NTLP Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is truly an amazing group of people. Many of them have been involved for 10 years or more and were once an attendee of our program. They are responsible for the health and growth of the National Teen Leadership Program. They give their heart and soul, advice and feedback, year round support so that our programs can grow and improve for each generation of new leaders.

To join our board, he or she must have completed college and shown commitment to our program by staffing and being involved on a year-round basis. We are proud that so many of our Directors and Advisory members are alumni and have earned their Master’s degree.

Directors

Laura Segura, Founder

Board Member
National Teen Leadership Program

Laura Segura founded the National Teen Leadership Program (NTLP) in 1992 with little more than a Mac Plus Computer and some floppy drives. The first program at California State University, Sacramento hosted 185 students and has grown to over 14,000 students in the past twenty-plus years. During her tenure, NTLP has secured grants from Ford Motor Company, California State Automobile Association, the Boeing Company, the California National Guard and numerous schools, school districts and civic organizations. In 2002, Laura was selected as an Olympic Torchbearer in recognition of her work with NTLP.

Laura attended Pierce Community College and Cal State Northridge majoring in Dance and minoring in English. She then worked as a professional dancer from 1974 to 1977, performing with Interim Dance Theater and Theater Arts Program of Los Angeles. Once she hung up her dancing shoes, Laura spent 12 years as a Meeting Planner for American Express Travel, Hawaii and Los Angeles, followed by 8 years in sales and marketing; first for Sacramento Magazine and then for the California Manufacturers Association.

Carrick Sears, MBA, Officer, Alumnus

Senior Associate
Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate Advisors

Carrick Sears currently works for Sperry Van Ness – SVN Partners as a Senior Advisor. He assists clients with the buying, selling, and investment banking of their commercial real estate investments in Phoenix, AZ. Carrick graduated from Thunderbird School of Global Management with a Master of Business Administration in Strategy & Real Estate Development. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Honors Finance with a minor in Economics from St. Mary’s College of California.

Edgar Wong-Chen, MS, Board Chairperson, Alumnus

Researcher
Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy (IHSP)
National Nurses United (NNU)

Edgar Wong-Chen has served as NTLP’s Board Chairperson since 2011 and has been on the Board of Directors since 2003. He has extensive experience working in social justice and fighting for workers rights around the world. Edgar currently works as a Researcher for the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy (IHSP). He graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst obtaining a Master of Science in Labor Studies with a focus on International and Domestic Corporate Social Responsibility and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis. Edgar is a proud alumni of the NTLP program and has been involved since 1996.

Jeff Moore, MA Ed

US Army Lieutenant Colonel

Executive Director
Counterdrug Task Force
California National Guard

LTC Jeff Moore has served in the US Army for 22 years with two combat tours in Iraq and has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in a combat zone and the Meritorious Service Medal for service in support of civilian authorities combating the smuggling of drugs across our southwest border. He is currently serving on active duty as the Executive Officer for the Joint Counterdrug Task Force California National Guard and is preparing to depart on his third combat tour to Afghanistan. LTC Moore has been supporting NTLP since 2000, facilitating the low R.O.P.E.S. course at the camps. He obtained his Bachelors degree from California State University Long Beach and a Masters of Arts degree in Education Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is a graduate of the Commanding General’s Staff Officers Course and the US Naval Post Graduate School, Performance Measurement and Budgeting.

Jennifer Louie-Abernathy, MBA, Vice Chair, Alumnus

Senior Vice President, Data Analysis
Battea – Class Action Services

Jennifer Louie-Abernathy is a Senior Vice President of Data Analysis at Battea – Class Action Services, LLC, managing a team that analyzes and processes trade data for claims eligibility in class action lawsuits involving securities fraud. She has 15+ years experience in all aspects of the Software Development Life Cycle specializing in financial services. She earned her Master of Business Administration from University of San Francisco – Masagung Graduate School of Management and her Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Business with a concentration in Management of Information Systems from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Jennifer first attended NTLP in 1996 and staffed camps for many years. She serves on our Board as the Vice Chair. She also designed and maintains the NTLP website.

Joshua Pukini, Officer

Vice President/Sr. Underwriter
Cal Pac CapitAl Advisors

Joshua Pukini is a Vice President at Cal-Pac Capital Advisors in Newport Beach, CA. Josh attended the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies.

Juan Lepe, Treasurer, Alumnus

Vice President, IT Planning & Risk
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

One of our most senior alumn on the NTLP Board, Juan attended NTLP in 1993 – our second year of operation. After graduating from Imperial High School, Juan staffed for many years, taking time out to graduate from UC Irvine with a degree in Information & Computer Science. 19 years later, Juan is still a frequent volunteer at NTLP camps and is a dedicated member of the Board of Directors.  Juan is currently at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, where he holds the title of Vice President, IT Planning and Risk.   An avid runner and biker, Juan has raised thousands of dollars running and biking races for NTLP as well as for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Mark Miller, Officer

Teacher/Counselor, Retired
Montebello Unified School District

Mark was an intermediate public school teacher and counselor for 36 years before retiring in 2010. He holds a BA in Political Science and his teaching credential from Whittier College, certification in Gifted and Talented Education from UC Irvine, and his Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the University of La Verne. While teaching and counseling he co-founded an annual Leadership Camp at the school and he continued to administer and participate in that camp for over 30 years. Mark has won many awards for his service to youth and the community. He was voted on to the NTLP Board in 2012, bringing enthusiasm, leadership, organizational skills and a passion for working with teens to the NTLP Board.

Nii Sai Sai, MBA, Officer

Data Visualization Manager
Aspire Public Schools

For the past 6 years, Nii Sai Sai has been leveraging his MBA and 10+ years of Technology Consulting experience with IBM and PwC to help Aspire Public Schools fulfill its mission of “College for Certain” for under-served communities in CA and TN. He began his career training recent college graduates on core Software Development skills, and also coordinated the year-round internship program for PwC’s Professional Development Center in Tampa. Nii Sai got his B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire and his MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Nii Sai is a soccer fanatic, plays the bass guitar, and enjoys collaborating with his recording artiste wife on music projects.

U-Wen Kok, CFA, Officer

Portfolio Manager
RS Investment Management LLC

U-Wen is a Portfolio Manager at RS Investment Management LLC. where she leads a team that manages the RS Global and International Developed Market Equity Funds. U-Wen has been in the investment field for more than 20 years. Her experience includes working with several large North American financial institutions, helping them create domestic and global investment strategies, building new businesses through product launches and helping them expand these businesses through marketing and internal sales efforts. U-Wen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Toronto, Canada and is a member of the CFA Institute.