Our board of Directors

Articles of incorporation can be found here

Bylaws can be found here

Isabel Acosta, Vice President, Programs, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation

Isabel currently leads the education and career pathways portfolios at The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation focused on ensuring that more Angelenos can participate and thrive in Los Angeles County's evolving economy. Prior to The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Isabel consulted for organizations like the Pahara Institute, where she managed innovative pilot programs aimed at supporting equity-focused leaders who are reimagining public education. She was also the Director of Operations at GPSN (formerly Great Public Schools Now) and previously served in a director role at The Broad Foundation, where she launched GPSN and coordinated education policy, advocacy and gun safety initiatives.

Isabel earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s from UC Santa Barbara. Isabel was raised in Los Angeles. Her dedication and passion for education equality comes from being the daughter of an immigrant, a graduate of the UC systems and a mother of two young children.

Monique Earl, Senior Director, Trifiletti Consulting

Monique Earl is a senior public sector executive who operates at the intersection of infrastructure, government systems, and civic leadership. With more than two decades of experience, she is known for connecting policy ambition to operational reality while designing and implementing solutions that move institutions from intent to impact.

At Trifiletti Consulting, Monique leads work across infrastructure delivery, workforce development, and public affairs advising organizations on how to navigate complexity, align stakeholders, and execute in highly regulated environments.

Her career spans senior leadership roles across the City of Los Angeles, including Executive Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Chief Deputy Controller, and Deputy Mayor of Budget and Financial Policy. In these roles, she advanced performance-based budgeting, strengthened accountability systems, and drove cross-agency coordination on critical city priorities. At the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, she served as Senior Assistant General Manager and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, embedding equity into enterprise operations across hiring, contracting, and community engagement.

Monique also served in a senior leadership role at Accenture, advising public sector clients on large-scale transformation, infrastructure investment, and organizational modernization.

She serves on the boards of the SEED School of Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Urban League, and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative.

Monique holds a Master of Public Administration from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, Northridge.

Sophia Echavarria, SEED DC Alumni, Library Associate for LA County Libraries

Sophia is a SEED School of Washington, D.C. graduate who currently works for LA County Libraries. After graduating from SEED, she went on to Princeton University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2009. She then attended UC San Diego where she was a teaching assistant for the Literature Department and the CAT Sixth College Writing Program. She now works as an associate with LA County Libraries helping residents access resources and programs. We are thrilled that a SEED graduate serves on the board of directors.

Rod Hamilton,  Los Angeles Community College District

Rod has long been engaged with both education and real estate. He is currently the student housing strike team leader and regional program director for the Los Angeles Community College District. Previously he served for ten years as a regional development director with LAUSD’s new construction program during which time he oversaw the development of more than forty schools. He came to LAUSD after serving as vice president of development for Catellus Development. Before that he was vice president of business and legal affairs for MCA Development Company, and played a significant role on the team that developed Universal CityWalk.

Samuel Herod, CASA of Los Angeles Board Member and J. Paul Getty Trust, Retired

Samuel Herod concluded a remarkable 35-year career in the Entertainment Industry and Art museums in Los Angeles when he retired from the J. Paul Getty Trust in 2012. Notably, his journey took a meaningful turn in 2003, when he became a valued volunteer at CASA of Los Angeles. Through his dedicated service, Samuel garnered numerous accolades for his exceptional contributions to the welfare of youth in care communities.

Samuel influence is perhaps most profoundly seen in the realm of education, where he addressed the sobering statistic of only 50 percent of young people graduating from high school. His involvement allowed him to witness the joy of 15 high school graduations and one college graduation among the youths in the CASA program, a testament to his transformative influence.

Karly Katona, Managing Director, Trifiletti Consulting

Karly leverages more than two decades of public sector experience to advance catalytic community development and infrastructure initiatives across the region. With expertise spanning land use, transportation, and housing policy and large-scale capital delivery, she brings a strong foundation in cross-sector collaboration and complex project management. Prior to joining Trifiletti Consulting, Karly spent over 15 years working in local government, serving both the Second Supervisorial District of the County of Los Angeles and the 10th Council District of the City of Los Angeles, where she coordinated across multiple municipal departments to oversee capital projects and advance policy initiatives. Her work included delivery of the 13-mile Park to Playa Trail, renovation of the 100-acre Magic Johnson Park, numerous redevelopment projects in South Los Angeles, and the creation of thousands of affordable housing units. Today, she continues to advise public and private clients on community development, transportation, and housing initiatives. Karly holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also serves on the Coro California board and as Chair of the MLK Health and Wellness Community Development Corporation.

Jackie Kimbrough, Ph.D., Founding Director of The Children’s Collective, Inc.

Dr.  Kimbrough is Founding Director of The Children’s Collective, Inc., a non-profit  organization which has provided comprehensive educational and family support services  to children and families in Los Angeles since 1972. Adjacent to the SEED LA site, the  Children’s Collective serves more than 13,000 children, youth and adults in child  development, youth development, family support and health programs. For 54 years, she directed child development and family support programs for African-American and Latino families in South LA. Prior to founding the Children’s  Collective, Dr. Kimbrough was a research psychologist at the RAND Corporation  examining the impact of federal education programs. 

Civic involvement included an appointment as Commissioner on the LA City Commission for Children, Youth and Families. Working through Delta Sigma Theta and Habitat for Humanity, she coordinated construction of a new home for an African American family in Lynwood, California. Dr. Kimbrough also coordinated the community’s provision of solar cookers to more than 15,000 girls and women in Sudanese refugee camps, to reduce the possibility of rape and genocide during the Sudanese war.

Dr. Kimbrough has a bachelor’s  degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Philosophy  degree in psychology from UCLA.  

Michelle Newell , Policy Consultant

Michelle is an accomplished policy leader with two decades of experience leading systems change work and promoting racial justice and health equity for government and nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County. Michelle currently consults on a range of policy and research projects. Previously she worked for LA County for over eight years, leading youth and justice-related policy work for the Second Supervisorial District and then holding senior positions in both the Office of Diversion and Reentry and the recently launched Department of Youth Development. Before joining the County, Michelle spent five years building and growing the California chapter of the national advocacy organization the Children's Defense Fund. Michelle began her career in public education, as a classroom teacher and in qualitative research. Michelle brings to the SEED LA Board local and statewide expertise in youth development, youth justice and education. She has a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley and a Master's in Public Policy from the Harvard School of Government.  

Jennifer Price-Letscher, President and CEO, The Ralph M.Parsons Foundation

Jennifer joined the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation in 2011 bringing more than 15 years of nonprofit and philanthropic experience, including leadership and capacity-building roles at the Sterling-Dorman and Whitecap foundations and various positions in arts, education, journalism, outdoor leadership and youth development. She holds a Master’s degree in positive organizational development and change management from Case Western Reserve, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, and professional certifications in appreciative inquiry, business sustainability, coaching and college counseling. Currently a trustee at the Westside Neighborhood School, Jennifer previously served on the boards of Hill & Dale Family Learning Center and Diavolo Dance Theatre and on the membership committee of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations.  

Ruth Stalford, Founder and Executive Director of Make Good, Inc.

Ruth has been the constant, driving force for starting a SEED school in Los Angeles for more than 20 years. Ruth is the founder and executive director of Make Good, Inc. Make Good is focused on building a more equitable society by providing LA County’s most underserved and under-resourced children and young people tangible support during some of the most vulnerable periods in their lives. Make Good operates two signature programs; The TAY Shop and The Book Foundation. The TAY Shop programs outfit over 2000 transition-aged youth and system-impacted young people each year through personalized one-on-one shopping appointments, specialized Pop-Up events, and Life Literacy workshops. The Book Foundation has distributed over 650,000 brand new books to children and youth through the installation of Book Nook’s at charter schools, shelters, transitional housing and community centers and by distributions to local partners. She received the Fair Shake Award from Western Center on Law and Poverty. As a Hollywood producer she won the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and the Public Service Award from John Wayne Cancer Center for her fundraising and producing What a Pair! a benefit concert to support breast cancer research.

Approved Charter Authorized by Los Angeles County Office of Education