Simone identifies as a proud Lived Expert of Foster Care. During her five years navigating the child welfare system as a youth, Simone developed a love and admiration for foster youth and has established a career dedicated to positively impacting her community.
 

After emancipating from foster care, Simone earned her BA in Child Development and her MA in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs. Simone has contributed over 15 years to supporting, empowering, and advocating for, and with, current and former foster youth in residential care, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. In addition, Simone’s efforts towards system disruption have expanded to include true partnership with community members with lived expertise as biological parents, resource parents, and kinship families.
 

Simone’s dedication and leadership has significantly impacted policy and practice change within San Diego County’s Child & Family Well-Being Department, the creation of the Lived Expert Action Partners Workgroup under the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, and the co-authorship of Life Changing Choices – 7 Essential Choices at the Heart of Transformational Change for Foster Youth and Your Community.
 

Simone is continuing her impact as a Lived Expert Consultant.