EMC Program Team
Shawn Parker
CEO / Founder / Executive Director
The challenges Parker faced during his upbringing were significant and had a lasting impact on his mental health. He reflects on a childhood with limited teaching and a strained relationship with his father, describing his early family life as dysfunctional. Despite moving between Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and finally Lompoc, CA, Parker acknowledges that while his mother, Sandra White, and stepfather, Kenneth White, instilled a strong work ethic in him, they did not teach him how to manage his finances or prioritize his mental well-being.
Without an understanding of basic financial stewardship or the tools for emotional resilience, Parker found himself working hard without any real progress. Compounding this struggle were his childhood friends, many of whom fell into various troubles that often led to incarceration, creating a sense of entrapment in his surroundings. Although Parker had the natural athletic talent that might have secured him a football scholarship, an unintended pregnancy with his girlfriend shifted his trajectory.
After holding various jobs at GTE Wireless, Albertsons, Lucky’s, Kmart, the Union Sugar Company, and the U.S. Post Office, Parker eventually opened a cell phone store in Goleta. However, past associations eventually caught up with him, leading him to lose everything he had built. Through this difficult experience, Parker recognized the critical need for personal and financial transformation. He credits Mr. Charles Oxton, an attorney, for helping him acquire essential skills and a healthier mindset that have positively influenced his life.
Now a father of two, Tiana R. Parker and Masyn D. Parker, from previous relationships, Parker has also dedicated 15 years to part-time work at Trader Joe’s while successfully engaging in various ventures. He understands the vital importance of basic life skills, financial literacy, and mental health education for youth from backgrounds where these lessons are often neglected. A strong and resilient individual radiating a calm and positive outlook, Parker is committed to making a meaningful impact on young people in his community who are in need of guidance and support for both their personal and mental health journeys.
Fysal Safieh
Associate Director
Fysal graduated from Binghamton University in New York with a degree in Political Anthropology and directly started working for EF International, the world’s largest International Education and Language Instruction organization. As a leader in both of EF’s non-profit divisions he took on the role of School Director for EF’s English language school in Santa Barbara. He then went on to work for Santa Barbara Business College as their Director of International Operations. Fysal has since been active in consulting with developing businesses as well as volunteering with various community organizations.
JP Herrada
Program Coordinator
I am a local from the city of Goleta and I attended Dos Pueblos High. I was a young parent straight out of high school and had 3 children. All my kids graduated from Dos Pueblos high and are currently in college.
I left Santa Barbara in 2002 to work in Chicago for 6 years and when I returned in 2008 I was hired as an Outreach coordinator for a non-profit called Collaborative Community Foundation, my job consisted working with at risk youth in gangs. Four months after I started my boss sent me to do AVP.
I learned a lot about myself and finally understood how I was making decisions, after the workshop I was able to apply some of the skills taught in the workshop and I can say that 8 months later I became the Executive Director of the Non-profit.
In 2010 I founded PALABRA a non-profit that serves at-risk youth in the county of Santa Barbara providing Gang Intervention and Prevention programs, also doing gang mediation to minimize violence in the community. I was the first to bring restorative justice to the mediation process working with the gang population in Santa Barbara County. I’ve been involved with Alternatives to Violence Project for the last 4yrs and the last year as an Outreach Coordinator in Santa Barbara where I continue to work with the same population.
Iliana G. Gonzalez
Site Coordinator
Iliana is first generation raised in Santa Barbara. She was born in Mexico City and at the age of 6 came into the US, landing in beautiful SB with her Mother and father and 2 younger sisters. She graduated from San Marcos High School 6 months early to pursue her interest in dance. She worked as a waitress and found her passions for Non-Profits when she began working for the Friendship Center in Montecito. She knew there was a great cause when she assisted in the grant writing process and experience what serving the elderly meant. She went to City College for 2 years, however, realized that her goal of becoming an accountant is not what she wanted to do, so she focused on other areas.
She transitioned into the banking field after having her first son at 21 years of age and after having her second son at 25, she wanted more for her family. She worked for many different industries, not quite finding her purpose and after working as a Government Contractor for 8 years working projects with companies like Pt. Hueneme Naval Airbase, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, and China Lake Naval Airbase; however, she decided to seek out other opportunities.
That is when her organization called People Helping People found her. She had known of this company since 2011 but could not see herself doing something outside the Government industry.
Iliana did not have any experience in any of these fields, however, she realized she needed to be open in 2013 when the Government shut down. It affected her and her family financially tremendously and she did not feel secure.
In 2015, she was given the opportunity to be a part of this great company. She is now an entrepreneur, certified by the State of California to help many underserved and overlooked families with suffering from Financial cancer. Her and her team of licensed agents insure that their clients have the best solutions to their financial issues; from debt relief to retirement and Long-Term Care. Her goal is to help every generation from new born babies to great-grand parents insure their families change their financial legacy’s forever.
In her personal time, she is a certified Zumba instructor and give classes if time allows. She dedicates time to her 2 boys, 20 and 16 who are both still in school; loves her Christina Church and hangs out with friends.
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