Meet The Executive Team
LEEAF Director
Elianne Rodriguez
Elianne Rodriguez is a serial entrepreneur with 17 years of experience in small businesses, education, and tech. She believes entrepreneurship and technology are great disruptors to build accessible and equitable ecosystems. Elianne fosters community and designs culturally competent programming to connect diverse talent to opportunities that reflect the intersectionality of Los Angeles across racial, socioeconomic, gender, education, sexuality, and immigration status. At LEEAF, Elianne leads the development, implementation, and oversight of all programs serving both business leaders and students.
Marla Parker
Dr. Marla Parker is a dedicated professional who plays a pivotal role in guiding organizations toward their diversity and equity objectives, fostering learning and development, strategic planning, and well-being. In addition to her organizational contributions, Marla brings a decade of research and practical expertise focused on the unique experiences of entrepreneurs of color, and she offers personalized and small-group coaching, dedicated to helping individuals in their journey of personal and professional growth. At LEEAF, Marla leads the research team and program evaluation.
Lead Faculty
Dmitri Seals
Dr. Dmitri Seals draws upon his extensive background in sociological action research and his role in founding and leading successful youth-serving nonprofits, Dmitri exemplifies a commitment to community-driven, research-based efforts aimed at advancing justice and fostering opportunities. His work centers around university-based models designed to empower students to critically analyze issues, create effective interventions, and persistently work toward achieving enduring and impactful change. At LEEAF, he leads community outreach and supports the student-facing and core institutional functions of the program.
Lead Faculty