Team – StepUp DCW

Alejandro Chávez-Yañez, M.S., P.P.S.

STEP UP Lead Presenter, Executive Director

Alejandro Chávez Yañez was born in Torreón, Coahuila, México, in 1977. The son of immigrant parents, Chávez learned the value of respect and humility.

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Growing up in the urban areas of East Los Angeles and Norwalk provided many obstacles as a youth. Chávez learned how to take advantage of those disadvantages. Chávez has spent over 25 years working with at-risk youth, whom he prefers to call “at-promised.” Chávez challenges youth to have pride in whom they are and where they come from, and use that as a motivational tool to succeed.

Chávez earned his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Public Administration from California State University of Fullerton in 2000. He went on to complete a Master’s of Science in Educational Counseling in 2002 along with a P.P.S. credential. Chávez worked in a large urban California school district as an Intervention Head School Counselor and co-created a counseling program which started in 2003. The program grew from 100 students to 9,800 students by 2007.

Previously he worked for the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Chávez started Chávez Educational Services, LLC in 2006 and has provided motivational counseling services to thousands of students from various school districts, regional learning centers and correctional facilities.

Chávez is excited to bring the STEP UP program to youth and start to change their mindset. He hopes to encourage more at-promised students to become hardworking, responsible members of society.

Cliff Parks, M.S., P.P.S.

STEP UP Presenter

Cliff Parks was born and raised in Compton, California. Mr. Parks has overcome a great amount of adversity and has a gift on motivating our troubled youth through our STEP UP program.

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Cliff Parks is a Counseling Administrator for the Long Beach Unified School District under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of schools. He’s worked for the Long Beach Unified School District for the last 20 years where he has been influential in working with at-risk students within the district in an effort to bridge the educational achievement gap between the diverse student populations.

As a leader in the Long Beach community, Parks has spent an extensive amount of time working with students, particular young men of color, creating programs such as Project TEAM where the mission is to TEACH and ENCOURAGE ACADEMIC MINDS and also the Long Beach Male Academy where the goal is to create Brotherhood & Empowerment through Academics, Culture and History.

Parks has also spent an extended amount of time working tirelessly with the Scholar Baller program, a program that he co-founded with colleague Dr. Keith Harrison and Jean Boyd. The program’s main objective is to get student-athletes to focus on being more than just an athlete, taking pride in their athletic identity. This program has fostered many opportunities for Parks to travel the country speaking to athletes at various colleges and universities.

Parks has also spent a great deal of his career working with Alex Chavez, founder of the STEP UP program. Working with Chavez has afforded Parks the opportunity to share his life story and experiences within the juvenile justice system to troubled youth that have taken the wrong path. This experience and many others has given Parks credibility as a leading authority in Urban Education within the Long Beach community.

Mr. Parks earned his Bachelors’ of Arts in Psychology from Louisiana Tech University where he was a standout wide receiver for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. He went on to become an educator for several years prior to earning his Masters of Science degree and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the University of La Verne in 2003.

Dr. Alondo C. Campbell

STEP UP Presenter

Dr. Campbell is a full-time Professor/Faculty of Sociology at Santa Ana City College. Dr. Campbell is a former Marine who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Cal State Long Beach, a Master’s Degree in sociology from Cal State Fullerton and his Ph.D in sociology from Purdue University.

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He has an extensive background working with youth in educational and athletic settings; he has also conducted extensive research regarding educational outcomes for African American students in the United States.

He is an accomplished professor, motivating speaker, and an excellent role model for students in the STEP UP program, having overcome many cultural, social and economic issues to pursue and accomplish his doctoral studies.

Dr. Mel Palmer

STEP UP Presenter

Dr. Palmer is a sought-after Holistic Emotional Practitioner and Speaker with a history of groundbreaking successes.

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He is the founder of Emotions Innovation, LLC, a Holistic Energy Healing practice where he specializes in transformational energy healing and working with individuals focused on emotional awareness, trauma and mental wellness without being invasive.

Dr. Palmer has achieved degrees in Psychology, Executive Management, African History and Religious Studies. He has written several articles on bullying, fatherhood and the effects of emotional trauma. He has been featured in leading discussion panels and has been guess lecturer at major colleges and universities. Dr. Palmer is a Certified Emotions Coach Practitioner His diverse background in counseling and workshop facilitation has motivated many to identify and achieve their own transformational gifts.

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