Program Overview

Please join us for the 21st Annual California Youth Court Summit! This year’s summit will be held June 23 – 25, 2026, at the beautiful University of California, Santa Cruz. This year’s theme is Level Up to Justice for All.

The California Youth Court Summit is produced by a collaboration among youth and peer courts, the California Association of Youth Courts, Inc. (CAYC), and the Judicial Council of California.

Featuring Keynote Speakers

Dr. Jenny Espinoza

Dr. Jenny Espinoza serves as executive director of Back to the Start, an advocacy and storytelling nonprofit aimed at dismantling the cradle-to-prison pipeline. She has served in leadership roles in some of our nation’s most challenging and underserved settings, including as a chief physician and surgeon in California’s prison health care system and medical director of a homeless Veteran Affairs clinic in downtown San Francisco. Dr. Espinoza also serves on faculty at the University of California San Francisco, where she attended medical school and completed residency training, and is a leader in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Program.

Susie Rivera

Susie Rivera’s work in youth justice is grounded in lived experience, having faced many of the same challenges as system-involved youth. She currently serves as a subject matter expert with the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), supporting the Youth Advisory Board alongside youth leaders across California. A Youth Voice Champion and advocate for equitable systems, Susie brings over 20 years of experience centering impacted youth to drive meaningful, sustainable change. She previously lectured in Justice Studies at San Jose State University and now leads training and capacity-building efforts to help nonprofit and government leaders advance more equitable and effective practices.

The annual youth court summit is the primary training event for youth courts across the state. It brings together youth, youth court staff, juvenile judicial officers, education experts, and staff of youth-focused organizations to share ideas and best practices and learn about relevant issues.

The deadline to register is May 22, 2026.

Registration deadline has been extended to June 1, 2026!