Rocio Abundis–Rodriguez

Rocio Abundis-Rodriguez, MPH, a graduate of the UCLA School of Public Health, has nearly eighteen years of experience in managing diverse youth-oriented programs in both public and private non-profit organizations.

Ms. Abundis-Rodriguez has for the past seven years served as the Region 5 Lead for After School Programs at the Monterey County Office of Education in Salinas. In this role she works collaboratively with the Region 5 After School Advisory Board to plan, coordinate, manage and implement training and customized support to over 200 after school and Healthy Start state funded sites in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. She has developed and managed the implementation of a regional work plan that leads the sites to exemplary and sustainable programs.

Ms Abundis-Rodriguez has utilized this experience to create a new project, California After School Technical Assistance (CASTA), to support the unique needs of after school technical assistance providers across California. As CASTA’s Executive Director, she will convene technical assistance providers across the state to share best practices and strategically serve the field; develop core competencies for effective TA and training; conduct training of trainers; provide mentoring support to TA brokers and providers; and map the complex field of TA providers, their scope of work and what TA supports exist for after school programs.

Ms. Abundis-Rodriguez was recognized for her commitment to education through her nomination for the “100 Most Influential Latinos of Silicon Valley, 2007” and as one of the ten most influential in the field of education, offered by the Mexican American Community Services Agency

Other key highlights:

• Manager for the Columbia Neighborhood Center, a full service school based family resource center in Sunnyvale, CA.
• Associate Director at Youth Advocates, responsible for managing the Marin’s prevention and education based programs and 9 Grove Lane, a 24-hour crisis shelter for high-risk youth.
• Director of Berkeley High School Health Center and Los Angeles High School Health Clinic, comprehensive school based health center serving inner city high-risk youth.