CollegeBuys Team
Our team of experts have decades of experience supporting the purchasing processes in higher education. Whether you have questions about our piggybackable contracts, our vendor partnerships, or want to find a purchasing solution for your campus, our dedicated team of professionals knows the right contracts to meet your college or district’s needs.
Telephone
916.491.4467
Jorge J.C. Sales
Executive Vice President of Program Development
Jorge J.C. Sales, Executive Vice President of Program Development, oversees several programs in the Foundation. Programs under his purview include (1) CollegeBuys, the California Community Colleges’ systemwide business and procurement program; (2) Intersegmental Collaboration through the California Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS) initiative; and (3) Equity programs concentrated on statewide student mental health, foster youth, and food insecurity programs. Mr. Sales’ work is focused on access, equity, and corporate partnerships – working closely with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and systemwide stakeholders, as well as corporate partners to explore opportunities for continued access for colleges, students, faculty, and staff in California’s public higher education institutions.
Mr. Sales has over 10 years of experience in California’s government and nonprofit sectors, having worked with then-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown in various public affairs capacities in the capitol region, and directing a regional election campaign for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Mr. Sales received his bachelor’s in economics, and his juris doctor and masters in public administration from the University of Southern California.
Business Areas
- Business and Program Development
- California Higher Education Shared Services
- Programmatic Strategic Direction
- Statewide Liaison with Partners and Stakeholders
Telephone
916.491.4467
Jennifer Keiper
Senior Director of Procurement Services
Jennifer leads the department’s procurement and contracting activities, including competitive solicitations, contract development and administration, legal and regulatory compliance, financial oversight, performance reporting, marketing, communications, and events. She works closely with stakeholders across California’s community colleges, as well as industry and intersegmental education partners, to develop innovative procurement solutions that increase efficiency, expand access to resources, mitigate risk, and deliver cost savings.
Jennifer has 10+ years of experience in California’s public sector, most of which has been dedicated to contracting in higher education within the CCC and UC systems. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Juris Doctor with a concentration in Public Interest Law from the University of California, Davis School of Law.
Business Areas
- Program Strategy, Development, and Management
- Business Operations and Contracting Oversight
- Legal and Contractual Compliance
- Statewide Liaison with Partners and Stakeholders
Kevin Wutke
Senior Director of Enterprise Partnerships
Kevin Wutke serves as the Senior Director of Enterprise Partnerships at the Foundation for California Community Colleges. His role is focused on spearheading the development and expansion of new programs, with a particular focus on initiatives such as SchoolBuys, CivicBuys, the Corporate Roundtable, and the FoundationCCC’s eCommerce platform for students. He cultivates collaborative partnerships with a diverse array of enterprise stakeholders, fostering synergies with colleagues across California’s community colleges, K-12 districts, and local government entities.
Kevin has over seven years of experience working with California’s community colleges across a range of student success, equity, and procurement programs. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and psychology from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in philosophy from the Ohio State University.
Business Areas
- Program Strategy, Development, and Management
- Statewide Liaison with Partners and Stakeholders
- System and Budget Priorities
- Retail Store Management
Aris Hovasapian
Director, Climate Action and Procurement Initiatives
Aris Hovasapian works with the Enterprise and Procurement Services and the Center for Climate Futures programs to support community college and other participating agency efforts to reduce their environmental impact, invest in renewable energy, reduce their energy and water use, and accelerate the development of the emerging green workforce. His experience in policy development, facilities, energy, and sustainability amplifies FoundationCCC’s work in the climate space.
Prior to joining FoundationCCC, Aris worked as a consultant at Accenture, where he supported clean energy and sustainability projects at various community college districts through a FoundationCCC statewide agreement. Aris previously worked at the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), leading energy and sustainability efforts for the district’s nine colleges, culminating with the passage of LACCD’s Resolution on Clean Energy and Sustainability in 2020. He was also an inaugural member of the Chancellor’s Office Climate Action Steering Committee. Prior to LACCD, Aris was the Energy Manager for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Business Areas
- Sustainability and Environmental Justice
- Facilities, Transportation, and the Built Environment
- Policy Development
- Procurement support
Lale Stefkova
Director of Engagement and Outreach
Lale serves as a Director of Engagement and Outreach, supporting the growth of all our Buys programs and representing the EPS brands externally. Lale’s focus is the expansion and deepening of engagement with district leaders, external business partners and associations and vendors supporting higher education, K-12 and the civil sector.
Lale received her Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she held teaching and research positions, along with leading departmental efforts to establish distance learning for nontraditional students. Prior to joining the Foundation, Lale spent 5 years in the EdTech industry, serving as a liaison with school and district leaders across higher education and K-12 and informing the internal marketing and product development strategies.
Business Areas
- Business Operations
- Business Development
- Statewide Liaison with Partners and Stakeholders
Telephone
916.325.8561
Jorge Burwick
Senior Program Manager
Jorge Burwick serves as the Senior Manager, Enterprise and Procurement Services, where he works to develop new business lines by vetting prospective vendors and managing compliant requests for proposals. Jorge supports systemwide collaborative procurement initiatives.
Jorge has over 15 years of experience in higher education. Jorge is a native Texan and earned his bachelor’s from Trinity University and master’s from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Business Areas
- Business Operations
- Business Development
- Contract Management
- District Support
Alexander Alvarado
Senior Retail Programs Specialist
Alex Alvarado serves as Senior Retail Programs Specialist for the CollegeBuys team. He provides support for the CollegeBuys technology contract. This includes operation of Adobe and California Connects and involves user account administration and product fulfillment.
Alex has 10 years of experience in customer and technical support from call center and help desk roles. He is a California native with much of his experience coming from Apple, Toyota, and nonprofits.
Business Areas
- Adobe
- California Connects
- CollegeBuys E-store
- Administrative and Customer Support
Trisha Saberian
Senior Business Operations & Strategic Projects Specialist
Trisha is the Senior Business Operations & Strategic Projects Specialist within the Enterprise and Procurement Services Department. In this role, she leads engagement and outreach initiatives across all departmental programs, manages stakeholder records, oversees departmental financials, and plays a key role in coordinating professional development opportunities and events.
With over two years at FoundationCCC, Trisha brings a strong interdisciplinary background to her work. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Public Health Sciences and Urban Studies from the University of California, Irvine.
Business Areas
- Engagement and Outreach
- Program Operations
- Business Financials
- Client Relations Management (CRM)
Adrian Avonbridge
Senior Legal & Contracts Associate
Adrian serves as Senior Legal and Contracts Associate for Enterprise and Procurement Services. In that cross-functional role, he is responsible for providing the department with a wide range of support, including contract development and maintenance, lifecycle management, legal and policy compliance, risk management, information governance, and other administrative tasks. Adrian also works as part of the FoundationCCC Legal Operations team, representing EPS internally, and supporting the broader organization on additional issues related to procurement law, corporate governance, employment law, public records compliance, state and local government law, and federal law.
Adrian has a dedicated history of work in the public sector both in the Bay Area and the greater Sacramento area. He hopes to build on this commitment to public service with FoundationCCC by supporting the mission and vision of the EPS department. Adrian received his bachelor’s in Philosophy from the University of California, Davis in 2018 with an emphasis in Pre-Law, his J.D. from the U.C. Davis School of Law in 2023, and he is an attorney licensed to practice in California.
Business Areas
- Program Operations
- Contract Support
- Legal Compliance
- Administrative and Customer Support
Stephanie Chung
Partnerships and Outreach Specialist
Stephanie Chung serves as the Partnerships and Outreach Specialist for Enterprise and Procurement Services. She initiates and strengthens relationships with districts, vendors, and public agencies to drive awareness and expand participation in FoundationCCC’s cooperative purchasing programs.
Stephanie brings a background rooted in education and a deep commitment to equity in public systems. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was an instructor and consultant in the K-12 space for over 15 years, where she collaborated with district stakeholders and supported schools with resource development and community engagement. Stephanie earned her bachelor’s in English and master’s in Education, with a focus on culturally responsive education, from California State University, Fullerton.
Business Areas
- District and Public Agency Engagement
- Vendor Relations and Contract Utilization
- Conferences and Presentations
Lizbeth Pineda
Retail Program Coordinator
Lizbeth serves as administrative support and external customer service for the CollegeBuys direct to student and faculty programs and digital literacy initiatives. As a Program Coordinator, Lizbeth also coordinates calendar/events, logistics, invoicing, and marketing/engagement and outreach for the CollegeBuys e-Store.
Lizbeth received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the California State University, Sacramento. She hopes to expand her skills and knowledge within our existing programs to further assist with all efforts to benefit and enhance the California Community Colleges system.
Business Areas
- Customer Service and Administrative Support
- California Connects program, Adobe
- Program Support
Vanessa Ruiz Smith
Program Coordinator
Vanessa serves as Program Coordinator for the CollegeBuys team. She is lead for the Systemwide Technology Access Collaborative (STAC) program, focusing on program operations, facilitating communication and relationships with colleges and vendors to support systemwide procurement efforts. In addition to her work with STAC, Vanessa provides customer service and administrative support for the CollegeBuys e-Store to deliver a responsive and positive user experience.
Vanessa received a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing from California State University, Sacramento. She has been with the Foundation for over three years, values the growth she has gained through her work and contributions, and looks forward to continued learning and impact.
Business Areas
- STAC
- Adobe
- California Connects
- Customer Service and Administrative Support
Colm Fitzgerald
Legal Assistant
Colm Fitzgerald serves as Legal Assistant for the CollegeBuys team where he provides support in contract drafting and maintenance. He completed his undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz.
Business Areas
- Contract Support
- Legal Compliance