Adrianne Shropshire is executive director of BlackPAC and the affiliated nonpartisan Black Progressive Action Coalition. She is a leader in developing model integrated voter engagement programs that build voter power over multiple election cycles.

Adrianne, along with Black progressive leaders from across the country, founded BlackPAC in 2016 to develop a sustainable infrastructure for Black political engagement. As executive director, she oversees BlackPAC’s research and political strategy, coordinating with grassroots community organizations in states across the country on electoral and issue-based campaigns in Black communities and with allied communities. Since BlackPAC’s start, she has raised millions of dollars and designed programs to engage hundreds of thousands of voters—leading to some of the most significant progressive victories of the post-2016 era.

Adrianne began her political work as a community organizer in California, where she organized in South Los Angeles neighborhoods around police accountability, economic justice, and youth empowerment. She continued her community-focused leadership through labor, community, faith and economic justice campaigns in NYC, and she advises labor unions, grassroots organizations and political donors on fostering strategic relationships between progressive stakeholders.

Mary M. Lee is a Los Angeles consultant, attorney, and community advocate. Recently, she has been facilitating the development of a regional initiative building leadership and power for young people of color, and she is part of a team supporting the work of the California Reparations Task Force.

Throughout her career, Mary has provided legal assistance to non-profit, community-based organizations committed to improving the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods. Her projects include strategic revitalization campaigns in the Vermont/Manchester Corridor, Hyde Park area, and Central City East (commonly known as “Skid Row”).

Getting to know Mary:
Mary is a native of Los Angeles as well as a graduate of Pitzer College in Claremont, California, and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She loves to listen to music and, when I get the chance, to read fiction, particularly by Black female authors.

Kendal is the Executive VP & Chief Financial Officer of Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization focused on equitable economic growth in the Los Angeles region. Kendal shares the organization’s vision to create a reimagined Los Angeles regional economy–growing, equitable, sustainable, and resilient–that provides a healthy and high standard of living for all. Before her current role, Kendal served as a Chief Financial Officer in the charter school sector for eleven years, serving students in the greater Los Angeles area, New Orleans, LA, Ohio, and Florida.

Getting to know Kendal:
She is the proud mom of a beautiful daughter and is currently a doctoral student in Public Administration at California Baptist University

Over the last 25 years, Luis Antonio Sánchez has dedicated himself to building a movement for social and economic justice in Los Angeles and throughout California. He serves as Executive Director of Power California (formerly known as Mobilize the Immigrant Vote/YVote), a network of 20 organizations building an intergenerational movement of young people and families of color to transform California into a state where power rests with the people. Luis founded YVote, a statewide youth organizing network that transformed young voters of color into an influential voting bloc.

Getting to know Luis:
Mr. Sánchez is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in English and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge. He resides on the Eastside of Los Angeles with his spouse and two children.

Aja Baxter is the General Counsel of SevenRooms. He has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney, with a particular focus on negotiating complex commercial transactions, developing legal policies and compliance practices for scaling companies, and supporting the growth of innovative businesses. Aja previously served as General Counsel for Spring Health, where he helped the business close its Series C financing round and grow internationally. Before Spring Health, Aja served as General Counsel for Breather and EducationDynamics. Aja holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Morehouse College, and a J.D. from Columbia University.

In January 2023, Arnulfo he was sworn in as President of SEIU 2015. That same month, Arnulfo was also sworn in as a Vice President of SEIU International. His overpowering commitment to ensuring justice for all in his years of leadership remained front and center. A hallmark of Arnulfo’s career is his commitment to what SEIU 2015 members like to call “Democracy for All!” For too long, our Black, Brown, and immigrant communities have historically been disenfranchised in our electoral process in this country. In 2022, Arnulfo demonstrated his commitment to full inclusion in elections and protecting voting rights. During that year’s general elections, he was instrumental in the union’s efforts to help members elect women of color throughout California.

Getting to know Arnulfo:
Arnulfo is a graduate of Wheaton College and was awarded a highly competitive Fulbright Scholarship to work and study Economics in Mexico. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

Donna Estacio is the Regional Director of State and Local Government Affairs for American Airlines. Before joining American Airlines in 2010, Donna held multiple positions as a public servant for over a decade. She last served as Director of State Relations for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

She also served as Senior Legislative Deputy for the Los Angeles City Council and served as a committee consultant for the California Assembly Budget and Finance Committee. She is a Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce board member and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.

Getting to know Donna:
Donna earned her B.A. in Sociology from UCLA and an M.P.P from Princeton University. Prior to entering government service, Donna taught the 3rd in South Los Angeles as part of the District’s Intern Program.

David Hyun is a Principal at Red Hook Capital Partners. He has over 20 years of experience in corporate accounting, finance, real estate, and K-12 charter school management. David has been developing, financing, and operating charter schools since 2009. He has developed and financed over thirty-five charter schools in Los Angeles, utilizing convention bank loans, new market tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and various state bonds.

Getting to know David:
David earned his B.A. in Business Administration/Finance at California State University, Northridge. He likes the outdoors and loves our national parks.

Ms. Mungai is an accomplished finance and real estate development professional with over 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, and real estate development in the public and private sectors. Currently employed as Deputy Director of Development Services at the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority. Ms. Mungai holds an MBA Degree with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Oregon.

She is a long-time community activist in social justice and international issues. Her passion lies in community activism, education, and helping youth strive to achieve maximum success in their lives. Ms. Mungai is an active volunteer in youth educational college readiness programs.

Fun fact:
“I was trained to run the marathon as my 40th birthday present but got injured two weeks before the marathon, but I completed the course in a practice run.”

Dr. Manuel Pastor is a Distinguished Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity Professor at the University of Southern California. He currently directs the Equity Research Institute at USC and is the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change there. Dr. Pastor’s research has generally focused on issues of the economic, environmental, and social conditions facing low-income urban communities–and the social movements seeking to change those realities.

2021 saw the publication of two new books, SolidarityEconomics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter (co-authored with Chris Benner) and South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A.  (co-authored with Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo).

Getting to know Dr. Pastor:
He holds an economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and was the founding director of the Center for Justice, Tolerance, and Community at the University of California, Santa Cruz and in 2022, Pastor was elected to the American Academy for the Arts and Sciences for his work in Public Affairs and Public Policy.

Since its founding in 2004, Michele Siqueiros has been the driving force behind the Campaign for College Opportunity, a California-based nonprofit policy advocacy and research organization committed to ensuring more students can attend college and succeed.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, the daughter of a seamstress who then became the first in her family to go to college, Michele understands the transformative power of education and has dedicated her life to opening the doors of college opportunity. In the 19 years she’s been at the Campaign for College Opportunity (President since 2008), she has built a strong, independent, and influential organization by raising over $30 million, securing historic higher education legislation, and establishing a broad and influential network of over 12,000 coalition supporters.

Getting to know Michele:
Michele believes in working toward a more just and equitable Los Angeles and California where every person–regardless of their zip code, race/ethnicity, or income–can reach their full potential. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Studies with Honors in Chicano/a Studies from Pitzer College and a Master of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Ben has served as a board member since the summer of 2017. He currently serves as a criminal prosecutor in Los Angeles County, where he was born and raised. In addition to experience as a community activist, student leader, and labor union organizer, Ben served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps as a captain and judge advocate.

Ben is committed to building a socially and environmentally just society in which all people can live to their full potential and enjoy the fruits of their collective effort on their own terms.

He earned a B.A. in History and Classics from the University of California at Santa Barbara, a J.D. from the UC Hastings College of the Law, a Master of Public Administration at CSU Long Beach, and an LLM in Critical Race Studies from UCLA Law. He is married with one son and one daughter.

Fun Fact:
Ben is an ardent Los Angeles Dodgers fan and has successfully indoctrinated his kids.

Chavonne Taylor is a radio producer and trauma-informed care educator from South Central Los Angeles. She works with private and public institutions to bring groups often forgotten or ignored to the forefront of political and social discussion.

Her background is in community organizing and multimedia. She is the producer and co-host of MHD “Off the Record,” a podcast hosted by Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson. She also produces the morning public affairs show Front Page on KJLH 102.3 FM in Los Angeles. Chavonne is also a trauma educator who leads workshops on the link between health and childhood trauma. She has taught medical doctors, teachers, social workers, and therapists how to understand childhood trauma and trauma-informed care.

Getting to know Chavonne:
She attended the University of Southern California and earned her Bachelor’s degree in sociology. Her studies have influenced her work in both media and trauma-informed care by allowing her to broaden people’s perspectives to understand the social and economic systems that impact our individual and personal experiences.

Keith recently retired from his role as the Executive Vice President of Global Policy and External Affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). He announced his departure from the entertainment group in September after more than 20 years.

Weaver’s exit marks an exciting new chapter in his entrepreneurial journey. As the co-founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey alongside his wife, Fawn Weaver, and the inspiration behind Humble Baron, the longest bar in the world that is located at Nearest Green Distillery, Weaver will now launch a new hospitality company, Nashwood, Inc., where he will act as Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Getting to know Keith–
Since he was 12 years old, he has always worked one or more jobs. His first jobs were selling fruit, sweeping up hair in a salon, and washing cars.

Christiane (Chrissy) Roussell Willis is the founder and CEO of Altura Leadership Consulting Group.  Altura’s mission is to upskill leaders to create an optimal work environment and a culture where everyone does their best work while feeling safe to be their authentic selves.  Altura offers strategic HR business partner and employee relations advice and training to companies at every stage of their life cycle, from startups and emerging companies to mature public and private companies.

Prior to founding Altura, Chrissy was an HR executive at tech and entertainment companies, an employment attorney at law firms and as in-house counsel, and an adjunct professor at her alma mater USC Gould School of Law.  She is active in a number of charitable and professional organizations in addition to Community Coalition, including currently serving as Chair of the Board of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Greater Los Angeles) and on her alma mater Marlborough School’s Board of Trustees.  She also serves on the Board of the John M. Langston Bar Association as an Advisory Member and is a Past President.

Chrissy received her B.A. in English from Georgetown University, J.D. from USC Gould School of Law, Human Resources Management Certificate from Loyola Marymount University, and Chief HR Officer Executive Education Certificate from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Getting to Know Chrissy:  Chrissy is a native Los Angeleno who enjoys cheering on her Lakers, Sparks, Dodgers, and Kings with her husband and daughter, theatrical productions around Los Angeles, and delicious food from food trucks and neighborhood finds.

Miki Woodard has 25 years plus experience as a philanthropist and social impact entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to championing equity, cultural diversity, and social justice Most recently, she served as President and CEO of Texas Women’s Foundation.

As leader of one of the largest women’s funds in the world, she spearheaded efforts to raise more than $40 million in funds for research, advocacy, and grantmaking on behalf of Texas women and girls. She was also President and CEO of charitable foundations for Dr. Phil, Senior Advisor of the Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation, and Head of Social Impact, Diversity, and Inclusion for Bad Robot Productions, Inc.

Getting to know Miki:
Miki is a fourth-generation graduate of Hampton University who loves practicing yoga.