Lia is a passionate professional with demonstrated executive-level experience in non-profit organization management. Lia has over a decade of experience working in New York City’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems and is a published advocate for young people. Since 2015, Lia has risen as a leader in antiracist work and has trained in both the Racial Equity Learning Exchange (RELE) model with Khatib Waheed and with The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. Lia has a Master of Public Health from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology from The George Washington University. Lia has been mentoring young people, formally and informally, since 2013 and has volunteered as a visiting resource (weekends, holidays, and vacations) for a teenage girl in foster care since 2018. She has served as the Executive Director of Connections since 2018.
