Monica Isabel Contreras is from Sonoma County, CA, and is passionate about helping create a world where family separation and foster care do not exist and are not necessary. They dedicate their time to assisting in the development and implementation of the second foster care prevention program in California and being a mentor and coach for former foster youth. Monica channels their passion into action through NFYI, focusing on foster care prevention and economic mobility.

Beyond their advocacy work, Monica enjoys spending time in nature and with her siblings. They live by the words of Angela Davis: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” Through the Congressional Leadership Academy, they hope to gain more knowledge on navigating the national policy space and the opportunity to be a part of discussions around child welfare policy now, and apply it to continuing to support families and children through their future child welfare policy work.