Board Members
Pedro Ramirez, President / Co-Director
A graduate of Cal State Fresno with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science minor in Agribusiness and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Urban Planning and Finance at Cal State Long Beach. Pedro is passionate about community involvement and dedicated to giving a voice to underrepresented communities. As an undocumented Immigrant, Pedro has worked with labor organizations, elected officials, and community groups to champion pro-immigrant policies such as the California Dream Act, immigration reform, and access to affordable quality education. Prior to co-founding Valley Impact Strategies, Pedro held positions in labor, nonprofit, and served as a staff member to several elected leaders.
Currently, Pedro serves as President and Co-Director of the Central Valley Worker Center and a board member for the United We Lead Foundation, and Valley Voices all organizations focused on community organizing, labor rights, and immigrant rights.
Resident: Tulare County
Alaina Ybarra, Vice-President
Aliana was born and raised in Madera, and grew up in a regular middle-class neighborhood she had the desire to be a part of something important and made the decision to join the United States Air Force on active duty in 2000. While on Active duty Alaina attended college and earned a AA in Information Systems and BA in Criminal Justice. In 2005, Alaina was honorably discharged from the military with the rank of Staff Sergeant, in pursuit of attending law school. Upon graduating from law school at the University of San Diego School of Law in 2009 Alaina was then offered a job at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office but later returned home to the valley and became a Deputy District Attorney in the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office until 2012 when Alaina decided to go into private practice. The private arena has allowed Alaina to expand her dream of reaching and helping others in need, whether it be a parent in need of guidance and assistance in the family law court, a business in need of civil law wisdom, or an individual citizen in need of protection of their constitutional rights in the criminal court. Alaina also continues her efforts in serving the community by providing hundreds of hours of pro bono work to indigent and low-income Fresno and Madera residents every year.
Resident: Fresno County
Maria Lemus, Secretary-Treasurer
Maria R. Lemus serves as the District Director for Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula representing the 31st Assembly District in California. Maria has a wealth of experience in the Central Valley nonprofit community as the Co-Founder of the Education and Leadership Foundation.
Resident: Fresno County
Staff
Marthalicia Gonzalez Felix, Co-Director
Marthalicia is currently a Fresno State Student Majoring in Agricultural Business and Political Science. While at community college as an undocumented immigrant she became involved with the Fresno City College Dream Center where she reached out to other immigrant students to help them understand the importance of pursuing higher education despite their immigration status. Along with working with the Federacion de Clubes Zacatecanos where she worked on a family reunification program assisting undocumented community members to obtain a tourist visa for their parents who live in Mexico and whom they have not seen in over 10 years and through that she became passionate about helping her immigrant community. She has worked to empower communities by going door-to-door and educating them about having fair representation for working families during her time with Valley Forward. Marthalicia hopes to make a difference by empowering underserved communities by organizing neighborhoods around civic participation, youth empowerment and economic justice.
Resident: Fresno County
Anahi Serrano, Youth Coordinator
Anahi Serrano was born in Washington State to Mexican Immigrant parents. They all moved to the City of Reedley when she was 2 years old. Attended Reedley High School, as part of the Class of 2013. She is currently attending Reedley College and pursuing a degree in Criminology and Psychology in hopes of becoming a Juvenile Corrections Counselor.
Resident: Tulare County