NLC San Francisco

David Abella

Recent Graduate , UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall)

David Abella is a recent graduate of the UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2010. He is an alumnus of San Francisco State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2005.

David has an extensive record of leadership and public service. While at SFSU, David was elected to the Associated Students, Inc. Board of Directors for three consecutive years—serving as Student Body President in 2004-05. While at UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), David was elected to serve as Student Body President of the Boalt Hall Student Government Association, and then as Class President for the Class of 2010. Additionally, David was the Editor in Chief of the Berkeley La Raza Law Journal for two years, and a member of the Pilipino American Law Society.

David’s employment history includes working for Congressman George Miller (Democrat, CA 7th Congressional District) and as a Legal Interviewer for the Bar Association of San Francisco. In 2011, David will join the San Francisco law firm of Hanson Bridgett, LLP. David was born in San Francisco and is a loyal and passionate San Francisco Giants baseball fan.

Eddie Ahn

Attorney, Brightline Defense Project

Eddie Ahn currently works as an attorney for the Brightline Defense Project, a nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and empowering communities. Brightline projects include advancing environmental justice, renewable energy, green jobs, and local hiring. Prior to law school, Eddie served as an AmeriCorps member, specializing in after-school programming for elementary school students. During his first two years of law school, he continued to teach art and public speaking classes at Oakland Asian Students Educational Services. He has also worked in government and politics, including a legislation clinic in Sacramento and successful state and local political campaigns.

Eddie received his J.D. from University of California Hastings College of the Law and his B.A. from Brown University. He was born in Austin after his parents emigrated from South Korea to study at the University of Texas, and he grew up in Dallas while his family owned and operated liquor stores. Now, he enjoys living in San Francisco, which inspires him to create comics in his free time. His ongoing art projects can be viewed at ehacomics.com.

Abhay Aneja

Research Fellow, Stanford Law School

Abhay is currently a research fellow in law and economics at Stanford Law School, where he uses econometric techniques to analyze issues related to civil rights, discrimination, and crime control policy. Specific topics include the economic as well as social effects of mass incarceration and capital punishment. He is currently co-authoring an academic paper about the impact of liberalized gun-carrying policies on criminal behavior. Prior to his work in this field, he studied social policy and advocated for anti-corruption legislation as a Fulbright Scholar in Argentina. He has also studied the effectiveness of anti-poverty interventions throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America as a research associate at UC Berkeley's Center of Evaluation for Global Action, and has worked on economic justice issues at the Greenlining Institute. He completed his undergraduate degree in mathematical economics (with a minor in political science) at Wake Forest University. During his undergraduate studies, he completed internships at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, California, and the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem. He was raised in Greenville, North Carolina.

Sheila Bapat

Consultant, Low Income Investment Fund & Collective Impact

Sheila Bapat is an attorney with extensive background in a wide range of social justice work. After practicing employment litigation in San Francisco, Ms. Bapat worked to launch a national gender parity in politics campaign. She currently consults for nonprofit organizations to help strategically expand her clients’ funding and community-based support. She serves on the San Francisco Citizens Bond Oversight Committee and on the board of ACCESS Women’s Health Justice.

Ms. Bapat earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. As a law student, Ms. Bapat served as president of the national board of directors of Law Students for Reproductive Justice and as a summer associate with the Women’s Law Project. Ms. Bapat has been published in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Labor and Employment Law and in PolicyMatters, a journal of the U.C. Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Ms. Bapat invested much of her spare time over the last two years raising funds and building support for Kamala Harris’s campaign for California Attorney General. In her spare spare time, she enjoys reading Vanity Fair, attempting to snowboard, and playing her six-string acoustic.

Charles Cole

Youth Development Manager , Juma Ventures

Charles Cole, III is currently the Youth Development Manager at Juma Ventures, a non-profit that focuses on getting youth in and through a four year college education. He is also one of the founding partners for MAC Management Services, LLC. MAC specializes in the management of professional athletes and businesses. Before working at Juma Ventures, Charles was a social worker for four years that specialized in working with both foster youth and children with special needs.

Charles has a BA in Political Science with a Law Option from California State University, East Bay and a Masters in Public Administration from San Francisco State University. Charles was born in Chicago and raised in Oakland, CA. He has dedicated his life to working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and enjoys helping them navigate through life. Charles is a social activist that has organized a multitude of social forums as well as led a college walk-out. He enjoys giving speeches at high schools and mentoring. His favorite things to do are play basketball, travel, listen to music, and go to concerts.

Saneta Devuono-Powell

Consultant, Thelton Henderson Center

Saneta devuono-powell is an attorney whose interests are racial and environmental justice. She was the Racial Justice Project Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California for two years where she worked to guarantee voting rights for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people in California through litigation, public education, policy advocacy and community outreach. She also focused on discriminatory discipline and policing faced by young people of color as they are pushed out of schools and into the criminal justice system. Since completing her fellowship, she co-taught a course on Race and the Law at Wayne State and has been working with the Thelton Henderson Center on Environmental Justice.
Saneta graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, was a visiting scholar at the W.E.B. DuBois institute at Harvard University and earned her J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California Berkeley.

Prior to law school, Saneta worked as a filmmaker and editor of documentaries on the Rockefeller drug laws and the incarceration of juveniles, in addition to creating internationally exhibited experimental video installations. She was born in Tanzania and moved to the Bay Area from New York in 2003.

Maria-Elena Guadamuz

PhD Candidate, UCLA

Maria Elena Guadamuz was born in Managua, Nicaragua and immigrated to the United States in the 1980s, during Central America's turbulent political climate. Being exposed to constant political discussion at an early age, she was motivated to study politics, economics, and social transformation as it relates to the Latin American region. Consequently, she majored in Political Science and minored in Economics from Santa Clara University. After participating in the 2002 Ralph Bunch Summer Institute at Duke University, she was inspired to purse a doctorate degree and enrolled in the PhD program for Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her current research analyzes fiscal policy, executive-legislative relations, and presidential behavior in Latin America. She has traveled throughout Latin America, with her recent research set within the halls of the Argentinean Congress. Above all, she is passionate about higher education and inspiring students to engage in civic life. Her career goal is to actively participate in policy measures to improve the quality and access of higher education. She has previously worked with migrant students, mentored first generation college students, and plans a career path within the California community college system.

Charlotte Hill

Social Media Fellow, EARN

Charlotte is the first-ever social media fellow at a EARN, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting economic mobility for low-income families. She first tweeted professionally -- and conducted national outreach efforts -- during college as the National Outreach Coordinator for STAND, the nation's largest student-led anti-genocide coalition. After college, Charlotte co-founded and managed a small consulting company, providing social media management for several non-profit organizations and socially minded businesses. Her blog posts and petitions have been featured frequently on Change.org's Poverty in America and Human Rights blogs, and her junior-year research paper on genocide and social movements was published in Global Topics, an undergraduate journal. Charlotte previously served as a 2010 Carl Wilkens Fellow with the Genocide Intervention Network and graduated with a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. You've probably never heard of her hometown of Weaverville, California; with its tiny population of 3,500, it's generally assumed to shelter more deer than people. Frequent visits remind Charlotte, however, that rural poverty is deepening and deserves exponentially greater coverage by the mainstream media.

Daniil Karp

Nonprofit Relations Intern, Causes on Facebook

Daniil Karp is a civic entrepreneur focused on the intersection of local governance and the promise of public/private partnerships to empower communities to create solutions and measurable impact. He is currently starting a new position as Causes on Facebook’s Nonprofit Relations Intern where he will work on developing a more user-friendly experience for Causes’ nonprofit partners and users. Daniil has recently completed an 18-month James G March Fellowship working as a lead staffer and liaison for a collaborative youth civic engagement project with the Endowment for California Leadership and 3 statewide youth leadership development organizations in California. As a James G. March Fellow he oversaw operations for 2 youth civic engagement conferences, culminating in a weeklong civic advocacy training for a group of 80 high school students at Stanford University. Daniil has internship experience with the Mayor’s Office of NYC, US Congress, and the New Yorker magazine. Daniil graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College in 2009 with a double major in Politics and Russian. He hails from Brooklyn, New York by way of Chishinau, Moldova.

Emily Kirsch

Lead Organizer, Green-Collar Jobs Campaign, Ella Baker Center

Emily Kirsch works at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights as the Lead Organizer for the Green-Collar Jobs Campaign. Emily has over five years of experience successfully building political and economic power in Oakland. Emily is a leader in local climate planning and green job creation with expertise in building long-term relationships across communities, sectors and
interests. Emily convenes the Oakland Climate Action Coalition, the Oakland Apollo Alliance, is on the Steering Committee for the Emerald Cities Collaborative and is on the Board of the Workforce Development Collaborative.

Emily played a lead role in launching the Oakland Green Jobs Corps which serves as a model for green job training across the state of California, serves on the advisory committee for the Green Tech Academy at Oakland Technical High School, co-authored Making Green Work: Best Practices in Green-Collar Job Training and has been featured in The Nation, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Oakland Tribune.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and holding a BA from San Francisco State University in Urban Health & Sustainability, Emily is passionate about creating solutions that save both lives and our planet.

Bilal Mahmood

Co-Founder, Gumball Capital

Bilal Mahmood is an aspiring entrepreneur in the technology sector, with a strong passion for venture creation and revolutionary science. As a Gates Cambridge Scholar and Biology / Economics graduate from Stanford University, he has engaged in several entrepreneurial platforms while conducting cutting-edge stem-cell research at the Stanford Medical School. Bilal has co-founded several award-winning startups such as Enzima Pharmaceuticals which aimed to subsidize anti-flaviviral therapy in the developing world, as well as the non-profit Gumball Capital which enhanced micro-ventures for the working poor. Compounding his technological passions is a deep interest in the political dimensions of science, as represented by his Masters dissertation on the implications of US Health Reform for the pharmaceutical industry. Eventually, Bilal hopes to exploit his academic and business understanding of the healthcare sector into a disruptive venture that can transform the field of medicine, and believes joining the NLC will provide a greater platform to understanding the public-private synergies required to sustain such a vision. In his free time though, he loves graphic novels and sci-fi/action movies, while participating in boxing and martial arts. He's also an avid pizza enthusiast.

Scott Milagro-Fotre

People Analyst, Google, Inc.

Scott Milagro-Fotre is community leader for LGBT employees at Google. He has been involved in ensuring that LGBT employees are treated fairly in the workplace, coordinating social events for Google's three Bay Area offices, and organizing Google's contingent in the 2010 San Francisco Pride Parade. All of this is in addition to Scott's core responsibilities as an internal human resources consultant. Scott moved to the Bay Area to research HIV policy with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at UCSF, and continues his work in HIV by volunteering as a counselor at a local community center in the Castro. He also worked as a policy intern specializing in food sustainability and nutrition for Mayor Gavin Newsom in the summer of 2009. Scott is originally from Springfield, Illinois. He has a Bachelors in Arts in Human Development from Boston College and a Masters of Public Health from Emory University. Scott is passionate about politics, ending bullying in America's schools, and combating health disparities in the LGBT community. He also enjoys running, traveling, and learning new languages.

Garrett Neiman

CEO, SEE College Prep

Garrett Neiman (Co-Founder and CEO) incubated SEE College Prep at Stanford University, where he majored in Economics. SEE has already helped more than 1,000 low-income students improve their SAT scores an average of more than 200 points, and Garrett recently raised $1.1 million to expand the program to 2,000 California students, open a second office in Los Angeles, and offer college counseling services to all participating students.

During his time at Stanford, Garrett interned at the U.S. Department of Education, conducted research with America’s most prominent education economist, served as an advisor to Google’s Education Applications Team, and co-directed Stanford Dance Marathon, the largest student-led philanthropic event in the Bay Area. He also served as a voting member of Stanford's Board of Trustees and Public Service Student Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Senior Gift Committee, where he led an effort that doubled the previous class gift record.

SEE has received coverage in the New York Times and BusinessWeek, and Garrett has served as an invited speaker at events hosted by The College Board, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Stanford University, among others.

Originally from southern California, Garrett likes to run, travel, and try new restaurants.

Maia Sciupac

Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Watch Coordinator, Alameda County District Attorney's Office

Maia Sciupac is the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Watch Coordinator with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office (ACDAO), where she facilitates a coordinated Bay Area response among Law Enforcement, service providers, youth-serving systems, community members, and elected officials, to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Prior to her work with ACDAO, Maia was a Public Outreach and Client Services Summer Fellow with the Polaris Project in D.C., where she assisted survivors of human trafficking. Her entrepreneurial experience stems from her desire to elevate the social-bottom line and create humanity. One of her first endeavors include an online radio show that raises awareness and action against Modern-Day Slavery by interviewing experts and activists in the field (see www.blogtalkradio.com/moderndayslavery). A native to the Bay Area, Maia graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and is a 2008 PPIA alum. She looks forward to furthering her education in Law, Policy, and Social Work in the near future. Finding any excuse to express her creativity, Maia enjoys Tango and Salsa dancing with her fiance, playing Spanish guitar, painting masterpieces, and exploring the Bay and International cuisines with her friends.

David Waggoner

Managing Attorney, Homeless Action Center

David P. Waggoner is a Managing Attorney at the Homeless Action Center, where he has helped people who are homeless and disabled obtain income, housing and healthcare since 2006. David has also represented clients pro bono before the San Francisco Ethics Commission and the Oakland Citizens Police Review Board. Prior to working at Homeless Action Center, David was a Staff Attorney at Positive Resource Center. As a law student, David was an appointed member of the California State Bar’s Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination. As an undergraduate, David was appointed to the Strategic Planning Committee of the Louisville, KY, Police Department. More recently, David served as a President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, and as a Vice President of the National Lawyers Guild. He recently joined the Steering Committee of Singers of the Street, a new choir formed to honor the dignity of people who are homeless. Originally from Kentucky, David completed a B.A. at the University of Louisville, and subsequently earned a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. In his free time, he enjoys a variety of pursuits, including food, art, music, philosophy, motorcycling, sailing, and world travel.

Adam Weinstein

Editor/Blogger, Mother Jones magazine

Adam Weinstein is the copy editor, social media evangelist, and national security correspondent for Mother Jones magazine. He's written or edited for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, GQ, The Village Voice, and New York Magazine. He got his start writing angry libertarian op-eds as an undergraduate at Columbia, but after watching the 9/11 attacks in Lower Manhattan, he rediscovered his passion for military affairs, mass communications, and progressive politics. He holds master's degrees in journalism from Columbia and international affairs from Florida State, where he researched counterinsurgency theory as a Marine Corps thesis fellow. A Navy veteran, two-day Jeopardy champion and seasoned ne'er-do-well, he hopes to start a nonprofit that trains young military vets and future political candidates to articulate progressive policy goals in writing and speech. Adam's also at work on a book about his experiences as a military contractor in Iraq. He grew up in South Florida, has family in Philly, roots for the Seminoles and Midshipmen on Saturdays in autumn, and – though he loves the Bay Area – can't figure out what the big deal is about Cal and Stanford football.

Acasia Wilson Feinberg

Director of Alumni Affairs, Teach For America

Acasia Wilson Feinberg is a passionate advocate for children and families living in low-income communities and for educational equity. Acasia received her bachelor of arts from the University of Oregon where she studied vocal performance and humanities. Upon graduation in 2002, she was accepted into the Teach For America corps and served as a 5th grade classroom teacher in Laveen, Arizona. Continuing her path in education reform, she went on to receive her Masters in education from Arizona State University and lead Teach For America’s fundraising efforts in Phoenix as the director of development. During her tenor, she successfully supported the region in winning a $5 million appropriation from the state, which allowed the TFA Phoenix Corps to double in size. More recently, she was a member of the founding team of Mayor Antonio Villaragosa's IA program in Los Angeles aimed at increasing the representation of low-income and minority youth in the skilled trades, and engineering and green jobs. Acasia continues her efforts in education reform as the Bay Area director of alumni affairs. In this role, she works alongside the more than 1,400 Teach For America alumni living in the San Francisco area and leads the political leadership and social entrepreneurship initiatives. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Acasia is thrilled to now call San Francisco home. In her free time, Acasia enjoys scuba diving, singing, and snowboarding.

Bethany Woolman

Communications Fellow, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California

Bethany Woolman is currently a Communications Fellow at the ACLU of Northern California. In the past, she has interned at the Center for American Progress, the Civil Liberties Division of the Department of Justice, Green For All in Oakland, California, and with the Obama for America campaign in New Mexico. She has also worked for and interned with multiple award-winning documentary film companies. One of Bethany's most rewarding recent experiences was attending the National Equality March for LGBT rights in Washington DC, for which she helped plan several youth events. In June of 2010, she graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. While at Stanford, her research focused on cross-cultural analysis of juvenile justice policy. Bethany plans to work in youth advocacy in the near future, specifically with LGBT youth and youth in the juvenile justice system, before pursuing an advanced degree. It is her belief that many of society’s ills come from unbroken cycles of trauma starting in the lives of young people. She hails from Albany, California, and has a particular love for picnics, christmas trees, and fabulous queers.

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