Who's Listening

Carol Lewis is a longtime community leader in El Cajon, serving for more than nine years as Coordinator and Property Manager for Little House Family Resources and the El Cajon Collaborative, where she supports families, seniors, and newcomer communities through health, transportation, and resource‑access initiatives. A graduate of California State University–Fullerton, she previously worked as a Community Liaison for Mountain Health & Community Services and served on the board of Newcomers Support & Development. Carol has been widely recognized for her impact, receiving honors such as the San Diego County Public Health Champion Director’s Award, a City of El Cajon Proclamation of Appreciation, and a Community Hero award, and she was appointed to the San Diego County Social Services Advisory Board for District 2. Her leadership spans multiple regional workgroups, including the Aging Communities Workgroup and the Senior Transportation Workgroup, where she continues to champion public health, community connection, and equity in East County.

Bonnie Baranoff coordinates the La Mesa Collaborative and the East County Homeless Task Force.  She served as Chair of La Mesa's Citizen Task Force on Homelessness and coordinates La Mesa's annual WeAllCount homeless census. She also volunteers with La Mesa First United Methodist Church's Fresh Start Saturday outreach program for neighbors experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.

Seraphina Eberhardt is a Regional Director at the Institute for Public Strategies, where she oversees equity-focused, community-based substance misuse prevention initiatives across San Diego County. Deeply committed to fostering regional health and collaboration, Seraphina serves as the facilitator and coordinator for the Lakeside Community Collaborative within the East Region Collaborative Network. Additionally, she drives community empowerment and resource alignment as a Co-Chair for the Live Well San Diego East Region Leadership Team. She holds a B.S. in Public Health from San Diego State University.

Joyce Moore is the President of Thrive Lemon Grove. She is a devoted community organizer who loves working in underserved communities. She is a youth advocate and an inspirational speaker dedicated to advocating for policy changes to improve public health and safety within various communities.

Serving both the community and the church doesn’t come without its hardships; regardless of the obstacles, it is evident that she was born with a purpose to serve the people and their communities.

Cherie Foraker serves as the Coordinator of Community Schools for Mountain Empire Unified School District (MEUSD), where she leads initiatives focused on student wellness, family engagement, workforce development, and cross-sector partnerships that support whole-child and whole-community outcomes. Her work centers on expanding educational opportunity and strengthening systems that connect schools, families, higher education, community organizations, and regional agencies across rural communities.

Cherie also serves as the Mountain Empire Collaborative Co-Chair, helping lead regional planning and collaboration efforts that strengthen educational pathways, student supports, and community partnerships throughout the Mountain Empire region.

With a strong commitment to equity and rural student success, Cherie specializes in program development, strategic planning, grant writing and oversight, and partnership building designed to improve student outcomes and expand access to college and career opportunities. She has helped lead the development and implementation of major grant-funded initiatives that support long-term educational and community impact across the region.

Esther Matos is a Program Manager at San Ysidro Health, where she oversees staff, events, programs, and a range of social service classes that support the local community. She brings extensive experience in program coordination, community engagement, and bilingual outreach, with native-level proficiency in Spanish.

In addition to her work at San Ysidro Health, Esther serves as a Co‑Chair for the Mountain Empire Collaborative, a part‑time leadership role she has held since December 2021. In this position, she collaborates with regional partners to strengthen community resources, expand access to services, and support strategic initiatives across the Mountain Empire region.

Esther is recognized for her dedication to community health, her strong organizational leadership, and her commitment to creating accessible, high‑impact programs for underserved populations.

Janessa Nedney started her role as the Director, Community Collaborative with the Santee School District in October 2023. Her previous role, as a Senior Program Director with SAY San Diego, placed her at multiple school sites in SE San Diego operating School-Based Family Resource Centers, working closely with San Diego Unified School District staff and leaders. Janessa is a trained School Social Worker holding a MSW degree from the University of Washington. Her passion is to authentically engage and collaborate with youth, families, and community partners to ensure access to vital resources that foster safety, resiliency, and a sense of belonging.  Through her experience within the non-profit and public education sectors, Janessa uses a restorative practices and trauma informed approach when working alongside others and within systems.  

Andrea Frost is a dedicated District Counselor at the La Mesa–Spring Valley School District and leads its Family & Community Engagement team, where she connects families—especially newcomers, refugees, and students experiencing homelessness or foster care—to essential resources like CalFresh, Wi‑Fi assistance, school meal programs, and counseling services . With over four years as a School Counselor at San Diego Unified and 16 years in education roles in San Diego and Chicago, she holds a Master of Education in Counselor Education from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master of Arts in Reading Specialist from Concordia University Chicago. Andrea also serves as a district contact for Community Schools and is actively involved in regional efforts with the Live Well San Diego East Region Leadership Team, demonstrating her commitment to equitable access to education, wellness, and family supports across San Diego County