Cruz Avila was CEO of Poverello House for 6 years. Cruz managed a 3.0-million-dollar budget, 37 employees, Naomi’s House, The Men’s Resident Rehabilitation program, and a temporary overnight shelter for men and women.

 

Cruz also collaborated with other agencies to provide clients with access to mental health counseling and housing. Cruz’s professional experience has focused on organizational management in non-profits, community, and economic development, and social services. 

 

He was a Manager of Residential Services for Housing with Heart, a non-profit organization that is the social service unit of Jamboree Housing that develops and constructs affordable housing across the state.  At Housing with Heart, he supervised a staff of 45 and administered a one-million-dollar budget. Cruz also worked in the Riverside County Office of Education as a Resource Manager and Counselor.

​

There he managed and supervised facilities and the personnel by providing family counseling regarding drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence as well as TNT (trainers in training) for administration staff and personal. Cruz Avila was born and raised in Sanger California.

 

His parents, who worked in the agriculture industry, taught him and his brother the value of hard work, a good education, and strong moral values.  He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services and a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership. He is working towards completing his Master of Art in Counseling for completion of his Marriage and Family Therapy License (MFT).

 

In his spare time, Cruz likes to do anything outdoors especially soccer, and spending time with his beautiful wife Tanya and beautiful daughter Tatiana.