Pedro Payne, Ph.D.
Program Manager

Pedro R. Payne, Ph.D. comes to LLUMCEC and the PossAbilities program after serving as community programs director for the Southern California Academic Center for Excellence at the Univerity of California, Riverside. He offers the PossAbilities program expertise in community-based  research and outreach.   Dr. Payne's specialty is building social capital through neighborhood mobilization. In 2002 he served as project manager of the Arlanza Neighborhood Initiative - a youth violence prevention effort piloted by the City of Riverside, California. He later went on to serve as executive director of the Human Relations Commission where he was responsible for ensuring equal opportunity and the protection of civil rights for city residents. In 2005 he became executive director of the Community Police Review Commission for the City of Riverside, California. His responsibilities included the monitoring and review of police misconduct allegations and possible policy violations in officer-involved death cases. He has published research on youth violence and community engagement and has also authored a book on the prevention of youth violence through Asset-based Community Development.  Dr. Payne’s expertise and experience will be invaluable as PossAbilities connects our patients at East Campus and other hospitals to resources in the community and greater connecting to neighborhoods and communities in our region.

Cotie Williams
Program Coordinator

Cotie Williams comes to the PossAbilities program with over 15 years of experience in the government and private sectors. She brings a heart of compassion for those in her community and an expertise in marketing and business administration. Her strengths are in project management and coordination and marketing with an international software manufacturing firm and a Fortune 500 company. Cotie graduated from Crafton Hills College with an Associates of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts and is currently attending the School of Business undergraduate program at the University of Redlands. She is a member of many organizations such as the United States Olympic Committee, Paralympic Division, and the Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative. Cotie considers it a blessing to be a part of such an amazing program.