Meet the Team of Youth Ambassadors for Fiscal Year 2026-2027!

Sonoma Introducing a seasoned foster youth contractor with 15 years of invaluable firsthand experience, specializing in supporting vulnerable young individuals through various stages of their lives. With a comprehensive understanding of the foster care system, I am well-equipped to guide and empower transition age youth, probation youth, and group home residents as they navigate critical transitional periods. Throughout my career, I have not only provided direct support to foster youth but also contributed to the development of impactful programs. I have successfully designed and developed user-friendly websites, creating platforms that connect foster youth with essential resources and opportunities. Furthermore, I have played a pivotal role in establishing and managing mentorship programs, matching experienced mentors with youth in need of guidance and support. Recognizing the importance of collaborative efforts, I have actively served on boards of directors, leading fundraising initiatives and overseeing teams of dedicated individuals. By fostering an inclusive environment, we have implemented effective strategies that significantly improve the lives of the youth we serve. Passionate about fostering positive change, I am dedicated to empowering foster youth to realize their full potential and discover a brighter future. With an unwavering commitment to their well-being, I strive to make a lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable young individuals, helping them overcome challenges and achieve personal and professional success.

Aliyana Montevirgen is a lead YEP Ambassador through CFPIC and has been with the program for over three years. She currently oversees Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno, Yolo, and Butte County. In this role, she has assisted in numerous projects that have ranged in moderating, co-chairing, paneling and MC’ing statewide and county convenings and events!

Outside of YEP, she is a Sonoma State Alumni. She has obtained her bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Right now she is a current graduate student pursuing her masters degree in public administration at Cal State East Bay.

Alongside school, Aliyana is an active advocate for foster youth. She currently works as a case supervisor for CASA of Sonoma County. Her expertise is providing support for TAY and NMD young adults and is also a part of the TAY and DEI California CASA taskforces. Aliyana has been in many spaces of foster youth advocacy through the National Foster Youth Institute and CYC.

Her goal is to make an impact in child welfare and to elevate lived expert perspectives to make change in systemic barriers.

Mendocino, Tulare, Los Angeles

I am 26 years old and a former foster youth from Stanislaus County. I have been working with the Youth Engagement Project (YEP) since October 2015 and am currently getting my Associates degree in Psychology and plan to continue my education in Psychology and Social Work. I also currently work at the Youth Navigation Center in Stanislaus County supporting youth who are experiencing homelessness and youth who are in crisis ages 13-24. I have advocated for foster youth on numerous topics and issues that are faced within child welfare and I really enjoy focusing on creating focus groups on issues foster youth face and educating child welfare staff and those who work with children and youth on various trainings. My passion and hope for youth engagement is that every county in California has youth invoice imbedded in their policies and procedures.

I am a mom to a four year old boy, three month twin girls and a step mom to two children, a fifteen and nine year old. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and children whether at home watching movies, playing in the backyard or traveling to the coast. We love to travel to new places and exploring the outdoors. Our favorite place to visit is Disneyland and really enjoy going during the holiday season.

My name is Mia Villa and I am writing to introduce myself as the At-Risk Youth Specialist at the Glenn County Office of Education and Youth Ambassador for YEP. I continue to look forward to making a positive impact in the lives of the youth we serve through the YEP Program. As a former foster youth and Americorps Member, I have experienced firsthand the challenges and adversities that at-risk youth often face.

My personal journey through the foster care system has ignited a deep passion within me to make a difference in the lives of young individuals who may be going through similar struggles. During my time as an Americorps Member, I had the privilege of working with vulnerable populations and saw the transformative power of mentorship and support. These experiences solidified my commitment to working in the helping field and inspired me to pursue a career focused on empowering and advocating for at-risk youth. Currently, I am a student at Butte College, where I am furthering my knowledge and skills in areas that align with my aspirations. My ultimate goal is to transfer to Chico State.

San Luis Obispo

I am Nancy Perez, a youth in the Youth Engagement Project and the Lead Youth Ambassador in the Central Region, incorporating San Luis Obispo County. I am committed to continue to help make a difference in the child welfare system by sharing my voice as a former foster youth.

I attend several YEP Meetings, Quality Parenting Initiative Meetings and Youth Advisory Board Meetings monthly. Through my work as a youth I have worked in the YEP program. I have participated in supporting the development and provided feedback on several projects such as local teen resource guide, “About Your Child Questionnaire”, “About Your Child Letter to Birth Parent”, and “About Your Child, All About Me Letter to Resource Parent” documents. Additionally, I have played a key role in the development of National Foster Care Awareness month video and participated in presenting this video and accepting proclamations of May being National Foster Care Awareness month at the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors and at Paso Robles City Council meetings.

I am a team player and enjoy working on projects with my fellow YEP ambassadors. I am excited to continue learning and make a change in the future of the foster care system. I’m looking forward to continuing working with all the ambassadors this fiscal year. Let’s continue to make a change! We all have a voice and it matters. Thank you for having me be part of this year’s YEP Ambassadors committee. Have a good one.

Christian Morgan is a recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and minors in Applied Psychology and Music. Currently working as a Behavioral Health Residential Counselor at PathPoint in Santa Barbara, CA, he supports individuals with severe mental health diagnoses in pursuing the lives they choose.

Passionate about psychology, Christian aims to advocate for improved accessibility to behavioral health care, educational equity, and positive outcomes for foster youth. Interested in school psychology and neuropsychology, he hopes to make an impact through early mental health intervention.

In his free time, he enjoys playing the clarinet, playing PC games, and indulging in Star Wars, a nostalgic favorite of his. As a native of Southern California, Santa Barbara’s local community and beautiful beaches have grown on him while attending UCSB.

Next, Christian plans to pursue a master’s degree before applying to PhD programs in Clinical Psychology, fueling his dedication to mental health advocacy and bringing visibility to foster youth’s resilience and systemic challenges. Through psychology, diverse interests, and advocacy, he strives to promote mental health, facilitate equity, and empower foster youth.

My name is Emily Hampson and I am eager to work as a Youth Ambassador for CFPIC to tackle issues which have negatively impacted my life, as well as those who have experienced the foster system. I’d like to focus on how we can recruit more foster families and strengthen the relationship between foster parents and agencies to keep more homes in service which would combat frequent change in permanent placement. Access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for birth parents may also allow them to reenter their children’s lives, increasing chances of reunification. Necessary changes must be made in ensuring foster youth have adequate access to resources and support; the current system of reporting issues between foster youth, foster parents, and social workers need to be improved for the comfort and safety of the foster youth especially. Paperwork is prioritized over the actual foster youth in some cases. Regulations can be set to ensure that social workers have more time to spend one-on-one with their clients. To ensure the further progress of positive change made in the foster system, I believe that we should implement exit interviews for foster parents who decide to end their services to collect data on how agencies can better support future foster families.

Hello, my name is Leobardo Moreno Villanueva. I am originally from Guerrero, Mexico. I will study Art, Media, and Design at CSU San Marcos and am the first generation to graduate from community college and transfer to a university. In addition, I speak three languages and am a YEP ambassador.

Outside of my academic pursuits, I am deeply committed to positively impacting the community. I have been involved in meaningful projects, such as working with local organizations to create art and provide resources for foster care. I am dedicated to developing a website that will serve as a valuable resource for the public.

Jonathan Bartlett (He/Him/His) is a former foster youth from the greater Los Angeles area who aged out of the child welfare system at the age of 21. Fueled by an enduring relationship with familial and childhood adversity, he has made it his mission to utilize his lived experience as a vehicle for bolstering the current state of child welfare.

Since graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BA in Communication,
Jonathan has channeled his passion through a plethora of programs which allow him to work first-hand with underserved youth. Serving as a College Adviser for USC’s College Advising Corps, he had the honor of assisting 400+ students from the city of Compton in curating holistic post-secondary plans. Additionally, occupying the role as a Youth Ambassador for the Child and Family Policy Institute of California, he has the privilege of partnering with both YOLO and LA county to educate and mentor system-impacted youth.

Most recently, Jonathan joined the National Foster Youth Institute for a week on Capitol Hill where he shadowed Congressional Representative Ted Lieu and advocated for imperative child welfare policy reform. Inspired by all the work that he has been able to do, he has chosen to cement himself in the field of child welfare by pursuing an MSW at California State University, Long Beach. In doing so, he will continue to work toward ensuring positive outcomes for youth at both the micro and macro levels.

Jesus Angel Rodriguez (He/Him/His) is a Senior studying Political Science and Public Affairs at UCLA. Growing up he learned how to farm, appreciating the time and dedication it took to enable growth in flowers and chickens. Overcoming adversity, he found that he could use his experiences to help others grow into their fullest potential. At UCLA, he interned at the Bruin Guardian Scholars, a program dedicated to helping former or current foster and homeless youth. He guides a team of interns and plans events that provide scholars with academic & financial resources. He also works to serve the larger community, serving as a Director of Community Relations within UCLA’s Student Government. Here, he helps strengthen relationships with campus cultural and resource-based organizations to outreach to wider audiences. Outside of campus he has worked with Foster Youth Advocacy groups like NFYI to push for policies that increase resources for foster youth at the State and Federal levels. In the future he wishes to work with the local government to provide essential resources to at-risk youth.

I am hoping to work on helping siblings stay together in the foster system. This is something I am passionate about as I was separated from my twin sisters. I know how it feels to be pulled apart from the few people you know and are protective over while being in the foster system. Kids are being put into the system and being separated from their siblings without realizing that this is only hurting them so much more. I also hope to work on anything related to adoption, as my twin sisters were adopted while in foster care. My family and I had no clue that since my siblings and I were taken into the system, that my twin sisters were being considered for adoption. I wish I knew because I said goodbye without realizing it was goodbye. It has been 10+ years since I last saw them and that wound that it left me hasn’t begun to heal. I want other kids to know that they will be okay, I didn’t have anyone telling me that when I needed it the most.

Mike recently graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Political Science and Government from Cerritos College (May 2026), with a strong focus on advocacy, student engagement, and community impact. He is passionate about using his lived experience in foster care to support others, influence systems, and help create meaningful change. In addition, he uses his voice in media opportunities, panels, social events, podcasts, as well as on campuses and conferences to make a difference.

Mike will be transferring to California State University, Dominguez Hills, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. His goal is to complete internships and work towards a dream career at the United Nations in New York City, where he hopes to help foster youth, solve global issues, and help others. He aims to advance his career and eventually achieve the position of Secretary-General.

As a person with ADHD and Autism, Mike is especially committed to advocating for people with disabilities and ensuring that systems, services, and spaces are more accessible, inclusive, and responsive to diverse needs.

In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, practicing mixed martial arts, exercising, attending comic cons, cosplaying, watching anime, and reading books on politics. He also donates to organizations that support human trafficking prevention, foster care, and domestic violence awareness. Mike supports both Stanislaus and Los Angeles counties.

My name is Amara Sharp and I’m representing Nevada county! I work closely with Nevada county and their Independent Living Program (ILP) to share my story in hopes of making a difference. I’m currently attending Chico State University to obtain my bachelor’s degree. I love working with foster youth and the feeling of making a difference in system barriers.

Xon Santiago has represented Butte County and is currently supporting Orange as a YEP Ambassador. Xon is 23 years old and pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at Santa Ana College. He is dedicated to creating positive change in the foster care system, with a particular passion for improving mental health resources and supporting LGBTQIA2S+ youth with lived experience in foster care.

Landon attends University of California, Davis as a Psychology major. As the first to attend college in his family, he strongly believes in education as one of his primary methods to break his family’s cycle of trauma.

Landon grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, as a young teen he experienced early adversity being homeless with his 5 younger siblings. When Landon and his siblings were placed in foster care, they were separated. Landon became focused on school, his health, and self-improvement. This was an impactful experience, and showcased how the foster system for all its intended purposes, can leave lasting scars on its youth.

Living in the foster system showcased how mismanagement and burn out leads to confusion and pain that its youth have to navigate. Landon’s decision to focus on his education led him into positions where he can now advocate what he experienced, so that other youths do not need to experience similar situations for change to occur.

Currently, Landon works as a YEP Ambassador for Mendocino county, the county that placed him into foster care, to build stronger support systems so that other foster youth can set themselves up for success. He is a strong believer in educating oneself through any means, but understands the nuance that self-education deserves; there is often misinformation everywhere. As a result, he continues to push for more efficient class structures that encompass topics that better help youth navigate adult life.

In his free time, he enjoys reading and writing, exercising in the gym, along with playing and creating games.

I am Angelica Kamakaoakalani Montevirgen (She/They), and I am proud to serve as a Youth Ambassador for CFPIC in Santa Clara County. As a former foster youth, my lived experiences have inspired me to advocate for a child welfare system that prioritizes healing, prevention, and youth voice. I believe every young person deserves to feel safe, supported, and heard throughout their time in care and beyond. My advocacy focuses on strengthening child abuse prevention efforts, expanding access to trauma-informed mental health services, supporting foster families, and improving outcomes for youth transitioning into adulthood. I am especially passionate about ensuring that Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and other historically underserved foster youth have equitable access to opportunities and resources. I have recently participated as a panelist for the 2026 Statewide Collaborative Prevention Convening alongside the 2026 QPI Kinship Care Conversation that centered relationships, connection and belonging. I hope to use my experiences to help shape policies that create lasting, positive change for future generations of foster youth.

Rocco Nelms is a Political Science student at California State University, Sacramento, and a Youth Ambassador dedicated to systemic reform within the child welfare system. Drawing on firsthand experience in foster care, Rocco brings critical insight and legislative vision to state-level advocacy. Their work centers on expanding higher education opportunities, strengthening mental health support, and ensuring foster youth hold seats of power in decisions affecting their lives. Having directly contributed to drafting state legislation protecting foster youth rights, Rocco bridges lived experience with formal policy design to create lasting institutional change.

Jennasey is a student at Sierra College, where she’s diving into Health Education/Public Health. She’s really passionate about health, wellness, and how our physical, mental, and emotional well-being can shape our lives. Jennasey dreams of using her education to make health and wellness info more accessible and understandable for young people.

As someone with lived experience in the foster care system, she knows how crucial it is for young people to have support, encouragement, a voice, and access to resources as they grow. Her experiences have only fueled her desire to help others and make a difference; especially for youth who might not always have the support they need.

In addition to her studies, Jennasey works part-time with children in an after-school program, where she loves building connections with children and being there for them with encouragement and support. I am truly passionate about helping others and super eager to keep growing in opportunities where I can positively impact the community.

As a YEP Ambassador, Jennasey hopes to build a career centered around serving others and making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. She hopes to continue advocating for, inspiring people to see their own potential, and walking alongside others as they navigate their own journeys!

My name is Mya Rodriguez, and I am a fourth-year Social Work student at San Diego State University with a minor in Child and Family Development. I am originally from Northern California, and my own experience in foster care has played a big role in shaping who I am today, what I care about, and why I chose to pursue social work. I also currently intern at Wesley House Student Residence, a nonprofit organization that supports low-income college students in San Diego County, where I am continuing to build my experience working with and supporting young adults.

As a Youth Engagement Project Ambassador, I work alongside San Diego County’s Extended Foster Care and Independent Living Skills teams on projects that support foster youth. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to share my lived experiences with both youth and professionals, including speaking at the San Diego Graduation Celebration for Foster Youth and participating in a panel with Extended Foster Care interns. I also create the monthly YEP newsletter, where I highlight resources, events, and opportunities that are available and may be helpful to youth throughout the county.

Outside of YEP, school, and my internship, I enjoy hiking, reading, playing pickleball, and spending time with friends and my dog. After graduation, I hope to work in child welfare and build a career where I can support and advocate for youth and families as they navigate the system. I am thankful for the opportunities and experiences that have helped me get to where I am today, and I hope to one day work alongside some of you to continue building a better system for youth and families!