Dr. Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr.
Associate Vice Chancellor, Community Partnerships
Professor, Department of Political Science
Director, Center for Communications and Community
University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Gilliam received his B.A. from Drake University and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He is Associate Vice Chancellor, Community Partnerships, Professor of Political Science, and Founding Director of the Center for Communications and Community at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has taught with former Vice President Al Gore at Columbia University, Fisk University, and Middle Tennessee State University. He has also been a Visiting Scholar (not in-residence) at Brandeis University. He has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Grinnell College, and the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. In addition, Dr. Gilliam is a Fellow with the FrameWorks Institute, Washington, D.C.

He is the author of Farther to Go: Reading and Cases in African-American Politics (Harcourt Brace) and, with Shanto Iyengar, the forthcoming Race, Television News, and American Politics: Script-based Reasoning about Crime and Welfare (Princeton University Press). Dr. Gilliam has also published in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Philanthropy Matters, Social Policy Report, Urban Affairs Review, Journal of Politics, Nieman Reports, Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, Public Opinion, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Government and Policy, Sociological Inquiry, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Psychology, Ethiopian Review and The Source.

The Ford Foundation and UCLA's African American Studies Center awarded Dr. Gilliam post-doctoral fellowships. He was awarded a Research Fellowship from the Center for American Politics and Public Policy, UCLA. He has been twice nominated for UCLA's Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Gilliam has served on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Political Research Quarterly. In addition, the National Science Foundation appointed him to the Committee of Visitors. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of UCLA's Center for Urban Poverty; the Lewis Center for Regional Policy; and the Center for American Politics and Public Policy.
Dr. Gilliam has consulted with the Kellogg Foundation, the JEHT Foundation, the Mott Foundation, the California Endowment, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the W.T. Grant Foundation, the California Wellness Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Catholic Healthcare West, the St. Luke's Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Charles S. Benton Foundation.

Dr. Gilliam is also a political analyst for KCAL-TV in Los Angeles frequently commenting on national, state, and local politics. Dr. Gilliam has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, San Diego Union Tribune, Boston Globe, USA Today, Newsweek, Newsday, Seattle Times, Des Moines Register, The Christian Science Monitor, La Opinion, Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Sydney Times. He has appeared on the NBC Nightly News, ABC Nightly News, CNN, NPR, C-Span, KNBC, KABC, KRON, and KPIX.

Dr. Gilliam is on the National Advisory Board, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress; the National Selection Committee, Faculty Scholars Program, William T. Grant Foundation; the National Advisory Board, REDEMPTION, Nomadic Pictures; the National Advisory Board, Institute for Community Peace; the Community Board, Hope Street Family Center, California Hospital Medical Center; the Community Advisory Board, Sempra Energy, The Gas Company; the External Advisory Board, Community Oral Health Initiatives; and the Community Investment Cabinet, Greater Los Angeles United Way. He can be reached at fgilliam@conet.ucla.edu.

 

Margaret Leal-Sotelo
Director, Center for Community Partnerships

Margaret Leal-Sotelo is the Director of the Center for Community Partnerships. She is responsible for strategic planning and implementing UCLA in LA operations and programmatic activities that value the exchange of ideas and resources between the campus and community. Before joining the Center, she served as the Chief of Staff of the Institute for Labor and Employment, a multi-campus research program of the University of California. Her background spans over 20 years of effective coalition building and work with communities, stakeholders and diverse sectors, administration, and research in the UCLA School of Medicine, non-profit organizations, and in the Community College and California State University systems.

Ms. Leal-Sotelo was the Vice President of Communications and Development of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). She also directed íHagase Contar!, the largest non-governmental grass-roots education and media campaign for Latinos and Census 2000. She served on the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Census 2000 National Advisory Committee and was a member of the Special/Hard to Count Populations and Data Products working Groups. For six years, Ms. Leal-Sotelo was the project director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Program on the Care of Critically Ill Hospitalized Adults at UCLA which examined communication and decision making for patients in end stages of life. Margaret has a B.A. in Sociology and an M.S.W. with an emphasis in research and program evaluation. She can be reached at mlealsotelo@conet.ucla.edu.

 

Teresa Lara
Special Projects Manager, Center for Community Partnerships

Teresa Lara manages the University's funded partnerships, community forums, publications and other special projects. Prior to Community Partnerships, Teresa worked in UCLA's Local Government and Community Relations and the UCLA Law School. She also has experience in Development and Alumni Relations at San José State University. Her background includes extensive experience in the non-profit realm, from running after-school programs for under-privileged youth to teaching citizenship classes to the elderly and homebound residents. Recently, Teresa was the Program Coordinator for the non-partisan Zócalo “Public Square” Lecture Series. She currently serves on the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Grants Program. Teresa holds a B.A. in Behavioral Science. She can be reached at tlara@conet.ucla.edu.

Hien McKnight
Financial Manager, Center for Community Partnerships

Hien McKnight came to the Center for Community Partnerships after almost 20 years at UCLA in various administrative positions. Her most recent appointment was with the Department of Medicine as a Management Services Officer overseeing a researcher center and a clinic. A lover of languages and cultures, Hien spent a large part of her career in the Latin American Center where she served as a Public Programs coordinator and financial analyst. When not doing her volunteer work, Hien likes to feed her family and friends with wild food she concocts with or without inspiration. She can be reached at hmcknight@conet.ucla.edu.

Michelle Young Pervaiz
Assistant Office Manager, Center for Community Partnerships

Michelle is the Assistant Office Manager for the Center and manages scheduling requests for Associate Vice Chancellor Gilliam. She previously worked at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society where she was a Development Manager and was responsible for logistics for all Southern California Chapter events. Prior to that, her career includes positions at community-based organizations, the UCLA Venice Family Clinic and the Archer School for Girls. Michelle is a UCLA alumna graduating Cum Laude with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Classical Civilizations. She can be reached at myoung@conet.ucla.edu.

Gwendolyn V. Payne
Site Manager, South L.A. Office, Center for Community Partnerships

Gwendolyn V. Payne is the Site Manager for The Center for Community Partnerships - South Los Angeles office. Gwen leads the South LA administrative team and is responsible for organizing and coordinating office operations, and procedures to support faculty, students, and staff in their partnership work in South LA. Before joining the Center for Community Partnerships, Gwen was the Administrative Analyst for the UCLA Center for Communications and Community. Her background includes experience providing community service programs focused on youth, and developing mentoring relationships between K-12 youth-in-need and responsible adults. Gwen holds an A.A. degree in Business Administration. She is currently pursuing her B.S. Degree in Business Administration.

Roena Rabelo Vega
Coordinator, University – Community Partnerships, South LA Office, Center for Community Partnerships

As Coordinator of University – Community Partnerships in South Los Angeles, Roena will assist in establishing a center to develop problem solving collaborations between community and university partners. To facilitate center development Roena will be responsible for creating a database of community organizations in South Los Angeles whose work is aligned with the mission of the Center for Community Partnerships. Before joining the Center for Community Partnerships, Roena was project coordinator for the School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey where she developed culturally appropriate tobacco cessation treatment for Central New Jersey’s diverse urban communities and residents. She also developed a marketing campaign to reach diverse community based organizations about numerous health problems.  Roena received her B.A. (Hon.) from San Francisco State University and attended graduate school at University of Texas at Austin. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Health.  

Krystle Cobian
Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, Center for Community Partnerships

Krystle is currently a senior at UCLA majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. Outside of academics, Krystle’s involvements have included tutoring and mentoring projects, student government, student advocacy groups, and working as a Resident Assistant for the Office of Residential Life. She is a member of the United States Student Association (USSA), a national grassroots student advocacy organization, and a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Undergraduate Fellow, where she has realized her passion for social justice issues and working with the college student population. Upon graduation, Krystle plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in Student Affairs, specifically working with Admissions, Diversity, and Campus Life. She can be reached at cpassistant@conet.ucla.edu.

Cailin Crockett
Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, Center for Community Partnerships

Currently a second year undergraduate at UCLA, Cailin is pursuing a double major in Spanish Language and Culture and World Arts and Cultures with a minor in Political Science and Civic Engagement. She has been working for the Center for Community Partnerships since the beginning of her freshman year, and her time here has been a quintessential aspect of her experience at UCLA. Prior to her work at the Center, Cailin had significant experience volunteering and reviewing grants in the non-profit sector. Apart from her responsibilities at the Center, Cailin holds positions in several on-campus volunteer and activist organizations, and is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society as well as an intern for the UCLA Center for Women and Men. After graduation, she plans on earning an M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in Political Theory before applying to law school, ultimately intending to pursue a career involving racial and social justice and the law. She can be reached at cpassistant@conet.ucla.edu.

Candie Molina

Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, Center for Community Partnerships

Candie Molina is currently a junior at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology. In the beginning of her college career, Candie began to work for the Student Regent Designate/ Student Regent Maria Ledesma. From 2005-2007 she assisted the Student Regent with work involving campus diversity, admissions, and education. Candie was also part of the Migrant Student Leadership Institute at UCLA with director Professor Kris D. Gutierrez from the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies in 2006. Candie currently provides mentoring assistance with MeCha at the Student Activities Center. Upon graduation, Candie plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in Public Health and direct her attention to issues surrounding the Latino and Chicana/Chicano populations in her area. She can be contacted at cpassistant@conet.ucla.edu

Douglas Barrera
Graduate Student Researcher, Center for Community Partnerships

Douglas Barrera is a doctoral student in the Higher Education and Organizational Change division of UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. He is currently working on his dissertation, an impact analysis of university community engagement programs on the civic development of underserved youth and how such programs may facilitate increased access to higher education. Before coming to UCLA, Doug was program director for a non-profit community organizing agency in San Diego, and taught community engagement courses at the University of California San Diego and the University of San Diego. Doug received an M.A. in Education from UCLA, and an M.A. and B.A. in History from San Diego State University.He can be reached at dsbarrera@ucla.edu.