Meet the Leadership Team
Executive Director
Raúl Aguilera
Raúl Aguilera brings years of experience working with youth in Santa Barbara County. Originally born in Jalisco, Mexico, Raúl migrated to Santa Barbara at the age of eight with his family and has since lived here, enjoying the wonderful weather, mountains, and beaches that Santa Barbara offers. He started his professional career as a Relationship Banker at Bank of America but joined the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara when he rediscovered his passion for working with students. Like many of the students that REACH serves, he was a first-generation student who did not have equitable access to resources like his peers, but he did not let that stop him from achieving his education. He earned three associate degrees from Santa Barbara City College, his bachelor’s degree in Spanish with emphasis in Language and Culture from CSU Northridge, and his master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration from Cal Poly. He sees education as a privilege that everyone should have access to and should not be limited due to the circumstances that one is brought in. Raúl is extremely ecstatic to work with REACH students, helping them beyond their academic endeavors as they find their way through life, shaping their own experiences.
Program Manager - Academics
Silvia Ramírez García
Silvia is from Santa Maria, California, and, as a local, she is proud to represent and be part of the REACH team. She is a first-generation college graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a degree in Social Welfare with a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. Silvia first joined REACH as a Fellow in our inaugural Cohort 2012 and returned to the organization in January 2024 as the Academics Program Manager. After graduating from UC Berkeley, she began her career in the public health sector with the City of San Francisco, where she worked with vulnerable populations and navigated complex care systems to strengthen connections and improve care management. She is passionate about public service and mentorship, and having experienced the impact of strong networks and community firsthand, she is committed to building and modeling that culture within the team and the programming. As a former REACH student, Silvia can confidently attest to the lasting impact of positive mentor relationships that supported her throughout her journey and beyond. She deeply believes in REACH’s program values, which have become pillars of her personal development. When she is not running programs, you can spot her at the beach, on hiking trails, or around in the community.
Program Manager - Student Development and Alum Engagement
Natalie Torres
Natalie was born and raised in the Central Coast. She is the proud daughter of immigrant parents of Mexican and Ecuadorian descent, two beautiful countries that Natalie has had the opportunity to explore by conducting qualitative research, volunteering in nonprofits, and traveling its lands to have a deeper understanding of their rich history and cultura. She is a first-generation college graduate from Cal State Monterey Bay, where she earned her B.A. in Social Sciences with a concentration in conservation and a Spanish minor from the University of Granada. Natalie received her M.A. in Social Sciences: Environment and Community at Cal Poly Humboldt. At the core of Natalie’s personal and professional goals are to share her passion and respect for the environment, particularly her first love- the ocean. When volunteering at Quito for a local nonprofit, Natalie brought the ocean to her students as she taught them about its marine ecosystems and shared her love for the ocean. When she’s not working, Natalie is trying new food joints, paddle boarding, or training for her next Morro Bay Triathlon. Natalie is excited to be part of the REACH team as she hopes to be the bridge for students to reach their full potential by doing educational outreach while exposing them to the outdoors.
Program Manager - Outdoors
Dan Baldwin
Dan is originally from Massachusetts and earned his undergraduate degree from UCSB. He joined REACH in June 2025 as the Outdoor Program Manager, bringing years of experience working with students of all ages in outdoor settings. His background includes leading K–6 students through the forests of North Carolina and the school gardens of Santa Barbara, working as an Aquarist at the REEF aquarium, and teaching high school students marine ecology and SCUBA diving at the Island School in the Bahamas, among many other roles. In addition, Dan has contributed to multiple government and nonprofit efforts, collecting scientific data to better understand California’s chaparral forests, kelp forests, and the harmful impacts of invasive species on river ecosystems. Dan joins REACH deeply excited to advance its mission and strengthen the program. In his free time, you’ll find him training for his next endurance challenge, spending quality time with friends and family, or tending to his garden plot.
