Campaign Manager for Stop AAPI Hate and CAA’s joint national campaign to stop anti-Asian scapegoating. Learn more at StopTheBlame.orgAdvocate and strategist for the Stop AAPI Hate Coalition's first CA state legislative package: No Place For Hate CA; NoPlaceForHateCA.org+ Coalition of over 100 nonprofits and government agencies+ 2022 Wins: Passed two history-making bills addressing harassment and civil rights on public transit and in businessesSupervise and train advocacy staff, utilizing my deep expertise in CA State budget and legislative advocacy.StopAAPIHate.org

On behalf of 41 of California's food banks, I was a state and federal legislative and budget advocate for food security, a healthy and equitable food system, safety net programs, and economic justice issues; Leader in state coalitions; public speaker and presenter. I led advocacy and performed research for state bills, coordinated National Guard aid and other emergency needs through the COVID-19 Pandemic, and supervised a National Hunger Fellow. Recent wins that I led include:+ Secured $120 million for FY 2022-23 for CalFood, a program for food banks to purchase California grown food, an increase of $112 million annual, including $60 million ongoing (i.e. every year)+ Ended the $1 billion dollar annual Great Recession era SSI cuts+ Co-Chair and Legislative Committee Co-Chair, California Hunger Action Coalition, 2020-2022+ Organizing Committee Chair, Californians for SSI Coalition, 2015-2022+ Values and Visioning Committee (to center racial equity), California Food and Farming Network, 2020-2021

I developed and led the implementation of ACCFB’s state budget and legislative advocacy strategy to advance our vision of ending poverty through achieving economic and racial equity, while creating a lasting and meaningful culture of civic engagement in our community.2019-20: Co-sponsor, AB 1022 (Wicks) to protect adults who are time-limited out of SNAP due to a Trump Administration rule. I did everything from developing and drafting the bill with a small team to grassroots organizing and training impacted community members to testify at hearings with Asm. Wicks.+ Legislative Co-Chair, California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC), www.hungeraction.net+ Organizing Chair, Californians for SSI (CA4SSI), ca4ssi.org; Achieved historic win of CaFresh expansion for SSI recipients, after 45yr banFederal:+ Lobby in DC and CA for strong food programsRecent CA budget & legislative wins include:+ Expansions to the California Earned Income Tax Credit+ The first ever ongoing state funding for CA food banks+ Increased access to school meals for 800K students by implementing Medi-Cal Direct Certification statewide (SB 138)+ Requiring all charter schools to provide at least one free or reduced-price meal per day (AB 1871)+ Pilot project to maximize CalFresh benefit through California Fruit & Vegetable EBT Pilot (SB 900)PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE:"Advocate: What the Farm Bill Means and Why it Matters,” Edible Education 101, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, February 2019"How the Farm Bill Affects Hunger and What You Can Do About It", Graduate Class: Untangling the Farm Bill, Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, April 2018; California Food Policy Advocates CalFresh Forum, Sacramento, CA, March 2018"What is Equity?", Keynote Panel moderated by Malik Kenyatta Yakini, Closing the Hunger Gap Conference, Tacoma, WA, Sept. 2017ACCFB is Feeding America's 2016 FOOD BANK OF THE YEARFeeding America's ADVOCACY HALL OF FAME for seven consecutive years, 2013-2019

+ Strategist for three statewide legislative advocacy coalitions and member of regional & local workgroups, incl.:~ Californians for SSI/ CA4SSI.org - Achieved historic policy change expanding CalFresh to SSI recipients after a 40 year ban and won first state COLA increase since 2009~ California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC) - helped end the maximum family grant rule & helped end lifetime ban on SNAP & CalWORKS for people convicted of drug felonies~ All In/ acgov.org/allin~ Oakland & Berkeley Food Policy Councils+ Created & executed the first annual ‘SUP: The Speak Up Project, ACCFB's legislative advocacy institute for community leaders and the public+ Lobby federal, state, and local legislators+ Worked with Alameda County BOS and Oakland & Hayward City Councils to pass resolutions in support of increasing state funded SSI benefits and advised coalition members on doing the same in their counties+ 2015-17: Event co-chair and host of California Hunger Action Coalition’s annual lobby day at CA State Capitol; 400+ attendees in May 2017+ Organize and train 500+ community members/year to advocate at CA State Capitol+ Designed and built online Advocacy Action Center and increased engagement by 25% annually+ Direct online campaign strategy to compliment state and federal policy agendas+ Direct Get Out the Vote campaigns+ St. Mary's Social Justice Hero AwardPRESENTATIONS INCLUDE:"Food Justice in Our Community," Food First, Berkeley, CA, October 2015"Building a Movement: A Campaign Blueprint," Closing the Hunger Gap Conference, Portland, OR, September 2015"Get Out the Vote, Nonprofit Style," California Association of Food Banks Conference, Sacramento, CA, May 2015"Breaking Down the Wall of Poverty and Hunger: 2015 Policy Priorities," Social Justice Forum: Food Justice, St. Mary's College, Oakland, CA, February 2015"Building a Grassroots Movement to End Hunger," Feeding America Conference, Chicago, IL, August 2014OP-ED attached below

Developed individualized study plans for students with learning differences with the goal of developing and maintaining excellent organizational and self-advocacy skills; students learned how to be organized, motivated, planning-oriented, and to advocate for themselves; taught one-on-one intensive courses and tutored in English, history, political science, economics, math (Algebra I and geometry), biology, SAT prep, and college application essay writing+ Consistently increased overall grade point averages (GPAs) from 0.4-1.6 to 3.5 and up+ Developed IEP (Individualized Education Plans) for students with school staff and parents+ Specialties Included: Creating a good rapport with students and parents; Boosting morale and self-esteem; Working with students who have reading and learning challenges+ Schools Included: Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA), The Tutoring School at Beekman School in NYC, City College of San Francisco

Researched and tracked legislation and helped develop innovative and strategic local legislation with a focus on food access, fair labor practices, and improved nutrition+ Researched policy and legislation in the development of the Healthy Food Retailer Incentives Program+ Represented the Supervisor at Food Security Task Force meetings and other events+ Planned and coordinated community forums with government agency leaders+ Developed relationships with City, community-based, and nonprofit organization leaders+ Wrote speeches, reports, and press releases under deadlines+ Briefed the Supervisor and his staff on national public health legislation and current events & issues impacting constituents

http://www.foodsystemsnyc.orgManaged community awareness and advocacy projects at a membership-based nonprofit whose mission is to increase awareness about and advocate for sustainable New York City food and farm policy; elected position+ Developed recommendations for a food policy chapter in the 2011 revision of PlaNYC 2030, New York City’s plan for a sustainable future, using consensus building strategy with a multidisciplinary team of 25 professionals+ Led the research and development of a policy paper for high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in New York State, which was the basis for Food Systems Network NYC’s official position on fracking and which aided in New York State’s ban on fracking+ Researched current food policy issues, drafted position papers, and crafted clear, easy-to-read fact sheets+ Delivered testimony to city officials in support of nutrition, food access, and urban agriculture bills

http://brooklynfoodcoalition.orgLed the Crown Heights/Prospect Heights workgroup in organizing community building and coalition recruitment events with a grassroots organization dedicated to a just and sustainable food system+ Collaborated with 20 founding members to create Brooklyn Food Coalition’s By-laws+ Collaborated on identifying local food justice issues and creating projects to address them+ Initiated new and strengthened existing relationships with community-based organizations+ Researched and tracked food policy legislation for the Food Policy Committee+ Active in the School Food Reform Committee

Aided in the strategic planning and implementation of the Time For Lunch campaign, a national effort with 200+ U.S. chapters and regional leaders to increase funding and strengthen the nutrition standards of the USDA’s National School Lunch Program in the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) Reauthorization+ Trained advocates, researched stakeholders, and conducted campaign outreach and surveys + Tracked data and wrote reports for campaign-related metrics+ Monitored and wrote reports on CNA Congressional Listening Sessions+ Led a NYC letter writing campaign supporting improved National School Lunch Program Standards to U.S. Congress members for NYS and NYC Representatives, generating 2000 hand-written letters in two months+ Synthesized research and policy reports for the Executive Director and staff, including a comprehensive review of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)+ Wrote blog articles about current food and farm issues

Managed daily operations of the administrative, human resources, accounting, and IT departments of a hedge fund+ Led the planning and coordination of a Manhattan office move, including expediting attorneys’ lease negotiation and managing public liability insurance and vendor contracts+ Primary liaison to investors, accountants, attorneys, and IT contractors+ Managed operations and trading staff

Trained at ACT (San Francisco), UCLA Summer in Italy, and The Public Theater Shakespeare Lab

Assisted in studies led by world renowned psychologists, including the first ever longitudinal studies of girls with ADHD, led by Professor Stephen Hinshaw, PhD.