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Mo Hyman
Executive Director
she/her
As one of CAP’s founders, Mo can’t think of anywhere else on earth she’d rather be. The students she meets everyday inspire her to work hard and laugh a lot. It’s easy for her to be passionate about college: it was as an undergraduate at Michigan State University receiving a BA in English that Mo developed into a scholar, became a community advocate, and made the friends of a lifetime. She has since gone on to obtain an MA in English from the University of New Mexico and a Masters of Public Administration from USC and spent nearly two decades teaching community college English, which helped to build her passion for educational equality and access. CAP allows her to combine these passions and work shoulder-to-shoulder with the most amazing students, staff, board, and community she could have ever imagined.
In addition to her role at CAP, Mo proudly serves on the Leadership Council of Collaborate PASadena, a shared initiative of the Pasadena Public School district, community organizations, and the city/local governments of Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre. She also serves on the board of Action Kivu, a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local nongovernmental organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and invests in Congo’s women, children, and communities through vocational training and education, creating paths toward peace and prosperity.
Email: mo [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Innesa Ranchpar Kolanjian
Director of Programs
she/her
Innesa is a first-generation college student and proud alumna of Glendale Community College, the University of La Verne, and Chapman University, where she earned her B.A. and M.A. in English. Her deep commitment to education and college access is evident in her career trajectory, which includes working for Glendale Unified and various college student support programs, and teaching English as an adjunct professor at Norco Community College. Innesa began her journey with CAP in 2016 as a dedicated volunteer. In 2017, she officially joined the CAP’s high school team as a Program Coordinator and transitioned to Manager in 2019. Since 2020, Innesa has served as CAP’s Director of Programs, overseeing program and curriculum development. In her free time, Innesa loves going on adventures with her husband, Shant, and their toddlers, Raffi and Henri. She also enjoys attending live music shows and cuddling on the couch with her dog, Gatsby, while watching Love is Blind.
Email: innesa [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Kate Jordan
Director, Operations & Communications
she/her
Pre-CAP, Kate led marketing and communications initiatives for five international art fairs. She has collaborated with museums, artists, galleries, patrons, sponsors, government agencies, and arts organizations in major US cities, curating and managing events from behind-the-scenes installation to networking with major sponsors and donors. Comfortable working with artists and CEOs alike, Kate brings a fresh perspective to the CAP team.
Email: kate [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Nancy Stiles
Director of Strategic Initiatives
she/her
Nancy is a former educator and experienced nonprofit leader who cares deeply about young people having the access to opportunities and the support they need to thrive. A Southern California native, Nancy completed her BA in mathematics at UC San Diego, where she met her husband Adam. She also went on to obtain an MA in math from UCLA, teaching at both the middle school and community college level. Her love for students and desire to work for justice led her to the nonprofit space, where she has worked with youth and their families for the last 19 years.
Nancy and Adam have been married for 30 years, and have 3 young adult kids who are all awesome. Nancy loves to travel to new places, hike everywhere, read copious amounts of fiction, drink good coffee, and laugh.
Email: nancy [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Natasha Mahone
Manager, Middle School & Family Engagement
she/her
Natasha joined CAP in the spring of 2016. Born and raised in Southern California, she graduated from California State University, Northridge with a double major in Psychology and Pan African Studies.
With over 25 years of experience in youth leadership and community programs, Natasha is dedicated to preparing students and families for college. Her extensive background ranges from serving as Director of Programs to providing individual academic counseling. Additionally, Natasha has guided her own two children through their college journeys. She understands the challenges of pursuing higher education and firmly believes that every student should have the opportunity to do so. Natasha is excited to support parents and middle school students in HLPUSD and PUSD through her role with CAP.
Email: natasha [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Wendy Duran
Program Coordinator, Family Engagement
she/ella
Wendy is a first generation Latina passionate about increasing the number of students who get to and through postsecondary education. She arrived at CAP with 15 years of university outreach experience. Wendy loves her role serving the parents and families of HLPUSD and PUSD students.
As a student services practitioner, she understands the power of parent engagement and caring adults in the lives of youth. Wendy earned her B.A. from UC Riverside in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Sociology and a minor in Education, and a Masters in Education from Claremont Graduate University.
Email: wendy [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Jada Tarvin-Abu-Bekr
Program Coordinator, Middle School
she/her
Jada is a first generation college graduate with a Bachelors of Social Work from Azusa Pacific University and a Masters of Social Work from New York University. Prior to CAP, Jada worked in different spaces engaging in college student and youth development as well as mental health advocacy at organizations. Her work with Harambee Ministries and The JED Foundation has grounded her passions of working with BIPOC and minority populations expanding access and opportunity. Jada has spent a lot of time working in community development and cultural service spaces domestically and internationally.
At CAP, Jada supports and empowers elementary and middle school aged students to unlock their full potential regardless of their next steps, while continuing to impact systems to be more reflective, representative, equal, and accessible for all. She is purposeful in the way she leads, interacts, and engages with programming to center all identities and experiences of students.
Email: jada [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Jamie Belen Ibarra
Program Coordinator, Middle School
she/her
Jamie is a first-generation Latina student who graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Educational Foundations from Cal State University, Los Angeles. She believes that every student, no matter their multiple and intersecting identity has a right to learn; has a right to equitable education; and has a right to express their questions about, struggles with, or joy of learning. She is excited to support middle school and empower them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their future and their educational journey.
Email: jamie [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Natalie Harris
Manager, High School
she/ella
A CAP alum and former Pasadena High School student, Natalie graduated from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) with a B.A. in Psychology and studied abroad for a term in Ireland. Prior to her time at CAP, Natalie was a TRIO advisor and mentor at PHS. She also previously served as a student advisor on CAP’s Alumni Advisory Council. A first generation graduate herself, Natalie is passionate about bringing change to her Altadena/Pasadena community by empowering underrepresented and marginalized youth.
Email: natalie [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Cynthia Contreras
Manager, Partnerships
and College Champions
she/ella
Cynthia is a first-generation college graduate, born and raised in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, and takes immense pride in being the eldest of six siblings. She received a B.A. in Gender and Women’s Studies and International Area Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and an M.A. in Public Administration at the California State University, Los Angeles. As a first-generation college student, Cynthia’s mentors were invaluable to her academic success, and inspired her pursuit to empower and advocate for first-generation youth. Throughout college and beyond, she served as a mentor and a tutor for first-generation youth at various non-profit organizations and high schools.
Cynthia joined CAP’s High School team in 2020 as a Program Coordinator, and worked with students at CIS Academy, John Muir High School, Marshall Fundamental, and Pasadena High School. In 2023, she helped pilot the College Champions program, CAP’s first youth leadership program that empowers first-generation seniors to serve as peer mentors. Now she dedicates her time to further developing and implementing the program. College Champions has been a “full circle” achievement for Cynthia and she is thrilled to continue mentoring students in a new capacity at CAP.
Email: cynthia [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Daniel Garcia
Program Coordinator, High School
he/his
CAP’s high school Program Coordinator, Daniel, is a first-generation college graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he received a BA in Politics and Latin American & Latino Studies. He attributes his foundation for education and passion for social justice to his community college, Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC).
As a college access professional, Daniel continues to empower his community by volunteering with his alma maters and non-profit organizations such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, and United We Dream. Bringing a holistic viewpoint to his position, he works to close gaps in educational equity by being a resource and mentor for PUSD students. He works in Hacienda La Puente Unified School District teaching CAP’s Writing Intensive for Seniors and College 101 for Juniors workshops, and supporting grades 9-10.
Email: daniel [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Silkea Aktar Islam
Program Coordinator, High School
she/her
Silkea is a first-generation graduate of the University of California, Riverside with a B.A. in English. She began her professional journey as an AmeriCorps member for City Year Los Angeles. She further studied education at Cal State LA, where she achieved an M.A. in Education, Curriculum & Instruction. Silkea’s passion is shining light on students’ strengths and skills at any age and grade level. She is excited to be one of CAP’s Program Coordinators and to support students on their college and professional journey. She works in Pasadena Unified School District teaching CAP’s Writing Intensive for Seniors and College 101 for Juniors workshops, and supporting grades 9-10.
Email: silkea [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Areli Patiño
Program Coordinator, High School
she/her
Areli is a first-generation college graduate who began her college journey at Mount San Antonio College (MT. SAC), where she earned a Sociology AA-T and Social and Behavioral Sciences AA. Areli then transferred to UCLA where she earned a BA in Sociology and Anthropology. Her professional journey started as a Volunteer and Wellness Intern for the Undocumented Student Program (USP) at UCLA, which ignited her passion for helping students achieve their educational goals and giving back to her community. Upon graduating from UCLA, Areli worked as an Outreach and Student Support Advocate for the Grads to Be Program at Fullerton College. Her role was to aid undocumented college students in transferring to other institutions. She did this by sharing her personal experience and informing high school students of the resources available for pursuing higher education. Areli is thrilled to join the CAP team and assist students in attaining their academic objectives while also providing aid to her hometown community in the Hacienda La Puente Unified District.
CAP Coordinator for Glen A. Wilson High and William Workman High
Email: areli [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Karla Ramos
Program Coordinator, High School
she/her
Karla is a first-generation college student from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She received her B.A. in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on climate change. Throughout her college career, she participated in many hands-on research opportunities revolving around climate change impacts, such as sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica and on a carbon sequestration on a research vessel on the California coast. These opportunities sparked her love for education and assisting youth to accomplish their goals. After graduation, she worked with the City of Boston, Massachusetts to empower and provide young people with career readiness workshops to prepare them to take the next professional steps. Through her work at CAP, Karla hopes to continue empowering and assisting students to take the next steps to an amazing future.
CAP Coordinator for John Muir High School, Pasadena High School, and Rose City
Email: karla [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Lizeth Vizcaya
Program Coordinator, High School
she/ella
Lizeth is a proud CAP alumna and a first-generation college graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Community Studies in 2016. After college, she was an AmeriCorp member for two years where she developed her passion for education as a teacher’s assistant. Inspired by the teachers and students, she decided to further her education and become a teacher. Lizeth was accepted to the PLACE Corps program and earned her Master’s degree in Urban Education with a concentration in Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University in 2020. From 2018-2024, Lizeth was a self-contained fifth-grade teacher, followed by two years of teaching 6th-8th grade math and religion. Lizeth continues to be a driven educator who is passionate about empowering her students to reach their full potential. She is beyond excited to join CAP and work with high school students and continue being an advocate for all students. Most recently, Lizeth became a mom to baby Misael, who will soon turn one! In her free time she enjoys creating beautiful memories with her son.
CAP Coordinator for La Puente High, and Los Altos High
Email: lizeth [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Evellyn Rosas
Program Coordinator, High School
she/they
Evellyn is a first-generation college graduate from San Diego State University. She received a B.A. in International Security and Conflict Resolution with a minor in Latin American Studies. Since her undergraduate career, Evellyn has worked with students in K-12 and college through tutoring, after-school program development, and outdoor education. As a program coordinator, Evellyn hopes to connect student’s strengths and passions with their professional goals.
CAP Coordinator for Blair High School, Marshall Fundamental, and CIS Academy
Email: evellyn [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Betty Tsang
Manager, I Heart College
she/her
Betty is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has spent nearly a decade working in community mental health with youth and their families in their homes, schools, and communities. Betty joined CAP in March of 2018 as an AmeriCorps VISTA and now serves as Program Manager for I Heart College, CAP’s through college alumni program. Betty is dedicated to supporting students holistically as they navigate the college experience.
Betty is a first-generation college student, who earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside, and her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from University of La Verne.
Email: betty [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Armeni Azilazian
Program Coordinator, I Heart College
she/her
As a former PUSD student, Armeni first came into CAP’s drop-in program at Marshall Fundamental to get help with her FAFSA and college applications. Armeni then joined I Heart College, CAP’s alumni program, and stayed connected with CAP throughout her time in college. Over the years, Armeni has held a few roles at CAP — Summer Associate, Intern, and Program Assistant — but she is most proud of her current role, IHC Program Coordinator. She is thrilled to be able to support students in their own college journey just as CAP once did for her.
Armeni graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2021 with a B.A. in Sociology.
Email: armeni [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Ari Leonida
Program Coordinator, I Heart College
he/they
Ari is a first-generation university graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a BA in Global Studies emphasis on Societies and Cultures in Asia along with a minor in Education. He began his college career at Citrus College earning two AA degrees in International Relations and Language Arts. He attributes his passion for serving underrepresented and underserved communities to his work with UC Berkeley’s Pilipinx Academic Student Services (PASS). As the Youth Mentorship Coordinator for PASS, he held events and led seminars to promote access to first-generation students in higher education.
Email: ari [at] collegeaccessplan.org
Emily Condon
Administrative Assistant
she/her
Emily is a recent graduate of Pasadena City College and is currently attending Cal Poly Pomona to obtain a B.S. in Kinesiology. Throughout her time at PCC, Emily gained valuable experience in education and sports engagement. She has tutored college students and athletes in statistics, and has worked a teacher’s assistant in PUSD preschool/elementary classrooms. Emily has also worked alongside the professional women’s soccer organization, Angel City Football Club, where she helped promote the sport and increase fan engagement.
Emily started her CAP journey in 2019 as a high school student. Since then she has supported CAP as a volunteer and as a member of the Student Advisory Council. She is excited to join the team and aims to use her professional experience to support the organization and her community.
Email: emily [at] collegeaccessplan.org
