Every month, the Central Valley Energy Coalition spotlights someone making a difference in our communities. Not a spokesperson. Not an industry representative. A real person doing meaningful work to create new opportunities for the people who call the Central Valley home.
This month, we are proud to introduce Jesus Andrade, Executive Director of Improve Your Tomorrow.
Introducing the Community Voice Series
The Central Valley Energy Coalition was founded on a simple belief: the decisions shaping our region’s future should include the people who live here.
That belief is reflected in the partnerships we build, the conversations we encourage, and the people we invite to help guide our work.
Our Community Voice Series introduces members of the Carbon TerraVault III Project Advisory Body, a group of educators, nonprofit leaders, labor representatives, business owners, and community advocates who bring local perspectives into conversations about the future of the Central Valley.
They are not energy insiders. They are parents, educators, business leaders, and advocates whose communities are directly affected by the decisions shaping our region.
Jesus Andrade is the first voice we are honored to feature. As Executive Director of Improve Your Tomorrow, Jesus has dedicated his career to helping young people discover new opportunities through education, mentorship, and workforce development.
“Young people in the Central Valley deserve clean air and real careers.”
Jesus Andrade · Improve Your Tomorrow Foundation
Who Is Jesus Andrade?
Jesus Andrade has spent his career building bridges between Central Valley students and opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives.
Through his leadership at Improve Your Tomorrow, he works with young people navigating real challenges, including limited access to higher education, professional networks, and career opportunities.
His work recognizes something important. Preparing students for the future is not only about scholarships or job training. Young people also need to see themselves succeeding in the industries growing right here in their own communities.
That perspective is exactly why Jesus serves on the Carbon TerraVault III Project Advisory Body. He brings the voice of students, families, and underserved communities into conversations about projects that could shape the Central Valley for decades to come.
What Improve Your Tomorrow Does
Improve Your Tomorrow connects young people throughout the Central Valley with education, career pathways, and lasting opportunity.
The organization focuses on supporting young men of color through mentorship, college access, leadership development, and professional connections. Working alongside schools, community organizations, and employers, Improve Your Tomorrow helps students build a path toward careers they may never have imagined possible.
As new energy projects and emerging technologies create opportunities across the Central Valley, there is a growing need for local workers prepared to fill those roles. Organizations like Improve Your Tomorrow help ensure those opportunities stay local by preparing the next generation of leaders.
Why This Matters
The future of the Central Valley should be built by the people who live here. That means listening to educators, nonprofit leaders, workforce advocates, and families whose lives are directly connected to the future of our communities.
Having leaders like Jesus Andrade on the Project Advisory Body helps ensure those voices remain part of the conversation.
Every community deserves the opportunity to build a future where good careers, clean air, and strong local communities go hand in hand. Jesus has spent his career helping make that future possible, and we are proud to have his perspective helping guide our coalition.
This is the first story in our Community Voice Series. Throughout the year, we will continue introducing the people behind the coalition because the Central Valley’s greatest strength has always been its people
