Staff & Board

A former foster youth and adoptive father through kinship care, Charles draws from lived experience as both a source of purpose and a foundation for leadership. He believes that people closest to systems must be recognized not only as recipients of services, but as partners, leaders, and essential contributors to meaningful change. Throughout his career, Charles has led community-centered organizations and initiatives focused on strengthening services, advancing equity, and transforming systems. His leadership experience includes founding Boston CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), growing California’s first LGBTQ+ foster-to-permanency program, directing a long-term support organization for young adults experiencing homelessness, and partnering with cross-sector leaders on collective impact efforts. He has also served as a university educator at institutions including California State University- East Bay and Harvard University. Charles holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Through LENS, Charles brings more than two decades of leadership across direct service, advocacy, and systems change to support leaders and organizations in translating values into practice. He shares this expertise through keynote presentations, trainings, facilitated conversations, and strategic advising focused on lived expertise, equity, human-centered leadership, and systems transformation. His work helps strengthen partnerships and create conditions where communities can shape the systems that impact their lives.

To connect with Charles or explore opportunities to engage with LENS through speaking, training, consulting, or strategic advising, visit https://lexforchange.org/engage-our-team/.

A triplet born in El Salvador during the Civil War years, Julie and her siblings entered foster care in El Salvador following decisions influenced by the corruption and chaotic political climate of the country. This began a process of profound loss, the loss of biological family, country, and culture, before being transracially and internationally adopted to the United States. Julie knows firsthand how many children and youth in the foster care system can feel powerless, voiceless, and invisible. More than 30 years after exiting foster care, Julie is now leveraging the power of her story and dual expertise to ensure that those with lived experience are not an afterthought, that their needs, well-being, and connection to their roots are front and center.

For the past decade, Julie’s career has spanned evidence-based research, policy, clinical practice, and systems leadership across multiple states. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Boston College. She was awarded a Fulbright Grant in 2011 to conduct anthropological research in El Salvador, examining the factors that have influenced the cultural construction of adoption and contributed to shifting intercountry adoption statistics. Her professional experience also includes policy research at the Donaldson Adoption Institute, trauma-informed clinical work at Adoption Journeys, and program management at Boston CASA and CASA of NH.

As a recognized lived expertise thought leader, Julie offers consulting, training, and strategic support that elevates lived expertise and advances systems transformation, creating pathways that strengthen families and improve outcomes for children, youth, families, and communities.

To connect with Julie or explore opportunities to engage with LENS through speaking, training, or strategic consulting, visit https://lexforchange.org/engage-our-team/.