By Allison L. Andersen, Content Designer
It is clear from the outset that Yetzirah has a passion for community. From speaking lovingly of the community of her youth where everyone looked out for everyone else, to sharing the details of her role as the Regional Program Manager for San Diego, the thread that seems to unite everything Yetzirah stands for is community connection and taking care of one another.
Before joining Elevo, Yetzirah took her passions for community to work and studied public law, with an emphasis in immigration law and medical law. Her reasons for studying law have their roots in very personal experience. “My family has a long history of battling both immigration law and medical law, and so that grew a personal passion in me. Growing up and witnessing, as a child, the ways in which I now know that my family was being taken advantage of by the fact that there were resources always available for us, but never shared, grew a very personal rage in me that turned into a passion for wanting to be on the other side of that to educate my family and future generations and the community around me.”
She worked for many different legal firms that specialized in immigration law and medical law, the two areas she recognized that held a lot of information that just wasn’t making it to the people who needed it. However, even as a passion, the work became very heavy and she made the difficult decision to take a break. “It just wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for my own mental health. I just didn’t feel that I was in the right space. Especially, eventually working at a migrant and refugee shelter, it was very heavy and I really saw myself and my family in the people that I was consistently working with and it was just very draining work, very fulfilling, but just not sustainable for me.
“I had to really sit down with myself and think about what other ways I was able to exercise my love or my passion for helping others in a way that would not be detrimental to my own physical, mental, and emotional well-being.” She sought the counsel of her mother. As someone who has always worked in education, her mother suggested she consider working with kids. While the idea was tempting, Yetzirah was still on the social services or community services track and couldn’t see how working with kids alone would fit that field. Her mother suggested working within a school district, but that didn’t seem to light her up either.
However, she took her mother’s advice to heart and began exploring opportunities in the field of education. “That’s when I found Elevo. The Regional Manager role immediately stood out to me, given my experience in operations and case management.” She landed the position and soon after was promoted to Regional Program Manager, where she once again felt energized by the opportunity to use her passion for helping people and her strategic thinking skills to effectively operate programs.
As a Regional Program Manager, Yetzirah oversees the coaches. She ensures the integration of our curriculum and training on the field, and in that capacity, she is also able to communicate with students and families. These informal interactions give the families an opportunity to ask questions or voice their opinions or fears, and they allow Yetzirah to draw from her experience in immigration law to help provide resources to those in need. “Sharing knowledge and resources is everything. It’s empowering. There are so many things that I learned both studying and actually working in the field of immigration law; that there is a law in place or an entity that can help. And so really, what we can do and what I really love to see, is across the board, all Operations Managers and Program Managers sharing these resources with our coaches for our families in our community.”
As part of her role, she is also charged with conducting field surveys, more formal interactions with families. In doing so, she has come to one universal truth, “All humans just need attention and love. We all want to be seen.” She hears the appreciation from both families and students for the opportunity to engage in conversation and ask the hard questions.
She has also noticed a subtle barrier to communication in these interactions. “A big thing I’ve noticed too is language. Growing up I remember the ways in which my mom – who is a fluent English speaker but English is not her first language – would shy away from asking for information. I definitely see that in some of the parents or the communities that we serve, that just for fear of their own perceived ignorance, do not reach out or try to access the resources that are available to them.” It’s encouraging to her that these parents and families feel safe enough to share with her their ideas and struggles.
Yetzirah envisions a long future growing with Elevo, fueled by her passion for community involvement and outreach. She is brimming with ideas, including a dream project she and a coworker have been developing—one deeply rooted in the sense of belonging she experiences when the company gathers for large meetings or local events. “We’ve been discussing ways to integrate that same sense of connection and belonging—felt so strongly among full-time staff—into the communities we serve. When we come together, it truly feels like family. There’s a sense of purpose, knowing we’re in the right place, doing meaningful work. We want our families to feel that same warmth, not just as recipients of our services but as an integral part of our extended community. And, beyond the families we directly serve, we want to foster that connection throughout the entire region.” For Yetzirah, this vision includes creating shared community spaces—places where people can gather, collaborate, and support one another, whether through a community fridge, a library, or simply a welcoming area designed for engagement. She dreams of establishing warehouses or office spaces in every region Elevo serves, solidifying the company’s presence as a cornerstone for local communities. More than a project, she sees this as a lasting legacy—an initiative that embodies Elevo’s mission and strengthens the bond between the company and the people it uplifts.
If it involves uplifting and building community, Yetzirah is all in. “Community is something truly special. Growing up in another country, it was the foundation of my entire existence—my whole life. You wake up in the morning, and everyone is outside. You know exactly who you’re buying your groceries from and where everything comes from. They, in turn, know everything about you and your family. There’s something incredibly beautiful about how things effortlessly fall into place when we are all in alignment with one another.”
Yetzirah’s love for community is not just a concept—it’s deeply embedded in every aspect of her life. Recently, she stepped into the role of full-time caretaker for her grandmother, an experience that has further reinforced her belief in the power of human connection, support, and shared responsibility. For her, caring for family and building community are one and the same—they both require patience, dedication, and a genuine desire to uplift others. Whether through her work at Elevo or in her personal life, Yetzirah remains committed to fostering environments where people feel seen, valued, and supported.
