Staff/Board

Isis Medina Orellana is the Policy Analyst for the California Workforce Association. She advocates and develops legislative initiatives that advance California’s workforce and support businesses. Prior to working at CWA, she was the Senior District Representative for Assemblymember James Ramos. During that time, Isis garnered experience in the California legislative process serving as a liaison with government agencies, […]

Jason Henderson is the Policy Analyst for the California EDGE Coalition. He is responsible for researching and evaluating policies to assess their effectiveness while identifying their benefits and drawbacks. His work centers around collaborating with partners and communities to increase awareness of EDGE’s policy priorities and initiatives. Previously, Jason served as the Strategic Outreach Coordinator

Leola Roberts is the Administrative Assistant for the California Edge Coalition. Prior to her role at the EDGE, Leola made significant contributions to the California State Assembly in the Speaker’s Appointments Unit. Here, she orchestrated the intricate process of Speaker’s appointments to numerous state boards, commissions, and taskforces, showcasing her adept organizational skills and attention

Gloria Cruz is a passionate public servant with over 20 years of experience in actively developing policy and advocacy with a race and equity framework. She has also been a lifelong activist for LGBT and Immigrant rights, being a member of both communities. She was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and migrated to the United States

Rebecca Hanson is the Executive Director of the Education Fund, a nonprofit partnership between 6 SEIU local unions and 22 healthcare industry and public sector employers working to advance the careers of 100,000 SEIU healthcare workers. She serves as the Chairperson of the California Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship and is a member of the

Jaclyn Moreno is the Program Director for the California EDGE Coalition.  She has over two decades of experience as a psychologist focusing specifically on mental health and ensuring successful transition from high school to career or college for students with disabilities.  Jaclyn has also worked as a college professor through Loyola Marymount Universities teacher preparation

Abbie Langston, Director, Equitable Economy, leads efforts to redesign our economy on the principles of equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity, developing partnerships and systems-change efforts focused on power building, narrative change, and policy advocacy. Through the National Equity Atlas partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute, she produces tailored research to support grassroots campaigns and cross-sector

Bianca directs California’s policy and government affairs operations in California. She also directs outreach for the Northern California region, including the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. She leverages the collective voices of California stakeholders and small business owners to compete on a level playing field and to provide quality jobs for themselves and for California

Bob Lanter is currently the Executive Director of the California Workforce Association leading the way in workforce strategy and the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act for the state of California. Bob has worked almost two decades in the public sector and non-profit industry, with experience in the field of workforce development and

Lawrence Gayden is Policy Director for the Sacramento-based California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA). CMTA is the sole statewide trade association for manufacturers, representing more than 400 manufacturers on various competitiveness issues and programs. Born and raised in Oakland, Lawrence received his Bachelor of Arts in English at California State University, Sacramento. After a stint