Treasurer: Armando S. Espinoza

Born and raised in East Los Angeles, Mr. Espinoza was raised in an environment riddled with drugs, gangs and violence. At an early age he was consumed by addiction and the lifestyle that came with it. Armando has been a resident of Chula Vista since 1989. He has been a successful business owner in the same field for over 36 years, providing assistance and referrals for incarcerated individuals. Mr. Espinoza is community-driven & focused, and as a graduate of the Nosotros Program, a testament to the ability to change. While he lived in Los Angeles he regularly volunteered with the Junior Chamber of Commerce in the Northeast Los Angeles Area through the Jaycees. He has community outreach experience and has assisted with parades, voter registration drives, and the Los Angeles Street Scene to name a few. Currently, his passion for being of service is evident as he continues to participate in community beautification projects and various other partnerships with elected officials and community organizations. Armando currently facilitates personal development workshops for residents at Nosotros Men's Recovery Program and has been for 4 years. With 20 years of sobriety and as a founding member of the Nosotros Alumni Association, he has been instrumental in their growth. As President of the Alumni for six years, he spearheaded many fundraising efforts that have allowed them to be self-sufficient. He is passionate about helping others overcome addiction and homelessness, providing them skills and education necessary for becoming productive members of society. 

Vice President: Armando Lomeli

Armando Lomeli is currently the program coordinator for the Nosotros Men’s Recovery Program, the same program that led to his freedom from addiction. Mr. Lomeli understands that to continue the road less traveled and sustain success that Transitional Housing is a key component to a life of change. He is a strong proponent of the Alumni Transitional Housing as a viable option for participants who have successfully completed the residential treatment program. 

Mr. Lomeli was born and raised in Los Angeles, along with his 3 other siblings. His parents migrated to the United States of America from Mexico at an early age. Armando graduated from high school and subsequently became involved in the street life. As he continued to compromise his life, he soon realized that a major geographical change would be needed if he wanted to change the trajectory of his life. In 2001, Armando took a leap of faith and moved to San Diego. It was here he knew that change was on the horizon. Unbeknownst to him, that change would occur at MAAC Project's Nosotros Program; this is where his journey began.

Armando has been active in the recovery community for over fifteen years. Armando has worked and trained in a variety of social-service based modalities, more specifically in Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) field, where he has earned his education and state certifications. Mr. Lomeli is a member of California Drug/Alcohol Counselor (CAADAC) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I (CCAPP). Professionally, he has worked his way through the ranks beginning as a Case Manager to his current position as the Program Coordinator with MAAC's Nostros Recovery Program. Armando's life passion is helping other men in becoming successful members of society. Mr. Lomeli strongly believes providing a “hand up” not “a hand out”. His philosophy is that self-sufficiency leads to a life of recovery.

President: Alberto “Beto” Vasquez

Mr. Vasquez is currently a graduate candidate at University California, San Diego pursuing a Masters degree in biology. Having had experienced a life of incarceration himself, he is a Nosotros Program Alum, and all too familiar with the multifaceted challenges this population faces. He is committed to becoming a community college professor of biology and ultimately an administrator of higher education. Academically, he has conducted research on infectious diseases and is currently investigating the correlations between socioeconomics and environmental disparities. Professionally, he is certifiable as a substance abuse counselor and has previous years of experience working with adults and youth. He has developed curriculum and facilitated court-mandated classes, working predominantly with at-risk populations.  He is currently employed with the City of San Diego and the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD). His role with SDCCD allows him the opportunity to educate the public about the accessibility and affordability of higher education. He currently serves as an Outreach Coordinator for San Diego Continuing Education where he directly works with underrepresented groups and helps to develop programs that serve this population. Alberto continues to serve as a mentor at the community college and university levels, and is a huge educational advocate and proponent of STEM fields always looking to create new opportunities for students. He is continuously looking for ways to promote higher education, specifically for underrepresented populations (i.e. rehabilitation programs, sober living homes, jails, and other institutions). He continues to be active on and off campus, looking for ways to create collaborations among all underrepresented students. He enhances the campus environment for all students and is focused on social justice, equity and leadership. In his spare time, Beto, serves on community advisory boards and is constantly looking to creating opportunities to serve. One example is the, “Big Clean Up,” a community beautification project which annually brings together about 200 volunteers, businesses, and donors to beautify local inner city neighborhoods and has removed over 100 tons of refuse and debris to date.  His story captures the endless possibilities that programs such as these can create. 

Meet Our Team

Nosotros Alumni Association

Helping Men Reclaim their Lives, Families and Hope.