Meet Our Staff

Karla is working as an instructional aide. She graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in biology and a minor in psychology. She hopes to inspire more students to be able to pursue STEM related endeavors through helping them navigate college applications and classes. She wanted to eventually obtain a masters in microbiology. Her interest include painting and drawing while watching Netflix, during her free time. Fun fact, Karla loves hiking when she has the time to.

Bio coming soon.

Lizbeth Gomez, an educator, an artist, a human, and social justice advocate. Lizbeth was raised in Oakland and attended Oakland Unified District Schools and despite all of the distractions and obstacles that she came her way growing up, she managed to get through her K-12 school years and graduate. She found motivation, love, and inspiration in mentors that helped her discover a new world, full of possibilities and opened her third eye, realizing the system we lived in is not very fair. Therefore, she decided to fight for people’s rights and started taking action in East Oakland’s community. She co-founded the Homies Empowerment Program serving gang-impacted/involved youth in Oakland, CA since 2009. Lizbeth is currently enrolled in school and continues to mentor youth in the city of Oakland. Lizbeth enjoys hiking, swimming, reading, and spending time with her family.

Emilia Flores was raised in Oakland and attended OUSD K-12, which drove her to join the Alternatives In Action team. Working with the youth and being able to help and assist them in any kind of way has always been a passion of hers. She is here to help students and parents in any of their needs, questions, enrolling, attendance etc. Being a mother of three with kids that are enrolled in the OUSD, she is very familiar with the school system and questions that parents and students may have.

Jasmine is an alumni of Alternatives in Action High School. Her passion for education started when she was a member of AIAHS’ Executive Team (E-Team). She is currently at SF State completing her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology. Prior to her current role, Jasmine worked as an Instructional Aide and built close relationships with the youth and their families. Jasmine also supports the community by keeping our bellies full with her delicious baked goods. In her new role as College and Career Coordinator she wants support students in finding resources for their future.

Jason has an extensive background in youth development work. His love for working with youth grew during his time at the Berkeley YMCA where he served as a camp counselor and sports Coach. That job led to Sports 4 Kids where he worked for 6 years, then to Chabot Elementary where he created school-based programs and leagues for youth. Jason was able to transition his work from elementary-age youth to high school youth when he started with Alternatives in Action High School. He knew this was where he wanted to be when he was interviewed by youth. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Jason attended Long Beach State and Clark Atlanta University where he graduated with a degree in Psychology.

Carlos was born and raised in Los Angeles, and has been living in the Bay Area for about eight years. He received his B.A. at the University of California, Riverside, and received his MA at SF State in Ethnic Studies. He has been interested in working in education ever since his experience as an undergraduate at UCR, where he got the opportunity to volunteer at local middle schools holding workshops and organizing conferences for high school students interested in college.

In his free time, he likes to longboard, walk his dog, and journal. He is also very invested in mental health, making time to go to the gym, journal, meditate, and hike in nature whenever he has time. On the rare occasion when he has the chance to, he enjoys taking long drives.

Finally, something people do not know about him: he was a pescatarian for 10 years, with one year being strictly vegetarian. Although he no longer eats a vegetarian diet, he still attempts to eat as healthy as possible.

Bio coming soon.

Nidia was born and raised in Oakland, CA. She is a first-generation college student who graduated from UC Merced with a BA in Sociology and a minor in English. Throughout her undergraduate career, she focused on working in the education field through Oakland Promise as a Crew Leader, SMASH as a To & Through Facilitator, and a paraeducator and instructional aide in previous schools. In her undergraduate career, she was also able to do research and explored how deportation affects families in the Bay Area and through her findings, she found how important it is to hear the voices of the voiceless and give them the opportunity to share their stories. Her future goals are to continue her education by obtaining her Master’s degree and she hopes to continue to work in Oakland and its community. Nidia enjoys going to the gym, reading, hiking, and going to the movies. She is a huge advocate for young people and prioritizes mental health.

Loryn graduated from California State University and worked in education for over 7 years. She enjoys being at Alternatives in Action because is able to share her passion for the World Language subject. She teaches Spanish and loves to support youth to develop and acquire bilingual skills that will help them to become competitive candidates in the workforce. She enjoys cooking, dancing and painting on her free time.

Johana Gonzalez is an Oakland local and alumni of Alternatives In Action High School. She has gone on to earn her bachelor's degree in psychology at Holy Names University and has continued her education, pursuing a masters degree in Counseling In Marriage and Family Therapy at St Mary's University. Additionally, she is supplementing her practice with a Trauma Informed Intervention and Treatment Certificate. Johana supports our youth with IEPs by providing carefully tailored intervention that includes in-class support as well as one-on-one work time. In this role she also meets regularly with all instructional staff to ensure that they are supported in providing accommodations in the classroom. Outside of work Johana can be found at the gym or discovering a new hiking trail.

Millawn has been involved with Alternatives in Action for a total of 7 years both as a student and an Instructional Aide, graduating from here in 2016. A fun fact about her is in 2011 she flew to Philadelphia to march for the first-ever Youth Food Bill of Rights. She supports students with academics in class and one-on-one outside of class. She is currently going to Reach University to become a Math teacher in the future. She has had experience with young people in previous places of employment and has brought over learned skills. Her reason for working in this community is to give back to the place that helped shape her and to inspire students to succeed. When she is out of work she enjoys mini art crafts and spending time with her family.

She has worked in the youth development field for 13 years and got her start working in the Alternatives In Action after school program. She has also held positions with Girls Inc. and Oakland Leaf. In her current role at AIA, she ensures strong communication with students and families and supports new students in transitioning into our community. Additionally, Carmen works to build AIA by leading recruitment and enrollment efforts. Carmen goes above and beyond in her work by mentoring student interns, supporting the student services team, and making sure that staff and students alike are provided with the resources they need to be successful.  Outside of school Carmen is a Mother of two and Wife, an avid party planner, and a passionate supporter of small business and entrepreneurial ventures. 

Susana is a graduate of UC Davis, having successfully navigated the path as a transfer student. Hailing from Oakland, she has called this eclectic city home ever since her family immigrated from Michoacán, Mexico. She received her education through a combination of Oakland public and charter schools, as well as community college, an experience that provided a solid foundation and a sense of security within her communities. Susana firmly believes that education and relationship–building are crucial tools for success in life. Beyond academics, she is deeply passionate about various artistic media, finding solace in creativity. Cooking is another avenue through which she expresses her love for others. An avid outdoors enthusiast, she revels in spending time amidst nature. Above all, she cherishes moments with her family, recognizing the profound value of fostering those connections in life.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Ed enjoys sharing his passion and curiosity of art, music and astronomy with his students. After receving his BA in Cinema from SFSU, Ed found his way towards education while working at AIA as IT Engineer, which was soon followed by tutoring math inside the classroom. In order to continue sharing his passions with the school community, Ed pursued and received his CTE Credential for Arts, Media, and Entertainment and now leads AIA's Multimedia Pathway, which includes Media Studies and Multimedia Production. Ed's classroom is a place where students are able to be creatively expressive and emboldend themselves as media literate critical thinkers. You can usually find Ed in the hall learning new songs on the piano.

Dr. Chris Harrison is an educator, researcher, and business systems and solution evangelist who is committed to collaborating with organizational teams to build a critical mass of support to find strategic solutions to complex education, business, and operational problems. With over 25 years in education, Harrison has consulted with K-12 schools, colleges, and various community-based organizations on implementing evidence-based/research-based best practices for improving home-school-community partnerships, student learning/adult education, staff and teacher professional development, and mentoring and youth development outcomes.

Christopher Harrison taught Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Physics, and Physical Science to middle/high school and undergraduate students, modified and developed problem/project-based curricula for diverse learners, integrated educational technology / web-based learning, and differentiated instruction for youth and adults with diverse learning styles.

Dr. Harrison has authored several books including How to Help Your Child Achieve Academic Success in School: Educating Your Child During the Elementary, Middle, & High School Years. Harrison and his wife are Co-founders of LIFTT Inc., a STEM education nonprofit based in Oakland, CA, that provides free, on-demand web-based learning experiences to youth and young adults. Dr. Harrison and his wife are Co-founders of Summit Learning Institute®, LLC, an Edtech start-up based in Santa Clara, CA that provides virtual courses, coaching, and learning and development solutions to companies, community-based organizations, and K12 and education entities. Harrison is also the creator of Math Minutes Pro, a YouTube channel with free math videos, and Algebra Made Easy with Math Minutes Pro. 

As an IBM-certified Data Science Professional and IBM-certified AI Engineering Professional, his professional portfolio is grounded in the synergy and intersection of leadership, data science, technology, collegiality, systems analysis, learning and development, project management, and continuous improvement. His corporate and education experience with companies such as WestEd STEM Division, PG&E, EBMUD, Atlanta Regional Commission, Andersen Consulting, Google, Inc., Intuit, and Facebook, Inc./Meta as a Program Manager, Project Manager, Technical Program Manager, and Researcher includes leveraging L&D skills and project management tools for launch management, CRM / SDLC management, and release of new global products and developing systems, processes, and strategies that improve work efficiency and stakeholder engagement.

Dr. Harrison holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Administration, two Master's degrees in Math/Science Education and Educational Leadership, a teaching certificate in Math/Science education, all from the Mills College School of Education, and a certificate for Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He also earned a Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning from Morehouse College. Dr. Harrison enjoys fishing, camping, playing golf, tinkering around with Maker Ed. projects, and spending time with his family.

Ruben graduated from Alternatives in Action (formerly Bay Area School of Enterprise) in 2012, and has a collegiate background in Graphic Design and Animation. They assumed their role as the Restorative Justice Coach at AIAHS in the ‘21-’22 school year with a passion for instilling a sense of agency and personal accountability in their students. As an Alum of AIA, Ruben is dedicated to giving back to the community that provided them with the foundational tools for navigating the collegiate and professional world, with hopes that they too may foster the same passions for upholding community values and personal growth in their students. When they aren’t roaming the halls sending students back to class, they are designing and screen printing AIA T-Shirts for community events. In classrooms, they can be found holding their Collaborative Leadership, After School Animation, and Credit Recovery classes. Outside of school they will likely be performing live music, printmaking, or playing and designing tabletop board games.

Bio coming soon!

Through his 20+ years as an educator Daniel has worked as an administrator, classroom teacher, and athletic director, helping found two schools in East Oakland, California, as well as athletic programs and a small publishing company. He has also taught at institutions such as the Rock Hall of Fame Summer Teaching Institute, the University of Michigan, and in El Salvador as an arts education diplomat with the U.S. State Department. Among his interests are developing real-world experiences for students, including organizing an HBCU college tour and a trip to El Salvador, while centering students’ lived experiences as a pathway to rigor and success.He received his M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University. Most importantly, he's a husband and father to two young children, Itzayana and Balam.