Alejandro is a graduate of Moorpark High School and University of San Diego. With over 15 years of continued volunteerism, Alejandro hopes to continue his grandfather’s (Ruben Castro) desire to provide for those in need.

Alex J. Serna was born and raised as a product of his loving parents in Moorpark, CA. After attending Moorpark High and Moorpark College, Alex went on to receive his baccalaureate from the University of California, Los Angeles. He thereafter received his teaching credential from California State University, Northridge. Today, he is enjoying his third year as an elementary school educator in Moorpark.

Denise Horton is a seasoned volunteer with service to a variety of Moorpark school organizations, Girl Scouts, and other local charities. She graduated with honors from Baylor University with a B.B.A. in Accounting, and has earned both the Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant professional certifications.  Her 30+ year professional career has been spent managing corporate income tax compliance for multi-national corporations and other non-profit organizations. She and her husband are parents of twins.  Their family has resided in Moorpark for the past 28 years.

Ana-Alicia Castro has a legal background in civil litigation as well as specializing in workers’ compensation. For ten years she worked with injured correctional officers, police officers and firefighters to ensure they received proper medical treatment and wages. She is currently employed with the County of Ventura where she fulfills her passion of working with families and connecting them to needed resources. For nearly twenty years she has volunteered for numerous community programs and she is dedicated to enriching the community through compassionate service to its families.

He may not look like much, but Ryan has combined finance/accounting experience spanning almost 10 years at various business entity levels from small start-up to nationwide enterprise organizations. He brings to the table a thorough understanding of accounting principles and financial analysis. By applying this knowledge base with a hands-on approach to the operations of the charity, he hopes to maximize our positive impact within the community.

Ashwin is an advocate for social, environmental, and economic justice. He is grateful to be part of a community team working to bridge gaps in access to higher education. He brings his experience teaching in a variety of settings–public school, research university, liberal arts college, correctional facility, and refugee outreach center–to help shape the response to the needs of Moorpark and Ventura County residents. He volunteered with food distribution when a student at Moorpark High School and was fortunate then to have worked with Ruben Castro. He is very happy to be reconnecting in this way with his community.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Ruth came to the United States in 1986.  She took a job at a law firm in downtown Los Angeles, and began working with the man who has been her husband for 29 years!!  Ruth moved to Moorpark in 1988 where she and her husband have raised their four sons. A qualified attorney in Ireland and California, Ruth has a Master’s in Business Administration from Woodbury University in Burbank and a Masters in Economics from California State University Los Angeles.  She has taught accounting and economics since 1996, and is currently an assistant professor of accounting at Moorpark College. Always aware of the privileged life she has had, Ruth has given back to her community through volunteering on local youth sports leagues, and more recently at the food pantry at Moorpark College.

Clarinda Ford is retired, having worked in the health care industry her entire career, first as a clinical nurse and nurse case manager, then in health insurance quality management and regulatory compliance. In the health insurance industry, she assisted with regulatory audits and resultant quality improvement activities. Her passion for volunteerism began with her involvement in church ministries. Later more volunteer opportunities opened up for a variety of organizations in the local community. As a retiree she continues serving the local community through Ruben Castro Charities and other organizations.

Rafael Rico grew up in Coalinga located in California’s Central Valley. After graduating from Coalinga High School, he attended West Hills College. He tried out many different things such as sports and acting at the collegiate level, but ultimately discovered that his passion was helping people. He then earned his BA in Sociology from California State University, Channel Islands. Rafael currently works the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Ventura. His passions include helping younger generations navigate community resources, helping families combat food insecurity, getting students academic resources and helping them discover their talents and passions.