Los Angeles, California Office

Kim Brettschneider, California State Coordinator

Kim Brettschneider leads CDF-California’s Los Angeles and Oakland offices as they advance efforts to ensure all children have health coverage, end policies that push children out of school, and guarantee our juvenile justice system rehabilitates youths.  The California team also provides youth programs including Freedom Schools® during the summer for over 600 children, a college and career ready program for high school students who receive CDF’s Beat the Odds® scholarship, and a Young Adult Leadership Training® focused on organizing communities.  In total, Kim has served almost six years at CDF in various roles.

At the Wonder of Reading, Kim was the development director, serving on their leadership team as they expanded their comprehensive literacy programs. Prior to this, she held an interim role overseeing the Conservation Corps of Long Beach’s charter high school with about 200 at-risk young adults, and after-school programs, serving almost 1,000 students.  During the beginning of her career she received several fellowships to expand health and education services for the Pomona Day Labor Center, designed an education rights training for Public Counsel, and analyzed giving patterns for Southern California Grantmakers.  At Pomona College, she received her B.A. in sociology and focused on public policy. Currently, Kim is a board member and mentor for Operation Jumpstart. 

Contact Kim Brettschneider at kimb@childrensdefense.org or 213-355-8791.

Danica Tisdale Fisher, Program/Administrative Associate

Danica Tisdale Fisher joined the CDF-California team in December 2010.  She currently serves as Program/Administrative Associate in the Los Angeles office with primary responsibilities in the areas of development and communications.  Danica’s experiences in higher education as a student and as an  instructor of both English Literature and Women’s Studies have inspired her social justice work on behalf of women and young people—particularly around issues of race, class, and gender disparities in healthcare and education.

Danica graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Temple University where she studied 19th and 20th century African-American literature. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Women’s Studies at Emory University, and is completing a dissertation on beauty, the black female body, and American popular culture. Danica resides in Upland, California with her husband, Damany Fisher.

Contact Danica Tisdale Fisher at dfisher@childrensdefense.org or 213-355-8787.

Michelle Newell, Policy Associate

Michelle Newell joined the Children’s Defense Fund’s Los Angeles office as a Policy Associate in September 2010. Through her policy and advocacy work, Michelle specializes in education and juvenile justice reform, and particularly the overlap in the two fields. Michelle uses research, policy analysis and coalition work to advocate for systemic reform that keeps youth out of the juvenile justice system whenever possible – particularly around ending punitive school policies that contribute to the school to prison pipeline – as well as works to reform the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles and California to ensure that we are providing rehabilitative environments that meet the needs of our youth.

Prior to working for the Children’s Defense Fund, Michelle received her Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she wrote her master’s thesis on juvenile reentry in LA County for Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. Before receiving her graduate degree, Michelle worked to make our education system more equitable. She completed the Education Pioneers graduate fellowship, worked in research and evaluation for the Long Beach Unified School District, and taught fourth grade through Teach for America. Michelle received her B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley and lives in Los Angeles.

Contact Michelle Newell at mnewell@childrensdefense.org or 213-355-8790.

Saira G. Soto, Program Director

Saira was born in Durango, Mexico and has lived in East Los Angeles since the age of seven. She received all her formal education through the public school system. In 2003, with the support of the CDF Beat the Odds® program and other scholarships, Saira graduated from the University of California at San Diego with a degree in Environmental Systems-Environmental Chemistry.

Saira has always been committed to environmental and social justice and spent time studying poor water quality, general access to water, and its impact on the health of migrant farm worker communities.  During this time, her exposure to the harsh working conditions of this population, as well as the constant workers' rights violations, inpsired her to pursue a career in the labor movement.

Prior to joining the Children's Defense Fund, Saira spent seven years as a Community Outreach Coordinator with the Service Employees Union, Local 721, advocating alongside public service providers and advocates for the preservation of public service programs for the most vulnerable in our communities.

In January 2011, Saira joined CDF-California as Program Director. In this position, she oversees the Beat the Odds Scholarship program and provides operational support for Freedom Schools® in California.

Contact Saira G. Soto at ssoto@childrensdefense.org or 213-355-8793.

 Joanna Flores, Program Associate

Joanna grew up in Long Beach where she was a part of a non-profit mentoring organization, Operation JumpStart, throughout her high school years. OJS is a community based program that is dedicated to assisting disadvantage youth to succeed academically and in life. Operation JumpStart inspired her work; providing mentorship and educational resources to disadvantage youth. Joanna graduated with her bachelor’s in Sociology and in 2009 she became the first OJS graduate to become a mentor. Joanna’s previous work was with Peace Over Violence, a non-profit organization dedicated to building healthy communities free of domestic, sexual and interpersonal violence.  As the Rape Prevention Education Coordinator she worked in partnership with youth, parents and professionals in order to help youth develop and maintain healthy and violence-free relationships.

Joanna Flores is the Program Associate of Youth Programs for the Los Angeles office of CDF-CA. As the Program Associate she strives to provide advocacy, guidance, case management and mentorship for the current Los Angeles Beat the Odds (BTO) award recipients as well as establish and maintain lines of communication with past recipients. Joanna works closely to address the students’ needs by coordinating college counseling sessions, leadership workshops, cultural and educational activities, college applications and tours, SAT preparation courses, and general preparations for the Los Angeles BTO Awards Gala.

Contact Jonna Flores at jflores@childrensdefense.org or 213-355-8788

Oakland, California Office

Jamila Iris Edwards, Northern California Director

Jamila Iris Edwards joined the Children’s Defense Fund’s California office as the Northern California Director in June 2011. As Northern California Director, Jamila manages the Oakland –based office and staff, interfaces with CDF-CA’s Southern California office, represents Northern California with our national office, and serves as the leader responsible for CDF-Northern California’s work on children’s health to enhance health outcomes by ensuring every child has access to quality health care.

Although her career started off teaching sixth grade in her hometown, Jamila has spent the last 8 years working in the health care and public health policy and advocacy field. Prior to joining CDF, Jamila worked for the statewide trade association representing community clinics and health centers leading the organization’s work in several different issue areas including Medi-Cal provider issues, oral health and pharmacy programs.

 Jamila holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego. She resides in Oakland with her son, Reile.

 Contact Jamila Iris Edwards at jedwards@childrensdefense.org or 510-663-3780.

Michele Stillwell-Parvensky, Policy and Communications Associate

Michele Stillwell-Parvensky is a Policy and Communications Associate in the Children’s Defense Fund’s Oakland office.  She works primarily on children’s health policy to ensure every child has access to quality health care. Michele is also involved in the office’s emerging policy work on Boys and Men of Color. 

Prior to joining the Children's Defense Fund, Michele worked on advocacy and communications for Preschool California, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to quality early learning for California’s children.  She has also worked closely on issues of poverty, homelessness and hunger.  Raised by community organizers in inner-city Denver, Michele is a lifetime social justice activist and an avid proponent of public schools.

Michele has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. During her time at Harvard, Michele co-founded the Massachusetts Cradle to Prison Pipeline Coalition, which is currently focused on reducing school exclusion and building support for alternatives that create positive learning environments.  She wrote her master’s thesis on how school districts can better use Title I funds to support disadvantaged students.

Contact Michele Stillwell-Parvensky at mstillwellparvensky@childrensdefense.org or 510-663-1294