In this episode, Spencer chats with Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, Executive Director of Sociedad Latina.

Since 1968, Sociedad Latina has been working in partnership with Latin@ youth and families to end the cycle of poverty, inequality to access of health services, and lack of educational and professional opportunities in our community.  We introduce innovative solutions to the most critical problems facing young Latin@s today. Our approach celebrates our diverse Latin@ heritages and enables young people to forge identities with deep roots in Latin culture. Our model supports positive creative youth development from ages 11 to 21, empowering a community that values young people and enables them to be leaders in their neighborhoods. 

Each year, Sociedad Latina serves 5,000 young people and adults. Over a thousand of our youth participate in our high-quality, comprehensive, and holistic out-of-school time programming in four key areas that meet the needs and interests of our community: Education, Workforce Development, Civic Engagement, and Arts and Culture. Our programming promotes long-term participation, positive interactions with adults, and cultural identity building. We recognize that giving youth an extensive support network enables them to develop as confident, competent, self-sustaining, and proud young adults. 

In this episode, Spencer is joined by Drs. Orrin White (Director of College & Career Success at United Way Delaware) and V. Scott Solberg (Professor, Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development at Boston University) to discuss how we can support youth in finding their future career pathways.

In this episode, Spencer chats with Chi Kim, CEO of PureEdge, Inc. Pure Edge, Inc. (PEI) provides direct service to organizations through professional development and strategy thought partnership. PEI also supports organizations that advance the work of whole child development and social and emotional learning. PEI has served more than 35,000 educators in over 85 school districts, state agencies and non-profit organizations across the United States and its territories. PEI aims to support the health and wellness of educators and support staff who serve our nation’s most important asset, children and young people

Chi was named Chief Executive Officer in March 2018 after serving as Chief Strategy & Operations Officer since 2016. Prior to joining Pure Edge, Inc., she was a California school superintendent. She also served as a school principal, teacher, leadership coach as well as a program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She is co-founder of the Teaching Garden program that was adopted by the American Heart Association to support heart health through school gardens.

She earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.Ed. from UCLA, a Tier I Administrative Services credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills, Tier II Administrative Services credential from Loyola Marymount University, XPT Performance Breathing Certification and Oxygen Advantage Functional Breathing Certification. She is mom to three wonderful girls and resides in the greater Boston area.

In our inaugural episode, host Spencer Murray chats with the CCD Center's Board Chair Leo Reddy about career readiness, what it means and why it must be the first priority of the American education system--especially today. 

Learn more and find resources about career readiness on the CCD Center website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for updates.