLMA and Early Childhood department while also supporting teacher candidates at Alder, Cal State East Bay, Chabot, Merritt, and Las Positas College. She was a literacy specialist and Preschool and TK professional development provider with FLUENT SEEDS. She is currently working on gaining an administration credential and can always be found advocating for the basic needs of the community.

She has presented at a national education conference on research focusing on dual language immersion in early education and continues to research new effective ways to support language as an asset. As a trilingual, multiracial and first generation woman, she received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with Emphasis in Early Childhood at Mills College and holds an MA in Education with a bilingual multiple subject teaching credential and a BA in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. Bernadette is National Board Early Generalist Certified. 

Bernadette has an unbridled passion for early education and developmentally appropriate practices. She served on the California Kindergarten Association Board of Directors as Treasurer for over six years and now is a board member for Forest and Tree. When not teaching, Bernadette loves to scuba dive with sharks, read anything and everything and watch her children dance ballet folklorico or learn to skateboard. Bernadette truly believes in reflecting and building on assets, just like EDvance!

Dr. Carola Oliva-Olson (she/her/ella) is the Chief Innovation Officer at EDvance College. She has more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, workforce development, technical assistance, and research. Carola’s work centers around advancing access, equity and quality education for all children, families, and educators. She is a leading expert on multilingualism, equity, early childhood programming, workforce development, and family engagement. Before joining EDvance, she was the Executive Director of Multilingual Education at the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence and founder of the Language Justice Institute.

As an associate professor at California State University Channel Islands, Carola helped prepare future early childhood educators to work in settings serving young children from infancy to third grade. Carola also worked as the principal investigator for the California Department of Education’s Dual Language Learner Professional Development Grant and the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Early Initiatives Dual Language Learner Professional Development Grant. In 2020, she was appointed to the California Governor’s Early Childhood Policy Council and continues to serve on numerous state and national advisory groups. Her work has been instrumental to advancing equity in the field of early childhood education. 

Carola earned a Ph.D. in Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, a M.S. in preschool-primary education, a B.A in international studies and environmental planning, and a teaching credential from South America in early childhood education. Her doctoral research focused on dual language instruction in Head Start. She has worked as a bilingual teacher in toddler, preschool, kindergarten, and grades 1, 2, and 4. She also worked as the early learning/disabilities lead for the Migrant Head Start Project in Washington, D.C.

She is married, has a teenage daughter, three adult step-children, and a Jindo dog. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, eating out, and gardening.  

Carola remains committed to working alongside her colleagues and students to establish a lasting tradition of excellence, empathy, and equity in early childhood education. She strongly believes that by fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion, educators can break down barriers and open doors to a world of possibilities for multilingual children, families, and communities. This conviction fuels her determination to help develop a community of educators, leaders, and change agents prioritizing equal access, fairness, and quality education for all children. For her, it is more than a job; it is a calling, a purpose, and a pledge to a greater cause.

Casey Federico (she, her, hers) is an Adjunct Faculty at EDvance College. Casey brings more than twenty years of experience in early childhood education to her work with EDvance College, having worked as a toddler and preschool teacher, director of a family support center, Head Start Associate Director, curriculum developer, trainer, and coach. Casey is an advocate for welcoming early childhood spaces for ALL families and educators, and specializes in supporting multilingual communities and classrooms. Over the last decade, Casey’s work has focused on engaging, relevant math and STEAM experiences for children and for adults. Currently a consultant to numerous Bay Area school districts, the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, and the Exploratorium, Casey is deeply committed to equitable, meaningful, and accessible support for the early childhood workforce.

She is a graduate of Stanford University and the Bank Street College for Education in New York City, where her thesis explored the role of welcoming physical environments in supporting families with young children in diverse, multilingual programs. Through her work at EDvance, she hopes to share her passion for engaging, relevant STEAM education for children and adults. Casey is a proud parent raising two bilingual, bicultural daughters in San Francisco; and loves building, making, and tinkering. Casey is thrilled to work with the EDvance team and students in creating powerful learning experiences for young children and the incredible adults who care for them.

Chad Thompson (he, him, his) is the Chief Financial and Operations Officer at EDvance College. He has over 25 years as an experienced and highly qualified higher education finance professional and leader. For the past fifteen years, Chad has served as a CFO predominantly with time as a COO and two years as CEO as well helping a college system through a change of ownership. Chad's experience in higher ed finance includes large US college systems with publicly traded parent corporations, in addition to smaller family owned college systems. Chad has experience at both the strategic and operational level in addition to experience at both the campus and the corporate central office. Chad is known to be progressive, decisive, innovative and highly valued for his expertise interpreting corporate vision and strategy, translating objectives into actionable plans, and providing leadership where needed. 

Chad is well versed in the accreditation process and has experience as a NECHE Team Evaluator.  He served as the CFO of a regionally accredited(SACS-COC), research level, for profit university for seven years.  Chad has experience with multiple national accreditors to include ACICS, ACCET and ACCST.  

Chad has years of experience implementing strong control procedures in all finance related areas, managing all financial responsibilities within college and universities, and has managed direct reports in financial aid, human resources, facilities, and information technology.  He is well versed in all operations of a college. 

Chad has a passion for higher education and is particularly excited to be a part of the EDvance College team, delivering quality teachers and leaders within early childhood education.

Connie Hardison (she, her, hers) is the Controller at EDvance College and has over 22 years of experience working in higher education. She has a broad knowledge of the various aspects of education including the online component as an accounting professional and as a student. 

Starting as a Business Office Manager at a for-profit college in 2000, Connie advanced into different positions including Staff Accountant, Controller, and Associate Vice President of Finance & Accounting during her 20-year career. She received the President’s Award, Key to Success Award and Chancellor’s Award (2 years) for exceptional leadership, service and contributions to students and the organization. Connie has implemented new systems, written policies and procedures and led a staff of twelve associates in accounting, facilities, and financial aid. 

Connie has attended multiple conference trainings on various systems, leadership, and management. She is a lifelong learner and works to improve herself daily. Connie received a Bachelor of Science – Applied Management degree in 2007 from National American University.

Connie has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and All Blessings International Adoption Agency. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter, Stewardship and Audit Committees for her church, is a volunteer for Kentucky Disaster Relief and Chosen Children’s Ministries (mission trips to Nicaragua). She is a member of Impact 100, a group of women that have awarded grants of $4.2 million dollars to nonprofits in her local community. She raises money and awards scholarships annually from The Coach Troy Hardison Memorial Scholarship for Athletes fund to continue her husband’s legacy as a teacher and coach.  She enjoys traveling, pickleball, reading and spending time with her three children (Ty, Alli & Kyle), her granddaughter Sophia, and two dogs (Angel and Franklin). 

As a first generation college graduate, Connie has a heartfelt desire to help people especially in the education field which aligns with the mission of EDvance. She is very excited to be a part of the EDvance team in changing the trajectory of society by giving children the absolute best educational start possible.

Daisy Hsieh is a Teaching Assistant at EDvance College. Her connection with EDvance started in 2023 when her supervisor asked if anyone wanted to be an instructor at EDvance College. As a bilingual in English and Cantonese, she had the opportunity to speak with the EDvance team about a possible position as a Teacher’s Assistant to support English and Cantonese speakers.

In the past 33 years of working in the field of Early Education and adult education, she is excited to find an institution that shared her vision to contribute to the growth of adult learners Ms. Hsieh’s passion to work with young children started when she was 7 years old back in Hong Kong where she was born. She was fascinated to watch infants dangling their legs being carried on their mother’s back. Her goal was to work with children under 5 years of age.

As a visual learner herself, she believed students learn best with visuals, discussion groups, hands on experiences and application to see how theory worked in an actual classroom. It is important for students to learn Child Development theories and have the opportunity to practice what they have learned in real situations. Therefore, having discussion groups is beneficial to both the instructor and students. It allows the instructor to listen to issues students are facing and ask open-ended questions to guide their thinking. There’s no one formula that fits all. Each situation is unique. She was recognized as a student who graduated with a 4.0 GPA from the University of North Dakota. Currently, she is a PITC certified trainer (Program for Infant Toddler Care), an instructor with WestED FCCB (Family Child Care at Its Best), and a certified assessor with the Preschool Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). 

She went to San Francisco State University and graduated from UC Davis in Human Development. She has earned a BS in Human Development and a MS in Early Childhood Education.

She believes teachers influence how children learn, and her passion is to share her expertise and experience with educators. Thus, she views the cohort group and open learning discussion format as important components in supporting teachers in this field. EDvance College has created a safe space for educators to express their ideas, accept differences, encourage self-reflection, practice their skills and understand that this is a field that is evolving to better the learning for children and families.

Dr. Edirle Menezes (ella/she) is an Adjunct Faculty at EDvance College. With over 16 years of experience in early learning teaching & research; program development, implementation and management; leadership and community partnerships, and grants and contracts management, Dr. Menezes has developed various quality improvement programs for underserved children and families. She's currently the Director of Early Learning at Alameda County Office of Education. Dr. Menezes has worked at the San Mateo County Office of Education as the Early Learning Quality Improvement Manager, and at First 5 Contra Costa as its ECE Program Officer. Prior to that, Dr. Menezes was a Child Development Department Chair and Faculty for the National Hispanic University and San Jose State University. Her wealth of experience and passion for education make her a valuable asset to the EDvance College community.

Jenny Brito, M.A. (she/her/hers) is a Writing Coach at EDvance College. 

Her professional journey has centered around helping non-profit organizations achieve their goals and effect change to improve the lives of immigrants, minority groups, and at-risk groups. She has spent over 15 years working with organizations to develop high-quality writing content and training materials. Most recently, she supported the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence (IREE) and the  Language Justice Institute by developing training materials to equip early childhood educators to deliver high-quality, inclusive, unbiased, and developmentally-appropriate learning experiences for young multilingual children. Through this work, she cultivated a profound appreciation and insight into the work of early childhood educators.

Jenny has a B.A. in Psychology with an emphasis on Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies, and an M.A. in Organizational Behavior from Alliant International University.

Jenny is thrilled to be part of EDvance College and highly committed to its mission. Her primary goal and aspiration is to continue to contribute to the development of a community of equity-driven teachers who will undoubtedly transform the lives of young multilingual children and their families!

Jimin Seung (she, her, hers) is the Administrative Assistant at EDvance College. 

She first began her work at EDvance College in February 2023 as an intern during her last semester at San Francisco State University (SFSU). During her internship, she was introduced to the early childhood education (ECE) field and how EDvance College works to address the needs of the members of the ECE community. Her internship helped put many of the public health concepts she learned in her classes into a real world perspective and showed her how an institution of higher education can make systemic changes to improve the lives of educators as well as the children they serve in their classrooms. 

In her role at EDvance, Jimin uses her organizational skills to provide administrative support to her team members to help the college operate more smoothly. As a newer addition to the EDvance team, she hopes to embrace one of the virtues of EDvance’s Culture, growth mindset, to view every opportunity as a chance to learn and grow. With this mindset, Jimin is excited to continue her journey with EDvance and hopes her contributions will help the team better support the students and the overall ECE community.

Joanne Garcia (she, her, ella) is a Writing Coach at EDvance College. As an educator with 28 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to fostering learning, inspiring minds, and shaping the future generations. Throughout her journey, she has witnessed the transformative power of education and its profound impact on individuals and communities.

Her passion for teaching began early from California State University East Bay and The National Hispanic University achieving my double major of BA in Liberal Arts with emphasis in Early Childhood Education and BA in Translation Studies, driven by a desire to make a difference and ignite a love for learning in others. Over the years, she has had the privilege of working with students of various ages, backgrounds, and abilities, adapting her approach to meet their diverse needs and challenges from adult esl, to elementary, to middle school and private and public universities. Continuing her focus on early childhood education, she then moved to graduate school at St. Mary's College of California to receive her teaching credential and MA in Education with TESOL and postmasters of an Ed.D.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Joanne strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. She believes in the importance of cultivating critical thinking skills, creativity, and a lifelong thirst for knowledge, equipping her students with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Beyond the curriculum, Joanne is committed to nurturing the holistic development of her students, instilling values of empathy, resilience, and perseverance. She believes that education extends far beyond academic achievement, encompassing the cultivation of character and the building of essential life skills. Currently, she is also an administrator at a local bay area charter school where she is able to put her skillset to use.

Jocelyn (she, her, hers) is the Registrar at EDvance College. She has worked in early childhood and higher educational settings, serving children ages 0-5 and college students, as an educator and/or administrator. In addition, Jocelyn is an EDvance alumnus, and she has since held various positions with EDvance. 

Jocelyn applies her early education experiences and knowledge to her advocacy and support of EDvance College's student-educators. She recruited early childhood educators in collaboration with the college departments, partner agencies, and local organizations. She also provided individualized services and support for current and prospective students. In these roles, Jocelyn routinely witnessed the systemic obstacles encountered by early childhood educators in their pursuit of higher education and credentials. Jocelyn recognizes the importance of providing college students with individualized wraparound services and resources. Thus, she is committed to delivering student success services that systematically dismantle these obstacles. Moreover, she believes that creating a welcoming and inclusive environment and developing positive and strong relationships promotes student success. 

Jocelyn holds a B.A. degree in Child and Adolescent Development and M.A. degree in Education. She is excited to continue learning, collaborating, and growing alongside student-educators, staff members, and instructors who genuinely care for and love the ECE field.

Joyce Young (She/Her/Hers) is a Teaching Assistant at EDvance College. She has been in the ECE field for over 20 years and is currently at the largest agency serving Early Head Start and Head Start programs that oversees 4 sites in the Bayview and Visitacion Valley area for over 15 years. Previously, she worked as a teacher and administrator in private and non-profit sectors. Joyce has supported workshops at First 5 and other non-profit organizations to support ECE educators’ professional developments.  

In the past, she has coordinated workshops or recruitment events with EDvance even before they started their own college. Joyce also has some colleagues and parents that she has previously worked with taking classes at EDvance.

Joyce has a BA in ECE with a minor in Special Education and a MS in Early Childhood Studies - Administration, Management, and Leadership.

Her belief when working with anyone is based on a Chinese proverb that says “Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” She believes that if she wants students to fully understand the content, it is crucial to involve them! She feels honored to work with EDvance that embodies JEDI+B values by having roles like Teaching Assistants to provide inclusive support to students who may benefit from extra support.

Katie Mervin (she, her, hers) is a Lead Faculty - Infant/Toddler Specialist at EDvance College. She had the opportunity to work in multiple early learning centers and with different ages, which offered a variety of experiences as a developing teacher. These experiences provided exposure to many philosophies, funding and structural models, that promoted her interest in how to promote best practices across the field. Her interest in supporting teachers in their own stages of development grew during this time, which led her to the work with the CA Early Childhood Mentor Program where she served as a mentor teacher, then one of first virtual mentor teachers in the state, and finally as a member of the steering committee.

In addition to her work in the classroom Katie worked with UCSB’s Koegel Autism Center as a behavioral therapist and followed that work as a Child Development and Behavioral Specialist in an early intervention program. Her interest in supporting children and families with differing needs blossomed and led to her involvement with the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center where she developed the day-to-day plans for Camp Expedition and served as camp director for many years. Her continued passion for this work has culminated in her fellowship in Early Relational Health at UMass Chan Medical School.

Katie has also had the honor of being child development faculty at both Cerro Coso College and Cuesta College, as well as the Director of the Cuesta College Children's Center and Lab School where she obtained the CCAMPIS grant to provide financial support for student parents.

Katie’s most recent work has been with the Santa Barbara County Education Office and San Luis Obispo County Office of Education where she wrote successful CAI grant proposals to gain funding for the early care and education apprentice programs. She has become skilled at building non-traditional apprenticeship programs and implementing them while keeping students current and future work and education goals at the heart of the programs.

Katie attended Pacific Oaks College where she obtained her BA and MA in Human Development. As a single mother of an amazing son her time in school was strenuous but created such an appreciation for the sacrifices of the ECE workforce in order to learn and grow in order to support children and families. 

Katie feels profoundly grateful for the opportunity to inspire and support EDvance students in their quest to enhance their knowledge and skills, ultimately elevating the standing and impact of the early care and education field.

Dr. Lygia Stebbing (she/her/hers), serves as the President and Founder of EDvance College. With an impressive career spanning over two decades, Dr. Stebbing has dedicated herself to creating and refining higher education programs that bolster the academic achievements and career advancement of the early childhood workforce.

Her notable contributions include the design and implementation of innovative Early Childhood Education (ECE) degree pathways, strategically crafted to enhance educational accessibility and ensure vocational stability for early childhood educators. At the core of her work lies a profound commitment to honoring, preserving, and nurturing the cultural and linguistic connections between highly skilled educators and families, with the aim of supporting child development and early learning.

Throughout her career, Dr. Stebbing has tirelessly served the educational interests of both domestic and international communities. In the United States, she has played a pivotal role as an instructor at higher education institutions, where she developed and taught courses in early childhood education and child development with a strong focus on principles of social justice, community engagement, professionalism, and practical experience. Additionally, Dr. Stebbing has held a mayoral appointment for the Office of Early Care and Education Citizens Advisory Committee and serves as the Higher Education representative for San Francisco's QRIS Local Planning Consortia.

On the international front, Dr. Stebbing's endeavors have included working with indigenous children in Oaxaca, Mexico, spearheading and leading a summer study abroad service-learning program in ECE within the Vrygrond Township of Cape Town, South Africa, and guiding an early childhood study tour through New Zealand.

Dr. Stebbing's educational journey culminated in the completion of her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at San Francisco State University. Her doctoral research delved into the critical academic and programmatic supports required to maintain diversity within the early childhood workforce. In addition to her doctorate, Dr. Stebbing holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Delaware and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University.

Dr. Stebbing's unwavering commitment remains steadfast in her quest to find solutions that ensure all early childhood educators have access to high-quality, accessible, and affordable education.

Michelle Banh, M.A., is an Adjunct Faculty and Writing Coach at EDvance College. ​​Embarking on a transformative journey that spans over two decades, Michelle has been intricately woven into the tapestry of early childhood education, tracing her roots back to a formative experience as a child development intern during high school. This humble beginning ignited a lifelong commitment to the nurturing and development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Influenced profoundly by the pioneering work of Magda Gerber, Michelle tirelessly pursued certification from the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), establishing a resilient foundation for delivering exceptional care and education during those pivotal early years. With unwavering conviction, she holds the belief that the optimal learning environment for children is one characterized by warmth, support, nurturance, and respect, valuing and celebrating individual and cultural differences.

In recent years, Michelle has directed her earnest efforts towards fortifying the early childhood education (ECE) workforce. As an educator, she champions a guiding principle that transcends her role – before being an educator, she is a perpetual learner. This principle shapes her approach, enabling her to tailor learning experiences for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and adult caregivers or educators alike.

Assuming roles as a trainer, mentor, and adjunct faculty member, Michelle actively engages with adult learners, playing a pivotal role in their professional development. Her unwavering commitment extends to creating safe and enriching spaces for the next generation, where each child's unique potential is not only acknowledged but passionately nurtured.

Approaching her work with a blend of educator's humility and learner's curiosity, Michelle eagerly anticipates sharing her insights and experiences at the upcoming conference. With her guiding influence, let us collectively strive to elevate the standards of early childhood education, fostering a lasting impact on the lives of our future leaders under Michelle Banh's dedicated stewardship.

Michelle (she/her) is the Adjunct Librarian for EDvance College and Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. She brings with her over a decade of experience in children’s literature and is a member of the American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries. 

Before her career in academic libraries, Michelle worked as a library technician in Title I elementary schools. After receiving her MLIS, she transitioned to the administrative team as district librarian for a TK-12 school district. Michelle’s passion is helping students, whether it is with reference and research questions or by continually evaluating and designing a library that is student-friendly. Her goal is to remove as many obstacles to information as possible, giving students the tools to feel confident in their information literacy skills to reach their educational ambitions and use beyond the classroom. 

She holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from San Jose State University, a Career Technical Education teaching certificate in Education, Child Development, and Family Services, and a California Teacher Librarian Services credential.

Michelle is a collector and nurturer of far too many house plants, loves any opportunity to spend outside in the sunshine, and enjoys finding time to be creative. Her commitment to lifelong learning means she regularly attends workshops and webinars focused on providing improved academic library services and children’s librarianship. Michelle is committed to use her enthusiasm for learning and creativity to improve students’ access to information.

Nayeli Hurtado-Vega (she/her) is the Multilingual Admissions Coordinator at EDvance College. Previously, Nayeli served as a Jumpstart Corps Member and worked in multiple school settings starting from her position as a preschool substitute teacher at Felton during her college career. She also worked as an Academic Success Coach with College Track in which she worked closely with students that needed help finding resources to better support their academic journey. Some of these resources included virtual tutoring options with live tutors, 1:1 weekly check-ins, wellness groups, summer math programs, workshops that were tailored to social emotional learning, ACT/SAT preparation and much more. She then worked as an Office Manager in the West Contra Costa Unified School District for the summer in which her role involved helping students enroll and transfer to different schools. Then, Nayeli worked as a Grad Tutor with West Contra Costa Unified District for Helms Middle School. She supported the International Program that focused on new comer students who needed extra support with acclimating themselves to school while learning a new language. Lastly, she worked as a Typist Clerk in another school, helped with everyday office duties, communicated with parents, assisted with truancy and attendance by setting up conferences while managing all outreach.

Through her various experiences, one of Nayeli’s areas of expertise has become handling communication across different platforms. Communication has been her focus in her past positions since her role often revolved around communicating available resources to students. All of her work across the Bay Area has been centered around providing support to low income communities of color. Nayeli likes to give back to the community where she grew up by breaking down barriers that prevent students like herself from achieving their educational and personal goals. Outside of her professional life, she likes to read, workout, paint, try new restaurants and explore nature whenever possible. 

Nayeli is a first generation college graduate from San Francisco State University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child and Adolescent Development with a concentration in Youth and Out of School Time.

In her current position at EDvance, Nayeli looks forward to supporting the Spanish speaking community of ECE educators by providing them a unique tailored experience to better support their education and lifetime goals. She is committed to the mission and vision of EDvance College, and she is passionate about helping ECE educators achieve their goals.

Nova San Diego (she, her, hers) is a Student Success Advocate at EDvance College. Nova draws from personal experience as a first-generation college graduate and an EDvance alumnus to fulfill their role. Nova is a member of EDvance’s 2021 Theta Cohort and earned their B.A. degree from San Francisco State University with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Queer Ethnic Studies.  Nova is a Filipinx-American, Bay Area native, and trans-femme, non-binary individual. Nova worked full-time as an early childhood educator in San Francisco while pursuing her B.A. degree. In this capacity, Nova served as an Emergency Childcare Provider and Preschool Teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nova has worked as a Student Success Advocate with EDvance College since August 2022, serving the interests of our diverse ECE workforce and addressing the many human rights issues that intersect with the ECE field. 

Nova is committed to the principle that everyone can succeed, and they are excited to play a critical role in guiding students through their EDvance College journey. Nova understands the importance of high-quality Early Childhood Education. She hopes that her work as a Student Success Advocate not only allows EDvance students the opportunity of achieving their personal goal, but in earning their BA degree, elevates the profession that is Early Childhood Education. As a non-traditional student herself, Nova recognizes the hardships many other college students are currently facing, and they aim to uplift these students to reach their potential and attain academic success.

Olabisi Adesuyi-Fasuyi is an Adjunct Faculty member at EDvance College who brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for early childhood education with her extensive academic background. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Guidance and Counseling and advanced degrees from San Francisco State University, including a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education and an Educational Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Olabisi is committed to understanding and supporting students' educational journeys.

With a multifaceted career in early childhood education, Olabisi has made significant contributions to both private and public ECE programs. From teaching and mentoring to roles as principal, coach, trainer, and leader, she has successfully led culturally diverse educators and facilitated professional development courses, enhancing the skills and knowledge of her colleagues.

As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at San Francisco State University, Olabisi utilized research-proven strategies to support doctoral students, reinforcing her commitment to academic excellence and contributing to developing the next generation of educators. Her expertise includes early childhood education, guidance and counseling, ECE curriculum focusing on STEM education, and educational leadership. Olabisi's dedication aligns seamlessly with EDvance College's mission of social justice, inclusion, and diversity in higher education.

Stephanie Moore (she/her/hers) is the Chief of Staff at EDvance College, where she brings a decade of invaluable experience in higher education, including a distinguished history of service within the EDvance community.

Stephanie embarked on her journey with EDvance back in 2013 as an intern, and over the years, she has embraced a multitude of roles within the organization. Her remarkable versatility and unwavering commitment have played pivotal roles in various capacities, ranging from providing comprehensive program and student support as a Program Assistant to skillfully managing essential functions such as budgeting, grant reporting, accounts payable, and human resources in her role as the Compliance Manager. Stephanie's relentless dedication to achieving excellence and her commitment to continuous improvement shine through her active participation in management training hosted by The Management Center. She has skillfully integrated the invaluable lessons from this training into EDvance's operational procedures, effectively aligning them with the organization's core values, which include Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice (JEDI+B).

As a first-generation college student who personally benefited from a highly scaffolded and well-thought-out coursework, Stephanie carries a passionate commitment to ensuring that programming is offered to students in a manner that supports them in achieving their educational aspirations. She firmly believes in providing students with the necessary wrap-around support to thrive academically. In her current role, Stephanie channels her dedication to ensuring that all employee needs, both on an individual and organizational level, are met effectively. Her efforts are geared toward equipping every employee with the essential tools required to not only excel in their roles but also to better support our students in their educational journeys.

Sunny Martin (she, her, hers) is the Admission and Enrollment Manager at EDvance College. She has been a dedicated educator for more than a decade, serving the community as a K-12 administrator, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Grant Program Director, and most recently as a counseling faculty in the California Community College system. As a community college counselor, she has consistently witnessed systemic barriers and limited access for early childhood educators who were working full-time and trying to further their careers.  EDvance College’s value of elevating ECE educators and transforming access to higher education that meet their individual needs has drawn her to this position.  Her role in EDvance College is to ensure that each and every student who is interested in obtaining their B.A. Degrees are welcomed and evaluated holistically, recognizing the value in competency-based experience. She is excited to continue to build and assess EDvance College’s admissions and student services policy that is equity-centered and designed to serve the diverse Early Childhood Education workforce. 

Sunny has completed her M.A. in Counselor Education and also holds Pupil Personnel Services Credential. She also received a B.A. in Sociology and Linguistics from University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Tawnie King (she/her/hers) is a Writing Coach at EDvance College. She has been working in Early Childhood Education for the past 17 years. Her experiences as a Preschool Teacher (including Infants and Toddlers), Education Coordinator, Assistant Director, Child Development Specialist/Coach and ECE Program Specialist, have been instrumental in allowing her to develop and recognize the importance of relationships and what it means to advocate on behalf of preschool teachers, children, and families. 

Since working in the field of Early Childhood Education, Dr. King has been acknowledged within Early Education work spaces through the following recognitions: Excellence in Care and Education Award (Bright Horizons Family Solutions Early Care and Education, 2010); Couldn't Do It Without You Award (Bright Horizons Family Solutions Early Care and Education, 2008); and Make a Difference Award (Bright Horizons Family Solutions Early Care and Education, 2008). 

Dr. King's education and experience has afforded her the opportunity to teach college students as an Adjunct Professor at Santa Ana College in the Child Development and Education Studies Department. From this experience, she has come to understand the power of human connection. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the idea that all students deserve to engage in an educational environment where their voices are heard, their perspectives are valued, and their needs are met both individually and collectively. She is passionate about strengthening each student's unique potential through meaningful interactions and intentional instruction and engagement. She is committed to the mission of EDvance College and seeks to demonstrate this through consistent collaboration with colleagues and continuous support that fosters each student's ability to positively impact the lives of children, families, and communities. 

Dr. King earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Long Beach. She also has a Masters in Education with a specialization in Early Childhood from California State University, Long Beach, and a B.A. in Communication from San Diego State University.

Dr. Victoria Quijano (she, her, hers) is the Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer at EDvance College. With over 27 years in higher education, Dr. Quijano brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to EDvance College. She recently retired from San Francisco State University where she served as full-time faculty and the Director of Undergraduate Community Practice. She designed and taught numerous public health courses and gravitated towards those that focused on writing and skill development. Her academic focus involves strengthening the integration of general education skills across the curriculum and within public health. She was instrumental in embedding writing support and skill development into disciplinary courses.

Dr. Quijano began working with EDvance in 2013 as a consultant, supporting curriculum development and leading the Faculty Learning Community. Dr. Quijano led the curriculum redesign process for EDvance's seamless transition into a standalone institution of higher education and was instrumental in . In this capacity, she directed the sequencing, aligning, and evaluation of EDvance College's signature curriculum in close collaboration with the College's leadership team and the Faculty Learning Community (FLC). Dr. Quijano’s ideological commitment to student-centered and experiential learning guides her teaching, coaching, and developmental practices. As a curriculum developer, she specializes in sequencing and scaffolding learning experiences and outcomes across the curriculum, with a particular focus on assessment, accreditation alignment, writing across the curriculum, and writing in the disciplines. Applying a liberation education framework and approach in her teaching drives Dr. Quijano’s mission as a professor, administrator, and educational designer.

Dr. Quijano earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University. She also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from San Jose State University and a BS degree in Health Education from San Francisco State University. 

Dr. Quijano’s passion for teaching and learning stems from her experience as a first-generation, single-parenting college student who wouldn’t have succeeded without mentors, student support services, financial aid, and pedagogical experts who inspired her love of reading, writing, teaching, and learning.