Meet our Rebels!

We are a dedicated team of rebels on a mission to foster educational equity for all. Our commitment to our foundation unites us, as we strive to create a brighter future for all members of our communities. Within our foundation, you'll find a diverse group of individuals, each with their own unique backgrounds and experiences. Our team members bring a wealth of perspectives and expertise to the table, which enables us to provide comprehensive support to those we serve. Together, we labor tirelessly to establish the Rebel Foundation for Educational Equity as a trusted and stable pillar within our community.

We invite you to join us on this transformative journey as we collaborate to build a more equitable educational landscape. Your support is invaluable, and together, we can make a profound impact. Thank you for standing with us!

Chairwoman

April Hawkins

Greetings, I'm April Hawkins, Chairwoman here at the Rebel Foundation for Educational Equity. I currently possess my Masters in Social Work. I can safely say that my educational journey has been a true testament to perseverance. Overcoming obstacles such as navigating the foster care system and surmounting personal barriers, I've honed in my passion for supporting those seeking higher education opportunities. My vision as Chairwoman is clear: to foster a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals from all walks of life can not only pursue but flourish in higher education. I am committed to making the Rebel Foundation for Educational Equity a cornerstone of trust and stability within our community, ensuring that we provide unwavering support to those we serve. Together, we will embark on a journey towards educational equity and brighter futures for all.

Chief Financial Office

Stephanie Velasco

I am Stephanie Velasco, and I am an accountant in Idaho! Education and support should be available for everyone to utilize to reach their dreams and desires. I thoroughly believe that options such as trade schools and training programs should be presented to everyone on top of community colleges and universities. I grew up in the small town of Reedley in Fresno County, California where many didn't have great options or support when choosing a path. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or how to attain an education. Having support, mentors, and family to help guide me, I was able to achieve my goals. I hope that we can grow this organization to reach and help as many people as we can!

Secretary

Gina Fenn

Greetings fellow rebels! I'm Gina Fenn, currently pursuing my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at UC Berkeley and a proud graduate of Fresno State with a Bachelor of Social Work. Over the past eight years, I've been deeply immersed in the world of academia while actively engaging in various community initiatives, such as special education, homelessness advocacy, program development, and policy reform.

Having overcome many personal challenges, I intimately understand the significance of extending support and opportunities to resilient students, particularly those who have encountered obstacles within the realms of mental health, generational trauma, and the criminal justice system. With my educational background and a profound belief in the transformative potential of learning, I am wholeheartedly committed to forging pathways of healing and growth within our communities.

My journey has always been propelled by an unwavering passion for social justice and education, which led me to co-found the Rebel Foundation for Educational Equity. I am genuinely excited to collaborate with a team that shares my core values. My vision for this foundation is to navigate every step with intentional purpose, empowering our team, clients, and communities to thrive in unity.

Member

Maggie Noel

My name is Maggie Noel and I work as a paraeducator with special needs children. I have always had a passion for working with the special Needs population and have been working with them for the past five years. I am excited for this foundation because I believe in everyone having the right to an education. I am excited to help future students achieve their goals.

Member

Kris Libunao

My name is Kris and I'm currently a Graduate Student Parent at UC Berkeley enriching myself with a Master's of Social Welfare (MSW) at the School of Social Welfare. I'm a first-generation scholar and the daughter of Filipino immigrant parents who came to America on the promise for a better life. But the harsh reality of a limited and biased social welfare care system created conditions to keep us in a state of survival and relentlessly tried to separate our family.

In the face of that, I owe much of my success to the sacrifices my mom has made to raise 7 children and the love that her and my pops give to not just my siblings, but to my three year old son. A love that has been tough and also enduring and resilient. As someone whose been navigating systems of care since I was a child, my hope is to engage youth, teens, and adults impacted by state-imposed violence and be a mirror to reflect their strengths and remind them of the wonder that is inherent in possibilities.

That's what Rebel Foundation is helping to create: individual and community conditions in which Lost Students continue to forge their own path. My goals for this organization are to support program development that emphasizes multigenerational collaborations that emphasize the wisdom of youth and teens and is carried by adults who intimately understand what educational equity genuinely looks like.