Ariadne Villegas (she/her/ella), is the Sr. Program Manager for Greenlining the Block . In her role, she supports the work to prepare for climate infrastructure investments and drive effective climate action that meets the needs of communities of color. Ariadne is a climate and health justice advocate deeply committed to ensuring frontline communities lead the creation of thriving, healthy communities. Raised in the Central Valley of California, she understands first hand the impacts of environmental and social inequality and celebrates the ongoing resilience and joy of rural, agricultural communities like her own. She previously worked at the Public Health Institute on research to improve community resilience to climate change and reduce toxic exposure to environmental pollutants. Ariadne holds a Master’s degree in environmental health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Bachelor's degrees in public health and environmental science from the Johns Hopkins University. Outside of work she enjoys running, gardening, and exploring new trails with her dogs.

Ashley Myrriah (she/her/hers) works to build up The Greenlining Institute’s robust digital communications and social media operation. Ashley got her start in advocacy fundraising on behalf of the Democratic National Committee while at Grassroots Campaigns during the 2008 general election and continued grow her campaign skill sets at GMMB. Prior to joining the Greenlining team in December 2018, Ashley worked in public affairs and strategic communications at several major political organizations in Washington state and D.C. Ashley Myrriah earned a Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Government & Politics from The University of Maryland, College Park.

Brittany Yann (she/her/hers) is the Sr. Coordinator, Events & Donor Engagement at The Greenlining Institute. Her primary responsibility is to support the execution of our annual conference and other events that amplify the organization's advocacy and racial equity work. She also supports donor engagement and fundraising campaigns and coordinates Salesforce databases. Prior to joining The Greenlining Institute, Brittany worked in KQED's Development department, where she supported gift processing, acknowledgements, challenge grant administration and database management for major gifts, foundations, and planned giving. Additionally, she has previous experience in membership fundraising from her time at Boise State Public Radio. As a child of Cambodian immigrant parents, Brittany navigated the dual identities of her Bay Area and Boise, Idaho upbringing. After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and certificates in Public Relations and Nonprofit Management at Boise State University, she eagerly returned to the Bay Area, reigniting her connection to her roots. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys exploring the many hikes in the Bay Area, perusing farmers' markets, and showering her beloved senior cat with affection.

Chagan Sanathu (she/her/hers) is the Chief of Staff at The Greenlining Institute where she supports the executive office in optimizing administrative workflow, managing day-to day operations, establishes organizational processes, and creates efficiencies within the executive team and throughout the organization. Chagan graduated with her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester with distinguished fellowships from the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Forte Foundation and American Association of University Women. She also holds a B.A. in business and public relations from Goshen College. Chagan previously worked with the Leadership Academy as the Senior Program Manager leading the Casa Joaquin residential program for UC Berkeley undergraduate students. Over the last decade, she has helped 800+ first-generation, low-income students of color gain the skills needed to be successful in their undergraduate and professional careers. Chagan immigrated from India, is of Mongolian, Tibetan and Indian descent. Rooted in advocacy and empowerment of immigrant communities, she enjoys community organizing with the local South Asian diaspora with Alliance of South Asians Taking Action. In her free time, she likes to walk around Berkeley and check out local farmers markets with her husband.

Danielle Bell (she/her/they) is the Associate Director of Narrative Strategy, where she amplifies Greenlining’s racial equity and policy work and increases the organization's impact through narrative and advocacy campaigns. Prior to joining Greenlining, Danielle was a strategic communications consultant to some of the most influential companies around the world as they navigated high-stakes crises, transitions, and corporate issues. She graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in English. Danielle is also an urban farmer with Indigenous Permaculture, a grassroots organization that works with communities most severely impacted by food insecurity due to historic and ongoing systemic inequity. As an urban farmer, Danielle works with community members to build sustainable community-based food systems that provide culturally relevant, organic food to those in need. She is passionate about land stewardship, facilitating access to free food, and creating a world where underserved communities are empowered to thrive. In her free time, you can find Danielle identifying native plants, binge-listening to an audio book, or writing poems in her Notes app.

Deirel Marquez (she/her/ella) is the Program Manager for Climate Resilience at the Greenlining Institute, where she works to advance policies that will strengthen climate resilience in frontline communities. Deirel brings a wealth of experience in advocacy, policy and program evaluation, and cross-sector collaboration. She played a key role in a successful California state campaign targeting the payday loan industry and has worked closely with historically marginalized residents of San Francisco’s most neglected neighborhoods to develop wealth-building programs rooted in a reparations lens. She also has experience working as an analyst and evaluating the impact of various health, economic, and social state policies and programs on the people of California. Deirel graduated from UC Berkeley as a proud non-traditional transfer student with a degree in Global Studies. She is also an alum of the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship at Princeton University. Outside of work, when Deirel isn’t relaxing, philosophizing about life, or watching Star Wars, you can catch her engaged in a variety of recreational activities like rock climbing, cycling, boxing, and more.

Derya Arac (she/her/hers) is the Director of Development at The Greenlining Institute where she manages cultivation and stewardship of institutional funders and individual donors. She has a decade of experience in development, communications, and process improvement with the aim of advancing nonprofit missions. Derya previously served as Associate Director, Development Operations at KQED, where she oversaw day-to-day financial functions, operations and systems for major gifts, foundations, and planned giving. Prior to KQED, she managed development and social media efforts as Director of Development and Outreach at Children Now, a research, policy, and advocacy organization focused on improving child well-being. Derya has also worked in communities across the Bay Area as an afterschool teacher, literacy and writing instructor, and refugee mentor. She has an M.A. in Political Science from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in Political Science from California State University, East Bay. Derya was born in Vancouver, B.C. to Turkish and Chinese parents, and has lived in Oakland for over a decade.

Elise Lozano (she/her/hers) is the Development Program Manager at The Greenlining Institute. She works towards the Greenlining Institute’s mission by supporting current funder relationships, narrative building, and cultivating new funding opportunities. Elise previously worked as Development Coordinator at Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc. where she oversaw direct mail campaigns, gift processing, grant stewardship, and donor cultivation. Elise also has previous experience with nonprofit program coordination in her work with YMCA of the East Bay’s Youth & Government Program. Originally from Fresno, Elise moved to the Bay Area to attend Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a minor in English. She now calls the Bay Area home and enjoys nature walks, exploring new restaurants, listening to true-crime podcasts, and spending time with her two pet snakes.

Erica Plasencia (she/her/ella) is a first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrants. She grew up in a small rural town in Northern California, where she experienced the clear impacts of limited access to resources and education, and its implications on social and economic mobility for communities of color. As the Sr. Program Manager for Economic Equity at Greenlining, Erica leads bank accountability efforts at the federal level using the Community Reinvestment Act, an anti-redlining law that obligates banks to serve the needs of low and moderate income communities and reinvest in these communities in order to combat the racial wealth gap and segregation. Prior to joining The Greenlining Institute, she worked at California Community Builders where she helped address economic and racial justice issues through community education efforts on redlining and policy advocacy focused on access to homeownership for people of color. In addition to her non profit work, Erica has worked in various higher education settings helping address the Latinx educational pipeline by assisting students with college readiness skills, retention programs, and implementing culturally relevant curriculums. Erica enjoys going home to her mom's home cooked meals, dancing, playing volleyball, and going on hikes with her fiance.

As Associate Director of Climate Equity, Hana Creger (she/her/hers) contributes to the development and implementation of policies leading to clean transportation and mobility investments in California that result in positive health, environmental, and economic outcomes. Her work is focused on the intersection of transportation, climate change, and economic opportunities for low-income communities of color. Prior to Greenlining, Hana implemented innovative campaigns for Alameda County’s Clean Commute Program, to promote long-term sustainable behavior changes. Hana has also worked as a community organizer, advocating for climate change action and public transit policies in San Diego. Hana was born and raised in Berkeley, California. She graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a degree in Sustainability, with a particular interest in environmental justice and equity. Outside of work, Hana enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, cooking, and traveling. Her greatest fear is being stuck inside on a sunny day.

As Program Manager of Finance, Irma Hurtado (she/her/hers) is responsible for overseeing the organization’s accounts payable and accounts receivable as well as offering support to the Development team on grant and data processing. Previously, Irma worked at Briones International, LLC as a bookkeeper, where she provided bookkeeping services to various nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area. While volunteering at Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Irma became passionate for human rights and social justice as well as the work of the nonprofit sector. This is what drew Irma to The Greenlining Institute. Irma holds a B.A in Political Science from Cal State East Bay. She grew up in the Bay Area, where she currently lives with her husband. During her free time Irma enjoys dancing, hiking and spending time with her family.

Jazmin Williams (she/her/hers) is a Bay Area native who grew up in East Oakland, where she became familiar with the lack of resources and opportunities that her community had access to. She developed an early understanding that she wanted to be in a position to create change in communities of color, where families can thrive and create a legacy. Jazmin attended Tuskegee University, where she received her B.S. in Psychology. Though she was raised in the bay, she spent a lot of her adult life in Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia. During that time, she volunteered at food banks, after school programs, and women & children shelters. She figured out that her passion was being a part of something that provides support and equal opportunities for all. Prior to joining Greenlining, she worked in public affairs and communication for the Housing Department for the state of Virginia. There, she held seminars and workshops for people of color who were released from prison. The organization focused on reentry back into society for the individuals who were incarcerated and their families. In her spare time, Jazmin enjoys spending quality time with her 6 year old daughter, attending local comedy shows, sporting events (Go Warriors!), and finding new local restaurants.

Jelani Johnson-Briscoe (he/she/they) is the Associate Director of Human Resources at The Greenlining Institute. As a seasoned leader with a passion for building strong, people-centered organizations, he leverages his expertise in HR strategy, operations, and systems transformation to drive equity and sustainability in the workplace. Jelani's leadership spans across roles including Senior Director of People & Culture at United Way Bay Area and Chief Administrative & Transformation Officer at California Greenworks, where they have shaped inclusive workplaces and strengthened organizational infrastructure. Jelani holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management from Saint Mary’s College of California. A Bay Area native, Jelani blends strategy with creativity, bringing fresh ideas to every space they enter. When Jelani's not transforming organizations, he’s writing sketch comedy, solving riddles, or dropping fun facts at every opportunity. A proud member of the Beyhive, he believes in the power of storytelling—whether through leadership, humor, or a perfectly timed Beyoncé reference.

Jennah El-Ashmawi (she/her/hers) is the Media and Communications Coordinator at the Greenlining Institute. Prior to joining Greenlining, she was the Social Impact Fellow at United Way Bay Area, supporting fundraising efforts for basic needs programs, youth empowerment, and housing justice. She also led social media content creation for a grassroots congressional campaign. Additionally, Jennah worked at the Center for Sustainability at Santa Clara University, organizing campus-wide events promoting sustainability. She attended Santa Clara University, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Sustainability. In university, Jennah was actively involved in the Middle Eastern and North African club and worked towards ethnicity recognition, mental health support, and cultural competency for her community. Outside of work, Jennah enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, playing soccer, cooking, and experiencing live music events.

Jimmy Ung (he/him/his) is the Controller at The Greenlining Institute where he is responsible for the integrity and accuracy of all accounting systems and practices, ensuring financial reporting aligns with compliance standards, and supports organizational decision-making. Prior to joining the organization, he worked as the Assistant Controller for the Kapor Center where he oversaw the financial close, annual audits, and tax preparations for multiple for-profit and nonprofit entities, including a private operating foundation and a public charity. He graduated from Cal State East Bay with a degree in accounting. Jimmy is a Bay Area Native and enjoys spending his time outside of work with friends, family, and seeking new food places to try.

Lolly Lim (she/they) is the Sr. Program Manager for Climate Equity at Greenlining, where she studies the impact of policies and identifies solutions to actualize equitable climate investments. Lolly’s previous work has been rooted in understanding the impacts of climate change on under-resourced communities, and uplifting solutions in the realm of project-level interventions, planning, and policy change. She has worked at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation where she managed research on the impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations and identified regulatory gaps to address extreme heat in California. She has supported the development of climate change adaptation plans at the local and regional scales in Los Angeles. She also has experience evaluating energy efficiency and renewable energy programs across North America to assess program reach and efficacy. Lolly is based in Tongva / Gabrielino / Kizh land (Los Angeles). Outside of work at Greenlining, she enjoys learning and writing about Korean environmental history, mythology, and folktales; providing translation and interpretation support to Korean communities in Los Angeles; and spending time outside. Lolly holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and an Sc.B. in Geology-Biology from Brown University.

Marc Guirand (he/him/his) is the Senior Program Manager for Greenlining the Block at The Greenlining Institute where he is a technical project manager and negotiator who enables and empowers community-based organizations in historically redlined areas to develop community capital projects, from concept design to construction. Marc is an innovative problem-solver and entrepreneur with over 9 years of experience in finance, business operations, and technology. He is driven by curiosity and has great potential for discovering fresh opportunities. Marc fell in love with lifelong learning at Connecticut College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations. Professionally, he likes pursuing the realization of a mission that requires ingenuity and integrity in equal measure. He can be counted on to simplify complexity, cultivate a shared sense of prosperity, and facilitate breakthroughs. Marc loves tinkering with emerging tech and working hard on complex issues. He appreciates the effort it takes to create something exceptional. His drive stems from his upbringing in Haiti where he spent 11 years in Port-au-Prince Metro, one of the world's top 10 most densely populated and competitive cities. In his free time, Marc enjoys playing pick-up basketball, cycling, and listening to music. He’s always discovering new and emerging Afrobeats and Amapiano musicians.

Maria Barakat MPP (she/her/hers) is the Sr. Program Manager for Transformative Racial Equity at The Greenlining Institute where she supports California state level racial equity policy development. She is committed to furthering racial equity and justice, the dismantling of capitalist, patriarchal, misogynist, racist, white supremacist systems and structures through public policy and legislative advocacy. In 2023, she completed the largest and most comprehensive study of racial equity budget frameworks in the country while working for the Public Health Institute in partnership with executive-level stakeholders in the California government. Her work centers on the external capacity building and technical assistance to the California Racial Equity Commission in developing the statewide racial equity framework. Her work includes internal development of Greenlining’s organizational racial equity praxis and technical assistance to racial equity practitioners in California and the United States. Maria holds a Master of Public Policy degree from University of California Berkeley’s Goldman School and specializes in racial equity and housing and homelessness policies. Her public policy work and education integrate her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology of Law and Society from University of California Davis where she focused on Critical Theories, Race and Ethnicity, Inequality, and Punishment and the Criminal Legal System. In her previous career, she was a Project Manager and Chef for nearly 20 years in California, Mexico, and Colorado. She is a voracious learner, a home gardener, and a runner.

Marissa Wu (they/she) is the Sr. Program Manager for Transportation Equity at The Greenlining Institute, where they work to advance a just transition by bridging the gap between climate justice and labor and supporting equitable implementation of green transportation policy at the state and federal levels. Prior to joining Greenlining, Marissa worked as the Political Lead for UAW Local 2865 and UAW Local 5810, the labor unions representing 48,000 academic workers at the University of California, where she led the unions' legislative advocacy through their historic 2022 strike and developed a worker-driven political program. Marissa is a lifelong Californian who grew up in San Diego and earned two B.A.s from UC Berkeley in Sociology and Cognitive Science. In their free time, Marissa enjoys making art and music, hiking, and imagining an abundant future in which all people are free.

As the Sr. Program Manage for Transportation Equity, Maurissa Brown (she/her/hers) advocates for clean, safe, and affordable mobility options that benefit low-income communities of color. Maurissa works to ensure state zero-emission vehicle transportation policy, planning and investments build healthy, climate-resilient communities. Maurissa previously worked as a Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Clean Energy Diversity Fellow during which she developed a background in building science and innovation, energy codes and policy, and zero-emission technologies. Maurissa built a relationship with the Coalition of Communities of Color and joined the Building Community, Shifting Power Collective in Portland, Oregon as a researcher and organizer. She held healing space for communities of color to determine their own climate justice needs for local policy, which led to the Collective’s development of the HEART Standards–equitable and healthy building performance standards–for communities who live in existing rental housing in Multnomah County. Maurissa was born and raised on Tongva land (South Central Los Angeles). As a South Central native, Maurissa personally understands the socio-economic impacts of redlining and intentional neighborhood disinvestment. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution from the University of California, Los Angeles. Maurissa is an artistic and scientific mind and enjoys melding the intersections between ecology and environmental justice through painting and writing. She believes storytelling through art is essential to changing the narrative of our cultural relationship to nature and one another.

Max Vargas (he/him) is the President and CEO of The Greenlining Institute where he leads the organization an innovative leader and strategic advocate committed to equity, justice, and liberation. His personal journey and career arc have fueled his commitment to centering redlined and underserved communities. Max is a former unaccompanied minor from Peru, political asylee, and naturalized citizen that has dedicated his professional and personal life to strengthening, challenging, and building the systems and movements our communities deserve. Prior to joining Greenlining, Max was the Vice President of Economic Justice at the Latino Community Foundation, where he developed a portfolio focused on unleashing the economic power of Latinos via investments and advocacy for entrepreneurship, worker advancement, worker cooperatives, and climate justice. Prior to that, Max served as Deputy Director at First 5 California where he led legislative advocacy, media, and public education efforts in support of family and community resiliency, child health, and early learning, as well as humanitarian support for resettling refugees. Before those roles, Max was the Senior Policy Advisor to Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs where he spearheaded climate justice initiatives, led affordable housing efforts, coordinated COVID-19 response measures, supported pilots for economic security and opportunity, and contributed to legal briefs in defense of immigrant families, an effective Census count, reproductive rights, and health access. Max has also worked for the California State Senate, the State Assembly, local workforce development and transportation agencies, and the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS). He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of the Pacific and a J.D. from the McGeorge School of Law. He is also an alumnus of the Rose Center’s Equitable Economic Development Fellowship and the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, and serves on the McGeorge School of Law Diversity Board. Max is a loving father of four and husband to a proud Chicana. In his free time, he enjoys travel, wine tasting, hip hop, and salsa dancing.

Mercedes Gibson (she/her/hers) is the Economic Strategy Senior Program Manager, where she partners with the Business Team inside City of Oakland’s Economic & Workforce Development Department to better support small businesses of color, as outlined in Oakland’s 2018 -2020 Economic Development Strategy. As an East Oakland native, Mercedes is familiar with barriers to wealth for black and brown families living in parts of Oakland that have been historically underdeveloped, ignored and redlined. Since 14, she has advocated for the needs of communities often not invited to sit at the table: poor folks, people of color, queer people and women. She has also worked at various nonprofits that serve these communities: Hack the Hood, LYRIC and Young Women United For Oakland. As a San Francisco State University alum and a certified life coach in positive psychology her passions are communication, strategy and performing on stage. In her downtime she tries to be in a lake or river as much as possible, stargaze around a fire, and read graphic novels.

Meredith Lee, MPH (she/her/hers) is the Director of Capacity Building at The Greenlining Institute, where she supports communities in building the capacity to lead their own transformations and secure direct, tangible benefits. With over 17 years of experience advancing racial and health equity, she is dedicated to expanding community power and resilience in the face of systemic inequities. Meredith began her career as an environmental justice organizer, supporting residents fighting for clean air, safe housing, and community-led policy change. Since then, she has led major grantmaking and equity initiatives in government and nonprofit, directing large-scale community investment programs and shaping statewide strategies to embed racial and health equity while centering frontline leadership and cross-sector collaboration. Meredith holds a B.A. in Biology from Pomona College and a Master’s in Public Health from UC Berkeley. An avid rock climber and outdoorswoman, she can often be found playing in the mountains.

Molly Tafoya (she/her/hers) is the VP of Development and Communications at The Greenlining Institute leading the fundraising, strategic communications, and events strategies for the organization. Molly brings 18 years of experience executing comprehensive public education campaigns, including policymaker and legislator engagement strategies to advance equity and justice for all. Prior to joining The Greenlining Institute, she was Director of Nonprofit Partnerships with Open to All, where she directed a coalition of more than 200 intersection national and state advocacy organizations in advance of the vision that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to all. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Community Engagement with the Movement Advancement Project maximizing the organization’s work advancing equality for LGBTQ people focusing on state-level engagement, coalition building, and advocacy. She has also served as Senior Field Representative with Asm. Rob Bonta, Director of Public Affairs with Early Edge California, and Director of Communications with One Iowa. From her work advancing LGBTQ equality, to lobbying for increased investments in early childhood education, Molly’s lifelong work for social justice and equity is grounded in her deep commitment to intersectional community engagement, and a strong love of strategic communications. She is the Board Chair for the City of Oakland Head Start program, a Head Coach with the Oakland Girls Softball League, and a volunteer with Salted Roots, formerly Brown Girl Surf. She lives in Oakland with her son and perfect cat named Noodles.

Monica Palmeira (she/her/hers) was raised in Eastern North Carolina as a first-generation American in a Portuguese family. Her professional background includes ethnographic research, affordable housing advocacy, climate policy, and community engagement. Prior to joining Greenlining, Monica most recently held positions at the California Public Utilities Commission leading environmental justice initiatives, as well as at the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research – Strategic Growth Council where she spearheaded various outreach and technical assistance programs to support communities in accessing climate-related funding programs. She received a B.A. in International Studies and Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. In her free time, Monica loves spending time with her young son, visiting family back in Portugal, and rediscovering her home state.

Morokot Uy (she/her/hers) is the Sr. Capacity Building Program Manager supporting her hometown of Stockton. Prior to joining Greenlining, Morokot engaged in environmental, climate, and capacity building work to support the efforts of Rise Stockton, an environmental justice coalition striving to make collective impact and center community priorities in climate solutions. Most recently, she was an Executive Fellow placed at the California Strategic Growth Council where she supported the development of their capacity building and community resilience programs. Morokot is excited to focus her work back in Stockton and tie together her experience of working in the community with her new knowledge of policy and program practices. Morokot graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in International Relations. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, finding new food spots to try, and picking up random hobbies.

Nia Idah (she/her/hers) is the Senior Project Manager for Events and Programs at The Greenlining Institute where she leads the project management, programming and production of Greenlining’s events, including the signature Just Future Summit. Nia is passionate about creating participatory spaces for learning, dialogue, and community action, and through her expertise in event production will help grow Greenlining’s audiences, amplify the organization’s policy advocacy profile, and expand engagement with community stakeholders. Nia is a values-driven leader with seven years of experience working at the intersection of art, activism, and public engagement. Prior to joining The Greenlining Institute, Nia was the Senior Public Programs Manager at Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), where she designed, produced, and facilitated a robust series of dynamic programs featuring contemporary artists of the African diaspora on a local, national, and international scale. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Nia is an award-winning poet and holds a B.A. in Environmental Analysis from Pomona College, with a concentration in Race, Class, Gender, and the Environment. In her free time she can be found reading outside, taking dance classes, having game nights with friends, and performing on local poetry stages.

Rami Ibrahim (he/him/his) is the Program Manager for Economic Equity, supporting The Greenlining Institute’s vision of economic investment among communities of color and holding financial institutions accountable. As a second-generation Palestinian American, Rami is passionate about ending U.S. destabilization of our homelands and centering refugee and immigrant communities in policies surrounding economic, climate, housing, and health justice. Prior to joining Greenlining, he conducted research pertaining to refugee resettlement and engaged San Diego refugee and immigrant communities in State, County, and City redistricting processes. Rami was born and raised in San Diego, California and received a B.A. in Political Science from UC San Diego. His dream is to continue fighting in coalition with Palestinian youth and elders and marginalized communities throughout the world for our collective liberation.

Rawan Elhalaby (she/her/hers) is the Director of Economic Equity at the Greenlining Institute where she oversees bank accountability efforts using the Community Reinvestment Act. As the daughter of working class refugees, Rawan is all too familiar with the obstacles to achieving self-sufficiency in the United States for low-income and immigrant families. As such, she has spent her career addressing these obstacles at Greenlining and one-on-one with recently arrived refugees from Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and Afghanistan (among others) to San Diego at the International Rescue Committee. She has also worked as a policy consultant to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the County of San Diego, the Western Regional Advocacy Project, and the Dellums Institute for Social Justice. Rawan holds a degree in Political Science from San Diego State University and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

AsDirector of Climate Equity/Senior Legal Counsel, Román Partida-López (he/him/his) leads our mobility and transportation electrification work. He advocates for legislative and regulatory laws that improve access, affordability and lasting socio-economic and environmental benefits for low-income communities of color. He focuses on advancing equitable policies and programs that deliver clean air, zero-emission mobility options and workforce opportunities for our most impacted communities. Román is based in San Diego CA. He grew up in National City (South of downtown San Diego), two blocks away from the freeway and across the street from a car body shop that regularly violated city codes by sanding, chroming and painting vehicles out in the open. His exposure to these toxic chemicals and pollution inspired him to work on addressing environmental injustices in his community. He is currently the Chair of the Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group that advises the CPUC and CEC on the development of equitable energy policy and programs. He is also on the board of Forth Mobility and Casa Familiar. Román is happy outdoors, at a park or coaching youth softball or baseball with his wife and three kids. He received his B.A. from the University of San Diego and J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Rosa María Martinez (she/her/hers) is the Sr. Manager - Operations, overseeing the management of our office and building. Previously, she worked with the Health Equity Team managing Greenlining’s Diversity in the Health Workforce initiative, looking at current representation of people of color at all levels within the health field. She also worked on ensuring that information about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was reaching limited-English communities throughout California, conducting presentations across the state. Rosa María co-authored an issue brief designed to help ethnic small businesses understand key elements of the ACA affecting them. Rosa María served on the Advisory Council to the San Francisco Mexican Consulate (2012-2014) and was the secretary for the Council’s Committee on Health and Sports. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature with a minor in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from Zacatecas, México, Rosa grew up the Bay Area where she currently lives with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she loves to go horseback riding.

Ryan Ly-Burbridge (he/him/his) has been with The Greenlining Institute since 2013. He is the Manager of Technology & Operations in charge of managing our 360 Center community event space, providing T1 IT support, and organizational capacity building. He is a Bay Area Native with deep roots in the East Bay, and is heavily into the Marvel Universe, Board Games, Dungeons & Dragons and wine.

Safia Haidari (she/her/hers) is the Capacity Building Program Manager for the San Diego region to support community stakeholders in advancing equitable climate solutions. As a first generation Afghan-American, Safia is passionate about uplifting marginalized voices in decision making. After receiving her bachelors degree in Social Science, she worked with various community based organizations in San Diego that focused on immigrant rights, transportation justice, and police accountability. Hearing these stories of resiliency sparked her passion for community driven social change. Prior to Greenlining, Safia served as the Director of Policy Advocacy and Organizing at Youth Will, where she worked to improve systems and uplift the experiences of marginalized youth. During her time with Youth Will, she oversaw/implemented several campaigns including the creation of a green jobs corps program to support low income youth, the inclusion of free menstrual product dispensers in public facing City and County facilities, and the creation of an Office of Child and Youth Success within the City of San Diego. In her free time, she loves going to the beach, exploring new coffee shops, reading memoirs, and spending time with friends and family.

Shondreya Landrum (she/her/hers) is the Senior Program Manager, Casa Joaquin Murrieta, where she advances programmatic initiatives for the residential Leadership Academy. Shondreya is experienced in program management through her skills in leadership, curriculum development, facilitation, budget management, public speaking, and administration. Shondreya completed her B.A. in Political Science & Cognitive Science from the University of California, Davis, and also holds an M.A. in Political Psychology from Arizona State University. Her deep commitment to empowering underrepresented communities has led her work with youth from the ages of 4 to young adulthood and eventually later adulthood by becoming a capacity-building trainer.

Sutapa Balaji (she/her/hers) comes to The Greenlining Institute with extensive experience supporting nonprofits in their Finance and Operations areas. She is committed to building and growing strong and sustainable nonprofit organizations. Starting in program management at a nonprofit over two decades ago, Sutapa has had stints in development prior to finding her place in the Finance and Operations space. Over the years she has also successfully led various organizations through their periods of leadership transition ensuring that staff were supported, and that the organizations stayed true to their mission, vision and values. Sutapa moved to the US from India two decades ago. After receiving her MBA in India, she worked in both the corporate and social sector. After moving to the U.S., she has chosen to focus on the nonprofit sector. Her experiences in different social service organizations helped her find the resilience and adaptability that so many immigrants bring to enrich the social fabric of this country. She loves living in Oakland and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and exploring the wonderful food scene in the Bay Area.

Yesenia Perez (she/her/hers) is the Sr. Program Manager for Climate Equity where she leads the development and implementation of California’s climate resilience and clean mobility policies to ensure that they effectively address the needs of communities of color. Yesenia holds a deep commitment to advancing equitable, community-driven climate solutions led by local stakeholders that are historically excluded from public decision-making processes. Prior to joining Greenlining, Yesenia worked as a strategic consultant for public sector clients and supported projects that centered equitable and participatory community planning practices. Yesenia has also worked as an environmental educator for K-12 students. Yesenia graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.S. in Society and Environment, focusing on environmental justice and policy and holds minors in both Public Health and Public Policy. In her downtime, Yesenia enjoys practicing yoga, dancing and spending time in the Bay Area sunshine.

Zhanae Briggs (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Communications at The Greenlining Institute, where she supports the Communications and Policy teams in amplifying the work of the organization through publications, multimedia, and events . She is passionate about uplifting the voices and lived experiences of people of color and bringing communities together. Zhanae was born and raised in various cities across California where she has had the opportunity to live and work in a multitude of spaces. She earned a B.A. in Communication Studies at Sacramento State University, as well as an M.A. in Communication with an emphasis on Intersectionality and Organizational Functions from San Diego State University. Prior to joining Greenlining, she worked in higher education where she taught and advocated for nontraditional students, and conducted research on the experiences of women of color in academia and the workplace. In her free time, Zhanae enjoys reading, baking, traveling to visit her family, and spending time by the lake.