Rafael is full-time faculty member in the Humanities & Religion Studies departments at Santa Rosa Junior College. Rafael donates of his own time and money volunteering with programs addressing the needs of troubled youth in our community. He serves as a mentor to several young men with the objective of connecting them with positive alternatives. Rafael is the president of the board of directors at Humanidad Therapy & Educational Services. He previously was a board member of another non-profit since 2003, but began volunteering in 1997. Rafael worked with a program where he communicated with 286 inmates in prisons within the United States. The program provided books to inmates as funding allowed. Rafael immigrated to Santa Rosa from Oaxaca Mexico at the age of 15 to live with his brothers while he attended Santa Rosa High School. In addition to earning his associate degree, Rafael has completed five SRJC certificate programs: Law Enforcement, Corrections, Children & the Justice System, Laws of Arrest, and Juvenile Counselor. He earned his BA degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Sonoma State University. In 2010, Rafael earned his Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Sonoma State University.

Josselyn has been a volunteer for Humanidad since fall of 2013 and continues to be. She’s been a Board Member since 2013 and works for a non-profit for children and their families, birth to five years of age, at the Early Learning Institute. Josselyn was also an organizer and supporter for Idle No More SF Bay Area in the East Bay. Josselyn enjoys her free time connecting with nature by hiking, camping, climbing and backpacking. She also loves making ceramics and eating good food and spending time with friends.

Yesenia is Regional Director for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, a California State agency that protects farmworkers’ right to collectively speak up about and request better working conditions. Prior to working for the state, Yesenia worked as an immigration attorney in the private and non-profit sector and as a kindergarten teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District. Yesenia immigrated from Zacatecas, Mexico to Los Angeles at the age of 6. Yesenia holds a BA in Psychology from California State University Northridge, MA in Education from Pepperdine and JD from Golden Gate University. Yesenia joined the Board in 2019.

Gordon Scott, also known as Bart, has been a lawyer practicing in Sonoma County for over 30 years. He spent 10 years as a deputy district attorney, but in 2000 celebrated the new millennium by becoming a street lawyer. The focus of his practice is criminal defense either in the trial courts or on appeal. Though his Spanish is marginal at best, he has had an active practice representing members of the Latino community in Sonoma County. This started when his son’s former futbol teammates grew up and started breaking the law. He is strongly committed to an inclusive and fair legal system. That’s not the default. Bart’s wife is Yvonne, una Colombiana. They travel to Colombia as often as possible. His son is fluent in Spanish and makes fun of him when he tries to speak it.

Lilian is a Program Analyst with the County of Sonoma, Employment and Training Division, overseeing youth workforce development programs. With over a decade of combined experience in public and nonprofit sectors, Lilian brings a deep commitment to community empowerment. A graduate of Sonoma State University with a BA in Psychology, Lilian initially aspired to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. While her career path took a different course, her passion for mental health advocacy remains steadfast. Lilian is dedicated to challenging the negative stigma around mental health that still prevails in our communities. Heartened by Humanidad’s impactful work, Lilian joined the Board in the fall of 2023. She is eager to contribute her expertise in program development, community outreach and mental health advocacy to help Humanidad achieve its mission and vision.

Nubia Padilla graduated with M.A in Psychology Organization Development at Sonoma State University and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering at the National University in Colombia. S.A. Since the time she immigrated to USA, she has been working with community service programs, community engagement and education programs in Sonoma County. She had been working with community programs for diverse populations, in different capacities, including implementing, managing, and developing local and state-wide programs and initiatives for diverse communities. Nubia’s work focuses on diversity and equity for underrepresented communities. “It is All About Belonging! – Every effort to support Accessibility, Inclusion, Racial Equity, Health Equity and so on, has a goal of support the Sense of Belonging. My work focuses on answering this question: How my actions, my work and my relationships support others sense of belonging?”