Leadership

Thesa is a Department Chair of Applied Behavior Sciences and Professor of Early Childhood Studies at Allan Hancock College.  Thesa has been a member of CCCECE since 2010 and has served as a Regional Catalyst in Region 6 for many years. Thesa is currently serving as Treasurer.

Sondra is a Professor of Child Development/Education Department at Rio Hondo College. She has also served as Faculty Coordinator of the Rio Hondo Child Development Center. Previously she has been an adjunct faculty at CSULA and Director of Children’s House and adjunct faculty at Utah State University. Sondra has been a member of CCCECE since 2007 and has served as VP of Public Policy South and President. Through the years with CCCECE she has volunteered to assist with membership tasks. She hopes to culminate that work as VP of Membership.

Tony Ayala is a full-time instructor of Child Development and Family studies at Solano Community College.  He began his career in early childhood in the late 1900’s while teaching after-school, preschool, infants, and toddlers. He went on to become a mentor teacher for Diablo Valley College and later was hired by DVC as a part time instructor.  He joined the California Community College Early Childhood Educators (CCCECE) in 2012, served on the  board as the Region 3 Catalyst in 2015 and in 2021 was elected Vice President of Public Policy North.  He has previously written and presented for the Faculty Initiative Project through WestEd and is currently a PEACH Steering Committee member and serves on his Local Planning Council.

Donna (she/her) is a part-time instructor at San Diego Mesa College in the Child Development Department. Previously she served as the San Diego Community College Program Director for the campus lab schools. She began her early childhood career working at Marine World Africa USA taking animals to bay area preschools. Donna has served previously as a Catalyst for CCCECE.

Tina is the Faculty Coordinator for the Education & Child Development Department and has been teaching college courses at Skyline College and Cañada College since 2015. She has been working with children and families in the field of Early Childhood Education (ECE) for almost 35 years and just recently transitioned from direct service at the Child Development Center. She has taught in early education programs with children ages birth to 5th grade in both Title 22 and Title 5 programs and have served as a teacher and administrator in high school, community college, and state university early education programs. Her professional interests lie in the areas of infant/toddler group care models, teacher preparation and training, and professionalism in the field of Early Childhood Education. She has been a member of CCCECE since 2020 and has served as Region 4 Catalyst and Treasurer.

Kristina, (she/her) is a full time Faculty and Program Coordinator at Cañada College’s Education and Human Development Program where she is also an alumni.  Previously she was an adjunct faculty member, Program Services Coordinator, and a Child Development Lab Center Master Teacher at Skyline College.  Kristina has been a member of CCCECE since 2017, and feels that being active in the executive board has helped her to connect and learn from early professionals across the state.  Kristina has served on CCCECE as a catalyst, VP of memberships and now in her current role as VP of public relations where she hopes to help connect members and share important information about children, families, and the early learning workforce.

Jenny Fererro (she/her) is a professor in the Child Development & Education department at Palomar College and has been actively involved in shared governance and social justice issues throughout her 19 years as a full-time faculty member. In addition to being a former department chair and current/past representative on many committees and councils, she is currently the Faculty Senate Vice President, the lead negotiator for the Palomar Faculty Federation, and the liaison to the Early Childhood Education Lab School. Jenny is the elected Catalyst Liaison for California Community College Early Childhood Educators (CCCECE) and a former Region 10 catalyst, and serves on several steering committees and boards, including San Diego American Association for Women in Community Colleges (SDAAWCC). Jenny is the author of a book for ECE professionals titled Guidance for Supporting Gender Diversity in Early Childhood Education which was published by Gryphon House in fall 2022 and is a current doctoral student in Community College Leadership.

Brianne Ayala is a full- time Faculty at Contra Costa College for the Early Childhood Development Program where 80% of her load is supervising the on campus Early Childhood Lab School. She has been full time since 2019. Previously, Brianne was an adjunct instructor at Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College and Solano College. While teaching adjunct, she was also the Early Childhood Specialist (Master Teacher) in the lab school at Diablo Valley College.  Brianne has been a member of CCCECE since 2016 and soon became  a Catalyst. She feels that the connections she made with colleagues at CCCECE meetings are what helped her to reach her goal of obtaining a full-time position. She wanted to be the lab school liaison so she could advocate for early childhood lab schools throughout the state.

TERM ENDS: 6/30/2024

TERM ENDS: 6/30/2024