MEET THE LARRP TEAM
CEO and Co-Founder of LARRP
Mr. Troy F. Vaughn is the CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership (LARRP), a network of over 400 organizations throughout Los Angeles County. LARRP is dedicated to creating viable housing and employment solutions and system-wide change for formerly justice-involved individuals.
In his role as Executive Director of LARRP, the network as grown to now over 400 agencies. LARRP has had a tremendous impact on capacity building of smaller CBOs, and has fought for input/inclusion in the County’s contracting and budgeting process. In 2013, LARRP launched its 50% campaign to create more funding to CBOs that served people under Assembly Bill 109 (AB109). LARRP’s effort resulted in an increase of AB109 funding to CBOs from 11% to now over 27%.
Mr. Vaughn also serves as Founder, President and CEO of Christ-Centered Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating housing and employment opportunities for the disenfranchised. Throughout his 20+ year career, Mr. Vaughn has held a wide range of executive roles for several large non-profits in the Los Angeles area, including CEO and COO of two Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHCs), COO of Shields for Families, CPO for Lamp Community and Executive Director and Vice President of the Weingart Center for the Homeless.
Through these varied tenured roles, he has garnered the reputation of being a change agent, and the respect of his peers. He has also been instrumental in the successful growth, innovation, branding and integration of key systems and program designs within the reentry, homeless and health sectors. Mr. Vaughn has developed permanent housing, social enterprises, and social services programs for families, TAY, veterans, formerly justice-involved individuals, substance abusers, mentally ill and the chronically homeless.
Mr. Vaughn is currently working with the Department of Health Services in designing and implementing their Whole Person Care Initiative. In this role, Mr. Vaughn has fought to include the hiring of 170 formerly justice-involved men and women to serve as community Health Care Workers (HCWs). The HCWs will act as navigators for people leaving custody, and will be key to their successful reintegration back into society.
In late 2016, Mr. Vaughn was selected to participate in the 2017 Leadership Cohort for JustLeadership USA (JLUSA). JLUSA is an organization dedicated to cutting the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030. By joining this illustrious group, Mr. Vaughn is now a part of the vanguard of advocates working to make that future a reality. His goal is to amplify the voice of the people most impacted, and to position them as reform leaders. At its core, JLUSA challenges the assumption that formerly justice-involved people lack the skills to thoughtfully weigh in on policy reform. Rather, JLUSA is based on the principle that people closest to the problem are also the people closest to its solution.
Mr. Vaughn has an Executive J.D. from Concord Law School, M.B.A., and BS in Advanced Legal Studies from Kaplan University and BS in Business Administration from Cal State University of Los Angeles (CSULA). He also holds a Graduate Certification in Executive Non-profit Management from CSULA, and Fundraising and Marketing from Cal State University of Long Beach (CSULB). Mr. Vaughn also has a Masters in Divinity/Theology with a minor in Urban Planning from Kings Seminary in Van Nuys, California, and Doctorate in Theology from the Masters School of Divinity. He is happily married with one son and granddaughter. He and his wife live in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, California.
Vice President of Programs and Operations
Julyanna Mendez joined the LARRP team as a program manager. She manages staff, all of LARRPS seven committees, and membership. She is dedicated to keeping the LARRP network alive and connected to ensure formerly incarcerated individuals have access to all resources.
She is passionate about ensuring social equality and intervention/ prevention resources are easily available for all. Julyanna has brought her past experiences to LARRP from working at HOPICS and the City of Los Angeles, in data management, community engagement, and relationship building.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Julyanna serves her community on the Atwater Neighborhood Council and serves on the homeless and outreach committees. She is dedicated to improving communication between public and private entities to ensure there is always a civic engagement approach with social change. Julyanna received her BA, in Non Governmental Organizations and Social change and nonprofit management. Along with her Masters in Public Administration with a certification in City and County management from the University of Southern California. She is excited to serve the reentry community and is committed to connecting LARRP's efforts in capacity building and building up communities
Policy and Legal Manager
Charles Vignola joined LARRP as our Community Policy Analyst, where he will help drive policy priorities and track key legislation that impacts the reentry community.
Charles was born and raised in Santa Clarita, and has been active in policy for over a decade. He began working on congressional campaigns in junior high school, and later turned that passion into multiple internships and positions interfacing with the public on policy issues, including working as a legislative intern on Capitol Hill and working in Materials Management at Metrolink. Charles graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Public Policy and Law, and with Honors with a Master’s in Public Administration, both from USC’s Price School of Public Policy.
Director of Communications
Fiona Lenz serves as the Director of Communications at LARRP, bringing her expertise in marketing strategies and content creation from four years in the private sector to the nonprofit realm. With a passion for storytelling, Fiona is dedicated to showcasing LARRP's initiatives and the incredible work of its members. Her goal is to elevate outreach efforts to a wider audience both online and in person.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Fiona is deeply connected to the local community. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Multimedia Communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and has completed additional training in nonprofit marketing and communication strategies.
Excited to serve the reentry community, Fiona is committed to fostering meaningful relationships and leveraging her skills to raise awareness, drive engagement, and amplify the impact of LARRP's efforts in reentry and rehabilitation.
Executive Administrative Assistant
Sydney Tweedley As Executive Administrative Assistant at LARRP, Sydney dedicates her skills in coordination, communications, and taking initiative to strengthen the organization’s programs that support and service the reentry community.
Sydney began her studies at University of San Francisco in International Relations, with a focus on global politics and societies. Her research and field experience reflects her efforts to develop a deeper understanding of how a community's history and culture can map the framework for effective solutions to the unique challenges they may face.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sydney has committed many years as an agent of progressive reform in California government. Through her current role, she looks to serve a shared purpose among the reentry community to accomplish a healthy quality of life for all through community awareness, initiative, and solidarity.
Director of Reentry Services
Anthony Garcia oversees the LARRP’s LEADERS Training Academy. The LEADERS Training Academy, consists of a cohort of 17 people; a diverse group of individuals who will have the opportunity to develop into leaders and advocates for their community by capacity building, outreach to the community of policymakers and various agencies, and become actively involved in policy reform.
Anthony was born in Compton and raised in Inglewood, California. Anthony experienced first hand the full impact of many systemic inequities. With the power of hope and faith, Anthony has shown resilience and perseverance throughout his life. Having experienced poverty as a child, it sparked his interest to become self educated; finance, real estate, business development, and social services. He went on to work for a real estate investment group, where he prospered and learned the fundamentals of real estate investing. With his desire to make systemic change, Anthony directed his focus to social services. Anthony believes that people coming out of underserved communities who serve as change agents, are the most effective in making equitable changes for the generations to come.
L.E.A.D.E.R.S. Program Manager
Betty A. Mills, is a passionate advocate for criminal justice reform and a community leader. She spent nearly two decades in the criminal justice system, committed to changes to her life and circumstances. She was released ten years ago, and since then, She has received an AA in Sociology and a BA in Criminology. She is three classes away from a Master of Public Administration at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is a LARRP LEADER and Administrative Coordinator for the Prison Education Project and the Reintegration Academy. She provides re-entry services for adults and youth impacted by the criminal justice system with these organizations. This was accomplished through mentoring and providing education and vocational services. Her mentor once told me that “Education is Liberation.” Accordingly, she lives by that motto, believing in education, diversity, equity, and transparency to create community.