Alex Visotzky
Alex Visotzky is the Senior California Policy Fellow for the Alliance, where he works to ground California's response to homelessness in best practices and evidenced-based solutions. Prior to working for the Alliance, Alex worked for five years in local government, where he served most recently as the Director of Government Affairs for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the lead administrative entity for the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LA CoC). There, he directed LAHSA's legislative, policy, and community engagement work. Prior to joining LAHSA, Alex worked for Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County, where he advocated for local and state policies to advance equitable land use, affordable housing, and affordable homeownership. He has a BA from Oberlin College and an MPP from the Price School of Public Policy at the University Southern California.
Jevon Wilkes
Jevon Wilkes is Executive Director of the California Coalition for Youth (CCY) and Director of Youth Engagement with the California Children's Trust (CCT). His visionary and compassionate leadership has unquestionably improved the lives of California's vulnerable youth through increased statewide funding, services, and programs in the areas of homelessness, workforce development, behavioral health care, child welfare, and juvenile justice.
At fourteen, Jevon experienced homelessness on the streets of Los Angeles, while involved in the foster care system. He attended his first CCY conference at the age of 15, and was immediately inspired by the change he could create by elevating the needs of youth like himself. In 2018, at the age of 28, Jevon became the Executive Director of CCY.
As the Executive Director of CCY, the only youth-serving organization in California that addresses policy and advocacy at the statewide level for youth experiencing homelessness, Jevon's bold ideas, collaborative spirit, and nonstop pace have made him an influential leader and sought-after advocate in his community. Jevon has strengthened CCY's infrastructure and financial capacity. In 2016, California was providing annual support of $2.8 million for services and housing for youth experiencing homelessness. Fast forward, and due in part to CCYs efforts, and Jevon's leadership, the state has invested an additional $340 million of one-time funds including more to youth.
Additionally, under Jevon's leadership, CCY runs the 24/7 California Youth Crisis Line (CYCL), managing 17,000+ calls/texts annually, and providing access to 5,500+ free or low-cost resources. Jevon has helped to increase volunteers from 46 to 140, with the majority being under the age of 25.
As a member of the leadership team at the California Children's Trust, Jevon has been an essential actor in setting and adopting a reform agenda in California that is unprecedented in size and scope. Specifically, Jevon's advocacy and leadership helped pave the way for the state's creation of a $4.4 billion youth behavioral health Initiative—an historical investment in the social and emotional welfare of children and pediatric primary care across child serving systems, including community-based alternatives to juvenile justice and child welfare.
Jevon has dedicated over 17 years of his life to service that improves and empowers the lives of California's most vulnerable youth to reach their full potential and thrive within loving communities. Drawing from this commitment he brings his professional and lived experience to several state advocacy tables including the Child Welfare Council, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Proposition 64 Advisory Group, and the CalAIM Foster Care Model of Care Workgroup. He also participates on the Sacramento Homeless Youth Task Force, and The Grand Challenge with A Way Home America.
Roxanne Wilson
Roxanne V. Wilson is a Monterey County native and has been working to end homelessness in her community for over 10 years. Having begun her career in direct services with Community Homeless Solutions, Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services, and Catholic Charities, Roxanne eventually landed at the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers – Monterey and San Benito Counties' Continuum of Care (CoC) lead agency. During her term at the CoC, Roxanne led the community in several efforts like the federal 100 Day Challenge to End Youth Homelessness, operating the County's second iteration of Project Roomkey, releasing the Lead Me Home 5 Year Plan to Reduce Homelessness by 50%, establishing a Youth Action Board, and hosting the very first Monterey County Summit on Homelessness. As the Executive Officer of the CoC, she played an integral role in substantially increasing funding for homeless services through HUD's Youth Homeless Demonstration Program, the Family Challenge Grant, the Encampment Resolution Fund and several Project Homekeys. Most recently, Roxanne joined the County of Monterey as their newly created Homeless Services Director where she will focus on bridging services of many departments to form a robust and comprehensive approach to addressing the local homelessness and housing crises.