Who We Are

Cher provides oversight for the Foundation team and guides the activities of the Foundation on behalf of the board of trustees. Cher has worked in the music industry and as a professional actress. Among her many academic degrees and certificates, Cher holds a BA in organizational management from Arizona State University and post-graduate certifications from Cornell University and Harvard Graduate School of Education. Cher is also a member of the first graduating cohort in a National Human Services Assembly (NHSA) nonprofit executive leadership program; a collaboration with Arizona State University, Indiana University and the Lilly School of Philanthropy. In 2019, Cher completed her master’s degree in ethical leadership from Claremont Lincoln University. Cher has worked in foster care administration for over two decades and has served on a variety of nonprofit boards. She currently serves on the Human Relations Committee for the City of Claremont to help oversee their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, serves on the Policy and Practice Commission for the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), is on the Juvenile Justice Steering Committee for the California Alliance for Children & Families, and is a Design Thinking Department Advisor at University of California, Riverside. In her spare time, Cher performs stand-up comedy professionally.

Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes fundraising event management, volunteer coordination, communications, scholarship disbursement, warehouse inventory, care package assembly, grant writing, community outreach, and stewardship. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources to help children heal, learn, and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and is involved in the community. She previously served on the Claremont Village Marketing Group board, served as the director of the Claremont Art Walk, owned and operated an art gallery and retail store, earned the highest level of achievement as a Girl Scout, and is active in her church. Before her work at CFA, Jenelle worked in publishing including newspapers, magazines, and freelance photography, graphic design, copywriting, and editing. Jenelle loves spending time with her family, particularly at brunch or tea, and is a classic movie buff. Jenelle also manages the marketing and branding at Trinity Youth Services for foster care outreach.

Carla works with the leadership team to develop strategies to increase awareness and financial support for long-term financial stability by sourcing grant opportunities, building relationships with donors, planning fundraising events, and focusing on community engagement. She has a bachelor's degree in Social Science and Sociology from Portland State University. Her early career centered on retail management, including music and video stores. She spent the last 25 years in the mortgage industry where she first started working with first-time home buyers and spent the past eight years focused on business strategy, change management, training, and leadership development. She also worked on special programs for underserved populations aimed to help correct disparities in home lending. Carla began working with CFA in 2012 as a board member and volunteer. She now lends her talents as an official part of our team. In her free time, she also volunteers for the Friends of the Lewis Library and Carla says her and her entire family are passionate about volunteering and giving back.

Alexandra supports the Foundation team with daily tasks including organization, correspondence, reporting, database management, event coordination, and inventory. Alexandra obtained her bachelor's degree in art history from UC Santa Barbara and a master's degree in art business from Claremont Graduate University. She serves on the Diversity, Inclusion, Vale, Equity (DIVE) team at Trinity Youth Services and is currently the senior associate at the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art and was the sales associate and social media coordinator for Amelie boutique and a file clerk at Trinity Youth Services. Alexandra has served the Foundation as long as she can remember. Her mother would bring her to the office when she was a child and would help out on summer break in high school. "Now I’m happy to be here full time," she says.

Linh supervises a team of accountants in processing incoming and outgoing donations as well as balancing our expenses. Linh has been serving on our team for over 15 years and spends her free time volunteering at the Foundation with her children.

Alazea connects the Foundation with local communities to raise awareness, support, and advocacy for children in need. Through outreach, partnerships, and events, she helps strengthen community ties and advance our mission to provide an opportunity for every person to help children heal, learn, and thrive. Alazea earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Mount Marty University, then earned her master’s degree in business and science from Keck Graduate Institute, where she combined her passion for public service with skills in management, operations, and community development. She has a strong background in healthcare, nonprofit outreach, and youth advocacy, with several years in community-based roles that focus on engagement, communication, and support services. Outside her professional life, Alazea is an active volunteer at United Way, a local women’s shelter, coaching a little league baseball team, and working with children in underserved communities. She additionally enjoys traveling, spending time at the beach, and playing slow-pitch softball.