Alliance for College-Ready
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Los Angeles, CA 90014
Phone: 213.943.4930
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Alliance Team Brings on New Talent
Meet Dr. Nelly Rodriguez, Laura Alvarez, Sean Jernigan
and Artha ConerlyLaura Alvarez, the new Director of Human Resources, knew right away that she wanted to become part of the Alliance team. “I wanted to join an organization that exemplified its vision in all of its functions, goals, and accomplishments,” she explains. “The Alliance does exactly that.”
She says one of the advantages of her position is that it allows her to interact with people at all levels who share her enthusiasm for the mission of charter schools and specifically, the goals of the College-Ready Public Schools. “Prospective employees want to join our team to accomplish the mission of the Alliance. They project a passion for working toward the preparation and empowerment of our youth.” She brings hands-on experience to her position with particular expertise in teacher credentials and the “highly qualified” requirements of No Child Left Behind.
In the Alliance, Laura manages a variety of personnel issues including recruitment, employment, compensation, compliance and benefits. She is no stranger to charter schools. Previously, she served as the Certificated Staff Specialist and Credential Analyst for Soledad Enrichment Action (S.E.A.) Charter School. She began her career in education early by joining several local community efforts to improve public education in inner cities. She finds a balance between her career interests in human resources, specifically between her passion for policy and her interest in the improvement of public education.
Laura graduated from the University of Southern California where she earned a BA with a double major in Political Science and Sociology. In 2005, she received an M.Ed with an emphasis in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.
As Director of Project Management for the Alliance, Sean Jernigan continues his career in public service through education. “Charter schools are natural centers for research and development that can inform and improve the world of education,” he explains. In his position with the Alliance, he facilitates and supports dozens of projects, ranging from the school nutrition at each school to the informational technology across the Alliance network including the PowerSchool student information system.
After he graduated from Whittier College and was named one of the top five graduates in greater Los Angeles by the LA Rotary, Mr. Jernigan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. He came home after 9/11 and began his career in education by working on what became the successful campaign for Measure K, the 2002 school bond issue. He then worked with Local District 4 Superintendent Richard Alonzo on small learning communities and as the Education & Workforce Development Coordinator with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. He has traveled the U.S. collaborating with educators on critical issues of public school redesign in the belief that a sustainable democracy is only possible in a nation with quality public education.
Mr. Jernigan says. “The Alliance is making a successful and scalable model for all students. We can provide world class education to our students and collaborate with others to help them achieve the same outcomes,” he adds.
Dr. Nelly Rodriguez, the Alliance’s Director of Fund Development, says the decision to join the Alliance staff was an easy one. “I value education. Here I am able to align my personal values with my professional goals. And I am working with the best in the field,” she explains. Dr. Rodriguez is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in management of business development and public relations programs. She has been recognized for her superior partnership-building skills. Prior to joining the Alliance, she served as Director of the El Camino College Community Action for Student Achievement (CASA) Program. She expanded student-support networks and college resources by implementing successful business outreach strategies and community partnerships. Previously, Dr. Rodriguez served as Vice President of Public Relations & Development at Fiscal Credit Union in Glendale, CA. She developed and managed award-winning business development and public relations initiatives. She says she likes to visit Alliance campuses. “It is energizing to go to our schools. What we do is real and has an immediate and permanent impact on students’ lives,” she adds. “It’s easy to see how students are being transformed.”
She earned her doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University, after graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with an M.A. in Communication Studies.
The new Alliance Office Manager, Artha Conerly, brings fifteen years of office management and administrative support experience to the position, along with a career commitment to non-profit organizations that provide services to underserved children and their families. “Office management and organization are essential to the daily operations of a non-profit agency. These are some of the things I hope to bring to the Alliance,” she states. She comes to the Alliance from the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP), which provides healthcare coverage to the uninsured and low-income residents of Pasadena and Altadena.
A Pasadena native, Ms. Conerly also has a strong interest in education. She worked at Pacific Oaks, a private college offering degrees in early childhood education. “The mission of the Alliance and the team environment attracted me,” she states. “The goal of the Alliance is to provide important opportunities to prepare students to enter and succeed in college; and it is the team effort of the Alliance that ensures these goals are reached.” She expects to earn her BA in Human Services from the University of Phoenix in October. Her love of children dictates her personal activities. She has four grandchildren who live nearby, and she spends as much time as she can with them. Then there’s her love of the Yankees and the Red Sox; she’s a real fan who is hoping for a repeat of last year’s playoffs.
