Faculty and Staff

Esteban Cadena is from East Los Angeles and is the proud son of Mexican immigrants. From a young age he became aware of social disparities within the community and the impact it had on his family, prompting him to commit to a career in social justice. Esteban received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Loyola Marymount University in 2016, making him the first in his family to earn a college degree. As an undergraduate student, Esteban participated in various groups on campus that aligned with his Latinx heritage. He also maintained a stellar GPA, while working multiple jobs to pay for his education. Upon graduating from LMU, Esteban began his career in the mental health field where he worked as a Residential Counselor and WRAP Around service provider for systems-impacted children. From those experiences, Esteban learned about the impact that socioeconomic factors and trauma has on life outcomes, which influenced his decision to earn his Master of Social Welfare degree from UCLA. Initially, Esteban had plans to return to WRAP Around as a therapist, however in graduate school, his interests shifted in the direction of supporting students within the educational system.   

Esteban currently works for LAUSD as Psychiatric Social Worker, assisting students by providing mental health services and socioemotional support. Esteban is deeply committed to ensuring that Black and Brown youth have access to services necessary to recover from the pandemic and other socio-economic factors that contribute to trauma and negative health outcomes. Esteban’s ultimate goal is to educate youth on the benefits of services and destigmatize mental health, especially for Black and Brown youth, as they are at greater risk of developing mental health issues.  

My name is Oralia Lua and I am your Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor. I graduated from UCLA and initially started working with students at a Day Treatment Center. Later, I attended USC and obtained a Masters in Social Work. My passion has always been working with students and providing them with the support needed to improve their social-emotional well-being and remove barriers that impact their academic achievement. My goal is to teach students that attending school develops key social skills, provides important knowledge, and helps them stay on track for a successful future.

When I am not on campus, I spend time with family and friends. I enjoy cooking, jogging, going on walks, cheering for my kids at sports events, and LIFE.