Type: Staff
Amber Riehman
Professional Learning Specialist
Amber Riehman, an educational leader from San Diego, is dedicated to promoting democratic education and equitable practices. As a Professional Learning Specialist with Californians Together, she provides crucial support for high-level instruction, implementing the California EL Roadmap Policy to ensure all multilingual learners receive the best possible education. With nine years of experience in secondary education, Amber has significantly contributed to enhancing English learner programs and leading dual language initiatives. In addition, she served as an instructor at SDSU, focusing on Integrated and Designated English Language Development for Single Subject teacher candidates. She is pursuing a doctoral degree with San Diego State and Claremont Graduate University, focusing on researching joy and belonging within educational environments. Amber’s commitment to student-centered learning is evident through her professional development and curriculum design efforts.
Cristal Zeas
Administrative Assistant
Cristal Zeas is the administrative assistant for the English Learner Leadership and Legacy Initiative and is assisting the Support for Immigrant and Refugee Students (SIRS) project for Californians Together. As a Bay Area native and daughter of Peruvian and Nicaraguense immigrants, Cristal understands the need for accessible resources to help English learners excel in their education and personal endeavors. As a student who had the opportunity to become trilingual in English, Spanish and Chinese, she’s inspired by the work Californians Together does to encourage and impact English learners and bilingualism. When she isn’t working for Californians Together, she’s working alongside bankruptcy, immigration, and dependency law attorneys to further advocate equal opportunities and justice for immigrants and their families.
Cristina Salazar
Legislative Advocate
Cristina Salazar grew up as a migrant student so the 17 years of migration gave her a true bilingual and bicultural education that helped shape her world views. Understanding we live in an era of globalization and fluid borders, Cristina attended Sacramento State University where she majored in International Relations to learn how we function as a global society. After graduation, she fell in love with policy and making positive change at the state level through her work in the state legislature. As a long term English learner, she understands the needs of these students and is excited to advocate for them through her work with Californians Together. During her free time she enjoys photography and capturing precious moments of her children.
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.