Meet the Team
Dr. Ana Aguayo-Bryant
Dr. Ana Aguayo-Bryant has worked in higher education for over 30 years. She has managed different student programs such as Dream Centers that support undocumented students, foster youth programs, services for students with disabilities, and other programs that support students in achieving their academic goals. She is dedicated to promoting a collaborative culture that supports underrepresented, first-generation, and disadvantaged students. She illegally entered the United States as a child, along with her parents and her older brother from Mexico. She is the first in her family to obtain a doctorate on both sides of the border. In her personal time, she launched the Alumni Alliance as a mentorship program for former foster youth, but it has evolved into more than just a mentorship program. She holds a doctorate degree in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne, a master's degree in public administration, and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from California State University, Long Beach.
Craig Bryant
Craig Bryant was born and raised in Oklahoma and moved to California over 35 years ago. He and his wife have lived in Orange County, California, for 20 years. Craig has over 20 years of experience in the financial arena as a real estate and mortgage broker. Craig has always felt called to help clients in the financial arena. Craigaims to educate and advise his clients on ways to achieve their financial goals and provide personalized service to make home buying easy and stress-free. He specializes in creating custom and comprehensive insurance and financial strategies for his clients to help improve and safeguard their financial future and the financial future of those they care about. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach. He holds a State of California Insurance and Mortgage license.
Jason Cooke
Jason has over 25 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. He has been the director of Edelman Financial Engines and the owner of Herrmann & Cooke Wealth Management, providing financial planning and investment management services to 300+ clients with $500 million under management. He has served in different nonprofit and city roles. He served as an Advisory Board member for Today Youth Matter, a member of Walnut Creek School District, treasurer of the Citizen Bond Oversight Committee, a member of Lake Lakewood Association in the City of Walnut Creek, Blue Ribbon Task Force on Fiscal Health, and president of Tri-Valley Executives Association. He holds a bachelor degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach. He holds the Certified Planner designation.
Junely Merwin
Junely Merwin, a passionate advocate for higher education and foster youth rights, defied the odds as a former foster youth herself. Featured on FOX 11 news, she shared her inspiring journey from foster care to earning a Master's degree in Higher Education and becoming her university commencement speaker in 2024, urging support for disadvantaged individuals to pursue college degrees. During her graduate school years, representing the CSU Chancellor's Office, Junely advocated for improved resources and services for former foster youth across all 23 California State Universities (CSUs), opening doors for foster youth statewide. As a devoted mother and leader, her commitment knows no bounds, especially in her advocacy for the foster care community. Junely proudly serves on the board of the Alumni Alliance, championing initiatives that empower and uplift those with similar backgrounds.
Dr. Sara I. Gamez
Dr. Sara Gamez is an immigrant from Guatemala, with lived experience in foster care and a first-generation college graduate. Dr. Gamez has spent over 20 years assisting students who are first-generation, low-income, food and housing insecure, undocumented, and those with a lived experience in foster care to access college, empower themselves through education, and to graduate from college. She has served as a high school counselor, as an outreach and admissions counselor, educational counselor, program coordinator, associate director, director in higher education, and director of foster youth support programs. Her research interest is primarily on the experiences of foster youth in college, and she is a published author on matters of interest to college-going foster youth and working-class students in higher education. Dr. Gamez has served as the chair for the Southern California Higher Education Foster Youth Consortium (SCHEFYC), co-chair for the Community on Homelessness and Foster Care, under the Socioeconomic and Class Issues in Higher Education Knowledge Community (SCIHE-KC) within NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education association, is a co-founder of Foster Scholars, and serves on the Board of Directors for Children’s Fund of San Bernardino County Dr. Gamez was recognized by John Burton Advocates for Youth as the 2017 College Hero and by NASPA's Socioeconomic and Class Issues Knowledge Community as the 2021 Outstanding Professional. In January 2023, Dr. Gamez was recognized with a certificate of achievement for her work in creating a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive campus community.She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a Master of Science in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Long Beach.