The Breakthrough team wants to hear from you!
We are passionate partners for change. At Breakthrough all voices are heard, respected, and valued. Contact us to learn more about becoming a student, a Teaching Intern or Mentor Teacher, a volunteer, a collaborator or a future supporter. All are welcome in the Breakthrough Community.
Our Team
Faith Galati
Executive Director
916-234-6195
faith@breakthroughsac.org
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Breakthrough Executive Director Faith Galati has more than 22 years of experience serving youth in the Sacramento community as a board member for Stanford Home for Children, advocate for CASA of Sacramento, fundraiser for Shriner’s Hospital, Save Vernazza, International Bridges to Justice, Global Medical Foundation, and more. Faith is also an operations and development professional with 16 years of experience as an executive in the financial industry.
Faith attended the University of Nevada Reno, obtaining a BA in Journalism, and later attended California State University, Sacramento to obtain an MBA.
Faith is deeply committed to Sacramento’s youth's success and to delivering educational equity. This is evidenced in her active role in reviving Breakthrough Sacramento and continuing its legacy of serving area youth and inspiring future educators.
Javier Barragán
Program Director
916-234-3905
javier@breakthroughsac.org
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Javier is a proud Latinx college access professional and serves as the Programs Manager for Breakthrough Sacramento. After working with Solano County Cal-SOAP, he joined Breakthrough and has dedicated the last 17 years to supporting low-income, first-generation, and marginalized students and their families. He firmly believes that college should be accessible to all students pursuing higher education.
Javier is also enthusiastic about engaging parents and guardians in post-secondary planning to help inspire and support their children. As the second oldest of seven siblings from Oakland, California, he made history as the first person in his family to attend and graduate from college. Javier earned his Associate's degree in Psychology from Solano Community College, a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from California State University, East Bay (Go Pioneers!).
He is committed to providing resources and opportunities for students interested in Trades, Vocational, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, particularly for hands-on learners. Advocating for equity and student success is his top priority.
Marina Barrera
High School Manager
916-209-0547
marina@breakthroughsac.org
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Marina leads Breakthrough Sacramento’s high school programs. Marina focuses on improving academic achievement, through critical identification of gaps in learning and linking students with trained near-peer tutors and mentors, as well as coordinating advising and monthly enrichment field trips. On top of this, she also leads Breakthrough Sacramento’s social justice internship. This internship allows high school students to research the effects of substance abuse on youth in Sacramento by applying the designed thinking method to their research. She has also worked as a teaching intern in the science department during BSAC’s summer academy since 2022.
Before becoming BSAC’s high school manager, Marina volunteered as a classroom assistant in different math classes in Davis as a student. In 2023, she received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a concentration on pure mathematics, secondary teaching, and economics.
She is passionate about amending the education gap between first-generation, low-income students and their peers. Having been a student in that demographic in Sacramento schools, she is familiar with possible disparities. She wants to support students who may have similar experiences she had.
Chelsea Rodriguez
Assistant Programs Manager
916-243-6963
chelsear@breakthroughsac.org
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Chelsea is the new Assistant Programs Manager and an academic school tutor for Breakthrough Sacramento. Her work experiences have focused on providing support for teachers and students to ensure students reach their full academic potential through multicultural comprehension. When working with students, Chelsea ensures to meet their learning goals, encouraging students to be confident in their work and engaged with material. Chelsea believes that all students can create a positive impact in their communities with education that provides a unique and vital component in their lives.
Chelsea focuses on essential learning and literacy skills, supporting the building blocks of learning for students to pursue future endeavors. She works locally with her community of Sacramento, being a first generation college graduate in her family, and being inspired by her family’s determination to create a better future for all. She received her Bachelors of Science in Community & Regional Development with a concentration in Policy, Planning, and Social Services and Bachelors of Arts in Spanish from University of California, Davis. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Multicultural Education at California State University, Sacramento. Her research focuses on the literacy and comprehension gap of students transitioning from elementary school to middle school and looking for adequate support so students can demonstrate their academic potential at all grade levels. Her focus is providing assistance in literacy skills for students to utilize their skills and knowledge to achieve their goals.
Mustafa Al Hilfi
Program Coordinator
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Mustafa Al Hilfi is the Program Coordinator at Breakthrough Sacramento, he supports academic programming and student engagement. His role includes, focusing on creating and distributing newsletters, social media, grant proposals and conducting outreach. Mustafa also assists with planning and coordination of Breakthrough events. He also serves as a math teacher in Breakthrough's summer program and offers math tutoring to students throughout the school year.
Mustafa is currently pursuing a Mathematics major with a focus on teaching at Sacramento State University. Through both his academic journey and professional experiences, he has cultivated a deep commitment to enhancing students' learning and empowering them to build confidence in their academic skills. As a near-peer educator, Mustafa takes pleasure in working closely with students and collaborating with colleagues to foster a supportive and engaging learning atmosphere.
Mustafa is dedicated to motivating young individuals to chase their dreams and have faith in their abilities. He places a high value on teamwork and collaboration, and he takes pleasure in forming meaningful relationships with both students and colleagues. In his free time, Mustafa has a keen interest in cars, space, volleyball, and soccer.