South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC) provides education, assessment, training and services in the communities of South Los Angeles, Watts, Leimert Park, Florence/Firestone, West Adams, and the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Compton, Cudahy, Downey, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, Vernon, South Gate, North Carson, Gardena, and Paramount.

Ayana Shepherd
Chief of Case Management
Ms. Shepherd currently serves as the Chief of Case Management in the Children Services Department. Ms. Shepherd began her career at SCLARC in 2002 in the Clinical Department as a Perinatal Case Manager. In 2005 she transitioned to SCLARC’s Department of Children and Adult Services in the role of Service Coordinator. In 2020 she was promoted to Team Leader and then Program Manager in 2022.
Prior to her employment at SCLARC she worked for San Diego Unified School District and a family services agency in San Diego, California. She worked with “at-risk” youth in residential settings with enhanced acuity. With over two decades of experience in Social Services her experience includes direct practice, therapeutic services, psychoeducation and collaborative engagement amongst internal departments and external agencies. She has collaborated with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), school districts, Probation, and Drug Court. The skills acquired over the last 20+ years have been key to her role as Chief of Case Management.
In her current role, Ms. Shepherd will ensure delivery of services, meet compliance measures per Department of Developmental Services (DDS), agency protocols and regulatory guidelines. She will supervise specialized case management units (children’s residential and provisional early childhood) and units that serve children 6-21 years of age.
Education/License:
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, CA
MSW, California State University Dominguez Hills
B.A., English, San Diego State University