Our Culture
We Are One United is...
A social enterprise and training and development company, based primarily in Palm Springs, working for community equity and well-being. We are working to ensure that everyone who wants to make a positive impact in society explores the full range of opportunities available to them and has the tools to secure their well-being and that of their community. Using technology and data collection, we aim to connect people with everything they need to secure their future
We Are One United Inc. was established to bring opportunity to all, celebrate diversity and inclusion, and create a vibrant future for everyone. As the name suggests, cooperation is important to us. It's our differences that inspire us instead of dividing us. That's exactly how we approach our work too. Whether you are a volunteer, partner, or one of the founders, every idea counts.
OUR Team
John Epps
Jilska Chandrasena
Jilska Chandrasena
Founder-in-Residence, Chief Executive Officer
With 18 years of experience teaching in the UCR Extension and 40 years of community service, there couldn't be a better person than John Epps to bring us together.
John's entrepreneurial career started a long time before We are One United was established. Being a member
Founder-in-Residence, Chief Executive Officer
With 18 years of experience teaching in the UCR Extension and 40 years of community service, there couldn't be a better person than John Epps to bring us together.
John's entrepreneurial career started a long time before We are One United was established. Being a member of the Black Study Initiative has given him a strong understanding of how we can benefit from increased awareness of the contributions of minorities in today’s workplace. As a proud alumnus of California State University San Bernardino, he has participated in the “teacher for a day” program and presented several development webinars to support graduates, also serving as an officer on the Pan African Alumni Council.
What his educational experience taught him in return, is that we just can't ignore issues perpetuating in our society, especially if they keep dividing us. Since his retirement in June 2019, Mr. Epps has committed a significant portion of his time to community boards, committees, and organizations intent on helping those around us. Lots of work, but with a lot of passion, John's resilient and passionate personality inspired us to join We Are One United, to work together for a better future.
In his free time, John serves as the President of the Board for Building Resilient Communities, a community organization providing preparedness training and resources for faith-based organizations. He works as the Board Secretary and Treasurer at HARC, where he expanded the financial vision of the organization to embrace the opportunities that are unfolding as the organization moves into a post-covid world and as a board member on the Academy for Grassroots Organization Board dedicated to bring more equity to leadership in nonprofit organizations and boards in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. On top of that he also participates as a Community Advisory Board member of the Health Disparities Center committee, and on the CEAL Stop Covid projects.
Jilska Chandrasena
Jilska Chandrasena
Jilska Chandrasena
Mental Health Awareness & External Relations Director
jchandrasena@weareoneunited.org
Jilska has always been a creative and entrepreneurial community leader with a passion for improving individuals' lives. Actions over words, she had spent 6 years as the Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Palm Springs and her work has been focused o
Mental Health Awareness & External Relations Director
jchandrasena@weareoneunited.org
Jilska has always been a creative and entrepreneurial community leader with a passion for improving individuals' lives. Actions over words, she had spent 6 years as the Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Palm Springs and her work has been focused on disconnected youth, disabled populations, LGBTQ, and veteran programs in the Coachella Valley.
Jilska is also an outspoken mental health awareness supporter - she earned a Bachelor's degree in Social Science from Chapman University and a Master's degree in Psychology, emphasizing Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a Counselor and Rehabilitation Specialist for the Visually Impaired Community in the Coachella Valley and is currently working as a Virtual Teacher for Pediatric Therapeutics and Charter Schools in Southern California.
Jilska Chandrasena enjoys creating an environment that embraces the use of technology and workflow solutions to educate and move our youth into sustainable employment, rehabilitation, and independence.
She holds a State Council Seat, Council on Developmental Disabilities, is a Board Member for Homelessness Task Force for the City of Palm Springs. She is the Commissioner in the Human Rights Commission for the City of Palm Springs,
A Board Member, California Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, Coachella Valley Girl Scouts and is part of the Red Cross Board of Directors, Riverside City. She is passionate about community work and international projects, she organized and participated in Guatemala Mission Project in Che-Che Custanago and helped to fundraise and launch projects for Green Movement in Sri Lanka.
Zubair Bakubye
Vladana Hrivnakova-Gonzalez
Quana Hall-Beverly
Social Enterprise & Employment Programs Director
Born and raised during a time of social strife and civil war in Uganda, Zubair has witnessed firsthand the challenges people in developing communities face in social and economic development. The struggles he witnessed daily growing up in Uganda, served as the fue
Social Enterprise & Employment Programs Director
Born and raised during a time of social strife and civil war in Uganda, Zubair has witnessed firsthand the challenges people in developing communities face in social and economic development. The struggles he witnessed daily growing up in Uganda, served as the fuel that supported him in moving to the United States of America.
After coming to the USA, Zubair pursued his dream of additional education, obtaining BA and MPA at California University. Nowadays, Zubair maintains his passion for empowering communities by creating economic opportunities and promoting education. At We Are One United, Zubair develops social enterprises and employment model programs for organizations and individuals. Zubair is the founder of the US International Center for Training & Tourism (USICETT) Inc and Integrated Science and Education for African Communities (ISEAC),
Zubair doesn't forget about his home country Uganda; and as the founder and Adjunct Instructor of ITT Vocational Training Center in Uganda, he actively participates in youth education and upskilling of the local youth in Uganda.
Quana Hall-Beverly
Vladana Hrivnakova-Gonzalez
Quana Hall-Beverly
Operations & Human Services Director
Quana has always been passionate about volunteering, as she loves to make a positive impact in her community.
However, she never considered working for a nonprofit organization as a career choice until she met Mr. John Epps. He opened her eyes to new possibilities of how she c
Operations & Human Services Director
Quana has always been passionate about volunteering, as she loves to make a positive impact in her community.
However, she never considered working for a nonprofit organization as a career choice until she met Mr. John Epps. He opened her eyes to new possibilities of how she could create an organization that inspires community members to take risks and discover new beginnings.
As our Operations and Human Services Director, she enjoys working with people, and her motivation to make everyone around her better, earned her the Inspire Award, for the most amount of times in company history at her previous employer. Quana also works as an HR Manager for local nonprofit Advancing Steps, an organization dedicated to opening doors and start changing the lives of the formerly incarcerated.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, and seeking out new adventures. She enjoys reading, baking, cooking, traveling, crafting, enjoying lazy days on the beach, and watching Korean dramas.
Vladana Hrivnakova-Gonzalez
Vladana Hrivnakova-Gonzalez
Vladana Hrivnakova-Gonzalez
Communications & Marketing Director
vhrivnakova@weareoneunited.org
She has a Master's degree in Audiovisual studies from her home country, Slovakia, and an additional Professional Writing Master's degree from Falmouth University in the United Kingdom. She started her career as a freelance journalist and occasional content writer for nonprof
Communications & Marketing Director
vhrivnakova@weareoneunited.org
She has a Master's degree in Audiovisual studies from her home country, Slovakia, and an additional Professional Writing Master's degree from Falmouth University in the United Kingdom. She started her career as a freelance journalist and occasional content writer for nonprofits and cultural organizations – an interest that transformed into a nearly decade-long career in nonprofit communications worldwide.
Being born in communism and growing up in a country with a transitioning economy, she quickly realized how powerful media can be, especially if not used with good intentions. After her university graduation, she felt disheartened in her career as a journalist and decided to join a program led by People in Need organization. She spent 6 months in Kenya working as a Communications Officer for Necofa Kenya, a local organization providing vocational training for young people in rural communities. She also worked for an organization in the United Kingdom that focused on helping migrants and the international community in Plymouth. Later, she worked as an administrator, marketer, and director's assistant for various cultural and events organizations, such as Screening Rights Film Festival in the UK and Dobsinskeho Svet, an open-air cultural theatre in Slovakia.
As a true nonprofit communications veteran, she is skilled in marketing, social media, and content management, with occasional graphic design and media work. Her dream is to write a book one day, and she loves mountains, traveling, hiking, and nature.
Meet our community engagement team
Billy J. Harris
Billy has enjoyed learning and education from an early age. In middle school, he was a leader his schools peer-to-peer counseling program “Natural Helpers”. In high school, Billy was voted into multiple leadership roles by his peers during his three year journey in D.E.C.A. and the business academy. He joined enrichment programs such as ASB (school leadership) and JTPA (career training). He was a member of his high schools news team where he was immersed into digital arts, film making, journalism and interviewing skills. Billy continued to learn the importance of teamwork and leadership while being on the high school track and field team.
Billy continued his education by earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Along his journey, he has volunteered in his community to guide youth and adults in navigating the educational landscape. Billy has worked to create programs and educational pathways that supports all students on their individual journey. He has volunteered in Ethiopia for several years, where he worked with youth and adults.
With support from his family, community, educators, and church, Billy is honored to serve and share his experience in a way that will empower others. He is thankful to have a supportive family that has set a foundation on faith, leadership, service and positive contributions to humanity. Overall, he is committed to removing barriers and working together to create bridges of opportunity. His favorite quote is from 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.
Cathy Giles
Community Engagement & Support Services
With a background in community outreach and a genuine love for her local area, Cathy is devoted to making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Before joining We Are One United, Cathy honed her skills as a Community Engagement Specialist at Building Resilient Communities. Through her previous role, she gained valuable experience in connecting diverse groups of individuals and organizations, fostering collaboration, and implementing impactful programs.
Cathy's journey into community service began as a certified nurse assistant in Redlands, where she developed a deep appreciation for the well-being of others. This hands-on experience allowed her to witness firsthand the challenges faced by disadvantaged communities, further fueling her desire to effect meaningful change. Cathy's unwavering commitment lies in working with local youth and underserved communities within the Inland Empire area. She firmly believes that empowering young individuals and addressing the unique needs of disadvantaged populations can create a ripple effect, positively transforming communities as a whole. Her genuine compassion, combined with her expertise in community engagement, makes her a catalyst for change and an invaluable asset to We Are One United.
Iris Williams
Iris Williams
Iris Williams
Development & Sustainability
Director
Iris worked as an Executive Director of The Light of the World Ministries and is a Certified Counselor with over 17 years of experience providing Christian-based counseling for all denominations and non-denominational clients. Her mission is to offer Help, Hope, and Healing
Development & Sustainability
Director
Iris worked as an Executive Director of The Light of the World Ministries and is a Certified Counselor with over 17 years of experience providing Christian-based counseling for all denominations and non-denominational clients. Her mission is to offer Help, Hope, and Healing through God's word to those who are dislocated occupationally, emotionally wounded, or in need of help forgiving.
Apart from counseling, she has also served as a coordinator at Applied Principles for Service, where she was responsible for the promotion and coordination of fundraising and program development events. Her planning and reporting skills helped the Board and Executive Director achieve their strategic objectives.
In 1992, she was part of the Job Training Partnership Act (JT PA) that received a $4.2 million Defense Conversion Act (DCA) grant to provide Basic Readjustment Retraining Services to the affected employees of the Norton Air Force Base. She expanded the scope of services provided by the Employment Resource Center (ERC) beyond on-site registration for unemployment benefits and access to educational benefits to include personalized career counseling, job search assistance, and resume development. She also developed ancillary services and community resources, such as Consumer Credit Counseling and substance abuse program referrals, to aid in the successful transition of affected individuals.
As a Staff Analyst and Case Manager for both the DCA and Title III Dislocated Worker programs, she provided effective customer service in a warm and professional manner, with no adverse findings on her case files during the annual monitoring reviews conducted by the State of California Job Training Partnership Division.
Edwin Ramoran
Iris Williams
Iris Williams
Development & Sustainability
Director
Edwin Ramoran is a community organizer and curator born and raised in Palm Springs, California. He resides in the Veterans Tract neighborhood of Palm Springs’s majority-minority District 1 where he grew up and was a caregiver for his parents.
He is a co-founder of Bayaniha
Development & Sustainability
Director
Edwin Ramoran is a community organizer and curator born and raised in Palm Springs, California. He resides in the Veterans Tract neighborhood of Palm Springs’s majority-minority District 1 where he grew up and was a caregiver for his parents.
He is a co-founder of Bayanihan Desert — a collective focused on Filipinx community and civic engagement. He is the inaugural curatorial fellow at Desert X. He serves on the Human Rights Commission and the Equity and Social Justice Committee for the City of Palm Springs. He is also on the board of the National Alliance of Filipino Americans and the advisory board of Pasion Performance Group. He has been an instructor for the Philippine-American Intercultural School of the National Ecumenical Forum for Filipino Concerns, Inland Empire.
He was program director for Arkipelago in New York and has worked at The Studio Museum in Harlem, The Bronx Museum, Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, and Longwood Arts Project of the Bronx Council on the Arts at Hostos Community College. He was also a gallery director at Royale Projects in Los Angeles.
A graduate of Palm Springs High School (Class of 1989), he attended Nellie N. Coffman Middle School, and Cielo Vista Elementary. He received a BA in Art History with minors in Ethnic Studies and Journalism from the University of California, Riverside. At UCR, he received the Marguleas/Weiman Humanitarian of the Year and the Leadership Award from the Chancellor’s Committee on Diversity. He was a Getty Undergraduate Intern in Public Information at The Getty Museum. He is an MA candidate in Art History at Hunter College of the City University of New York. He was a recipient of the The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts’ Curatorial Fellowship and an apexart Fellowship.
