5TH ANNUAL FOSTER YOUTH EDUCATION SUMMIT

This is a free event for foster youth, youth in transition, educators, and those who serve youth in foster care or experiencing homelessness. The Education Summit will feature Internationally known keynote speaker Dee Hankins and San Joaquin Delta College, Assistant Superintendent/ Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Lonita Cordova. The Education Summit will provide opportunities to learn from professionals and those with lived experiences. The summit will also focus on providing content on new and emerging trends in both foster care education and the education of homeless youth.

Dr. Lonita Cordova

Dr. Lonita Cordova served in the United States Navy for 8 years as an Information Systems Technician First Class. Upon leaving the Navy in 2003, she used the Troops to Teachers Grant to pay for her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and her GI Bill for her master's degree in educational counseling. After finding out she was eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, Lonita decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology, which she completed in 2013. Her passion began when she worked with Foster Youth, Group Homes, and Housing-insecure students in an alternative education program. She coordinated an Independent Living Skills Program with San Joaquin Delta College and the University of the Pacific and served college-aged current and former foster youth in transitioning onto a college campus. She began her career in higher education as an adjunct in General Counseling and DSPS at Modesto Junior College and worked as an LD Specialist/DSPS Counselor, Veterans Coordinator Counselor and the director of Student Services, Dean of Student Equity and Success, Dean of the Los Banos Campus, and Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services. Dr. Cordova has been a part-time Associate Professor for Mental Health Counseling at California State University, Stanislaus, since 2015.

Dee Hankins

Sharing his incredibly inspiring life story is just one of the ways Dee Hankins gets students to focus on their resilience. With his specialized "At-Best" program, Dee has been helping schools better serve their preforming students and become more resilient in and out of the classroom. Dee has also taken his talent for entertainment, his passion for change, and his belief that anyone can make a difference in this world and created EnterChangement. These projects help build character, make an impact in the community, and give students a chance to activate their resilience.

Host or Publisher SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION