Meet the Team
Meet the Leaders of Villages of California
Our leadership team has spent their careers doing the kind of work where you learn what actually helps by being in the room with people. From residential treatment and school-based care to family therapy and substance use support, their experiences shape how they lead. They believe that success isn't measured by how many programs they run — it's measured by whether families feel supported, whether partners trust them, and whether communities are stronger because of their work (and that of their staff).
Meet the people behind that work.
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Jeanette Valdez-Barreto, MPA
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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Cory Brosch, LMFT
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
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Dr. Giovanna Sanguinetti
SR. DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
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Marina Braff, LMFT
CHIEF GROWTH & PEOPLE OFFICER
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Morgan Goulet, MS, LMFT
SR. CLINICAL DIRECTOR
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Mónica A. Rivera, MSW, LCSW
QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTOR
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Alejandra Leal, MS, LCSW
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR
"We didn't start Villages because we wanted to build a company—we started it because we believed we could build a better way of serving children, families, and the communities that support them."
- Jeanette Barreto-Valdez & Cory Brosch, Co-Founders
Get to Know Us
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Jeanette Valdez-Barreto, MPA holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership from National University.
With more than 20 years of experience in behavioral health, education, and organizational leadership, Jeanette has dedicated her career to expanding access to high-quality mental health services for children, youth, and families throughout California. Her experience spans direct clinical support, residential and outpatient behavioral health, operations, strategic planning, business development, and executive leadership across both nonprofit and private organizations.
Throughout her career, Jeanette has collaborated extensively with county and state agencies, Departments of Mental Health and Social Services, Probation, school districts, and public and non-public educational settings to develop innovative, community-based behavioral health programs. She has led the design, implementation, and expansion of programs serving youth, adolescents, adults, and families while building strategic partnerships that improve access to care and strengthen systems of support.
As Co-Founder and executive leader of Villages of California, Jeanette has helped build an organization focused on integrating behavioral health, education, and community partnerships to better serve students and families. She has led organizational growth, contract development, operational strategy, and the implementation of school-based mental health services, working alongside educational partners to create sustainable, evidence-based programs that address the evolving needs of communities.
Jeanette is recognized for her ability to bridge clinical understanding with operational excellence, helping organizations navigate complex systems while remaining focused on meaningful outcomes for those they serve. She is passionate about developing innovative solutions that expand access to behavioral health services, strengthen partnerships between education and healthcare, and empower organizations to better support children, youth, and families.
Through her leadership, Jeanette remains committed to advancing the future of behavioral health by helping organizations build sustainable programs, fostering collaboration across systems, and ensuring that compassionate, high-quality services are accessible to every individual and family who needs them.
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Cory Brosch, MS, LMFT, has served as Chief Operating Officer of Villages of California since 2022. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 20 years of experience in behavioral health, education, and nonprofit leadership, Cory has dedicated his career to developing innovative programs that improve outcomes for children, adolescents, families, and underserved communities.
Prior to joining Villages of California, Cory served in executive leadership roles for one of California's largest nonprofit behavioral healthcare organizations, where he oversaw statewide clinical operations across multiple regions, twelve treatment programs, and more than 200 employees. His leadership responsibilities included program development, quality improvement, regulatory compliance, risk management, financial oversight, strategic planning, and the implementation of evidence-based clinical services. Earlier in his career, he directed community-based Wraparound programs serving youth involved with child welfare and juvenile justice systems, helping strengthen partnerships between behavioral health providers, schools, probation, and social services.
Cory began his clinical career providing therapy to survivors of domestic violence before transitioning into a school-based mental health setting serving students with emotional and developmental disabilities. He has also maintained a private practice specializing in substance use disorders, addiction, and family systems, giving him a unique perspective that bridges clinical excellence with organizational leadership.
As Chief Operating Officer, Cory leads the organization's operational strategy, program development, financial management, and organizational growth. He works closely with school districts, government agencies, and community partners to expand access to high-quality educational and behavioral health services throughout California.
Cory is passionate about building sustainable systems that allow organizations to grow without compromising quality. His vision is to ensure that every student and family has access to effective, collaborative, and compassionate services that improve educational success, strengthen communities, and address the growing behavioral health needs of today's youth.
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Dr. Giovanna Sanguinetti serves as Senior Director of Programs, bringing a deep commitment to social justice and to breaking down the stigma around mental health across all communities. Her work centers on helping young people recognize their own strengths while building the protective factors that support their long-term wellbeing.
With more than 15 years of experience in behavioral health, Giovanna previously led the career and technical education department at an alternative high school serving a diverse student population, many of whom faced significant challenges including academic struggles, truancy, substance use, and teen pregnancy and parenting. In that role, she boosted post-secondary transition rates, built strong community partnerships, and launched several health and prevention initiatives.
Before joining VOC, she oversaw two highly successful school-based behavioral health programs, dramatically expanding access to social-emotional and mental health services for youth and families throughout Orange County, California. Today, she plays a central role in shaping the scope of VOC's programming, strengthening community partnerships, and driving the organization's impact.
Giovanna holds an interdisciplinary degree in Health Science and Behavioral Health, a master's degree in Medical Anthropology, and a doctorate in Health Science. She also serves as chairwoman of Pueblos of California, a position that reflects her ongoing dedication to addressing social determinants of health and advancing health equity for all.
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Marina Braff, LMFT has worked in the mental health field for more than a decade, providing counseling to children, adolescents, young adults, and families in schools, nonprofit organizations, and private practice settings. She is Perinatal Mental Health Certified through Postpartum Support International and has facilitated postpartum support groups for new mothers in Orange County. Marina continues to maintain a clinical practice serving mothers and young adults.
In addition to her clinical work, Marina is a sought-after speaker at both the local and national levels. She has presented in person and through webinars on topics including teens and technology, work-life balance, perinatal mental health, and managing anxiety during times of uncertainty.
As a member of the executive leadership team at VOC, Marina is committed to strengthening both the organization's impact and its people. She oversees personnel management and supports the growth and success of staff across the organization while fostering a collaborative, mission-driven culture. Marina also leads strategic partnerships and cross-sector collaborations that expand VOC's reach, strengthen community relationships, and enhance the quality and sustainability of its programs. Passionate about developing people as much as programs, she champions professional development, employee engagement, and organizational excellence to ensure VOC continues to thrive in service of the communities it supports.
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Morgan Goulet, MS, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a BS in Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Masters of Science in School-Based Family Counseling, with a focus on Marriage and Family Therapy, from Cal State LA. As Senior Clinical Director at Villages of California, she oversees the clinical components of the organization's non-public school, school-based, and community-based programs, in addition to leading its quality assurance initiatives and its training department.
Morgan brings extensive direct clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and families across residential, outpatient, home-based, and community settings, and continues to work with adult clients through her private practice. Before joining Villages, she served as the Director of Quality Assurance at a large non-profit behavioral health care organization, and prior to that, as the organization's clinical trainer — developing and delivering training to ensure clinical and non-clinical staff had the skills to best support clients while meeting contractual and accreditation standards.
Morgan is passionate about mentoring emerging therapists and has provided clinical supervision to MFT and MSW trainees and associates, as well as substance use counselors. She holds certifications as both a provider and trainer in a variety of Evidence-Based Practices, and has developed and delivered training programs for clinicians and school staff, as well as community education on topics such as Trauma-Informed Care, Self-Harm & Suicidality, Childhood Anxiety, and Grief & Loss.
This combination of direct clinical practice, quality oversight, and training leadership gives Morgan a comprehensive view of what it takes to deliver and sustain high quality care across a multi-program organization. Her background in quality assurance means Villages' clinical programming is held to rigorous, measurable standards that satisfy funders, regulators, and accrediting bodies alike. Her experience building training infrastructure ensures staff at every level are equipped with the skills and confidence to support the populations they serve. Her years of hands-on clinical work across residential, school-based, home-based, and community settings further ground her leadership decisions in real practice realities, helping bridge the gap between program design and what actually works for clients and staff on the ground.
With a strong commitment to early intervention, Morgan advocates for mental health support within school environments and is proud to lead clinical, quality and training efforts at an organization directly addressing these critical needs.
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Mónica A. Rivera, MSW, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Quality Assurance leader with more than a decade of experience spanning behavioral health, clinical practice, quality management, compliance, program development, and organizational leadership. She holds a Master of Social Work, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and is professionally licensed in both California and Puerto Rico. She also holds a Project Management Certification from IQS Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, complementing her clinical and quality background with formal training in project implementation and organizational strategy.
As Quality Assurance Director at Villages of California, Mónica leads quality management, data reporting, compliance, and continuous improvement efforts across the organization’s programs. Her work focuses on developing practical systems that strengthen clinical documentation, support regulatory and accreditation readiness, improve data quality and reporting, and help teams translate organizational standards into everyday practice. Her history with Villages began as a consultant, when she helped establish the organization’s Quality Assurance infrastructure, and her role has since evolved alongside the organization’s growth and expanding programs.
Mónica brings a systems-level perspective to quality improvement, combining her experience as a clinician, supervisor, and organizational leader to bridge the gap between frontline practice and operational strategy. Her leadership approach is collaborative, practical, and grounded in the belief that strong systems should support the people using them, not create unnecessary barriers to their work. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she is committed to building clear, sustainable structures that help teams deliver consistent, high-quality services while keeping the needs of the communities they serve at the center of the work.
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Alejandra (Alex) Leal, MSW, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a BS in Child Development and an MSW, both from California State University, Fullerton. She has worked in the mental health field for 10 years across prevention-based services, community mental health, and education.
Alex is dedicated to serving Spanish-speaking families, providing culturally competent counseling and connecting them with resources that support their mental and emotional well-being. She also leads a monthly meeting for bilingual staff to address the unique needs of the bilingual community they serve. Her passion for underserved communities is what drew her to social work, bridging the gap between mental health care and families navigating complex systems.
As a clinical supervisor, Alex guides and supports associate clinicians, fostering their professional growth and skill development. She regularly trains staff on topics such as attachment, trauma-informed care, childhood anxiety, and best practices for mental health documentation, and partners closely with the quality assurance team to keep clinical charts compliant. Her goal is to ensure her associates are equipped to address mental health within diverse, multicultural contexts, and her commitment to developing well-rounded, compassionate clinicians has made her a valued leader at Villages of California. Alex also works directly within the school-based and community-based programs, and supports coordination of care across the company to help ensure clients receive consistent, high-quality services.
Committed to Impact
At Villages of California, our leadership team is united by one belief: lasting impact isn't created by having all the answers. It's created by listening well, showing up consistently, and never losing sight of the people we're here to serve.
Every child, every family, every school, and every community has a unique story. Our leaders bring decades of combined experience across clinical care, program development, and organizational leadership, but what truly sets our team apart is a shared commitment to building trust, one relationship at a time.
We don't measure our success by the number of programs we run or how large we've grown. We measure it by whether families feel supported, whether our partners trust us, and whether the work we do creates meaningful, lasting change. Because when our communities are stronger, we know we've done what we set out to do.
