Sara Reyes began her service career at 19 working for the Santa Clara County Office of Education and City of San Jose. She then worked for Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County (CCSCC) for over 19 years where she managed a $19M+ department. Ms. Reyes held an Interim Executive Director position at CalSAC. She led the organization during the executive director transition and served on the Board of Directors for 5 years. She attended the National Hispanic University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and San Jose State University where she earned a Master of Public Administration. Ms. Reyes is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow.

(408) 263-8330

sreyes@shinetogether.org

Niki joined Teen Success, Inc. in July 2018 as the Partnership Manager for the Sacramento Valley, Oakland, and Northwestern Nevada. Today, she is the Sacramento Valley Regional Director responsible for the growth of the Teen Success, Inc. program in her respective region. She passionately advocates for and supports young parents, as she resonates with being a young mom herself. Niki graduated from Grand Canyon University in April 2022, with a Master’s in Science for Sociology with an emphasis in Education and holds a Sociology B.A. with Psychology minor.

(408) 593-0298

niki@shinetogether.org

Carol was born and raised in Salinas, CA, known as the “Salad Bowl of the World.” Her family immigrated from Mexico through the Bracero Program in the 1950s, making Salinas their new home. Her grandfather was a bracero, and her parents were farmworkers who actively participated in the United Farm Workers Union in the 1960s.

Carol has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including five years working in local government with the City of Salinas’ Community and Safety Division. She began her career in human services at the age of 18, working with The Salvation Army of Salinas’ Kid’s Café program while incarcerated as a youth at the Monterey County Youth Center under the Probation Department. Through a youth employment pilot program for incarcerated youth, Carol seized every opportunity available to her.
Carol was involved in the juvenile justice system from ages 13 to 18 and became a teen mom at 15. In 2002, while incarcerated, she participated in Teen Success, Inc. She has since built a career shaped by her life experiences, turning her trials into a testimony. Over the years, she has helped hundreds of youth and their families and is now focused on supporting young parents.

In 2021, Carol relocated to Fresno, where she is an active member of the League of Mexican American Women of Fresno. She also serves on the advisory committee for Wonder Wood Ranch in Monterey County, having previously been a board member. She is a devoted mother to five children, ranging in age from 24 years to 2 years old.

Carol is passionate about Shine Together’s mission and looks forward to serving young parents in the Fresno community. She is also a proud Kansas City Chiefs fan—Go Chiefs!

Kathy joined the team in January 2022 as the Bay Area Regional Director. Kathy is a passionate social worker who’s spent her whole career serving transitional age youth in academic, nonprofit, workforce, and social impact capacities. Kathy earned her B.A. in Sociology and Education at UCSC and her MSW at Columbia University, concentrating in Social Enterprise Administration. Kathy is working her way to become an LCSW to dismantle systems of oppression and to close the Opportunity Divide. In her free time, Kathy loves to work out, try new breweries, restaurants and throw pottery.

(408) 892-7203

kwilliams@shinetogether.org

Deyanira Tellez has devoted her career to helping narrow the opportunity gap through various roles in leadership, breaking down systemic barriers and promoting a strong start for children. As a mother of two young children, Deyanira believes in the importance of early child-parent connections and how these help cultivate and strengthen relationships for generations.

dtellez@shinetogether.org

I joined Shine in July 2024, and I’m excited to share my knowledge, guidance, and resources with young mothers and their families. I have over five years of professional experience working with underserved, low-income populations of all ages. My passion for supporting these communities comes from volunteering with nonprofit organizations throughout high school and college.

Originally from Anaheim, CA, I moved to San Jose after high school to attend San Jose State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis on Community Focus and a minor in Sociology. I plan to pursue a Master’s in Social Work to further assist my community.

In my free time, you’ll find me at community gatherings, resource fairs, trying out new recipes, or re-watching my favorite shows and movies.

Cecilia Bueno Moreno (she/her). I was born and raised in San Jose, CA. I have a bachelor’s in Sociology from Stanislaus State. I joined Shine in December 2022. I’m happy to be part of the Shine team because I’ve always loved to help the community and empower others. By being an advocate, I can support young mothers to achieve their goals. In addition, I have six years of experience working with youth. You can find me spending time with my family in my free time. Family is important to me. Another hobby is trying new foods and being adventurous.

(408) 593-0294

cecilia@shinetogether.org

My name is Karolina Cabanillas and am a first-time mommy of a baby girl. I am Hispanic and the eldest of 4 children. My family and I are from Sinaloa, Mexico and are very proud of our roots. I am bilingual and love to help my community with any resources I might have.

I have been working with various non-profit organizations for over 8 years now. I have worked with K-12, migrant families and elderly people. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to help my community and our future generations. I am a firm believer that a strong community outweighs everything else. The sky is the limit and I wish to continue spreading that energy to the community.

I am very excited to see what the future holds here at Shine and am very excited to be a part of the journey as an advocate. I am motivated to make a positive impact and am looking forward to serving my community. My door will always be open so please don’t hesitate to reach out for anything.

Hello! My name is Paola Yajaira Avila, and I joined the Shine team earlier this year as an intern. As of August 2024, I am proud to be part of the Child Watch team. I’m currently studying Public Health at San Jose State University.

Born and raised in San Jose, I am the oldest of three sisters and come from a very close-knit family. Family is incredibly important to me, and I am passionate about working with children, learning from their unique personalities, and enjoying their company.

Outside of work and school, I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy going to the beach, discovering new places, and traveling to new destinations.

My name is Sonia Herrera, and I joined the Shine Together family in May 2024. I feel extremely blessed and happy to work with an organization that empowers young mothers to become the best version of themselves alongside their children.

I bring over 15 years of experience helping families in rural communities and six years of experience advocating for and assisting survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Beyond my professional experience, I have also lived the journey of being a young mother.

I am a woman who believes in the power of pursuing dreams and goals. I have two beautiful daughters and an amazing son who inspire me every day to strive for more and continue my college education. Family is very important to me, and I cherish spending quality time with my loved ones and friends.

Three words that define me are kind, respectful, and grateful. I am a passionate individual with deep empathy, especially when it comes to helping others. It is both a privilege and an honor to serve as an advocate at Shine Together.

Hello my name is Vanessa Padilla but you can call me Ness/Nessa for short. I am 26 and was born and raised in Fresno, Ca. I have a Bachelors in Criminology-Corrections from Fresno State University. I myself was a apart of Teen Success back in 2012 when I was once a Teen Mom. I have an 11 year old son that means the entire world to me. My passion in life is just to simply help people in any way possible. Being able to be someone’s advocate and provide resources to those in need really drives me to be more involved and fully dedicated to my community. Having the opportunity to make a full circle in life by now being apart of this organization as an Advocate really means so much to me. Teen Success was a huge part of my life not only in helping me become the best mother I could possibly be but also shaping me into the person I am today. As much as I’m excited to be apart of this team and show what I have to offer I’m most excited to learn from the mothers I get to work with.

3 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME:

• DIE HARD 49ER FAN
• TRAIN IN JIU JITSU & MUAY THAI
• VERY FAMILY ORIENTED

vanessa@shinetogether.org