Be kind. Be fierce.

“The mark of a wild heart is living out the paradox of love in our lives. It’s the ability to be tough and tender, excited and scared, brave and afraid - all in the same moment. It’s showing up in our vulnerability and our courage, being both fierce and kind.” 

-Brene Brown

Our Team

  • A man with glasses and a mustache, wearing a red plaid shirt with a 'County FB' badge, sitting in front of a bookshelf with various books and decorative items.

    Mark Ashford

    Program Director

  • A woman with blonde hair sitting on a pink couch, wearing a mauve top, with a background of a bookshelf and a green plant.

    Vanessa Ashford

    Director of Community Initiatives and Peer Support

  • A woman sitting on a yellow couch with a black dress, smiling, with a decorative floral and butterfly wallpaper in the background.

    Marisa Avila

    Program Assistant

  • A man with glasses, a goatee, and a shaved head is sitting on a patterned bench in front of a bookshelf filled with books and colorful objects. He is wearing a black T-shirt with the words 'Cry Bad Can' and multiple necklaces.

    Sam Brown

    Special Projects

  • A man with glasses, a beard, and a mustache smiling, wearing a black shirt, sitting in front of a bookshelf filled with books and decorative items, with a pink and colorful fabric hanging to one side.

    Mario Castro

    Circle Keeper

  • A smiling woman with wavy brown hair, wearing earrings, and an orange patterned shawl.

    Pattie Cortese

    Program Instructor

  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes, smiling while sitting in a pink chair in front of a bookshelf filled with books, wearing a turquoise blouse and gold jewelry.

    Allyson Dubenko

    Finance and Operations Director

  • A smiling woman with curly gray hair and glasses sitting on a pink armchair in a room with a bookshelf in the background.

    Ann Fisher

    Vice President of Development and Training

  • A woman with curly dark hair wearing a navy blue shirt and jeans, sitting on a red chair with a bookshelf in the background.

    Aviva Fronen

    Operations Assistant

  • A woman with long dark hair and a beige sweater sitting in a blue chair in front of a bookshelf filled with books and decorative items.

    Sylvia Garza

    Circle Keeper

  • A woman sitting on a red chair in front of a bookshelf, smiling, with a plant in the background.

    Lilia Gopar

    Community Health and Healing Program Coordinator

  • A man with short black hair, a thin mustache and goatee, wearing a black t-shirt, sitting on a yellow sofa with colorful floral and butterfly wallpaper in the background.

    Charles Good

    Program Assistant

  • A smiling man with glasses, gray beard, and tattoos, wearing a brown T-shirt with pink text and a gold chain, sitting indoors with colorful books and decorations in the background.

    Mario Guerra

    Circle Keeper

  • A woman with short gray hair wearing glasses and a pink collared shirt, smiling indoors.

    Debi Higgs

    Director of Programs and Training

  • A smiling woman with short blonde hair wearing a bright blue sweater and a beaded necklace, sitting in a room with a pink wall decorated with colorful bird and flower illustrations.

    Malika Lynn

    Program Instructor

  • Smiling elderly woman with curly gray hair and glasses, sitting at an outdoor dining area.

    Shanti Marcella Macartney

    Compassionate Care Counselor

  • Portrait of a woman sitting on a pink chair, smiling, with a bookshelf in the background.

    Patty Marquez-Singh

    Restorative Justice and Community Healing

  • A young woman with long wavy hair smiling while sitting on a pink chair in front of a bookshelf.

    Brittany Mendoza

    CRC (Community Rising Coalition) Program Manager

  • A man with a mustache in a white checkered shirt sitting on a striped bench in front of a blue bookshelf filled with books and decorative items, with a potted plant on his left.

    Jorge Mendoza

    Nueva Vida, President

  • Portrait of a young woman with dark hair styled in a bun, wearing a black shirt, looking slightly to the right.

    Tiffany Mendoza

    Nueva Vida Program Assistant

  • A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a blue cardigan and black top, sitting on a red chair in a room with bookshelves and framed pictures on the wall.

    Reneé Ridgway

    Program Administrator

  • An older woman with gray hair, wearing a blue shirt over a white top, sitting on a red chair in a room with a bookshelf in the background.

    Olivia Soza-Mendiola

    Special Projects

  • Smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a dark button-up shirt, sitting in a bright room with a bookshelf in the background and a pink chair.

    Shelley Swan

    Executive Director

  • A smiling man wearing sunglasses, a colorful tropical shirt over a pink T-shirt, and a necklace, is sitting in front of a bookshelf filled with books and decorative items.

    Michael Villarreal

    Circle Keeper