Partnership for Children & Youth Announces
Aleah Rosario and Jessica Gunderson as Co-CEOs

Shared leadership model will usher the organization into an exciting
new chapter alongside historic state education investments

After a national search, the Partnership for Children and Youth Board of Directors is proud to announce that Aleah Rosario and Jessica Gunderson will take on the shared role of Co-CEO on July 1, 2022. Aleah and Jessica will lead all aspects of the organization, including supporting the statewide implementation of the expansion of afterschool and summer programs in California. The board is confident that their combined experience, expertise, and passion is the right formula for the continued success of the organization.

“We are humbled and excited to roll up our sleeves to build on the momentum created by Jennifer’s leadership, PCY staff, and our vital partnerships to solidify California as the national model to provide transformative learning opportunities for all children. We believe that co-leadership reflects PCY’s core values of equity, authenticity, and learning and will strengthen our ability to be responsive to what youth, communities, and the education field needs to meet this unique and pressing moment.” – Aleah Rosario and Jessica Gunderson

Born and raised in rural central California, Aleah Rosario is descended from five generations of women of color activists and educators. She has over ten years experience leading capacity-building programming focused on workforce solutions, leadership development, and grassroots advocacy that uplift, advance, and bring dignity to the youth-serving workforce.

Jessica Gunderson is an advocacy and policy leader with over fifteen years’ experience advancing equity and justice. She has led numerous statewide campaigns resulting in tens of millions of dollars in increased funding, dozens of improved laws, and has published over twenty public reports. She strongly believes that practice and policy must be interconnected and driven by those most impacted for meaningful social change, which is why she has been dedicated to PCY's mission in a range of roles for over a decade.

After 21 years of incredible service, Jennifer Peck, Partnership for Children & Youth (PCY) founding CEO, will step down from her leadership role in the organization on June 30th. A respected statewide and national education leader, Jennifer has led and grown PCY to become an influential policy-development, advocacy, and system-building organization that has dramatically advanced access to quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities for students in California’s most underserved communities. This has included the passage of numerous state policies as well as practice innovations through the Summer Matters Campaign; HousED, which brought quality expanded learning to public housing settings; and Expanded Learning 360-365, which catalyzed a state-wide focus on social and emotional learning. Two decades of strategic work with many partners across California has culminated in record state investments in afterschool and summer learning, with a promise by the Governor of “universal access” by 2025. Jennifer will assume the role of Senior Advisor during the transition to support the organization and its new leadership.

“Leading PCY has been an extraordinary journey during which I have learned so much and had the privilege of working with many incredible people. As I move on, I couldn’t be more excited and more proud of the choice our board has made in appointing Aleah and Jessica as PCY’s co-leaders. They bring exceptional experience, skill, passion, and commitment to PCY’s mission, and I can’t wait to see how they shape and grow the impact of PCY in this next phase.” – Jennifer Peck

Please join us in thanking Jennifer for her unfailing leadership, and in congratulating Aleah and Jessica as they step into this leadership role.