Youth Development Virtual Conference

Sneha Gandhi is a best selling author, psychologist, sociologist, and educator who desires to make the world a better place through the power of monumental conversation of change. In her work with BAYAC AmeriCorps, she serves as a Regional Supervisor, where she mentors, coaches, and guides AmeriCorps members through their year of service. During this time, she strives to help them put the puzzle pieces together of their pathway ahead so that they can clearly envision their next steps like one would seek out their wildest dreams. She believes you can design your day with the right tools, support system, and belief in yourself. By following these steps, she herself leads the life of her dreams today, working with an amazing team at BAYAC AmeriCorps and serving as an empowerment coach to her clients. She leads by example when she says, "everyone should have the privilege of designing their day."

Dr. Cierra Kaler-Jones is the Director of Storytelling for Communities for Just Schools Fund. Cierra’s research broadly focuses on how to create and sustain educational spaces rooted in joy and love, while refuting control and management tactics in schools that deny young people opportunities for creativity and critical consciousness-building. Over the past ten years, Cierra has learned alongside preschoolers, K-12 students, college students, and adults as an educator. With her roots in dance and arts education, Cierra has also taught classes on U.S. history, public policy, foundations of educational research, and social change & leadership.

Joel Ojeda is a social-entrepreneur and Non-DACA Undocumented business owner who graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a Bachelor's in Psychology. After seeing the lack of opportunities and diversity in the workforce -- he set himself out to create inclusive spaces and bring awareness around the need for more diverse opportunities, specifically for historically exploited and marginalized people of society, through his first business -- A.L.L.I.E.S Pro Services. He offers Career Services to consumers referred to him by Non-Profit organizations and Universities in the Bay Area, as well as hosts Professional Development workshops and presentations on Career and work alternatives for Undocumented students and professionals. He is working towards the launch of his second venture, while simultaneously pursuing his Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of San Francisco.

Eunice Romero is a descendant of immigrant parents and a first-gen Latinx college student with a passion for learning, leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. She is known for leaving a footprint at De Anza Community College by graduating alongside her mother, Yaneth Gutierrez. She took a break from her studies to help manage the family welding company, Yes Welding, founded by her father, Juan L. Romero. Within her first year, she turned the sole proprietorship into a corporation and took roles as Vice President and Comptroller. In 2020, she went back to school for a BA in Business Management and founded Eunicorn Metal Innovations. Her business uses sustainable and ethical practices to create custom recreational and commercial after-market automotive accessories with a mission to bridge the gender gap across specializations and trades. Her objective is to continue being an executive leader of EMI and Yes Welding, Inc., and establish a non-profit in collaboration with both firms to provide vocational training to marginalized communities and yield additional avenues in education and career advancement.

APYDCON 2022

WORKSHOPS AND SPEAKERS

Join us on Friday, July 22, 2022

Follow the hashtag #APYDCON to connect with speakers and attendees!