Youth Alliance

Youth Alliance is a nonprofit program that serves youth and families through its Youth Impact Centers and office. The program’s stated mission is to create spaces where youth and families can be engaged, can thrive, and can lead.

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Youth Impact Centers and office open on select weekdays during afternoon hours

Founded in 1995, Youth Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that serves San Benito and Santa Clara Counties. The Hollister Youth Impact Center is open on Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Thursdays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The Youth Alliance Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. The Gilroy Youth Impact Center is open on Wednesdays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm and Thursdays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Youth Alliance describes itself as a launch pad for people to dream together and take collective action that turns those dreams into real, transformative change. It creates safe spaces to advance academic, leadership, and economic empowerment that connect youth to pathways of opportunity. It supports connectedness and racial healing that unite intergenerational communities grounded in the voices of youth and their parents. Youth Alliance states that it is a place where youth can feel safe, comfortable, and accepted, and that it offers multiple parent and caregiver education services for families to support the healthy development of children and teens. The organization’s values include listening to truth and honoring personal, creative, and cultural expression; embracing inclusion and diversity; accepting and loving everyone for who they are; lifting up voices to transform the world; commitment to transformative justice led by young people and community; being strong for each other and keeping their word; being guided by the principle of In La’Kech; embracing radical solidarity and guiding by example; and believing in and advocating for change out of love for the community. Youth Alliance states that its staff and board are from the community and are shaping the community.

The leadership team includes CEO Diane Ortiz; Chief Operating Officer Eduardo Navarro; Director of Development & Initiatives Adriana Zoghlami; Director of Human Resources Alex Beltran; and Associate Director of Expanded Learning Anthony Lopez. The board includes Ray Rodriguez (Board Chair, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, Research Technical Manager); Elena de la Puerta, MA (Secretary, San Benito County Office of Education, Counselor); Elvira Zaragoza Robinson (Vice Chair, EZR Law, Inc., Attorney, Principal); Maria Cid (Chair of Development, Farmers Insurance - Maria Cid Agency, CEO/Principal); Nick Rabago (Treasurer, San Benito High School, Student Support Services Supervisor); Jonathan Gonzalez (Past Chair, POCO Solar Energy, Inc, Customer Relations & Marketing Manager); Honorable Tom Breen (Board Director, San Benito County, Superior Court Judge, Retired); Lizett Rodriguez Pena (Board Director, Watsonville Law Center, Attorney); and Julie Kling, CPA (Board Director, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), Controller). Youth Alliance states that its board is comprised of local community members who are organizers, educators, activists, and artists and that it is grateful to community partners for their hard work, dedication, and ongoing partnership.

Last updated March 11, 2026.