Our Experts

Transforming lives, supporting families, and serving communities never gets old, that’s why Tommie is back after retiring as the Assistant Chief Probation Officer serving the City/ County of San Francisco at the end of January 2024. Now he’s back and acting as a consultant to public agencies and community based and non-profit organizations. Supporting and assisting those shouldering the load.

Tommie reached over 35 years of public service experience as a law enforcement professional, advocate, social worker, mentor, and educator working with children and families in Los Angeles County, and finally in San Francisco, California. After extensive work in Child Protective Services and graduate level education in both Social Welfare and Public Administration, a move to the Probation Department to work with youth and their families through the juvenile court has yielded a wide range of practice efficacy and cultural competence over the past three decades. Whereas assignments as a therapist in a detention facility, Deputy assigned to a field office, and a role as an Investigator have sharpened Tommie’s knowledge and skills working with troubled youth, it also afforded the opportunity to interface with community agencies and resources. In other roles, administrative assignments included policy analysis, contract administration and monitoring, program development, grant writing, and strategic planning before moving to a management position and focusing on Reentry programming and development.

Jamie Bettencourt is a 10-year employee of Cuesta College and is currently serving as Interim Director of Disability Support Programs and Services. He holds a Master’s in Science degree from Cal Poly in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs as well as a Master’s in Education and an Education Specialist Teaching Credential. In previous roles at Cuesta, Jamie was an Academic Success Coach, a charter high school site administrator and foster youth case manager.  In each of his roles, Jamie has prioritized serving a broad intersection of students as part of college-wide efforts to support and bolster student success.

Substance Use Disorder Counselor Academy Consultant

Denae has a background in Marriage and Family Therapy and is a professor emerita at Cuesta College in the Addiction Studies, Social Work, and Human Services Department. She formerly served as the faculty lead for Addiction Studies and Human Services. She returned to Cuesta as an adjunct faculty teaching the Families and Addiction course and serves as the liaison for the Sudeal Grant.

Manuel is an advisor and technical assistance provider to non-profit and public entities with an emphasis in strategic planning and organizational development.

Manuel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies, with an emphasis on the Urban Ethnic Experience, from the University of Southern California.

After more than thirty years of employment with the City of Los Angeles, in 2015 Manuel retired as Assistant General Manager of the City’s Housing + Community Investment Department.  In that capacity he had oversight responsibility for the planning and delivery of comprehensive social and neighborhood improvement services to low-moderate income City residents and communities.  He managed Community Development Block Grant and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds that supported this work and was the City’s, State recognized CSBG Executive Director.

He was the primary architect of the FamilySource System that now serves as the City’s primary provider of anti-poverty initiatives.  FamilySource is an outcome driven model and is unique in that it measures the local economic impact of the program as compared against the investment of federal funds.  FamilySource is recognized as a model both statewide and nationally.

For years, Manuel also served as the City’s Workforce Development Division Director.  In that capacity he was responsible for the planning and oversight of the WorkSource and YouthSource service delivery systems and remains a valuable workforce development resource.

Manuel also served as Executive Director of the City’s Youth Fair Chance program, managing a collaborative of co-located community based organizations, providing a comprehensive array of social services to low-income City residents.  He coordinated service delivery, managed day-to-day operations, served as development officer and incorporated the program as a 501.c.3 organization that remains in good standing.

Manuel is proficient in the application of Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria in managing and improving organizational performance and has presented, on numerous occasions, at California Council for Excellence (CCE) conferences.

Since his retirement Manuel has served as a consultant to non-profit organizations in the development of their strategic plans and scorecards, in mentoring executive staff, in developing policies and procedures and in providing general overall guidance.  He also managed the process for certifying all of the City of Los Angeles America’s Jobs Centers.

Lauri Collier is the director of the LA Opportunity Youth Collaborative. Lauri has over 20 years of experience working with vulnerable populations, and her expertise is working with child-welfare programs serving transition age youth. Previously, as vice-president of housing and operations at St. Anne’s, she worked in collaboration with DCFS Youth Development Services to bring the Transitional Housing Plus (THP+) funding stream into Los Angeles County in partnership with DCFS and licensed one of the first Transitional Housing Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) housing programs in Los Angeles County. She also served as the director of the Los Angeles Transition Age Youth Collaborative, which developed an evidence-based, trauma informed, work-force development curriculum in collaboration with Columbia University School of Social Work’s Workplace Center. She expanded the reach of work readiness curriculum by and partnering with over 15 community-based organizations, and the curriculum is currently being embedded into the public workforce system.

Glenn worked for the City & County of San Francisco for over 20 years, as the Policy & Planning Manager, Director of Policy & Planning, and Director of Youth Policy for the Office of Economic & Workforce Development and a Senior Youth Analyst with the Department of Children, Youth & Their Families.   His work has focused on developing and supporting citywide efforts to improve outcomes for disconnected, system-involved, and underserved young people. He has led numerous efforts to reform approaches to working with those who are justice-involved, impacted by violence, need alternative educational pathways, or lack work authorization, including acting as the Citywide Lead for TAYSF, an effort designed to improve outcomes for transitional age young people through intentional policy alignment and ensuring youth voice at the table.

Glenn has been an active member of the National Youth Employment Coalition for over 30 years, serving over 15 years on the Board of Directors, as well as serving as the Board Chair. He has developed curricula on the skills needed for workforce professionals and trained extensively on quality work-based learning and intermediary development.

Shawn is a consultant specializing in project management, social media, graphic design, and IT support. He previously worked as a graphic designer, administrative assistant and then job developer for The RightWay Foundation, working with transition-aged foster and re-entry youth in Los Angeles County. He currently assists New Ways in providing a wide array of administrative support needed as the organization continues to grow.

Dr. Lisa Morris Hibbler is a vanguard leader, dedicated to creating positive change and addressing the challenges faced by underserved communities. With a profound understanding of the struggles that many individuals and families endure, she has made it her life’s mission to uplift and empower through mentorship programs, educational outreach, and community development.

Dr. Morris Hibbler is a distinguished executive who spent nearly 27 years with the City of Las Vegas, Nevada. With an unyielding dedication to public service, she made significant contributions in various roles, including her tenure as ICMA Credentialed Deputy City Manager and Chief Community Services Officer. She is a proven strategist with extensive expertise in social equity, workforce development, and community capacity building.

Currently, she is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of JBM Strategic Partners, and a Professor of Practice at UNLV. Recognized for her impactful contributions, she has received multiple accolades, including the UNLV College of Education Hall of Fame Inductee, Historic Westside Legacy Park Inductee, 2024 African American Trailblazer Impact Award, 2021 Women to Watch by Nevada Business Magazine, and a 2021 Women Inspiring Nevada Honoree by Vegas Inc. She also received the 2017 ICMA Community Heroes Award.

She served on the LVMPD Multicultural Advisory Council, previously on the Allegiant Stadium Community Advisory Board, and as a trustee at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council from 2017 to 2020. Dr. Morris Hibbler holds degrees from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and the University of La Verne, and graduate certificates from Michigan State University and Georgetown University.

Beyond her professional endeavors, she cherishes her roles as a wife and mother. With exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to community betterment, Dr. Morris Hibbler continues to make a lasting impact.

Sean Hughes has more than two decades of experience working on a broad range of public policy issues with a particular focus on children, youth, and families. As a Congressional staffer, he helped write and pass the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-351), which established the federal extended foster care and subsidized guardianship programs. Following his decade on Capitol Hill, Sean served for several years as Director of Congressional Affairs for the Child Welfare League of America before transitioning to consulting. Sean possesses significant expertise in county, state, and federal policy and government affairs, including the legislative, budgeting, and regulatory processes as well as the Congressional appropriations process. He has extensive experience developing and executing policy and funding agendas and campaigns, both within government and as an advocate. Through his Congressional service and continued federal policy engagement, client work in several states, and ongoing participation in the Aspen Institute Opportunity Youth Forum as well as the American Bar Association Commission on Youth at Risk, Sean maintains a robust network of experts and partners throughout the country.

Grant McCandless, CEO of Social Impact Consultants, has been working for and with nonprofits and government agencies since 2013, for organizations as large as Habitat for Humanity International and as small as $1 million in revenue. The company’s expertise includes dashboard performance measurement systems, feasibility studies, economic impact analyses, and continuous improvement/SWOT analyses. Prior to launching Social Impact Consultants, Grant was the Director of Research for RCG Economics, a firm renowned in Nevada for its economic advisory services. Grant holds a Master of Business Administration from Emory University and studied nonprofit leadership at Harvard.

Rogelio has over 20 years of experience helping youth to fulfill their potential by developing and implementing programs that directly impact both participants and their respective communities. Since 1995 Rogelio has helped hundreds of low-income students from underserved communities not only graduate from high school but enroll in post-secondary education. A great extent of this work has taken place at a College and Career Center that he helped establish in Boyle Heights where he continues to volunteer.  Rogelio received his formal education from Carleton College as a recipient of the One Voice Scholarship award and a Ford Mellon Foundation Fellowship award. Rogelio graduated pre-med with Bachelor’s Degrees in both Sociology and Anthropology in 1998.  While an undergraduate a at Carleton Rogelio worked to charter CASA Del Sol.  CASA Del Sol’s mission was to recruit and support low-income people of color to apply and graduate from elite colleges such as Carleton. As Director of Post-Secondary Education and Training Rogelio has developed curriculum and programing that emphasizes how an investment in education and training creates lifelong opportunities. Rogelio has set up and overseen key partnerships with institutions of Post-Secondary Education like California State University Los Angeles and UCLA.  By developing programs like LA CAUSA’s U.C.L.A Green Summer Intensive Transfer Experience and Cal State LA’s Youth Summit, Rogelio continues to empower youth through education and post-secondary training.  In addition to working to establish the first City of Los Angeles College Career Center in Boyle Heights Rogelio was also responsible for working to establish and direct a Green College and Career Center which garnered recognition from the White House in 2010 for its work helping to provide youth and community members with the motivation information and resources to successfully enroll in Post-Secondary Education.  Additionally, Rogelio has managed Department of Labor, HUD, DJJ, WIA and Weingart Foundation grants with great success by meeting or exceeding their respective outcomes. Rogelio’s latest projects included serving as instructional leader and founder of LA CAUSA Youthbuild Charter School and working with former student Ely Flores in helping him establish his own   Leadership High School -LEAD in Lincoln Heights. Currently Rogelio works with low-income youth and communities across Los Angeles as Director of Educational Services for Dream Scholars and consultant for New Ways to Work.

Jesse is a dedicated student and tutor in general education, psychology, and additional studies. Jesse is passionate about helping fellow students reach their academic goals and develop a strong foundation in various subjects. Overall, his goal as a tutor is to inspire and empower fellow students to unlock their full potential, develop a thirst for knowledge, and achieve academic success. Jesse is committed to their growth, and finds great satisfaction in witnessing their progress and accomplishments.

As founder and Executive Director of Educate California, Eric Moore has developed a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that all California youth graduate prepared for college, careers and life after high school. Educate California exists to combat California’s more than 500:1 student-to-counselor ratio, by providing 14 – 24-year-old low-income youth, their families and organizations that empower opportunity youth with resources that historically would be provided by high school counselors.

Moore’s professional experience includes 12 years as a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Securities and American Express Financial Advisors. In 1998, Moore founded Educate California after experiencing first-hand how parental engagement helped his struggling son graduate high school, and officially transitioned from advising families on investments, retirement options, estate planning and other financial matters to helping families prepare their children for college and career opportunities.

In the community, Moore served as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees for the Phillips Graduate University and is currently Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Executive Service Corps of Southern California. Moore both mentors and serves on the Board of AMBITION, an entrepreneurial training program for disadvantaged youth, and has served as a Special Consultant to the California State University Chancellor’s Office.

A native of Los Angeles, Moore studied Organizational Psychology at California State University, Long Beach. His personal interests include non-profit development, do-it-yourself home projects and his 3 dogs. Moore resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Katrice. They have two adult sons.

Heidi has been advising non-profits and government agencies about leveraging technology since 1998 and has been consulting on website development and how to effectively translate communications traditionally / historically done in PDF and print to web content since 2001. Heidi has assisted many counties, cities, towns, special districts and non profit agencies nationwide in making this transition in a manner complementary to their existing communications and stakeholder needs.

Heidi is a former foster youth. She lives in Santa Rosa, California with her wife and two teenage boys. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology and research and is fluent in front end website development languages. She currently works as a senior information architect for Planeteria Media in addition to being a technological consultant for New Ways to Work.

I have two Associates degrees in the Arts of Social and Behavioral Sciences and in Psychology. Soon to follow will be a Bachelors degree in Psychology. I have training in the field of substance abuse counseling through East Los Angeles College. I have spent four years working with justice impacted individuals and I’m currently working as a consultant for the Amityworks Substance Abuse Training Academy in partnership with Amity Foundation, East Los Angeles College, and Cuesta College.

Ricardo Sevilla is a dedicated substance abuse counselor and case manager with extensive experience in the addiction recovery field. He graduated from the Addiction Studies Program at East Los Angeles College in 2022, which laid the foundation for his career in recovery services.

Ricardo has worked as a monitor at Latino Home Recovery, a counselor and case manager in Social Model Recovery, and a case manager for Amity.

Currently, he is a substance abuse counselor and case manager with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, providing essential support to individuals struggling with substance use disorders, helping them navigate their recovery journey.

In addition to his work at DMH, he serves as the president of the Chicano Power East LA Mother Chapter.  Ricardo is passionate about empowering my community and advocating for those in recovery.

Otto Solorzano is an accomplished executive with over two decades of leadership experience, primarily within the complex landscape of LA County’s public administration. As the Acting Director and Chief Deputy Director of the Workforce Development Aging and Community Services (WDACS), Otto led significant strategic transformations and operational enhancements. In these roles, he spearheaded initiatives that streamlined processes, improved service delivery, and fostered a responsive organizational culture. His expertise spans financial management, strategic planning, workforce development, and leading diverse teams, making him exceptionally proficient at boosting operational efficiency and enhancing service delivery across multiple departments.

In addition to his pivotal roles at WDACS, Otto also held impactful positions in other departments. At the Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD), he was instrumental in setting up the department’s foundational structures and strategic direction. As the Chief Financial Officer for the LA County Department of Public Social Services, he managed a substantial $3.2 billion budget, developing financial strategies that maximized resource utilization and compliance. Now, as a consultant at New Ways to Work, Otto leverages his extensive knowledge and strategic insights to help organizations navigate change, improve performance, and achieve their goals.

Otto’s academic credentials include a Master of Public Administration focused on Public Finance and Financial Management from New York University, a Master of Arts in Communications from Wheaton Graduate School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Asbury University. These degrees provide a strong theoretical foundation, and a diverse skill set that enrich his practical consultancy approach. Otto’s proven track record in stakeholder engagement, data-driven decision-making, and advocating for responsive public service aligns perfectly with the needs of organizations aiming for innovation and improvement. Furthermore, his experience as a motivational speaker enhances his consulting capabilities, enabling him to inspire and guide teams through transitions, ensuring organizational goals are met with excellence and integrity.

Joseph has over 20 years of experience and expertise in alternative, youth and adult education and workforce training with a focus on creating access and opportunity for historically marginalized populations in Los Angeles. He has served as a teacher, principal, and district leader. In addition, he has served in leadership roles on several local workforce boards and regional adult education consortia.

Prior to joining the New Ways to Work team, he served for six years as the Executive Director of Adult and Career Education in LAUSD overseeing all adult and career education schools, staff and apprenticeship programs, including responsibility for a division budget totaling over $155 million.

Joseph is a relational leader who engages team members in a human-centered-design approach in decision making and policy development. He is visionary, results-driven and practical with a record of effective collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups. He is a champion and practitioner of career technical education, integrated education and training, comprehensive college and career counseling strategies, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship and innovative approaches to continuous program improvement and professional development of adult education staff.

Under his leadership in LAUSD, year-over-year adult education enrollment increased by 20% with student outcomes well above the state average. Also under his leadership, the Division of Adult and Career Education earned the largest federal award of adult education Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) grant funds in the history of the district.

Joseph lives in View Park, California, with his partner Laura, his son, Joseph, and two dogs named Poochie and Scrappy.

Tamika Taylor is the Program Strategist and Business Development Consultant. She is the CEO of TaylorMade Solutions consulting firm. She leads a team known as “The Rain Makers” in securing lucrative contracts and grant awards expanding the business profiles and capacity numerous clients. Ms. Taylor is a highly regarded community development thought leader lauding 25 years of experience. She known for her ability to gain community consensus in the hardest to serve communities, evolving public agencies and private institutions. Her passion is supporting women of color in business.

She has secured millions of dollars of contract opportunities and grant for her clients that include corporations, public agencies, Universities non-profits and small businesses.  Tamika is a true master planner creating innovative program infrastructure and program development and management systems.

Helen Whitcher is a consultant specializing in youth workforce development, non-profit administration, program design and creating career pathways.  Prior to consulting, she spent over 20 years working with YouthBuild, a youth development model for 16-24 year old young adults with significant barriers.  Her experience with YouthBuild has spanned numerous positions including Sr. Director of Field Services and Technical Assistance for YouthBuild USA, Executive Director of Palmetto Community Hope Foundation, a South Carolina Affordable Housing organization that integrated YouthBuild students into affordable housing activities, and as a consultant in South Africa and the Caribbean to support the design, implementation and sustainability of youth development programs.  She has a focus in implementation of strategies that support and facilitate the interface of workforce placements through public private partnerships.

Throughout all of this, the individual recipient has remained the focus.  An example is as  a Prime for Life Substance Use Prevention instructor, and a facilitator of the first SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) initiative in a community setting, Helen’s passion has been to support young people to success by allowing them to arrive at the decisions that will positively affect their futures.  This approach is shared through training with staff, executive coaching and with the program recipients themselves.

Ms. Whitcher holds a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from McCormack Institute, University of Massachusetts, a Bachelor of Science from Temple University, and certification in substance use prevention curricula. She is a former member of the local youth council of the Trident Workforce Development Board, and still mentors young people who were a part of her early YouthBuild programs. She resides in Charleston, SC. And Los Angeles, CA.