Manuel Fierro

Manuel Fierro serves as Associate Director of Early Childhood Policy for Catalyst California. He is responsible for leading early care and education policy and advocacy efforts to advance racial equity and economic justice in Los Angeles City and County. Manuel has over 20 years of expertise in early care and education, serving young children, families, and early child care providers. Manuel brings a collaborative community approach to his work, given his leadership in developing action plans with stakeholders and community members, whose lived experiences were used to help inform their areas of focus and its implementation. 

Prior to joining Catalyst California, Manuel served as a Senior Program Officer for the Low Income Investment Fund, where he provided technical assistance and training to six different counties in California so that they can advocate to overcome local land barriers, increase financial investment for child care facilities, and create resources to assist child care providers with developing a child care center. Manuel’s work is rooted in direct services, serving as a 3rd and 4th grade teacher, supporting parents to access high-quality child care for their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and supporting child care providers to increase their quality within the most underserved communities in Los Angeles County. Manuel holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles. He enjoys traveling around the world, theatre arts, dance, and spending time with his partner, family, and friends.