Meet Our Members

McKenna brings extensive experience leading K–12, higher education, and workforce partnerships throughout California’s Central Valley. Prior to joining CVML, she served as Executive Director of K–20 Regional Alliances at the University of California, Merced, where she oversaw a portfolio of regional initiatives focused on strengthening educational pathways, expanding access to college and career opportunities, and aligning programs with regional workforce needs.
Her professional background also includes leadership in dual enrollment, college and career readiness, regional grant initiatives, and cross-sector partnership development. McKenna is committed to building strong relationships, supporting collaborative regional strategies, and advancing opportunities that help students successfully transition from education into meaningful careers.

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 a doctoral candidate (EdD) in Organizational Leadership. Cynthia provides programmatic support to Strong Workforce across the Central Valley Mother Lode region.