2022 Awardees
2022 Lights On Afterschool Awardees
On October 17, 2022, CAN, in partnership with the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division and the System of Support for Expanded Learning, celebrated Lights On Afterschool by highlighting leaders across the state in our virtual Leadership Awards ceremony!
Learn more about the awardees below and tap into the Fireside Chats linked on this page to hear from them!
Ronda Jensen
Region 1
Ronda has been the EXL Coordinator since 2009. Ronda has worked her way up as one of the leading site coordinators in the region. She is always willing to offer professional development to her peers, work collaboratively across the county’s expanded learning programs and embrace Quality Standards and CQI practices in order to do the best for her students. She consistently pushes for excellence in programming, creating opportunities for students that they don’t get elsewhere.
James Hall
Region 2
Program Manager of Prevention & Expanded Learning, Lassen County Office of Education
James Hall is the Program Manager of Prevention and Expanded Learning for Lassen County Office of Education. He serves as the county lead for Visual & Performing Arts, Tobacco Use Prevention Education, and Federal Program Monitoring. He coordinates the Lassen County Children’s Fair, Sober Graduation, and Literature Jamboree. James is the Board President of the Susanville School District. At the state level, James serves as the Leadership Team Co-chair for the California AfterSchool Network.
Brandon Marshall
Region 3
Site Coordinator, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Sacramento
Brandon Marshall has been a site coordinator at Hillsdale Elementary for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Sacramento for the past 10 years. He is a quiet but powerful Expanded Learning leader, who never takes the time to wade in the successes of his program, for he always is looking not only for a way to improve it, but to also do more for the youth and his community.
Carol Lewis
Region 4
Coordinator, Expanded Learning Programs, Vallejo City Unified School District
Ms. Lewis has been a classroom teacher, educator, and expanded learning district administrator for over 25 years in the Vallejo Unified School District. She has experience successfully managing large budgets and after school programs while leveraging multiple resources.
Donna Geffken
Region 5
Afterschool Coordinator, Santa Cruz City School District
Donna Geffken grew up in Soquel, where her and her siblings had healthy, safe neighborhoods to grow and play. She is grateful for that part of her childhood and has dedicated many years to the education world, providing academic and enrichment activities and supportive student services in the Santa Cruz City School District so students have a supportive, safe learning environment to attend after school and grow academically and personally.
Mary Rogers
Region 6
Administrator of Expanded Learning Programs, Stockton Unified School District
Mary is an accomplished executive with comprehensive experience
in leadership and team development, program planning and
development, and management. Mary’s overarching purpose and
goal within education is to teach, edify, empower, and motivate
both youth and adults. In doing so, young people will receive
development from the whole-child and equity approach, and adults
will receive the tools to foster such development.
Raven Aipa
Region 8
Senior Director, Educational Programs, Hueneme School District
Details coming soon…
Gerardo Guerrero
Region 9
Rockwood Elementary School Site Lead, Calexico Unified School District
Gerardo Guerrero graduated from Calexico High School in 2008 and has continued to support his community through Expanded Learning. He joined Expanded Learning through the SPARKS program at Calexico Unified School District in 2018. He started as a tutor and has since pursued a leadership position as a Site Lead Tutor at Rockwood Elementary School.
Peter Barajas
Region 9
Program Supervisor, Early Education & Expanded Learning, Westminster School District Extended School Program
Peter Barajas is the Westminster SD Extended School Program Supervisor. His career began in 1990 when he worked in the program part-time while he planned to become a teacher. He noticed the impact after school time had and the role these programs played in families’ lives, in shaping students’ futures and how these programs are the missing link between school and home. His career chose him. Because of his positive impact on the lives of students, counselors have dubbed him “the kid whisperer.”
Christiane Trout-McPhee
Region 9
Extended Learning Opportunities Manager, Extended Learning Opportunities Department, San Diego Unified School District
Details coming soon…
Yubleni Cazares
Region 10
Expanded Learning/ELOP Project Manager, Fontana Unified School District
Yubleni Cazares, FUSD ExL/ELOP Project Manager, 2018 – current. She is a strong and effective technical assistance provider, manager and leader. She continues to develop as a Region 10 leader and advocate in our county. She supports 36 sites, managing 200+ staffers and serving approximately 3600 students daily. Aside from this, she is a mom who always puts her children first.
Debe Loxton
Region 11
Interim Senior Executive Director, Los Angeles Unified School District Beyond the Bell
Debe was named the Interim Senior Executive Director of LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell Program in 2021. Prior to that, Debe was at LA’s Best as Chief Operating Officer from 1998-2021 and Program Director from 1990-1998. She started in youth services for LAUSD in 1980. Debe has been a longtime activist on various community and education committees and is also an adjunct professor at Pacific Oaks College, teaching courses in communication, human development, and leadership.