Winter Training 2012

All LACF Tutors and Mentors are encouraged to come for a morning filled with practical training and discussion! Read below for the schedule and speaker bios.

RSVP to Beth at bethw@lakeave.org or 626.817.4507. Please indicate if you will be staying for lunch.

 

When and Where

Saturday, January 28th, 8:30am-11:30am

Student Center of Lake Avenue Church (393 N. Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101)

The Schedule

8-8:30am, Prayer (optional)

Come early to pray with other volunteers and staff for the students, their families, the volunteers and the community.

 

8:30-9am, Welcome

Grab some light breakfast, fellowship with volunteers and staff, and receive a brief welcome from the staff.

 

9am-9:50, Seminars

Choose from the following options:

Reading Workshop with Judy Washburn

Math Workshop with Laure Khoshrozeh

Effective Youth Mentoring and Engagement with Christy Zamani

Asset Development with Jane Podrebarac and Curt Gibson

 

10-11:30, General Session with Michael Mata

Half Empty or Half Full? Looking at the Community with a different set of Lenses.

Making connections, building relationships, is the heart and soul of community transformation, that is, enhancing the quality of life of the residents, especially the most vulnerable (namely, children and youth). The process is not easy and often arduous. But it must begin with (re)discovering the resources, skills and competencies already embedded in any community.

 

11:30-12:30, Lunch (optional)

Stay and enjoy a wonderful lunch made by the parents of our students. Enjoy more time with the volunteers and staff to discuss what you learned, share stories about your time with STARS and Mentoring, and get to know each other!

 

Speaker Bios

Michael Mata

Rev. Michael Mata has administered and designed ministry and community programs for thirty years, particularly in the areas of community transformation, congregational redevelopment, multi-cultural outreach, leadership and community development. He is the National Director of Urban Development of World Vision U.S. He is the former director of the Urban Leadership Institute and the Mildred M. Hutchinson Assistant Professor of Urban Ministry at the Claremont School of Theology (where he still serves as Adjunct Professor of Urban Ministries). He served seventeen years as part of the pastoral team at Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene (a multi-ethnic/multi-congregation church with a highly regarded community program) and two years as Pastor of Urban Mission at Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene. He is also the former director of the Bresee Institute (a key resource for church-based community and leadership development efforts, which gained distinction among the academic, business and political leaders of Los Angeles under his leadership). Mata’s vast experience and knowledge of ministry and church-based community development makes him a much-sought-after instructor, speaker, and consultant. Past clients include such organizations as the United Methodist Urban Foundation, the National Crime Prevention Council, Nueva Esperanza USA, the Hudson Institute, Presbytery of the Pacific, Plowshares Institute, Southern California Association for Philanthropy, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives). He has served as adjunct faculty at various schools and seminaries, such as Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Haggard School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Prairie Graduate School, Southern Nazarene University. Mata has served on the boards and advisory councils of local, national, ecumenical and academic organizations such as Christian leaders Empowering for Reconciliation with Justice (CERJ), Association for Urban Theological Education and Ministry (AUTEM), Call to Renewal, and the Advisory Board of World Vision Los Angeles. He has also been a member of the Koreatown/Wilshire Center Community Advisory Committee for Revitalization, and the Planning Commission of the City of Berkeley.

Mata has completed doctoral studies at the School of Policy, Planning and Development at the University of Southern California, exploring the role of religious institutions in effecting social change through community and economic development. He holds the degree of Master in City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley as well as Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Religion from Nazarene Theological Seminary and Point Loma Nazarene University, respectively. He graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a Bachelor in Biblical Literature with a minor in Business Administration.

 

Christy Zamani

Christy Zamani is Executive Director of Day One, has over 13 years of hands on experience working with youth leaders, providing student leadership training, and civic engagement skills, with an emphasis on education. Previously working for the California State University Office of the Chancellor, Christy has experience working with the diverse student population that makes up California. Her previous experience has benefited Day One in motivating and propelling youth to get involved, imagine, and take control of the change they want to see in their communities.

 

Curt Gibson

Since 1985, Curt Gibson has worked full-time as a passionate advocate for students. Curt began his career as youth pastor and after for 15 years he felt called to focus on under resourced and at-risk students.  Often times, these obstacles make it difficult for students to become thriving adults. In response to this reality, Curt founded Lake Avenue Community Foundations (LACF) Mentoring program in Pasadena California in 2002. By establishing mentoring relationships with positive role models, LACF focuses on students at a convictional level, which will bring about marked changes in a student’s identity, and in turn affect their value system bringing about a positive change in their behavior and lifestyle. Curt works in partnership with the STARS tutoring program, the Pasadena Unified School District, the Department of Child and Family Services, and other existing programs and ministries in Pasadena to communicate and bring about change in the lives of students.

In addition to being the Associate Director of LACF, Curt has moonlighted in writing, evaluating, speaking, and brainstorming for various organizations on mentoring including Fuller Youth Institute, Word Action, Youth Specialties, Urban Youth Workers Institute, the Christian Community Development Association, and the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative. If Curt is not at work you will probably find him Building something in his woodshop.

Curt studied Outdoor Christian Ministries and Youth Ministry at Rockmont College in Lakewood, Colorado. He and his wife Kathy (a Realtor) have resided in Sierra Madre, Altadena, and now Pasadena since 1989.

 

Jane Podrebarac

Jane Podrebarac has been a Mentor Coach with LACF since 2010. Jane’s past experience, also involves working as a Physical Therapist for special needs children in under-resourced areas of Los Angeles through California Children’s Services and for Adults at Glendale Memorial Hospital. Jane has been involved in mentoring relationships both as a mentor and protégé since college.

Jane was born in Iowa and moved to Northern California as a child. She went to the University of California, Santa Barbara on an academic scholarship and received her BA in Psychology. Jane continued her education and received a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona.

Jane and her husband Derek live in Sierra Madre and have been attending Lake Avenue Church since 1998. Jane enjoys playing volleyball, softball, and connecting to people. Jane and Derek have 4 children, with 3 in PUSD schools and 1 still at home.

 

Judith Washburn

Professor Emeritus of Education; Ph.D., Ohio State University

Dr. Washburn is an expert in children’s literature, reading methodology, and child development. She co-authored, with Dr. Wanna Zinsmaster, The Advocate: Extending the Literature Experience Through Storytelling. After teaching in the public schools, Dr. Washburn joined the faculty of California State University: Los Angeles (CSULA). Dr. Washburn taught in CSULA’s School of Education for over thirty years and served as its Acting Dean. She advocates adults’ early communication and active playtime participation with children, and is the author of various articles, including “Characteristics of Avid Readers in the Middle Grades.”

 

Laure Khoshrozeh

Laure is a teacher with California Clear Credentials for multiple subjects grades K-6 as well as credentials for single subject in mathematics, grades K- 12. She specialized in mathematics, finding it very rewarding  to help students gain confidence in their math skills and abilities. Laure has experience specializing in mathematics instruction in grades 3 through 6, as well as experience as a Curriculum Coordinator, an ISEE Prep Course Instructor, instructing optional courses in Algebra and Geometry, and as a Private Tutor in mathematics. Laure believes every student can have success in mathematics, given good, appropriate instruction, combined with hard work, patience, and practice.