Elva Sandoval

Executive Director

Ms. Sandoval joins Families Forward with a long and successful career in nonprofit management and development. Elva has been a development consultant to non-profit organizations for the past two years. Prior to starting her consulting firm, she was the Vice President of Development for Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and was responsible for overall leadership and management of fundraising, communications, and alumni support efforts. Ms. Sandoval has served as the Executive Director of Kids In Sports Los Angeles where she provided overall leadership for the daily operations of the organization, as Director of Development for Claremont Graduate University and Senior Development Manager for Junior Achievement of Southern California. Ms. Sandoval began her professional career as a third grade teacher in Los Angeles and has been in the development field for twenty-five years. Ms. Sandoval earned her M.A. in Management from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and earned her B.A. in Sociology and minor in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. elva@FamiliesForwardLC.org 626.792.2687 ext. 124

Andrea Huicochea

Program Director

Andrea Huicochea has worked at Families Forward since 2009, fulfilling a number of different roles and responsibilities. She spent fourteen years as a preschool teacher, four of them at Families Forward in our classroom for four year olds. She then transitioned to administrative operations, assisting with Program management and enrollment. In 2015, she earned a Master’s of Human Development with a specialization in Leadership & Human Services from Pacific Oaks College. In 2020, she became the Program Director, working closely with families to pursue goals, work towards their education, and build relationships. Andrea feels that Families Forwards is an amazing place for families to grow together, develop friendships, receive guidance, and feel valued. andrea@FamiliesForwardLC.org 626.792.2687 ext. 113

Angela Dusenbery

Education Director

Angela Dusenbery has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education and has dedicated her life to supporting the development and well-being of young children and their families. More than two decades of her career have been with nonprofit agencies, supporting children and families from at-risk communities in the Los Angeles area. Her professional journey began in the classroom, where she spent close to 20 years, with her most rewarding experience being a preschool teacher working with children with varying disabilities. This formative experience shaped her deep commitment to equity and inclusion and laid the foundation for her approach to leadership. Over the past 10 years, she has transitioned into roles in supervision, administration and executive leadership helping to shape programs, mentor 0-5 caregivers and influence policy at the organizational level. Alongside her work, Angela has earned Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Early Childhood Education. angela@FamiliesForwardLC.org 626.792.2687 ext. 120

Liz Kwong

Development Director

Liz Kwong has decades of private and corporate sector fundraising experience, working with nonprofit brands to maximize their exposure in times when philanthropic fundraising is fierce. Her process bypasses traditional “it’s a good cause,” ‘it’s a just cause,” “it’s an emergency, we need your help” approaches in favor of establishing a clear value proposition that resonates with donors or prospects’ core interests and philanthropic values. In a past life, she was a leading participant of marketing teams that have launched over 150 new companies, products and services. She holds a BS in Marketing and Advertising from Rutgers University. liz@FamiliesForwardLC.org 626.792.2687 ext. 123

Paola Santillan

Family Services Manager

Paola Santillan is a dedicated Associate Marriage and Family Therapist whose professional and academic journey reflects a deep commitment to supporting the mental health and resilience of underserved communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baja California, Mexico, and earned a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy with a concentration in Trauma Studies from Pacific Oaks College.

Paula joined Families Forward in 2017 following her work as a Behavioral Specialist at Pacific Clinics, where she delivered rehabilitation services to families and foster families, and facilitated psychoeducational groups for Spanish-speaking households navigating severe mental illness. Her broad clinical experience also includes prison counseling and intake screening, rural family risk factor assessment and prevention, and case management for young adults with complex psychiatric diagnoses. paola@FamiliesForwardLC.org 626.792.2687 ext. 125