OUR STAFF

Through her decade-long journey in educational programming, Lauren has noticed that the most common (and important) question that young people ask in a classroom is why are we doing this?  Her experience has taught her that the most impactful and revolutionary educational experiences come when programming and curriculum are intentionally designed with this question in mind.  She was drawn to Generation Citizen because of its focus on making the democratic process relevant and accessible to all students, particularly those who have historically been silenced or ignored. A longtime follower of American political debate, Lauren is also happy to be able to bring that passion and knowledge to her work.

Lauren is a fifth-generation Californian, and a graduate of both the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her B.A. in English, and the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned her California Teaching Credential and M.A. in Education with a focus on Language, Literacy, and Culture.  Prior to GC, Lauren spent 3 years at Year Up, a workforce development non-profit, where she trained, counseled, and supported more than 150 young people to start new careers. Before that, she spent 4 years as a 9^th grade English and History teacher at Oakland Technical High School, where she and her team revamped existing curriculum into a more relevant, thematic, and rigorous student experience.

After a childhood in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley and a few years in Los Angeles, Lauren has been a proud East Bay resident since 2010 and has no intention of leaving anytime soon. In her spare time, you can find her writing personal essays and short stories, reading good books, perusing fancy grocery stores, walking around Lake Merritt, and planning her next international trip.

Mallory comes to Generation Citizen with a background in youth development, conflict resolution, and global education work with students from elementary through high school. Mallory began her career in education as an AmeriCorps member providing literacy intervention to low-income Oakland schools. After moving to New York City for graduate school, Mallory worked for a non-profit focusing on cross-cultural conflict dialogue and resolution with high-school age change makers. She worked for several years directly with middle school students in Harlem and East Flatbush, Brooklyn to engage in global issues and youth activism. Mallory has also worked within several Bay Area schools to support systems change toward restorative practices both in classrooms and school-wide policies and procedures.

Mallory’s belief in Generation Citizen’s mission stems from a shared commitment to transformational social change, and her sincere belief in the power of young people, and their limitless vision for how to make the world a more equitable, peaceful place for all.

Originally from Maryland, Mallory received a BA in Anthropology and International Conflict Management at the University of Maryland before beginning her coast-hopping adventures between the Bay Area and New York City, where she earned her Master’s degree in Peace and Human Rights Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Mallory returned to the Bay Area in 2017, because she couldn’t get enough of the California sunsets and New York City winters are too brutal. Outside of work, Mallory is most likely to be caught running the Bay Area trails, hiking or backpacking with friends, trying a new baking recipe, trying not to lose her hearing at a hardcore punk show, or going on adventures near and far with her pitbull, Bonnie.

Meredith came to Generation Citizen straight from the classrooms it serves. For four years, she worked as a middle and high school history teacher in San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA. Influenced by her experiences in community engagement as a high school student, her teaching was driven by the idea that student empowerment was the key to educational equity. She dedicated her classroom career to helping her schools build capacity for engaging with young people’s voices through student-centered program and curriculum development.

Starting as a teacher with GC in the Bay Area in 2013, Meredith continued her GC partnership at her school in Boston. Three years, two schools, and four action civics projects later, she can talk for hours about the power, passion, and real world learning that the program brought to her students. From bus safety in San Francisco to Social-Emotional Learning in Boston, her proudest moments as a teacher were watching her students advocate for the change they cared about. Her passion for student-driven learning has now brought her back to her hometown of Austin, Texas, as the Executive Director for GC Central Texas.

Meredith received her BA in International Studies from American University and a MA in Urban Education: Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University. She loves Tex-Mex, strong coffee, and traveling.

Megan came to Generation Citizen in 2018 straight out of the classroom, having taught 9th grade Social Studies at Colorado River Collegiate Academy, an early college high school in Bastrop, TX. She played an integral role in GC coming to her campus after learning more about the program through a 2016 civic workshop held at the White House. Through her time working as a GC teacher, she saw her students truly understand the important role they play in their local community. Serving as the civic education leader in her district, she provided students additional opportunities to be active changemakers through partnerships with the University of Texas and the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life. A few of her career highlights include being awarded the 2016-2017 Bastrop ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, receiving the first-ever TX GC Teacher Change Maker award in 2017, and watching her well-deserving students receive the 2017 GC Class Change Maker award.

Megan’s passion lies in providing underrepresented youth with opportunities to lead and succeed, working with one of her GC class projects on starting a youth advisory council with the City of Bastrop. She feels that GC opens doors for students who may have historically had them closed and she’s excited to bring her civic and classroom knowledge to her Regional Program Manager position.

She has lived in Iowa, Tennessee, and Texas, currently residing in the Dallas area. She received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration, and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, both from Middle Tennessee State University. Megan also has 8 years of community college teaching under her belt, working in both TN and TX. She enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 rambunctious daughters (Sophia & Chloe), hunting for new flavors of kombucha, and planning her next international adventure!

Alejandra comes to GC by way of the San Antonio Independent School District, where she taught 1st grade and coached middle school soccer. Alejandra knows that change is possible in Central Texas. Her belief in the potential and power of our kids is informed first and foremost by her experience as a teacher, where she taught primarily low-income students in Central San Antonio. Her time in SAISD fuels her conviction that access to opportunities are key to empowering students to achieve their potential and is why she believes that engaging kids in the democratic process will empower them to lead, share their ideas, and drive change in their communities.

Prior to teaching in San Antonio, Alejandra helped lead recruitment initiatives for Teach For America, with a focus on engaging the organization’s alumni base in recruitment efforts. Alejandra graduated from Boston University with a Bachelors in Business Administration & Management where she played DI soccer. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, exploring Texas’ many national and state parks, and sampling the newest flavors at Amy’s Ice Cream in Austin. Alejandra was born and raised in Fresno, CA.

Daniela Hernandez first came to Generation Citizen as a Democracy Coach and Chapter Director for the St. Edward’s University chapter in 2017 where she served her chapter for five semesters. While her time there she worked to ensure our Democracy Coaches felt prepared and supported to go into the classrooms. She then joined the Central Texas as a Program Associate after graduating with her Bachelors in 2019.

While completing her undergrad, Daniela worked with various organizations to protect the most vulnerable communities. Through this she developed a passion for civics, education, and policy, wanting to change the systems that were in place that were hurting the most vulnerable communities. This led her to the Texas State Capitol where she worked on education, healthcare, immigration, and social welfare policy.

Daniela was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She loves her communities and where she comes from, which is why she so excited about working with youth and helping to elevate their voice. She also enjoys embroidering, hiking Texas’ beautiful trails and parks, and spending time with her dog, Roosevelt.

Aisha is a new addition to the Generation Citizen community but is excited to begin her year with GC through AmeriCorps VISTA. After obtaining her Creative Writing degree from Columbia College Chicago, Aisha worked at the New York Public Library in an after-school program devoted to giving students from diverse backgrounds the tools to reach their academic goal. She also joined BoardHouse Publishing as an editor and writer before finding her passion for community action. In her role with GC, Aisha is intent on growing a space for young people to develop their voices while building foundational knowledge in civics.

Aisha was born and raised in NY but moved to Austin, TX for her position with GC. She loves traveling, reading, and making and eating food.

​Arielle developed a love for civic engagement early in life when her high school offered civic action opportunities inside and outside of the school day. She was personally empowered and realized the importance of youth voice but saw that many youth did not have access to these experiences and when they did were often marginalized from having real decision-making power. Arielle believes that our schools have a civic mission to fulfill to teach young people how to be life-long civic actors. Arielle is particularly excited to be part of Generation Citizen because of its dedication to high quality programming​​ and its voice in the national movement to see action-based civics in every classroom.

Arielle​has been working in the nonprofit and civic engagement field for ten years. She ​earned her master’s degree in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from The George Washington University with a minor in ​​human ​services. Early in Arielle’s career, she worked with nonprofits in Boston and Washington DC addressing issues of food insecurity, homelessness and ex-offender workforce re-entry. It was ​t​here she realized the importance of ​underrepresented voices taking ​political action ​to create long-term change around ​issues that affect them. She has since worked in ​K-12 ​schools and universities promoting youth voice and civic action ​both domestically and in the U.K.
When she is not working, Arielle enjoys walking her dog, playing soccer, listening to This American Life, and traveling​.

Keith Chappelle comes to Generation Citizen after working for Democracy North Carolina, the North Carolina Democratic Party, and Children’s HealthWatch at Boston Medical Center. As a former Community Organizer and Policy Analyst, Keith gained experience in advocacy at the grassroots and grasstops on a variety of issues ranging from fair and accessible elections and increasing the Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit to improve the health of families in Massachusetts.

Keith is thrilled to be part of Generation Citizen because he believes getting students excited and involved in the civics process will develop new leaders, strengthen our democracy, and improve the well-being of the nation.

Keith was born and raised in North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When Keith is not working, he is out walking his dog, at a record store or bookstore, or trying his hand at a new recipe.

Carra has always understood education to be a vehicle for social justice, and she is thrilled to apply that ideology to her work in actions civics. A former teacher, Carra loves that her role as MA Program Manager at Generation Citizen allows her to exercise her passion for the empowerment of young people and still lets her focus on curriculum development and meaningful, student-centered learning.

Before joining Generation Citizen, Carra spent five years teaching English literature and one semester as a program manager at the nonprofit Tutors for All, which aims to defeat the achievement gap in Boston public schools. While teaching in a large, diverse high school in the greater Boston area, she also spent two years coaching Model Congress students beyond the classroom and into civic engagement. Carra was continuously awed by what her Model Congress students accomplished when they combined passion with thoughtful action. Working at GC means expanding these efforts, beyond those students with a natural proclivity for political action, to all students, especially those who don’t see a place for themselves in civic engagement.

Carra is originally from central Connecticut and received both her BA in Secondary Education and English Literature and Ed.M in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College. When she’s not pondering the future of our democracy, you can find her with her nose in a book, on her yoga mat, or walking her dog Scout on the beach.

Samuel M. Gebru is an Ethiopian American social entrepreneur, community organizer, and consultant. Born in Sudan to Ethiopian parents, Samuel moved to the United States at age three in 1995 and was raised by his single mother in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He discovered his vocation for public service as a 13-year-old bringing attention to maternal health issues and raising funds for women suffering from obstetric fistula in his native Ethiopia. Samuel is currently the Massachusetts Development and Partnerships Manager at Generation Citizen and serves as the Managing Director of Black Lion Strategies and Executive Producer of Boston Ethiopia Week.

Samuel has committed over half his life to a career in public service. He founded his high school’s student-run television news magazine, led numerous schoolwide actions and assemblies, and spearheaded the successful multicultural student campaign to recognize a Muslim holiday on the Cambridge Public Schools District’s official calendar. He interned at the Massachusetts State Senate as a teenager, has worked professionally on several municipal and state election campaigns, and was a candidate for Cambridge City Council in 2017. Samuel remains deeply active in politics, serving as an advocate for communities of color, youth and young adults, and immigrants. He continues to champion various issues including affordable housing and economic justice.

Samuel founded and led the Ethiopian Global Initiative from 2006-2016, convening change makers in Ethiopia and abroad in support of Ethiopia’s growth and development. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Alumni Association, Africans in Boston, Cambridge Community Center, City of Cambridge Prince Hall Memorial Committee, City of Cambridge Family Policy Council, and the Cambridge Public School District’s Superintendent Transition Team. He is currently affiliated with Just-A-Start Corporation, City of Cambridge River Street Infrastructure and Streetscape Working Group, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, and the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

He is a frequent public speaker, including at universities, charitable events, houses of worship, and professional conferences, and has made numerous local and international media appearances. Samuel is Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and multilingual. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and writing, traveling, and exploring new cuisines.

As a former high school educator, Jason deeply cares about underrepresented young people receiving more meaningful and purposeful educational experiences. He believes students transform their lives when they are given spaces to engage their passionate voices through project-based learning. Too often, Jason witnessed our most vulnerable young people lacking opportunities to take charge of their own learning through topics that mattered to them, and he thinks this is where the real learning and growth occurs. He is very enthusiastic to be part of Generation Citizen because he believes when students have a chance to genuinely and actively engage in civic issues in their school and community, then young people are empowered to strengthen our democracy and develop their capacity for self-actualization.

For over a decade, Jason taught at Brockton High School and Cambridge Rindge & Latin School prior to becoming Program Director at Generation Citizen. He has earned his master’s degree in the Language and Literacy program at Harvard Graduate School of Education and his master’s degree in English and education at University of Massachusetts–Boston. Since the beginning of his career in education, Jason has stressed the importance of students feeling excited, challenged, and deeply-involved in their learning. He believes Generation Citizen will play an integral role with providing more students with these types of experiences in school.

When Jason is not working, he enjoys hiking and traveling with his wife and daughter, playing guitar, and having moments to just sit and be still with a good book while listening to his eclectic taste in music.

Angela is from Miami, FL and is a child of Peruvian immigrants. Having grown up surrounded by an incredibly diverse set of experiences, learning from difference was a critical part of her childhood and adolescence. Now, as a queer Latina, she advocates for the importance of equity and inclusion not only for herself, but for the students who see themselves in her. As such, Generation Citizen’s commitment to teaching skills for advocacy and action to all students is one that she is deeply connected to and passionate about.

Angela comes to Generation Citizen having graduated from Harvard College (’19) where she studied Anthropology with a minor Women and Gender Studies. Apart from her academic endeavors, Angela’s involvement in myriad student communities shaped her experiences as an undergraduate. Participation in peer mentoring, departmental pedagogical initiatives, and public service organizations gave her opportunities to contribute to those communities and to grow into her identities as a young adult. She credits her time interning for the Right Question Institute, an inquiry-based education non-profit, and her experiences as a summer school teacher in Cambridge with cementing her dedication to finding ways to improve K-12 education.

When she’s not working, Angela enjoys finding new music to listen to, cooking food that reminds her of home, and dreaming up new adventures to go on with her partner.

Ellie comes to GC from working with various urban education-based non-profit organizations, including three years at Jumpstart as a Corps Member and a Team Leader, where she led a group of college students in providing targeted and intentional supplemental curriculum to preschool children. After graduating, she invested a year of service with City Year Boston, where she spent a year growing and fostering various initiatives at a first-year turnaround elementary school in Dorchester, MA. As a Corps Member, Ellie created, delivered, and evaluated a wide array of services to students in an effort to support their academic success and inhibit the high school dropout crisis.

Ellie is inspired by Generation Citizen’s mission to provide urban youth with the adequate resources to engage with the democratic system, so that they can become active citizens and leaders. Her passion stems from her experiences with education as a low-income youth from a primarily Latino/a community in Los Angeles. She firmly believes that our democracy can grow, benefit, and change for the better through empowering youth to become advocates for their communities.

Ellie hails from El Monte, CA. She graduated from UCLA where she earned a B.A. in English Literature. In her spare time, she likes to check-out local breweries, play rugby, and spend hours trying to figure out what to watch on Netflix.

Before coming to GC, Joy worked in Medical Administration. She has assisted in the growth and development of several medical offices in Massachusetts. However, it’s her care and concern for the patients that she encountered that made her stand out. Joy found joy (no pun intended) in helping patients navigate through what can be an intimidating system.

Joy joined GC because she truly believes inspiring the youth to become civically engaged is the key to reinventing some of our outdated institutions with a fresh perspective that reflects the evolving needs of a diverse population.

Born and raised in Boston, Joy likes to bake, spend time with her two children, and she MUST have her Dunkin Donuts iced coffee.

DeNora is a native New Yorker and passionate advocate who over the last decade has fought to improve our democracy at the national, state and local level.

Like many of GC’s students, she was in high school when she had her “light bulb moment” about the importance of being a strong advocate and how to mount an advocacy campaign to seek change.

DeNora attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Fordham University School of Law. She cut her teeth working on local democracy and government reform for former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Throughout her career, DeNora has shaped state and local policy on a host of reform issues, including as Campaign manager & Legislative Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Policy Director for then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Policy Director at Citizens Union, Legislative Director at the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and Legislative Attorney for the New York City Council’s Governmental Operations Committee. She has worked to modernize state voting and campaign finance laws; increase government accountability and transparency; improve New York City’s education and social welfare systems; and enhance police accountability and oversight. During her democracy and social justice travels, DeNora has contributed to the New York Times’ City blog, Huffington Post, the Des Moines Register, Newsday, and Gotham Gazette.

DeNora values giving back to her community. She serves as a board member of Union Settlement and Planned Parenthood NYC Votes. She also volunteers with the New York Junior League and with the Greater New York Chapter of the Links, Inc., where she works to improve outcomes for and provide opportunities to underserved young adults.

DeNora is a mother of three who lives on New York’s Upper West Side with her husband, Mark. In her non-existent free time, DeNora enjoys traveling to relaxing beach destinations, reading, and trying random fitness classes.

Originally from Central New Jersey, Chris graduated from New York University with a major in Global Liberal Studies. A majority of his time at school was spent working on his thesis on East Asian revisionist history and its effects on global human rights standards now. When he wasn’t in class, he helped found the first Asian Pacific-American political and activist space on campus and worked with organizations to promote Korean American civic engagement across the Greater New York City region.

He joined GC because he was inspired by the organization’s mission to educate and empower youth to create systemic change in their communities. He is excited to see what projects the students will take on this year and can’t wait to learn from them.

During his free time, Chris likes to dance, watch movies, and hunt for the best oat milk latte in NYC.

Joie Golomb has committed her career to elevating the voices of young people through teaching, creative expression, and advocacy. She earned her undergraduate degree and teaching certification in Theater Education from Emerson College in Boston. Since then she has worked as a manager and teacher for after-school youth programs, in-school residencies, festivals, special events, school break programming and adult education, implementing creative approaches to empowering communities towards effective collective impact.

Joie received a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from The New School, where she pursued coursework to not only strengthen her skills in leadership but also to broaden her knowledge in fostering empathy, inspiring motivation, and building movements to effectively engage people in advocacy work. She is committed to advancing progressive change and social justice, as well as, generating, managing and sustaining nonprofit success. Her approach to management, teaching, and performance is with a strong emphasis on community and ensemble building, encouraging collaboration while allowing opportunities for diverse perspectives.

Joie has worked for nonprofits that partner with both the public and private sector. She was the Education Manager for Brooklyn Arts Exchange, a community cultural arts center. Then the Programs Outreach & Engagement Manager at ENACT, an organization that delivers social-emotional skills through a unique method of creative theater and drama therapy. As a Student Success Network Fellow, she developed continuous improvement strategies to lead organizational change and improve student outcomes.

In her spare time, Joie enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and playing the guitar. She is obsessed with Gene Kelly films, movie musicals and classic films in general, American History, historic home tours, and historical fiction.

Dairanys Grullon-Virgil is from the Dominican Republic who came to New York at the age of 13 years old. She is passionate about gender equality, education and the arts. She is a nonprofit professional, community organizer and social entrepreneur with a background in international studies and non-profit management. As part of her passion for music, she founded Mi Gente! Latinx Music Festival.

Dairanys graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College (CUNY). As an undergraduate student, she volunteered for two years as an AmeriCorps member at Grant Street Settlement and in 2012 received the Obama AmeriCorps Award of the year. As a Program Coordinator at generationOn, the youth and family division at Points of Light, Dairanys helped manage multiple campaigns and initiatives to inspire youth to get involve and bring positive changes to their community.

Dairanys believes that more than ever youth need access to tools and resources to help them become strong community-minded and active civic leaders. She believes that Generation Citizen provides a tangible opportunity for young people to take action and make the changes that they want to see happening in their community.

Dairanys loves traveling as it is for her the best way to educate yourself about the livelihoods of different cultures and see the world from a different perspective.

Helena (huh-LEE-nuh) comes to Generation Citizen with a background in facilitation, youth development, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ communities. Before joining the GC team, Helena interned at Live Out Loud coordinating, developing, and leading programs connecting queer and trans youth to role models and channels for social action. She also brings experience engaging young queer and trans people in advocacy campaigns as an intern at GLAAD, and facilitating in the classroom and developing college educators through her volunteer work at Peer Health Exchange while studying at NYU. Helena has long been inspired by the power of young people and the momentum of their advocacy, and loves working to support young people to own their power and become civic leaders.

Helena is an advocate for local change, hobby baker, and published poet. Her favorite way to spend her free time is with her chosen family, whether they’re cooking dinner, going to the beach, or wandering around Brooklyn. There’s a good chance she’s stopped you on the street to pet your dog.

Maria Jose Mares is a proud Chicana who was raised in the heart of El Barrio in New York City. She received her Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political Science from Baruch College of the City University of New York. While at Baruch she received the Lizana y Parrague Social Justice Fellowship through which she was able to conduct research on the impact of immigration status on the educational attainment of NYC youth. Through her research, she was able to gain insight into the socio-economic barriers millions of students face while trying to receive higher education.

Prior to joining Generation Citizen as a Program Associate, Maria Jose worked in workforce development at a community-based organization in Washington Heights. There she was able to connect low-income New Yorkers with education and employment opportunities.

As a product of the NYC public school system, Maria Jose’s firsthand experience cultivated her keen understanding and passion toward granting quality and accessible education to all. She views education as an essential stepping stone for everyone’s advancement, and she hopes to incorporate her passion for justice and equity in all her work.

In her free time, she enjoys binge watching The West Wing, singing along to show tunes, and coloring. She also loves cooking and trying new cuisines, but her two true loves are Mexican food and iced coffee.

Prior to joining Generation Citizen, Martin spent seven years in the classroom as a middle school Social Studies teacher in The Bronx.  During his time there, he was an advocate for his students and believes that every child deserves an education that provides them with the skills, experiences, and knowledge to create a better future.

Through his work in the classroom and a special focus on the connection between education and social justice, Martin fostered youth engagement in politics and in their communities.  Outside of work, he has channeled this passion into an involvement in advocacy work with Organizing for Equity, NY (OFENY), a community-organizing group which aims to create a more equitable education system for the children of New York City through political and social action.

As a teacher, Martin used his classroom as a student-centered place to connect the past to many issues facing his students and the world today. He is excited to expand upon his work within and for the New York school system in his role at Generation Citizen.

A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Martin is originally from Atlanta but has called New York his home for the past seven years.  When he’s not in the office, you can find him eating his way around New York City, going to concerts, and exploring the city by bike.

Brooke has spent her career working in education and community outreach in New York City as well as South America. After graduating from Brown University in 2005, Brooke spent three years living in South America where she worked with Amnesty International and TransformeArte, researching human rights violations and organizing events and campaigns to raise awareness.

She returned to the United States and started working at Read Alliance, a nonprofit that pairs teen tutors with kindergarten and first-grade students who are struggling with reading. During her time at Read Alliance, Brooke created strong relationships with schools in all five boroughs of New York City and managed program quality which resulted in student growth in reading skills in addition to a positive change in the confidence and motivation levels of students and teen tutors. Most recently Brooke has been managing the daily and strategic plans for the operations of charter and parochial schools which has allowed her to create systems that maximize efficiency.

Brooke is excited to use her background in program management to continue to enhance programming at Generation Citizen in New York. She believes that every student needs the knowledge, skills, and support to use their voice to create a better future and reach their full potential.

Brooke enjoys being active and trying new activities such as surfing. She is constantly planning her next trip and believes that traveling is the best way to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone.

Grace is a recent graduate from New York University where she explored the intersections of education, social justice and art. She spent her college years in and out of New York City classrooms, empowering middle school students through an inclusive sexual education program. She was also Program Coordinator for Art and Resistance Through Education where she facilitated human rights arts workshops and gave students the tools they needed to defend human rights for themselves and for those around them. Through these experiences, Grace developed a deep admiration for young people and wanted to further support them in their civic journey to becoming the powerful individuals they were born to be. After experiencing the programmatic side of many wonderful organizations, she is excited to jump into operations and logistics at Generation Citizen.

When Grace isn’t at GC, you can find her pulling together human rights arts projects, popping up at music shows around the city or hanging out with her roommates in Brooklyn.

Jessica was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She lived in North Carolina for undergraduate school, where she attended Bennett College. During her time in both high school and college her interest for youth education and advocacy grew. As a college student, she learned the importance using her voice to empower and uplift others to take action. From registering voters in primary and national elections to attending campus town hall meetings.

After undergrad, Jessica became an Americorp Success Mentor to students in the same school in which she had graduated from years ago. Her passion for youth advocacy and social justice stems from her parents, who have always advocated for change in their community. They encouraged her to know who her local and state stakeholders were and how to collaborate with others to create a more equitable community. Through Generation Citizen, Jessica hopes to educate and inspire young people to believe in their voices to make a lasting impact.

Jessica loves the arts! She can often be found singing,or dancing to your favorite songs. She loves to travel, paint and spending quality time with family and friends.

Thomas is the Rhode Island Executive Director of Generation Citizen, leading development, strategic programming and general operations of the Rhode Island site. He joined the organization in 2012 as Generation Citizen’s first employee in the state, and has since lead the program’s expansion to providing high-quality, student-centered, and engaging civic education programming to students across the state. His goal is to ensure that all students in Rhode Island are provided the opportunity to receive a civic education that prepares all young people to emerge as community leaders.

Tom grew up in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and graduated from the University of New Hampshire with degrees in political science and history. He has worked in public and private lobbying in Washington, D.C. and Rhode Island for good government organizations, education nonprofits and healthcare institutions. He also served as the Finance and Campaign Director for a Maryland state campaign for Comptroller.

Tom currently lives in Cranston, and loves working for Generation Citizen in his home state. He enjoys Crossfit, being out on Narragansett Bay and spending time with his partner, Julie, and dog, Riley.

Lo joins the Providence RI team by way of her hometown, Chicago IL, where she spent the past few years teaching at a private academy & preschool working with 2-5 year old future leaders of America. Prior to that, her initial introduction with working in a school atmosphere was through a work-study program at a historically black boarding high school she attended called The Piney Woods School. Her positions were the assistant and receptionist to the Vice President and Provost as well as preschool caregiver. This led to what would be 10+ years working with students from cradle to career.

During her Undergrad career she worked at the Center for Transformative Learning as senior office staff focusing on events, workshops, presentations and overall student support. Outside of that she was a creative writing TA with the English Department. As Event Coordinator she realized students and community members had a strong desire to learn more about how to publish or work in the publishing industry on an independent level which lead to Lo creating the first independent publishing conference at her college, and, later co-founding Bobtown Arts, a non-profit Artist in Residency where artists from the Appalachian region have access to the land and its facility to create independently and collaboratively with other artists through fellowship. Overall, Lo has a passion for ensuring underprivileged groups have access to resources and avenues that will contribute to their passions, beliefs, growth, career path and overall personal journey.

Lo attended Berea College where she double majored in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and Communications with and emphasis in Documentary Film. During this period in her life she was introduced to civics engagement, social entrepreneurship, an activism through a fellowship program EPG (Entrepreneurship for the Public Good) and organizations like the BSU (Black Student Union), PULSE (Pride, Unity, Love, & Social Equality) and The Harvey Milk Society. She will be serving as a Brown VISTA Fellow with the Providence RI team and looks forward to being an asset as well as learning how to better support Democracy Coaches as they delve into action civics engagement with our partnered schools.

Miriam joined Generation Citizen in 2018 after a year teaching English with Fulbright in South Korea. She attended Haverford College, where she majored in Comparative Literature. She has spent the last year reading thematically about the meaning of homeland, belonging, and nationhood. Let her know if you have reading suggestions!

In college, Miriam’s most meaningful experiences were in on-campus activism and affinity groups. Some of her fondest memories include a campaign to increase the diversity of her college’s administration and board, and working with other students to create a dedicated space on campus for Asian and Asian American students. She is passionate about working towards solidarity and examining the ways in which we unintentionally harm each other.

Miriam is excited to work with Generation Citizen because she believes that respecting young people and investing in education is key to building a world we can be hopeful about.

Miriam grew up mostly in western Massachusetts and a little in eastern Tennessee. She spends her free time sewing, pining after dogs she does not own, learning languages, and stir-frying vegetables.

Kristina is a licensed social worker in Rhode Island with over seven years of nonprofit and youth development experience.  She has dedicated her educational goals and career path to providing youth with an array of advocacy, career, and educational opportunities through leadership development and mentorship.

After earning her B.A, in Sociology from Bryant University, Kristina dedicated a year of service through the City Year program, mentoring and tutoring in a sixth-grade classroom at DelSesto Middle School in Rhode Island. She then went to Boston University and earned her Master’s in Social Work with a focus on macro practice.

She continued her passion to elevate the power of youth voice working as a youth community organizer in Boston, MA advocating for summer youth employment opportunities, environmental justice, and affordable public transit.  She then spent three years working for Year Up Providence, supporting young adults on their journey into the corporate workforce by providing social services, access to community resources and mental health counseling.

In joining Generation Citizen in Rhode Island, she is excited to continue to foster these community relationships and uplift the youth voice through Action Civics.  In her free time, she loves trying new foods, playing soccer and running.

Scott is the Chief Executive Officer of Generation Citizen. He co-founded the organization at Brown University with fellow student Anna Ninan during their senior year, working with students in the local Providence community. From that starting point in 2008, Scott has grown Generation Citizen to become one of the preeminent civics education organizations in the country, promoting Action Civics across diverse geographies through best-in-class programming and concrete policy change. Scott has served as a Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Brown University and Tufts University, and published a book in 2019, Generation Citizen: The Power of Youth in Politics.

Scott was named an Echoing Green Fellow in 2010, and a Draper Richards Kaplan Fellow in 2012. He continues to write on subjects ranging youth political engagement to African politics to sports, and has been published and featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, Education Week, the New York Daily News, Huffington Post, San Diego Union Tribune, Sports Illustrated, Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Providence Journal.

Scott’s passion for the importance of youth political engagement stems from his experience growing up abroad. After his father joined the State Department, Scott lived throughout Latin America and Africa, learning about diverse cultures and peoples. In 2002, Scott served as an observer in the first truly democratic elections in Kenya’s history, where he began to recognize the transformative potential of democracy. He also witnessed a coup in Ecuador in 2005, and met with opposition members during run-off elections in Zimbabwe in 2008. These experiences persuaded Scott of both the fragility and power of democracy, a lesson he attempts to apply everyday as he builds and improves upon Generation Citizen’s work.

Josh has over 15 years of nonprofit management experience working with national education and youth development nonprofits, including Teach For America, Youthbuild USA, and Peace First. He led the launch of a national fellowship program for young leaders at Peace First, scaled up Teach For America’s alumni giving and volunteerism programs, and managed technical assistance to over 100 YouthBuild programs.  Josh received his BA from Williams College and his MBA from the Yale School of Management.  Josh was also chair of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network’s national board during a period of rapid expansion, and led the Development and Search Committee for The Food Project.

A lifelong follower and debater of politics, nationally and locally, Josh is excited to support Generation Citizen’s mission of engaging young people in fashioning solutions to community challenges in partnership with local and state government.  His experience working with youth from diverse backgrounds in each of his roles, and seeing how their voices broadened the conversation, grounds his commitment to ensuring that our civic institutions are representative and responsive to all of their constituents.

Josh grew up in Guilford, Connecticut and lives outside Boston with his wife and newborn son. In his free time he enjoys hiking, coffee snobbery and wine tasting.

Andrew Wilkes serves as Generation Citizen’s Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, where he leads GC’s thought leadership, coalition building, and policy initiatives as a part of the national leadership team. Andrew comes to this role with nearly ten years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and community organizing, particularly among congregations and community-based organizations. Prior to joining GC in 2017, he served as the executive director of the Drum Major Institute, a social change organization founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In that capacity, he executed public affairs events in Dallas, TX and Washington D.C. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act; established the Beloved Community Initiative, a national resource on spirituality and social justice for faith communities; and relaunched the nationally renowned Marketplace of Ideas Forum – a forum for bringing policy ideas to an audience of changemakers, policy professionals, and nonprofit leaders.

As a Senior Grants Manager at The American Red Cross of Greater New York, he worked with elected officials, public agencies, and community stakeholders to administer a $45 million budget for Superstorm Sandy recovery in New York state and Connecticut. Before that, he worked at Habitat for Humanity – New York City, where he mobilized 140 faith communities across the city to serve, donate, and advocate for affordable housing.

Andrew is a graduate of Hampton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, the CORO public affairs fellowship, and is a doctoral candidate in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. He also serves on the board of directors for the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State and Habitat for Humanity – New York State.

Isa joined Generation Citizen in 2017 as Finance Manager. She spends her time building and refining GC’s financial management systems, from budgets to audit and beyond. Prior to GC, Isa worked in operations at Venture for America, a nonprofit startup where she wore many hats – finance, HR, amateur IT support, and more. She got her start as a campus organizer with the California Student Public Interest Research Group, recruiting and training students to run campaigns to promote clean energy and increase youth voter turnout. Her time as a community organizer cemented her passion for youth civic education, and she’s excited to be part of building GC’s operational infrastructure as the program scales.

Isa grew up in Vermont and received her B.A. in politics from Pomona College. When not buried in a spreadsheet, she can be found hiking, camping, and exploring new neighborhoods in the city.

Megan came to Generation Citizen in 2018 straight out of the classroom, having taught 9th grade Social Studies at Colorado River Collegiate Academy, an early college high school in Bastrop, TX. She played an integral role in GC coming to her campus after learning more about the program through a 2016 civic workshop held at the White House. Through her time working as a GC teacher, she saw her students truly understand the important role they play in their local community. Serving as the civic education leader in her district, she provided students additional opportunities to be active changemakers through partnerships with the University of Texas and the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life. A few of her career highlights include being awarded the 2016-2017 Bastrop ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, receiving the first-ever TX GC Teacher Change Maker award in 2017, and watching her well-deserving students receive the 2017 GC Class Change Maker award.

Megan’s passion lies in providing underrepresented youth with opportunities to lead and succeed, working with one of her GC class projects on starting a youth advisory council with the City of Bastrop. She feels that GC opens doors for students who may have historically had them closed and she’s excited to bring her civic and classroom knowledge to her Regional Program Manager position.

She has lived in Iowa, Tennessee, and Texas, currently residing in the Dallas area. She received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration, and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, both from Middle Tennessee State University. Megan also has 8 years of community college teaching under her belt, working in both TN and TX. She enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 rambunctious daughters (Sophia & Chloe), hunting for new flavors of kombucha, and planning her next international adventure!

As Generation Citizen’s Talent Manager, Dana supports GC employees in turning the basic principles of GC’s mission inward, ensuring employees at all levels and across all identities have the resources to feel empowered, developed, and engaged.

Prior to joining GC in January 2019, Dana worked as a writer and college instructor, and most recently comes from Education Pioneers, where she worked for four years in a variety of human resources, executive support, and operations roles.

Dana believes that equity and inclusion must be a part of the fabric of a team’s systems and operations in order for an organization to achieve long-term, sustainable impact and reach its full potential, and believes that a diverse team is critical for innovation and effectiveness. Through that lens, she brings a deep commitment to supporting GC employees in creating a high-performing, equitable, diverse and developmental workplace that they are proud of (and excited to come to!) each day, as well as ensuring GC attracts and retains the talent needed to carry out its mission.

Dana received her BA in Psychology from Rutgers University and her MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College. Outside of work, Dana trains Muay Thai, Googles everything, and tries to live by the words of the poet Frank O’Hara…”Grace/to be born and live as variously as possible”.

As Impact Manager, Liz leads program evaluation, research, and knowledge management to inform internal and external organizational development strategies. Prior to joining Generation Citizen in 2018, Liz completed her Master’s in International Development Planning from NYU Wagner, during which she supported social justice projects at the World Bank, 100 Resilient Cities, and Women’s World Banking. She brings a range of experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders to translate strategy and learning objectives into data driven initiatives and tools.

An urban planner with a background in gender equity and community development, Liz is passionate about advancing holistic and participatory systems change strategies that address inequality and build local resilience. Liz began her career in grassroots philanthropy at The New York Women’s Foundation, including serving one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow. Her commitment to supporting locally authored solutions and inclusive development is grounded in her experiences in mediation and deliberative democracy work. Having seen firsthand the power of community led change, Liz is excited to be supporting youth agency through Generation Citizen’s Action Civics program.

A native Midwesterner, Liz graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Communications and Culture, and Political and Civic Engagement. Liz has called New York home for the past five years and in her free time can be found baking, reading, and organizing with her Feminist Urbanist group.

Brandon is the the Vote16USA Campaign Manager at Generation Citizen. In this role, he leads the initiative to lower the voting age, including supporting youth-led campaigns, publishing resources for advocates, and leading a Youth Advisory Board comprised of activists from around the country. He joined Generation Citizen in 2015 to support the launch of Vote16USA. He also contributes to the organization’s work to advance Action Civics education through state level policy nationwide. He is inspired every day by young people working to strengthen their democracy.

Brandon fondly remembers collecting his first petition signature as a second grader upset about a proposal by Major League Baseball to eliminate his favorite team, and has had a taste for political action ever since. In his free time he enjoys good books and running along the Charles River. He graduated from American University with a B.S. in Public Health.

Bonnie first joined Generation Citizen in 2016 as a NYC Program Associate recruiting, training and supporting Democracy Coaches. She also contributed to curricular resources by co-creating and authoring a post-election 2-day lesson packaged entitled “Beyond the Ballot” to help equip and motivate students to stay involved after elections. Bonnie currently works as a Manager of National Program Development expanding Generation Citizen’s national programming through the creation and implementation of teacher professional development, curriculum updates, and supporting new partnerships for teacher-led and remote programming.

Bonnie first developed her passion for student action driven education programs while in college studying Secondary Education Social Sciences at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. (War Eagle!) Her studies focused on utilizing the social sciences to help students become analytical thinkers who apply their knowledge to participate proactively in their communities. Prior to GC, Bonnie spent 5 years as a public school teacher in Nashville, TN educating high school seniors in American Government and Politics and coaching students in mock national and international governments through Model United Nations and Youth in Government. Watching young adults develop their own world views and civic identities as well as discover their power and role in the political process was inspiring and a motivating factor for Bonnie in coming on board with GC.

In addition to her passion for civic engagement, Bonnie enjoys reading historical fiction, taking road trips, cooking pad thai, and drinking bubbly water. #Lacroix4Life. Bonnie works remotely from her hometown of Nashville, TN and frequently competes with her co-worker/dog Gracie for employee of the month.

Juanita joined Generation Citizen in 2017 after teaching 8th grade Social Studies for five years. She taught GC classes for three years at Roger Williams Middle School, which was known for their strong GC projects, polished Civics Day presentations, and being the winningest school in the state. Juanita’s classes brought home awards every Civics Day, and in a single semester, she earned both the coveted Class Change Maker and Teacher Change Maker awards. Her passion for GC led to an invitation to the Rhode Island Board, which she continues to serve on, and collaboration on several curriculum-based projects. Officially joining the GC team only seemed natural!

Juanita is highly versed and trained in project-based learning, culturally responsive teaching, activities-based learning, and question formulation techniques. Through Generation Citizen, her students founded a Student Council, met with district officials to discuss strategies for increasing teacher diversity, and testified to the Superintendent and School Board about closing the achievement gap between English Language Learners and their peers. What has made Juanita truly most proud is the long-lasting impact GC has made on her students.

Juanita lives in Providence with her two fantabulous kids, Lydia and Elias, her grandpa, mother, sister, and niece because it takes a village to raise children (plus Benji, an adorably fun-loving adopted Lhasa Apso). As a proud Rhode Islander, she spends time exploring the many gems the Ocean State has to offer with her family and friends. Juanita loves taking walks through historic Roger Williams Park and experimenting with new recipes.

Nivetha joined Generation Citizen in October 2018 to further her professional goal of providing opportunities and tools for young people to direct their own learning and have more of a voice in decisions that affect them. Her background is in fundraising for education in the international development and humanitarian aid space, most recently with the nonprofits Children in Conflict and Seeds of Africa. Prior to that, Nivetha earned her MA in International Education Development at Columbia University, concentrating in Peace and Human Rights Education. While in graduate school, she assisted with research and writing on a UNESCO toolkit to support educators and policymakers across the world in integrating global citizenship education into their policies, curricula, and classrooms.

A passionate advocate for youth-led social change, Nivetha first became aware of the issues with top-down education policy through her experiences going to school in the midwestern US and southern India, where she felt the curricula and pedagogy didn’t always reflect the needs, experiences, or interests of the students. Her convictions about the need for global education reform were further strengthened by volunteering at orphanages in India as well as tutoring in low-income schools across New York City.

When not daydreaming about a peaceful global society built on ideals of social justice and educational equality, Nivetha spends her time reading literary fiction, playing with her lab retriever Petey, and ranking the best ramen noodle shops in New York City.

Caitlin joined the team in 2014 as Bay Area Program Director, and now serves on the National team as GC’s Chief of Staff. Having grown up in a family of teachers, public advocates, professors, and military officers, Caitlin discovered a sense of civic identity and responsibility at an early age. She was drawn to Generation Citizen because it is an organization that fundamentally believes in the power and agency of young people, particularly those from historically marginalized groups, to lead change in their communities.

Prior to GC, Caitlin was at the San Francisco Education Fund, learning the ins-and-outs of the San Francisco public school system, designing and leading community volunteer trainings, and building strategic partnerships with teachers, school leaders, and students throughout the city’s southeast neighborhoods. Before moving to the Bay Area, Caitlin spent two years teaching English at a primary school in rural northern Thailand, where she first developed a passion for youth development and education (as well as spicy food and motorbikes).

Caitlin grew up in San Diego, and earned her B.A. in Anthropology and a Certificate in American Studies from Princeton University. She has been a proud Oakland resident since 2012. In her free time, you can find her hanging out in her neighborhood (preferably dog-friendly places) and planning her next trip abroad

Shara serves as the Finance and Operations Associate on GC’s national team. She believes that elevating the voices of underserved populations is vital to a functioning democracy. In college, she worked as a student volunteer in nearby prisons, where she taught incarcerated individuals the basics of public speaking and advocacy. During the summer, she worked with a community organizing nonprofit to help familiarize Buffalo residents with political institutions to help them advocate for themselves in local government.

Shara completed her BS in Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University, studying econometrics and policy analysis. She is excited to be able to combine her passions for community-based advocacy and spreadsheets in her role as the Finance and Operations Associate.

In her role as Administrative Assistant, National, Angelina provides support to GC’s CEO, Chief of Staff, External Affairs Manager, and Development Team through various projects and development initiatives.

Angelina is a recent graduate from UC Santa Barbara where she studied Political Science and volunteered with local political campaigns. While a student, she also spent a few months as a Congressional Intern in Washington DC. These experiences affirmed a personal dedication to encouraging youth civic engagement – a value that ultimately led her Generation Citizen

Amy joined Generation Citizen in 2016 in furtherance of her professional and personal passion for empowering youth and providing opportunities through education. She began her career with Project Transformation, a community oriented summer day camp focused on building literacy among elementary-aged children from Oklahoma’s low-income urban neighborhoods. Long a community volunteer in a variety of capacities, she currently chairs an organization which operates a food pantry and provides no cost eye care (and other services) to Oklahoma City’s working poor.

Amy is proud to be at the forefront of Generation Citizen’s expansion to the Sooner State. Perpetuating the optimism and resilience of her pioneer forebears, she believes teaching Oklahoma’s youth to engage civically will improve their lives and equip Oklahoma with a new generation of leaders.

Amy holds a B.A. in Letters from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters in Religious Education from Oklahoma City University. She enjoys adventures with her husband and two boys, knitting, cooking dinner with friends, and cheering on the OKC Thunder.

Elizabeth joined Generation Citizen in 2017, as Oklahoma Senior Program Associate. She has cultivated her passion for a civically informed and engaged Oklahoma through collegiate teaching, local advocacy, and working the polls. Elizabeth has seen Oklahoma’s low voter turnout first-hand, and believes that empowering young people to speak for themselves and their communities will sustainably strengthen our state.

Because creative problem solving and critical thinking are fundamental pieces of lasting civic engagement, Elizabeth is proud to be a member of and volunteer with a number of Oklahoma City’s arts sector projects. Through professional and personal commitments, she strives to always celebrate human agency by celebrating human diversity and creativity.

Elizabeth holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Oklahoma Baptist University and an M.S. in Applied Anthropology from the University of North Texas. As an adopted Oklahoman, Elizabeth digs the state’s music, art, food, and long vegetable-growing season.