Oakland Unite Life Coaching Fellows
Oakland Unite and Bright Research Group are excited to announce that the following ten fellows are now Certified Community Coaches (CCC). Fellows were selected through a competitive application process, and completed a rigorous learning and certification program through Leadership That Works. Congratulations to our 2019 Fellows! Click here to see pictures of their graduation in June 2018.
2019 Fellows
Londell porter
Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS)
Londell is a Street Outreach Specialist at BOSS, advocating for the homeless, feeding the hungry, and life coaching for the youth. Londell is an Oakland resident born in 1977 who spent the initial portion of his childhood witnessing several crimes and homicides. Londell learned, grew, and maximized his motor skills through the community center inside the Acorn, a safe environment for children of all ages where drugs, violence, and bullying were not allowed. Londell has been a mentor in the West Oakland community as he actively works to improve the lives of the youth and has initiated a non-profit organization named “Saving Shorty’s.”
yaneth gonzalez
Family Violence Law Center
Yaneth is a case management specialist at the Family Violence Law Center, providing intensive case management services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Yaneth’s educational background is in psychology and she has worked as a suicide and crisis counselor and as a domestic violence and sexual assault crisis counselor. In Yaneth’s current role, she supports clients in setting, planning and achieving meaningful goals. Yaneth feels fortunate to be able to support survivors of violence. Yaneth likes to travel and try new food in her free time, in addition to spending time with her family and finding new ways to practice self-care.
michael muscadine
Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
Michael is a Life Coach and Co-founder at CURYJ. A fifth generation Oaklander, Michael is very passionate about creating a better Oakland for young people by developing leadership opportunities. An outspoken leader in the Stop the Injunctions Coalition, Michael served as a panelist at the Beyond the Bench conference and conceptualized and initiated the Aztlan Beautification Movement. He has also worked as a youth organizer with young men at Dewey Academy, organized a year-long mural block party and community garden project and continues to advocate against policies that criminalize youth of color. During his free time, Michael likes to hike, work out, and go on trips to other countries to learn about their cultures and history.
nyisha moncrease
The Mentoring Center (TMC)
Nyisha is a Case Manager and Mentor for The Mentoring Center Intensive Case Management Program. Nyisha was born and raised in Oakland and has an associates degree in social science. Nyisha previously worked as a behavior therapist and also with several organizations including, Flourish Agendas Camp Akili, Girls Inc of Alameda County, and OUSD’s African American Female Excellence Program. Nyisha is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Pink Panther Sorority Inc., a community organization that works to support the development of health self-esteem, sisterhood and success attainment for girls of color in the East Bay. She received the Alameda County African American Achievement award for her work.
william mccoy
The Mentoring Center (TMC)
William has dedicated his life’s work to improving the lives of youth and their families who find themselves in the Juvenile Justice systems in Alameda County. William is the Lead Youth Services Specialist at The Mentoring Center, where he has supported his clients with holistic and transformative services for the past 13 years. William began his career as a Project Choice program participant, then served as a volunteer youth mentor and coordinator for programs such as The Positive Minds Group and Transformative Manhood Group. William is trained in intensive case management, re-entry, mentoring, violence intervention and prevention, trauma response services for youth that are victimized by interpersonal violence, group facilitation, and other support services.
ROSIE SANTIAGO
Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
Rosie is a Case Manager and Community Organizer at CURYJ where she helps aid and assist the young people of her community to overcome suffering, oppression, and injustice. Rosie is an East Oakland native and after many years of enduring poverty, childhood trauma, discrimination, hopelessness and almost a third of her life incarcerated, she returned to her community with a degree in Social & Behavioral Science. Rosie has previously worked with young women who lost their children to the system and were combatting substance use and/or mental health disorders. Rosie also facilitates women’s warrior circles. Rosie believes in healing, higher education, transformation and leadership building as key components in creating change in the youth of our society. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children, watching movies, listening to music, and writing.
natascha cox
Community & Youth Outreach (CYO)
Natascha is a Street Outreach Specialist at Community & Youth Outreach where she offers a wide range of services including individual coaching, mentorship, workshops, and most importantly community outreach. Natascha has worked with Oakland Unite for the past 6 years. Natascha was born in Oakland and is a mentor and aspiring life coach who uses her education and first hand experience to guide men, women, and young adults in making positive transitions in their lives. A grandmother now, Natascha started her journey at Merritt College, where she studied Social Services. Natascha’s goal is to help at risk youth and inmates deal with the overwhelming prospect of accessing resources and jobs that will enable them to turn their lives around.
robin raveneau
Oakland Private Industry Council
Robin is the Chief Executive Officer at Oakland Private Industry Council. Robin began her career as an executive assistant, and has been a part of the organization for over 20 years. Previously, Robin served the reentry community as the Women’s Reentry Coordinator in the San Francisco County Jail system and as a volunteer at San Quentin Prison for the KidCat program that serves the needs of juveniles with life sentences. She was also a co-facilitator of a Strength Circle for men released from prison after more than 30 years of time served. Robin has training in Restorative Justice practices, and has deep interests in the importance of culturally relevant mental wellness resources within the Black Community.
Taylor washington
MISSSEY
Taylor is a Juvenile Justice Case Manager at MISSSEY. She received her B.A in Women and Gender Studies and her minor in Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University. Prior to MISSSEY, Taylor volunteered as a Sexual Assault Counselor for Rape Trauma Services in San Mateo County and has gained extensive experience as a behavior specialist working with youth with autism, developmental delays, trauma and behavior challenges in school, home and community settings. Aside from supporting vulnerable populations, Taylor has also been involved in performing arts around the Bay Area. She believes that art is not only a form of expression but a way to tell one’s story and help heal trauma regardless of age.
Tonyia NINA carter
Youth ALIVE!
Nina is a Crisis Responder and Case Manager at Youth ALIVE! where she supports families of Oakland homicide victims, helping traumatized people turn their pain to a purpose for many years. Nina often enters peoples’ lives in the first hours and days after the sudden, violent death of a family member and her work continues after when it is time for them to begin to try to find some way back to life and living. Nina moved to Oakland from Little Rock when she was 13 and ended up living the street life for many years. Despite these challenges, Nina never lost the vision and desire to give back. Her strong entrepreneurial spirit led her to found her own hair salon business, Virtuous Vision Design, and later, Women Inspiring Women, which provides practical help, life skills, and job training. Through her work Nina wants to show people in pain that you don’t have to be there forever.