Meet Our Executive Team
Our multi-state team combines experience with passion, creativity, and dedication. Our team works all throughout California assisting youth in life skills, education and basketball development. From community parks and basketball courts to corporate boardrooms and executive offices, we're committed to supporting our youth, community, and sponsors.
La Tijera Avery
PIF Founder & President
The Chairman of the Board. Designs national expansion plan and oversees program evaluation duties.
Shawn Wallace
PIF Vice President
PIF Foundation Vice chair. Develops and enforces policies and objectives for the organization. Leading, managing, and developing the organization's employees, volunteers, and organizational culture, to ensure it maintains its values and meets established goals.
Shawn@PassItForwardLA.org
Gernica Johnson
Director of Human Resources
Responsible for recruiting, screening, interviewing and placing workers.
Plans, directs and coordinates the administrative functions of PIF foundation
Gernica@PassItForwardLA.org
Bruce Harris
Director of Operations
Coordinates between the different departments of PIF Foundation and PIF LA. Delegates task between PIF staff and volunteers. Manages the day-to-day operations necessary to ensure that PIF achieves its objectives.
Bruce@PassItForwardLA.org
Cortney Kent
Treasurer
PIF Foundation Signing Officer and custodian of records. Responsible for ensuring that accurate and sufficient documentation exists to meet legal requirements for PIF Foundation to operate effectively.
CortneyK@PassItForwardLA.org
Dionna Garcia
Secretary
Ensures that accurate and sufficient documentation exists to meet
legal requirements, and to enable authorized persons to determine when, how, and by whom the board's business was conducted
Dionna@PassItForwardLA.org
About Our Founder
Trainer La Tijera Avery
"Love and uplift our future leaders" -Coach L.A
La Tijera Avery has spent the last eight years developing into an elite basketball trainer. As a two sport athlete she possesses the mindset to pass forward the knowledge she's attained as well as use it to add value to athletes development. Her passion for youth and community go beyond the scope of just being there as a trainer and coach. She works tirelessly with youth & skid row residents throughout Los Angeles County positively guiding them into their future in life with the support of sports. She recently joined the Para Track & Field coaching world as an USA Para High/Long Jump Coach. Her love of the game of basketball and sports was ever present since she was in middle school. Which lead her to be a standout player on her high school varsity basketball team at Culver City and collegiate track and field team at the University Of Nevada, Reno. Pass It Forward is not only an organization she's created but a lifestyle she pushes for others to live. Whether she's passing forward knowledge, resources or life skills she's always pushing positivity. "May we all continue to Pass It Forward to our future leaders" -L.A
Education:
Culver City HS, 04-2008
University Of Nevada, Reno, 08-2014
Coaching Career:
- Brentwood School Jumps Coach 2019-Present
- USA Paralympic Track and Field High/Long Jump 2018-Present
- UCLA Geffen Academy Middle-High School Basketball Developmental Coach 2019-Present
- UCLA Geffen Academy Middle School Head Track & Field / High School Jumps Coach 2018-2019
- UCLA Geffen Academy Boys 6th Head Basketball Coach 2018-2019
- Rancho Cienega Volunteer Coach 2015-Present
- City Hoops (aau) Head Coach 2015-2016
- Basketball Development Academy Girls Director 2013-2019
- Wooster High School Track & Field Jumps Coach 2013-2015
- 8 years of AAU coaching experience
Athletic Career and Accomplishments:
- Culver City HS, 4 year varsity basketball athlete
- Culver City MVP, 2006-07 Season & 2007-08
- Culver City Beth McNieven Outstanding Senior in 2007-08 for basketball.
- Culver City Exchange Club Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2007-08
- The Academic Athlete in 2007-08 for basketball
- Culver City HS, 2 year varsity Track and Field Athlete
- The Culver City High School record holder in the high jump (5'9)...placed second in the high jump at the Arcadia Invitational in 2006 and 2007...finished first and was the Ocean League high jump champion in 2006-07 and 2007-08...finished first in Division II in both the high jump and the long jump in 2008...placed third overall in the masters meet in 2008 and took second overall in the high jump at the 2008 state championships
- University of Nevada, Reno 2008-2014
- Division 1 All-American
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/031312aab.html
- Nevada Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of February 22-28
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/021411aaa.html
- Verizon Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week for the week of March 7-13
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/031511aaa.html
- 2x UNR High Jump School Record Holder 2012-2017
(Indoor 1.83 (6ft), Outdoor 1.80 (5'10.75))
- 4x NCAA High Jump Qualifier
https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/2213475/Nevada/La_Tijera_Avery.html
