Meet Our Members

Lora Larkin is the newly appointed Executive Director for Workforce & Economic Development and Regional Chair for the Central Valley Motherlode Regional Consortium (CVML) for California Community Colleges. A native of Bakersfield, California, she has spent most of her career with Bakersfield College and the Kern Community College District in various roles, including as a professor for 18 years, district faculty negotiator, and as an administrator the last several years for various programs, particularly in career and technical education including industrial technology, public safety, business, and renewable energy. With a family firmly grounded in industry, she is passionate about further educating and developing the region’s workforce, even as it continues to expand with new technologies and apprenticeships.

Tanisha Gonzalez is a dedicated professional and Bakersfield native, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business. Over the past five years, she has been a key contributor to workforce development at Bakersfield College, working under the Strong Workforce grant. Her efforts have been instrumental in helping the Career Education Department achieve its objectives, making a lasting impact on the community. Outside of her professional life, Tanisha is an avid baseball/softball fan, and when she’s not working, you can often find her at the softball fields with her family, traveling up and down California to watch her daughter play softball.

Cynthia Bryan brings cross-sector experience in workforce development, sustainability, and program design. She has led regional initiatives connecting education to industry and supported Career Technical Education programs. Her background includes California teaching credentials, ECE-14 teaching in public and private sectors, and her work spans advisory and leadership roles in national and community organizations, earning recognition at state and federal levels. She is currently pursuing her EdD in Organizational Leadership. Cynthia provides programmatic support to Strong Workforce across the Central Valley Mother Lode region.

Licon, who holds a Master of Business Administration, ensures all financial information within the Central Valley Mother Lode Regional Consortium is reported and submitted. She works with the Chancellor’s Office to make sure the Consortium is in compliance with financial reporting and assists the colleges and schools with financial questions.

Morales, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting, assists with financial reporting for the Central Valley Mother Lode Regional Consortium. He works in support to the Direct of Programs and Compliance, ensuring that all financial information in the Consortium is within compliance.