Sonia Bell

Program Manager | Friends Outside in Los Angeles County

“Instead of solely looking inward - trying to convince myself why I belong - I think it’s time I venture out of my comfort zone and bring my folding chair to the table.”

Sonia is a Program Manager of employment services at Friends Outside in Los Angeles County, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.

Before joining Friends Outside in Los Angeles County, Sonia helped launch and implement a reentry program at a nonprofit contracted under the Office of Diversion and Reentry in Los Angeles County, serving over 1100 clients by providing them linkages to housing, healthcare, mental health support, social support, transportation, education, and employment.

Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Sonia worked in local government providing social services which included guiding community members as they applied for public benefits, linking people to healthcare resources, and interpreting for community members in Mandarin and Spanish.

Sonia is dedicated to building inclusive and dynamic teams to study and address issues relating to social justice, poverty, and human rights. She is also passionate about developing civic engagement at the community level.

Sonia holds a B.A. in Sociology and an M.Ed. in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.