Brenda Aguilera

Brenda Aguilera is the Director of Community Transformation for Para Los Niños, a Los Angeles based agency dedicated to promoting strong communities, powerful families, and excellent education so children and youth can thrive.

As Director, Brenda is responsible for the oversight and development of First 5 LA’s Region 1 Best Start initiative.  She directs the initiative and collaborates with a team of partners to support the capacity strengthening, development, and promotion of systems change work through resident and agency partnerships both regionally and locally.  Regionally, Brenda directs and supports the vision and framework of the systems change work along with the development of strategies and supports that align the local work regionally.  Locally, Brenda and her team strengthen the capacity of organizations to better partner with parents, residents, organizations, government agencies, faith-based organizations, businesses and others involved in First 5 LA’s outlined communities of Best Start East LA, Metro LA, South El Monte / El Monte and Southeast LA Community Partnerships.  Brenda is also an instrumental thought partner in Para Los Niños’ Innovations II Initiative, funded by LA County’s Department of Mental Health, in Supervisorial District 1 that acknowledges the need for mental health support as power is built in communities.

Brenda has been involved with Best Start since 2011. Prior to joining Para Los Niños, she served as co-manager of the Native Green Gardening Cooperative in Los Angeles with El Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA). She also has served as a consultant to the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (formerly Asian Pacific American Legal Center) and to the UCLA Labor Center, providing communications support.

Brenda holds a BA in World Arts and Cultures with an emphasis in Cultural Studies and a minor in Work Place Studies and Latin American Studies from UCLA. She also studied contemporary Mexican and Latin American philosophy and sociology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City.