Archives: Staff & Board

Daryl LaFountain

Finance Manager

Daryl is the finance manager for Californians Together. He has worked in nonprofit environments for almost three decades in settings that provide educational opportunities for children and support services for children and families bi-coastally. Most recently he owned and operated a company that provided outsourced financial services for nonprofits nationwide. Daryl lives in Los Angeles with his partner and children. He loves the California weather since relocating to Los Angeles seven years ago.

David Gonzalez

Communications Associate

Born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, David is a proud product of California’s public schools. He seeks to ensure that every student in the state has access to a high-quality education and the supports they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. David comes to Californians Together from the Data Quality Campaign, a national education and workforce policy nonprofit, where he worked to support the organization’s communications and federal policy efforts. Previously, he worked directly with students in Azusa and Baldwin Park as an afterschool and extended learning instructor—it was this experience that prompted David to consider the impact of public policy on students and families. He is particularly interested in the intersections of economic, racial, and environmental justice in education. David earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA as well as a master’s in American government from Georgetown University. Outside of work, David enjoys live music, visiting museums, and supporting his UCLA Bruins.

Erin Freschi

Senior Policy Associate, Dual Language Learners

Erin Freschi has been working in early childhood education (ECE) with a focus on equity-driven programs and policies for over three decades.  She started her career as a preschool teacher in San Francisco and later managed Head Start and Early Head Start programs, led county and statewide early childhood initiatives, and has provided technical assistance to states on ECE program and policy development. She has also taught at several colleges and universities.

Erin is passionate about advocating for the needs of dual language learners, children from low-income backgrounds, and those with disabilities. This passion was sparked during her work with young children in Ukraine and later while serving refugee families and children with disabilities in the Bay Area. 

Erin is a former Children’s Defense Fund Emerging Leader Fellow and most recently served as the Senior Early Learning Impact Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she supported the advancement of policies to ensure early school success for all. 

In addition to her professional work, Erin is involved in volunteer efforts with the Tourette Association of America and the Diablo Nippongo Gakuen, a Japanese language school. She enjoys live music, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her family.

Leah Lampa

Professional Learning Specialist

A native Californian and daughter of Filipino immigrants, Leah is committed to advocating for California’s English learners and improving their educational experience. Leah has 15 years of experience in public education, including roles as a DC Public Schools elementary teacher, Dual Language Teacher Leader, ELL Department Chair, and District Multilingual Learner Specialist. Her experience has equipped her with expertise in creating language-rich environments and leveraging cultural diversity as assets within communities. Leah holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education from George Mason University.

Manuel Buenrostro

Policy Director

Manuel comes to this work as a native Californian, son of Mexican immigrants, former English learner, and first generation college graduate. He stands on the shoulders of his family and wonderful mentors and teachers at school, who worked hard to ensure he had access to opportunities. Manuel now has over fifteen years of experience working in public education, starting as an English learner teacher in Los Angeles. He has since worked at DC Public Schools and as an Obama administration appointee at US Department of Education. Prior to joining the Californians Together team, he was a policy analyst for the California School Boards Association, always focusing on closing opportunity gaps and equity. During his free time, you can find Manuel in Sacramento running, hanging out with his dog, Chewie, or at home watching the newest Marvel or Star Wars movies and shows.

Martha Hernandez

Executive Director

Martha Hernandez, the oldest of nine children, is a first-generation college graduate and a role model for her siblings who also earned university degrees and are now serving as physicians, teachers, a computer programmer, an organic chemist and a doctor of pharmacy. She attributes her family’s success to her mother who was an unwavering advocate for her children with a strong belief in the power of public education. Her lifelong support of the United Farm Workers and bilingual education has fueled her commitment to causes of equity and excellence in education especially on behalf of English learners. Her 42 years of public school experience at the classroom, school, district and county levels as well as her involvement in numerous state committees serve her well to advance the vision of Californians Together. Martha and her husband Aurelio Jaúregui are the former owners of Evita’s Mexican Café in Ventura named after their daughter. She is especially proud of her son, Juan Carlos who is an attorney and a computer software engineer.