Our Team

Mend Collaborative staff are survivors and people who are formerly incarcerated. Our lived experiences bring wisdom, expertise, integrity and credibility to the work of healing. Our team is diverse and represents the communities we serve. Our organization is the fruition of many years of collective work in prisons and in the community to address the harms of violence.

Rebecca Weiker

Co-Director

Rebecca Weiker

Co-Director

Rebecca Weiker is dedicated to creating opportunities for transformation and healing for everyone impacted by violence, including victims and people responsible for harm. Her work is grounded as well in her personal history; her beloved sister Wendy was murdered in 1992. For over thirty years her through-line has been addressing and preventing the harms of trauma and violence. Rebecca has worked to support the needs of high-risk youth, parents and children impacted by trauma and violence, pregnant women and their partners, and survivors and incarcerated people. She has served as the Program Director of restorative justice organizations where she was responsible for a variety of transformative justice work, including victim offender dialogues (VODs), transformative justice symposia, community healing events, and training and technical assistance. Rebecca is a certified mediator and Victim Offender Dialogue Facilitator, a student of the practices Mindfulness and Mindful Self-Compassion, a certified parent educator through The Center for Nonviolent Education and Parenting and is a member of the LA County District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services Advisory Board. Rebecca received her Master’s Degree in Public Health Policy (Child and Family Health) from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Miguel Quezada

Co-Director

Miguel Quezada

Co-Director

Miguel Quezada is an experienced leader in Restorative Justice in California and one of the state's full-time Victim Offender Dialogue facilitators.

As the Co-Director of Mend Collaborative, a restorative justice organization creating access to healing processes for families and individuals impacted by violence he has advanced a unique model that brings together individuals responsible for harm and survivors of violence together to work as colleagues to support other families in their journey of healing, accountability, and justice.

He has presented about the Mend Collaborative model and programs at conferences and trainings such as the National Association of Victim in Assistance and Corrections (NAVAAC), National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ), and National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) as well as has provided trainings to District Attorneys Offices, Victim Advocates, the California Board of Prison Hearing Commission, Office of the Governor of the State of California-Pardon and Commutations, Public Defender Offices, and community based organizations supporting survivors of harm.

His professional background includes roles as a batterer intervention program facilitator, crisis intervention counselor, community health worker, non-profit program manager and consultant creating curriculum for rehabilitative programs.

Trino Jimenez

Facilitator

Trino Jimenez

Facilitator

Trino Jimenez is a crime survivor, a man of deep faith, and a Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) facilitator at Mend Collaborative. He was given an amazing gift in 2015 when the opportunity arose to write to the man who was responsible for taking his brother’s life many years earlier. After two years of letter exchange, on March 16, 2017, Trino took a trip to Solano State Prison to participate in a VOD– a face to face meeting and a day of healing– with the person responsible for his brother’s death. In April of 2018, Trino once again returned to the prison in a neutral support of the responsible party in his parole hearing where he was denied parole. Finally, in December of 2019, Trino was able to witness a transformed man be found suitable for parole, after 34 years of incarceration. Today Trino accompanies survivors in their journey through the VOD and trains new VOD facilitators at Mend Collaborative. As a part of this role, Trino has been invited to share his story with legislators at the Smart Justice California Retreat and Policy Summit, has presented on the Mend Collaborative Model of Co-Facilitation at the National Association of Victim Assistance (NOVA) training, and has supported several Day of Healing events across California prisons. He has presented to Law Students at UCLA, supported projects for Human Rights Watch and Parole Justice Works, and has shared his story at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit. Trino hopes to continue on this path of healing and is thankful to share a space with the person who caused him so much devastation and pain by joining him in sharing with those who are in need of healing and hope. His story is a story of brokenness used to mend the broken. Trino Jimenez lives in Whittier California.

Reynaldo Aguilar

Program Director

Reynaldo Aguilar

Program Director

Reynaldo Aguilar is committed to a practice of empathy, patience, and dignity. Rey believes that his life experiences and skills contribute to his ability to support and empower survivors in their healing journey. Rey has earned a Drug and Alcohol Specialist Certification I & II, a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor through the California Association of DUI Treatment Providers (CADTP), and served as the Program Director and Lead Substance Abuse Counselor for the Wellness and Recovery Program serving participants in their recovery. Rey has experience in leading and providing facilitation for several rehabilitative programs and services including his role as a HIV counselor, Supportive Care Service Hospice, as a co-facilitator with Pathway to Kingship, a reentry ready curriculum at Chuckawalla State Prison, and in the past two years as a Victim Offender Dialogue Facilitator supporting individuals and families. Rey has Associates Degrees in Business and in Behavioral & Social Science. Today he is the Program Director expanding the Day of Healing and External Trainings throughout the state for the Mend Collaborative. Rey is proud to continue to have the opportunity to make amends and help others through his work.

Lynne Acosta

Facilitator

Lynne Acosta

Facilitator

Lynne has experienced and survived violence throughout her life including in her childhood, the military, and within her home as an adult up until her incarceration. Lynne is a certified mediator in conflict resolution and co-founder of Living Outside Violence Everyday (LOVE) a program for incarcerated women. She served as a Peer Grief Counselor supporting incarcerated women with end of life care at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) through Hinds Hospice and has received extensive training in domestic violence prevention and support through Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE). She currently is a Life Coach for incarcerated men and women at two California State Prisons, and regularly provides presentations about community violence for Veterans Affairs Offices. Lynne has over ten years of restorative justice experience and believes that restorative justice can bring healing, freedom, and inner peace for people open to the process. Today, Lynne brings these direct life experiences to support other survivors and our community as a Victim Offender Dialogue facilitator and trainer.

Ebony Antoine

Facilitator

Ebony Antoine

Facilitator

Ebony Antoine is a survivor, after losing her husband to gun violence and the following journey of grief and growth, she sought to find a bereavement group that could help process the traumatic loss of her husband, provide resources for her three children, and would help her heal using mind and body wellness through a group advocacy setting. She discovered the void in services and decided to create what she could not find. In 2017 she founded Broken By Violence (BBV) an organization that provides direct services to grieving families impacted violence by connecting them with resources to meet their needs in the aftermath of violent death. Over the years, BBV has adapted its approach to providing more direct material support to the families they serve, recognizing that basic human needs for food, shelter, and connection are necessary for spiritual and emotional healing to occur. BBV works to counteract the stigmas surrounding violence and trauma, accomplished through these deep efforts to serve family units in the long term. Today, Ebony is a leader in her community through BBV and also supports survivors of violence through her work as a Mend Collaborative VOD Facilitator.

Denise Munoz

Facilitator

Denise Munoz

Facilitator

Denise Munoz is a compassionate and insightful individual with a unique ability to connect deeply with others. Having personally experienced incarceration,Denise brings a profound perspective to her work, fostering trust and rapport with system-impacted individuals. With a background in youth diversion programs and assisting survivors of domestic violence, Denise is dedicated to supporting individuals as they reintegrate into society. Currently pursuing a degree in social work at East Los Angeles College, Denise focuses on empowering her community through advocacy and self-help groups, advocating for change and second chances for survivors and those impacted by the justice system.

Guadalupe “Lupe” Angulo

Facilitator

Guadalupe “Lupe” Angulo

Facilitator

Lupe has a background deeply rooted in public service and is a community organizer in the Bay Area. She serves as a Community Services Commissioner for the City of Hayward and for the Commission on Status of Women in Alameda County and is a Victim Offender Dialogue facilitator and trainer for the Mend Collaborative. As a survivor of violent crime, Lupe’s personal experiences have fueled her passion for making a positive impact in her community and advocating for change. Outside of her professional life, Lupe loves spending quality time with her children and husband.

Precious Johnson

Facilitator

Precious Johnson

Facilitator

Precious is a respected mentor, leader, and passionate advocate for prison reform. With 15 years of direct experience within the prison system, Precious brings invaluable insight to prison reform. While incarcerated Precious actively participated in guiding young offenders away from destructive paths through a youth diversion program. Precious also co-created and taught self-help classes, gaining recognition as a mentor within the prison community. Since her release, she has collaborated with organizations focused on criminal justice reform, advocating for change and offering personal empowerment and healing to survivors and her community.

Pamela Thompson

Facilitator

Pamela Thompson

Facilitator

Pamela is an exceptionally compassionate and dedicated individual who brings invaluable insight to her work as a formerly incarcerated person. With a steadfast commitment to empowering others and driving positive change, she has become a respected leader in the reentry and restorative justice space. Currently, Pamela serves as a manager at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, where she plays a pivotal role in supporting program participants on their path to successful reintegration into society. With over a decade of experience in restorative justice, Pamela wears many hats. She is a Certified Reentry Coach with Pathway to Kinship, a Victim-Offender Dialogue (VOD) facilitator with Mend Collaborative, and a student at East Los Angeles College. Pamela's dedication to fostering healing and transformation is truly inspiring.

Angela Zuniga

Facilitator

Angela Zuniga

Facilitator

Angela is a dedicated mentor, leader, and advocate for transformation and healing. With six years of direct experience in advocacy and facilitation, Angela brings deep insight into reentry and prison reform. While incarcerated, she co-founded and facilitated gang prevention workshops, teaching a variety of rehabilitative programs and using the same skills that helped transform her own life to mentor others. Since her release, Angela has continued this work in the community, expanding her impact as a certified Professional Coach and Reentry Specialist. She currently serves as a Program Coordinator and Peer Support Specialist, supporting individuals as they transition back into society. In her support of survivors at Mend Collaborative Angela facilitates Days of Healing and Victim Offender Dialogues. Driven by a passion for helping others grow, Angela is committed to changing lives, promoting healing, and empowering individuals to create a future filled with purpose and success.

Lindsey Villarreal

Facilitator

Lindsey Villarreal

Facilitator

Lindsey comes to this work as a survivor of violence. She is an abolitionist at heart and someone who wants to see mass incarceration and systemic violence addressed, so restorative justice was a natural avenue to explore as part of her own healing journey that began in 2007. In 2019 the invitation to share her own story of healing and surviving violence to folks in prison resonated as she had already been engaged in prison outreach work for almost two decades and traditional means of healing were not producing the results she needed. The power of forgiveness and the power of non-violence have shown her that love and hope can thrive in the most surprising conditions and between the most unexpected individuals. She believes that shame and guilt create conditions for suffering and perpetuating harm and prevent healing and growth. Her desire to seek a less violent and more just future is filled by observing systemic inequities that impact her children and community on a daily basis.

Outside of healing and working in prison, Lindsey works as an academic advisor for a PhD program and mentors historically marginalized undergraduates who want to pursue graduate degrees, in hopes of seeing more diversity in higher education. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her four children and two granddaughters. She finds joy in reading, writing, hiking, cooking, yoga, swimming and listening to good music. Her favorite place to go when meditating is a spot in the Trinity Alps where she spent summers exploring freedom and peace as a child.