Juvenile Justice Commission Members

Current Members:

Bios:

Marquetta Brown

Marquetta Brown, a native of San Diego has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, an English Single Subject teaching credential, a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) certificate, and is a AP Central certificated Advanced Placement English Language teacher. She has been in education for more than 15 years; Marquetta currently works in higher education. She is the current Secretary of the Camarena Elementary PTA, the Camarena Elementary Budget Advisory Committee Representative, a committee member of the Chula Vista Elementary Council of PTAs, as well as a founding member of the CVESD Legislation Advocacy Board.

Marquetta’s passion is rooted in education and particularly in children that are most vulnerable. She volunteers her time with her pride and joy: Flo-Jo International Track and Field Team, and Eastlake Youth Football and Cheer. She loves all things aviation and loves the science of flight, as a licensed general pilot. Most recently Marquetta has joined the new Chula Vista Elementary School District Black Learners Advisory Council (B-LAC), a 2021 Institute Graduate and Member of Black Women Institute for Leadership Development (BWILD) and recently appointed to The Juvenile Justice Commission of San Diego County.

Marquetta lives in the Otay Ranch community of Chula Vista with her husband of 19 years and two children.


Maya De La Torre

Maya De La Torre is a current student at the University of San Diego majoring in behavioral neuroscience with a minor in sociology. On campus, she practices activism through her role as Speaker of the Associated Student Government Senate, president of the Association of Chicanx Activists, and educator bringing awareness to identities such as sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, and class through the Rainbow Educator program. In the broader San Diego community, she has interned with the Children's Advocacy Institute and works with detained youth through the Reading Legacies nonprofit organization. She is passionate about addressing the school and foster care-to-prison pipeline, gaps in mental health care, recidivism, and systemic inequality within the juvenile justice system.


Dayanira Heredia

Dayanira Heredia is currently an undergraduate student at UC San Diego, working towards her B.S. in clinical psychology with a minor in global health. She is a registered Behavior Technician who will be working with children with Autism. Ms. Heredia has also collaborated with schools and youth centers to help implement restorative practices for K-12 students. She is passionate about the importance of mental healthcare for all and plans to one day have her own clinic to provide psychological interventions for kids and teenagers. Her interest in the JJC lies in the emotional trauma many juveniles in the justice system are victims of. Ms. Heredia advocates for high-quality mental healthcare resources for all minors in the correction system in order to successfully heal and shift their lives for the better.


Deme Hill

Deme Hill is a long-term advocate to the government and social services systems throughout California, Nevada, Hawaii and Washington DC. She has completed 14 years of education, holding AS, BS, and MA while currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration from CalBaptist University. Deme has managed government programs funded by The US Department of Labor, Department of Justice, Department of Health & Human Services, California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, Department of Mental Health, and Department of Housing & Urban Development. Her programs have received local awards, national awards and international recognition; she is duly known as a dedicated, charismatic and reputable community leader.


Yvette Klepin

Yvette D. Klepin was a San Diego County resident for 61 years and has more than 26 years’ experience with the County of San Diego Probation Department; retiring as Assistant Chief Probation Officer. Yvette is experienced in program and personnel development and in developing and guiding policy. She has more than twelve (12) years’ experience in juvenile institutions and six (6) years in working with youth in the community. Yvette remains active in the Criminal Justice field consulting, training, and conducting Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) audits in juvenile facilities throughout the nation.

Amy Lansing

Amy Lansing is on faculty at the University of California, San Diego, in the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, and is also an adjunct professor in the Sociology Department, Division of Criminology, at San Diego State University. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with specializations in Neuropsychology, Developmental Trauma and Forensic Epidemiology. Her National Institute of Health and National Institute of Child and Human Development funded translational research program is dedicated to understanding the neurobehavioral underpinnings of high-risk behaviors and functional impairment in underserved populations such as juvenile delinquents and maltreated youth. This program integrates neuroscience technologies (imaging, genetics), mental health services (treatment for trauma spectrum and drug/alcohol disorders; interventions for violence and impulsivity reduction), neuropsychology, criminology and public policy issues (health disparities, HIV/STD risk). In addition to the Juvenile Justice Commission, she is an independent contractor for the State of California, providing assessments of mentally disordered adult offenders. Her interest in the JJC stems from the significant number of delinquent youth with cognitive deficits, neurological and mental health needs.


Marissa Marquez

Marissa Marquez is a Family Nurse Practitioner (Board Certified) whose experience with global health engagement in developing countries, has enabled her to care for the least fortunate, underserved and vulnerable patients. She has completed her MSN-FNP; an MBA in Health Care Management, and currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The DNP program will prepare her to be an effective leader and innovator especially with the Public Health Programs, Healthcare policy and other leadership positions that could impact and lead to positive changes on in a larger scale. She worked as Family Nurse Practitioner for the U.S. Department of Justice-Federal Bureau of Prison. She was a Nurse Evaluator for the CA Department of Health Care Services. Served as Nurse Consultant-Quality Management Assessment Team as well as Director of Nursing for various California Correctional Facilities for 10 years. She is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserves, US Special Operations Command Units as a Family Nurse Practitioner and as an International Health Specialist. She is an active member of the Reserve Officers Association; North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers, and the NATO Grand Priory of Saint Sebastian-Soldier Martyr. She served as ROA Vice President-Department Golden West, ROA Board of Directors, the ROTC/JROTC Programs/Mentorship for Universities and High Schools in San Diego County. Ms. Marquez is interested in the juvenile justice system so that she can use her knowledge, experiences, and expertise to make a difference in the lives of many individuals, especially the juvenile population.


Jenifer Mendel

Jenifer Mendel, DPS is a retired 42-year veteran in the education system having served in the capacity of Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance for the Grossmont Union High School District in San Diego County after 38 years of service. She was responsible for McKinney Vento, Foster Youth and Military Youth, youth on Probation and those youth at risk of dropping out. She currently serves on the following: State S.A.R.B., CASCWA Southern Section Board as Advisor to the Board as well as the State CASCWA Board also as Advisor to the Board having been a past President of both State and Southern Section. Though she has reached maximum years of service on Behavioral Health Advisory Board she continues to serve as a community participant on B.H.A.B workgroups of Criminal Justice Reform and AOD.


Jean Teresa Ramirez

Jean Teresa Ramirez was an attorney with the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office before joining the full-time faculty of the University of San Diego School of Law in 1990. Upon joining the faculty, she taught Advanced Trial Advocacy and was co-director of the law school’s Juvenile Defense Clinic, also known as the Criminal Clinic. She teaches Criminal Law, Evidence, California Criminal Litigation Skills, and Juvenile Law. She has served as a CASA or Court-Appointed Special Advocate for individual children and sibling groups in the juvenile dependency system.


Tezeru Teshome

Tezeru Teshome is playwright, dramaturge, director, and performer. She’s a third year PhD student in Theatre & Dance at UCSD. Her research interests include psychoanalysis, Social Death, and Black Feminist Theory. She is the recipient of the San Diego Diversity Fellowship and the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship for Amharic (Ethiopia’s native language). She holds a B.S. in History and Theatre Studies and has extensively taught dramatic writing and American History throughout Chicago. She also served as the coordinator of Chicago’s first Youth Advisory Board, which worked in tandem with the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission. She also served as one of two Youth Representatives for President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper”.