Business Development Specialists (BDS)

Education Fund Business Development Specialists (BDS) serve as a vital link between the Education Fund and our members, working directly in facilities to ensure members understand and make the most of their Education Fund benefits. Their outreach helps ensure that every eligible member has access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Learners in California can reach out to their region’s BDS team member for general program information, help with MyEdFund portal setup, application assistance for on-demand programs, and application status updates. Our BDS team can also help with facility-specific needs like department visits, union/employer presentations, and developing training opportunities.

View bios and contact information below, organized by region.

For assistance with application and enrollment questions regarding Education & Advancement programs (College Courses, Tuition Support, Wage Replacement, & more), appointment-related needs like rescheduling/cancelling, certain Continuing Education programs like TEAS or NHA exam resources, and job-readiness resources like access to tutor.com or resume editing help, please reach out to your assigned Career Counselor(opens in a new tab) via MyEdFund(opens in a new tab). For those outside of California, please contact your Regional Coordinator for assistance.

Northern California

East Bay
Sonia Espiritu
Tel: 510.773.8362
Email: sespiritu@theedfund.org
Bay Area and South Bay
Nico Sigler
Tel: 310.985.7618
Email: nsigler@theedfund.org
Sacramento and North State
Jessica LeGrand
Tel: 510.823.5635
Email: jlegrand@theedfund.org
Central Valley and Bakersfield
Azucena Zamora
Tel: 510.502.5459
Email: azamora@theedfund.org
Job Developer
Olivia Rocha
Tel: 510.988.9278
Email: orocha@theedfund.org

Southern California

Los Angeles, Ventura and Central Coast
Isaac Lopez
Tel: 510.899.3746
Email: ilopez@theedfund.org
Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire
Pablo Barrios
Tel: 323.547.4070
Email: pbarrios@theedfund.org
Inglewood, Orange County, and Encino
Carl Van Williams
Tel: 510.332.3274
Email: cvanwilliams@theedfund.org
Member2Member Coordinator
Sareth Elizarraras-Huerta
Tel: 213.479.9646
Email: sehuerta@theedfund.org