Ingrid Glen
Bridges Over Health
Ingrid Glenn was a Health Educator at San Joaquin County Public Health Services (SJCPHS). She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion & Education from Oregon State University and her Master of Science in Public Health from California State University Long Beach. During her time at SJCPHS, Ingrid worked with several community-based organizations, churches, and schools teaching classes and coordinating various programs. She started out as an H1N1 (Swine Flu)educator. Her work evolved and advanced to other programs, such as emergency preparedness, diabetes, and nutrition, which included the installation of community gardens and teaching the community about healthy eating and active living lifestyles. Ingrid was instrumental in planning local events such as the Diabetes and Obesity Community Health Forums and local health fairs, i.e., Fruit & Veggie Festival and Healthy San Joaquin’s Activate Your Summer. She was always ready to lend a helping hand when needed; this produced two Excellent Champion employee awards and a nomination for employee of the year. Ingrid may not work for the SJCPHS any longer, but she still loves working in Public Health and is always looking for opportunities to help those in the community flourish and make positive changes.
Pastor Trena Turner
Bridges Over Faith
Pastor Trena, Executive Pastor of Victory In Praise Church, Stockton, CA has been blessed to speak at conferences and seminars in many varied venues. She works with leadership teams to advance ministry goals and fortify individual skills that will build up the kingdom of God. Trena is an ordained Elder and (2006) Summa Cum Laude graduate from American Intercontinental University, B.S. in Management.
Lady Trena has been married for 39 years to Bishop Rufus K. Turner, founder of Victory In Praise Church. From the growth of this ministry was launched, Visionaries Pursuing Excellence, Inc. (VPE). VPE currently has numerous affiliate churches.
In 2014, Pastor Trena was introduced to PICO National Network and community organizing. Shortly thereafter, she embraced her call into this new and urgent body of work and in January 2016 became the Executive Director of Faith in the Valley, comprised of five counties within the Central Valley from Kern to San Joaquin county. Faith in the Valley, currently working with over 100 congregations, is one of the most powerful, grassroots, faith-based community organizing networks in California; fighting for the environmental, racial, and economic dignity of all people.
God will use any willing vessel to extend His amazing grace. Pastor Trena stands in awe of God and the miraculous ways that He continues to use her, all for God’s glory and His honor.
Dr. Mary Ann Cox
Bridges Over Education
Dr. Mary Ann Cox is committed to helping others make a difference in their life because of the help and support that she received growing up and throughout her education and career. Due to frequent moves as a child, Dr. Cox missed kindergarten, had a slow start in school and had challenges with reading. This allowed her to be a compassionate educator, reaching many teen and adult learners who thought that they were too stupid to learn. Because of her own experience with reading struggles and sincere support from teachers, she was able to support her students with creative strategies and the power of community volunteers to make a difference in their lives and their self image.
Dr. Cox has served in education in many roles including teacher, Division Dean of Communication Skills, Dean of Instruction for Basic Skills and Academic Transfer Programs at San Joaquin Delta College. Her roles in community cover activist, grant writer, volunteer, board member, San Joaquin Delta College Trustee, and challenger of the status quo. As the first in her family to graduate from college, she was determined to have a job where she could make a difference in the lives of others. Because of her own struggles, Dr. Cox committed to helping others to read and go to college. One of the most notable ways she has kept that commitment was her work with Passport to College post retirement. The program that she wrote targeted 12,500 fifth graders who after successfully completing high school were eligible for two years free tuition at San Joaquin Delta College.
Dr. Cox’s philosophy is wonderfully represented in a quote by Cesar Chavez,” The end of all education should surely be service to others.” She is a valued community member and champion of education and her influence is as much close to home as it is throughout our local community and our State. Her work continues and her husband, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are her focus of interest and her biggest fans.
Hector Lara
Bridges Over Social Justice
Hector Lara is a social worker by training who has spent 17 years as a professional in the non-profit sector in the fields of civic engagement, community development, health, youth development, behavioral health, policy, program development, and social services administration in communities throughout California and for one year in Massachusetts. Hector was born in Mexico but grew up in California’s Central Valley. He currently serves as the Co-Founder & Executive Director for the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition and the South Stockton Promise Zone, a role he has held for 4 years since he helped Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and the late Pastor Amelia Adams start the Reinvent South Stockton movement. Hector is also currently a doctoral student at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work. He holds a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration from the USC and a BA in Comparative Politics from U.C. San Diego. In his spare time, Hector likes to spend time with his wife Elsbeth, travel, read, and volunteer at his church.
2018 AAAWLC
Program Awards
- AAAWLC Scholarship – Nayanna Walke
- Empowered Women of Excellence Award – Vaunita Duval
- Girls Loving Our Worth Award – Telecia Hooker
aaawlc.org 