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Maya Valree

Senior Policy Analyst - Parenting Students
Greater Los Angeles Team, Higher Ed Policy

Maya Valree is a Senior Policy Analyst (Parenting Students) at EdTrust-West, where she leads initiatives to support the academic success and well-being of over 400,000 student parents in California and co-leads The California Alliance for Student Parent Success. Before joining the EdTrust-West team, Maya gained extensive experience in TK-12 and higher education, serving as an English teacher in South Los Angeles, a graduate student coordinator for Cal Poly’s Students with Dependents program, and a research assistant on Dr. Tina Cheuk’s #StudentParentJoy campaign.

Maya served as a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sister Los Angeles for more than 5 years, and advised organizations such as New America and the Urban Institute on projects related to single mothers and parenting students. She is an active Project Self-Sufficiency board member, an alumna of the Education Policy Fellowship Program, and a DMH + UCLA Early Childhood Fellow.

A proud product of three of California’s higher education systems, Maya earned an A.A. in Public Policy from Santa Monica College, a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Irvine, and a M.S. in Higher Education Counseling & Student Affairs from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

In her spare time, Maya enjoys volunteering as a Certified Adult Reading Coach and reimagining soul food recipes with a plant-based twist.

 

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  • Los Angeles, CA
Parenting Students
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At EdTrust-West, we believe a different California is possible:

a California that ensures that Black, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native American students’ futures are as bright as their dreams are big. We believe that our state’s schools, colleges, and universities can form the bedrock of a more just California.

Committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in California’s education system.

California Offices: Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento

National Office: EdTrust

State Offices: EdTrust-New York, EdTrust-Tennessee, EdTrust-Midwest

Tel: 510.465.6444

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Karla Fernandez

Communications Manager

Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.

Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.

Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.