Erick Serrato serves as Executive Director of North Valley THRIVE. Erick concurrently serves as the Executive Director for Prospero Workforce Development Board in Merced County (Director, Department of Workforce Investment). Erick has consulted with organizations across the United States on workforce innovation and service design, previously serving as the Assistant Director of Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network (Long Beach). Erick grew up in Modesto, California, and studied Architecture at Woodbury University (Los Angeles) where his thesis centered on social design in public housing.

Yolanda Meraz is Associate Director of North Valley THRIVE, where she leads community engagement, grantmaking strategy, marketing and communications across the tri-county initiative. She also serves as Program Director at Stanislaus 2030 and has worked in community and economic development, philanthropy and grantmaking across California's Central Valley for more than 20 years. Since joining North Valley THRIVE, she has helped co-develop the region's first Regional Economic Development Plan and guide the Catalyst Grant Program's support of community-led organizations advancing economic opportunity. A lifelong Central Valley resident, her expertise includes community and economic development, coalition building, CDFI lending and grantmaking strategy.

Thomas Pogue is Associate Director of North Valley THRIVE, where he leads the initiative’s research, policy and strategy work. He also serves as Executive Director of the Center for Business and Policy Research at the University of the Pacific and has directed regional economic and policy research across Northern California for more than 15 years. Since joining North Valley THRIVE, he has helped shape efforts to build a more equitable, resilient and sustainable economy in the North San Joaquin Valley. An economist by training, his expertise includes regional and sustainable economic development, innovation systems, workforce and human-capital development, network economics and technological change.

Jacob Faulder serves as a Staff Services Assistant with North Valley THRIVE. Prior to joining North Valley THRIVE he worked for seven years in various elected offices across the North San Joaquin Valley including nearly four years at the California State Senate. Jacob has a degree in Political Science from California State University, Stanislaus.