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Executive Director

Edgar Chávez is a proud grandson of farmworkers, an immigrant, and a first-generation college graduate. For nearly fifteen years, Edgar has directed college and career initiatives for first-generation and immigrant students in K-12 and postsecondary institutions across various Bay Area communities, including East Palo Alto and East San José.

In 2020, Edgar returned to his childhood neighborhood to lead Hayward Promise Neighborhoods. In addition, Edgar works closely with ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ’s College of Education and Allied Studies as a Co-Principal Investigator for a National Science Foundation grant that supports climate change education in HPN schools and a steering committee member for the East Bay region of the Bay Area K16 Collaborative, an initiative dedicated to aligning education and workforce systems in the region. Edgar is also a steering committee member of collective impact efforts, including the California Promise Neighborhood Network, the California Cradle to Career Coalition, ALL IN Alameda County, and the Northern California College Promise Coalition.

Edgar holds a B.A. in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity from Stanford University and an Ed.M. in Prevention Science and Practice from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Email: edgar.chavez@csueastbay.edu

Principal Investigator

Dr. Carolyn Nelson served as Dean of the College of Education & Allied Studies at Cal State University East Bay from 2009-2020, following a 19-year tenure at San Jose State University, where she served in a wide variety of academic, administrative, and leadership roles. She is currently Professor & Dean Emeritus at Cal State East Bay and has served as Principal Investigator of Hayward Promise Neighborhoods since its inaugural funding in 2011. Since beginning her professional career as a middle school science educator in urban schools in New York, Illinois, and California, Dr. Nelson has been a tireless advocate for bringing relevant, quality education and opportunity to students in under-resourced public schools. A veteran networker, Dr. Nelson has a long history of establishing successful working relationships with educators, school administrators, business & community leaders, and state & national legislators in the quest of this goal. Her area of research is in organizational change and the role leadership plays in this process, particularly as it relates to educational institutions and their ability to adapt to changing societal contexts.

Email: carolyn.nelson@csueastbay.edu 

HPN Programs & Evaluation Director

Junia Kim was born and raised in various areas of California. After teaching abroad in Taipei, she returned to the Bay Area and was a public school educator for the rest of the decade. In the wake of the pandemic, she founded and continues to lead Seen52, a local nonprofit focused on supporting older youth impacted by foster care and housing security.  Currently, she is the Programs and Evaluation Director at Hayward Promise Neighborhoods, a federal grant project led by CSU East Bay where she leads strategies within the Cradle to Career pipeline.  In her free time, Junia enjoys listening to audiobooks, aerial silks, and backpacking. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!), an Ed.M. in Language and Literature from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from High Tech High Graduate School of Education.

Email: junia.kim@csueastbay.edu

College & Career Lead

Meghan moved to the Bay Area from East Tennessee (Go Vols!) in 2013 to pursue her master’s degree at San Francisco State University. She spent nearly a decade leading job readiness and career awareness programs at Enterprise for Youth. In addition to her extensive experience in youth workforce development, Meghan brings expertise in program design, social-emotional learning, and coaching peer mentorship.

Both personally and professionally, she centers the agency of young people, advocating for access to resources, intergenerational mentorship, and deep respect for lived experience.

Outside of work, Meghan enjoys baking, exploring new foods, and discovering the Bay Area alongside her son and two beloved pups.

Email: meghan.smith@csueastbay.edu

College and Career Program Specialist

Leslee Gonzalez is a proud first-generation college graduate from Hayward. For the past four years, Leslee has worked closely with youth in the Bay Area, supporting first-generation, low-income high school students and their families through the postsecondary planning process. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and going to concerts. Leslee holds a B.A. in Sociology and Chicana/Chicano Studies from UC Santa Barbara.

Email: leslee.gonzalez@csueastbay.edu

Community Counseling Program Coordinator

 Madeline grew up in the Sacramento area before completing her bachelor's degree at UC Santa Cruz, earning degrees in Linguistics and Intensive Psychology. She has worked in campus advocacy, has supported Medi-Cal members in accessing services, and is passionate about mental health. As the Community Counseling Program Coordinator, she looks forward to getting to know and serving the Hayward community through her work at the Community Counseling Clinic and with HPN. In her free time, she enjoys cooking (and eating!), spending time outdoors, and seeing her family.

Email: madeline.michael@csueastbay.edu

HPN Budget Analyst

As an alum of CSU Hayward (now East Bay), I am thrilled to be back on campus working for such an amazing initiative. I believe that the children are our future, and I am happy to work with so many great people and programs to help them not only succeed, but thrive.

Email: teri.morales@csueastbay.edu

Community Services Programs Coordinator at

I’ve been with 4Cs of Alameda for six years, and during that time, I’ve had the privilege of building strong, meaningful connections with families through our programs. Serving my community is personal to me. I am a product of community resources and agency support myself, so I truly understand the difference these services can make in a family’s life. When I work with families, I often see myself and my own family in their stories. That perspective keeps me grounded and reminds me why this work matters so much. I believe every family has incredible strength, even during the hardest seasons. My goal is to recognize that strength, support it, and help families feel empowered, valued, and connected. Being able to give back to the same community that once supported me is both an honor and a responsibility that I carry with pride.

Serena Michel is working with HPN to support family navigation through the PACT Program.