2024 Andrew Goodman National Civic Leadership Training Summit

Jalakoi Solomon is a seasoned leader and strategist with over a decade of experience in electoral and issue organizing. Currently serving as Executive Vice President, Campaigns & Partnerships at Civic Nation, she oversees the development and execution of large-scale national campaigns, including the current “SAVE on Student Debt” campaign in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. Previously Jalakoi served as the Managing Director at Made to Save, where she co-led a $17M, 18-month national effort to ensure equity in the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in communities of color. She has a Master's in Political Management from The George Washington University and a Bachelor's in Psychology from The College of William & Mary.

Rashawn Davis is the Executive Director at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. Rashawn is an experienced leader, practitioner, and advisor, with a passion for social justice and a deep commitment to closing societal gaps that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

As the former Director of the Racial Justice Labs at Change.org, Rashawn spearheaded the investment of millions of dollars into Black and Brown leaders driving impactful racial justice work. He has served in both the public and private sectors, playing pivotal roles in designing and implementing transformative impact initiatives, including Newark’s historic Police Review Board, where he was appointed by Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka in 2018 to serve a term as commissioner. In 2014, Rashawn became one of the youngest people in the history of Newark to be certified and appear on a municipal election ballot at the age of 21. He led an insurgent campaign for a City Council seat representing the city’s west ward.

Rashawn is a dynamic speaker and has given talks at institutions such as The City University of New York, The New School, and Pinterest. He is a sought-after speaker on topics related to equity, public policy, and leadership. Rashawn is also a proud member of the Board of Directors for the W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute at Princeton University. Rashawn graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in Government and he earned a master’s degree from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School. He is a proud resident of Newark, NJ.

Margaret Knehans is the Deputy Executive Director at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. With a career spanning 10 years at civil and voting rights nonprofit organizations, Margaret is a strategic, dedicated, and caring leader with extensive practical experience in both communications and program management. In her role, Margaret manages AGF's daily operations, supporting AGF's talented team to implement our goals and vision.

First joining AGF in 2017, Margaret was most recently the Director of Communications, working to elevate AGF’s brand, including our legacy story, and raise awareness about our organization’s impact through powerful storytelling. Margaret has also served as a Program Manager, guiding Andrew Goodman Ambassadors across the South in the execution of campaigns to increase the student voting rate and voting accessibility on campus, as well as in their personal and professional growth as young civic leaders.

Previously, she worked at Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center that supports equitable school experiences and learning opportunities for all students. As a Research Associate, she developed social justice and anti-bias professional development and curricular resources for K-12 educators.

Margaret is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama, where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, concentrating on gender and race theory, and a Master's degree in American Studies, focusing on American popular music. Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Margaret has a lifelong passion for and commitment to fighting for more inclusive, representative communities for us all. She and her husband Sam live in New Orleans, Louisiana, with their dog Birdie.

Alexander Davis is a nonprofit leader, campaign strategist, and advancement professional serving as the Vice President of Development at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. Over the past decade, Alex has led transformational efforts with startup, emerging, and established nonprofits and campaigns. He has built and scaled contributed and earned revenue streams while nurturing and leading teams, creating dynamic partnerships with private and public institutions, educating and engaging funders, exceeding goals, managing tight budgets, and delivering results. He has fundraised millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations in diverse sectors with focuses ranging from hyperlocal to global, managed campaigns in multiple states, advised organizations and candidates throughout the country, and served on boards of directors and committees.

Alexander has previously held senior-level advancement roles at Peace First, Gateway Film Center, and the Columbus College of Art & Design. At the Film Center, Alexander served as the organization's first director of development for four years before leading the organization’s fundraising and membership programs through the onset and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In these roles, Alexander led the Film Center through its transition from LLC to 501c3 nonprofit while growing contributed revenue from less than $20,000 to more than $1.5 million annually. He also led efforts during the pandemic to raise nearly $4 million to sustain and invest in the Film Center's people, programs, operations, and facility, which saved teammates’ jobs and kept the organization alive.

Before moving to Columbus in 2016, Alexander served as the executive director of development for HillVets, a startup veterans service organization based in Washington, DC. Outside of his full time work, Alexander served on the board of directors of Equality Ohio for 4 years and was the founding board president of At Home By High. He and his husband Chase live in Columbus with their dogs Oliver and Winston. Alex is an avid New York Mets fan and has played ultimate frisbee since high school.

Mia Matthews is the Program and Communications Manager at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. She studied Citizenship & Civic Engagement and Writing & Rhetoric at Syracuse University and graduated in 2021. From Syracuse city, she has been working with nonprofit and community organizations for eight years on youth empowerment and intergroup dialogue facilitation initiatives. She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts and in her free time can be found playing guitar and exploring our beautiful planet.

Gabrielle Slaughter is the HBCU Lead Program Manager at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. Gabrielle is a graduate of Spelman College with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. Her passions include dancing, social justice, and public interest. She takes pride in being a servant leader and mentor for young black and brown girls in her community. Her long term goals include becoming an attorney and serving as representation for others who desire to implement change in our legal system.

Caroline Smith is the Director of Programs at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. Caroline is a proud Jersey girl living in Brooklyn, NY. She received her BA in Sociology and a certificate in Community Action/Public Policy at Connecticut College in 2018. After graduation, she began her organizing career with the Student PIRGs at Rutgers University-Newark, where she trained and mobilized students to run campaigns around voter engagement, affordable textbooks, and environmental issues on campus. She then jumped into national electoral work on Senator Cory Booker's presidential campaign for the 2020 primary cycle. In her third year with AGF, Caroline is excited to continue working with young organizers across the country to institutionalize civic and voter engagement.

Kaylee Valencia is the Program Manager: Operations Strategist at The Andrew Goodman Foundation. Kaylee is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. Her passions include creativity, civic engagement, social justice, and community building. Kaylee's experience is in amplifying the voices of young people by working to institutionalize civic engagement in higher education, as well as in helping others find what they care about and encouraging them to fearlessly pursue it. She believes that your vote is your voice, but your capacity to make meaningful change extends so much further than the ballot box.

Claire was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and moved to the U.S. in 2007. She’s an associate professor of humanities at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, teaching humanities courses, International Studies, and the Immigrant Experience Through Literature and Film. She just concluded a 3-year term as associate director at the college’s Community Writing Center, working with community partners to develop writing workshops and youth programs. She has a BA in Humanities from University of Ulster, an MA from Queen’s University Belfast, an MSC in International Affairs and Global Enterprise from University of Utah, and was ABD at University of Ulster. Claire has also been involved with refugee advocacy for approx. 10 years, working with agencies such as the International Rescue Committee and Catholic Community Services. Her refugee work led to her getting the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Volunteer Award and the American Society for Public Administration Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Administration for research & advocacy in the area. In 2018 she worked on an emergency response team for Lighthouse Relief on the Greek island of Lesvos, servicing the Aegean Sea. She was formerly on the Board of Directors for the Utah Pride Center.

Dr. Sandra Bass currently serves as Executive Director & Associate Dean of the Public Service Center at UC Berkeley. Upon receiving her doctorate in political science, Dr. Bass was appointed as an assistant professor of Criminology and Political Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she integrated service learning into both her undergraduate and graduate courses. In 2002 Sandra joined the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and in 2010 she was selected to lead the Foundation’s girl’s education, women’s leadership, and reproductive health program in Sub-Saharan Africa, and later was appointed the executive director of Teach With Africa, an organization focused on cross cultural learning for K-12 teachers in the US and South Africa. Sandra has published numerous articles and essays in academic journals and on various platforms, and has co-edited three volumes. She currently serves on the regional board of Multiplying Good (formerly known as the Jefferson Awards Foundation), the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, the Osher Center for Lifelong Learning Diversity and Equity Advisory Board, and Co-Chairs the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Civic Engagement Advisory Board. She has also served as a “Wise Head” reviewer for the MacArthur Foundation 100 and change competition, on the steering committee of the African Grantmakers Affinity Group, and is the former Board Chair of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, among other appointments. She is also a nonviolence trainer and educator. Sandra holds a BA from San Jose State University, and an MA and PhD from UC Berkeley, all in political science.

Nykolai Blichar is a Pennsylvania native and a former Ambassador for the Andrew Goodman Foundation Vote Everywhere Program. Nykolai has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.Ed. in Student Affairs from Kutztown University. He is a passionate community activist and advocate for social justice and LGBTQIA+ rights. He is particularly interested in promoting civic engagement both on and off campus and centering conversations around democracy and participation in government at all levels. He is also no stranger to the electoral process having helped numerous political campaigns and has previously ran for PA State Representative in 2018 and 2020. Nykolai focuses on his passion for voting and civic participation to ensure students and community members are well informed about the decisions they make at the ballot box.

Andrew Bloeser is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. Before coming to Allegheny College, Andrew completed his B.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois. His research and teaching interests lie primarily in political behavior, participation, and mobilization.

Alex Edgar is a 20-year-old UC Berkeley graduate reimagining America’s approach to civic and Gen-Z engagement. The son of both a community college professor and an avid volunteer, Alex views service and education as the key tenants to a better future for all. This foundation has led him to his current roles as Youth Engagement Manager for Made By Us and Civic Engagement Policy Director for the Youth Power Project. At Made By Us, Alex leads the national nonprofit’s federal grant-funded Youth250 campaign. He develops programming and outreach in preparation for the launch of their National Youth Bureau, an advisory group made up of 100 paid 18 to 30-year-old advisors. These youth advisors will consult with museums, nonprofits, and corporations as they find ways to center young people in commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. At the Youth Power Project, Alex manages a national team of a dozen students as they develop civic engagement policy in state legislatures and Congress and create national civic education campaigns. Through his various roles, Alex has become a trusted voice on youth empowerment and Gen Z civic engagement for nonprofits, higher education institutions, and other impact-driven organizations.

Frank Figgers currently serves as a Strategy Consultant for One Voice. The mission of One Voice is to enhance civic engagement in the formation of public policy through leadership development, research support, training and technical assistance for advocacy groups, associations, and community based organizations. Some of the duties for the position of the Strategy Consultant include logistics management, community outreach development and campaign and advocacy support.

Figgers comes to One Voice via Algebra Project at Lanier High School. Jackson, Mississippi. While with the Algebra Project, Figgers served as the Parent and Community Development Specialist.

After (27) twenty-seven years of services, Figgers retired from Sherwin-Williams Company as an Architectural Product Specialist. While at the Sherwin-Williams Company, Figgers held several positions including Assistant Manager, Branch Manager, and Operations Manager.

While employed with Sherwin-Williams Company, Figgers also served as Hinds County Election Commissioner representing the people of the third (3 rd) district and was elected to two (2) consecutive four (4) year terms.

Figgers was the first person of African descent to be elected in that district to that position. He also taught at Mississippi Baptist Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. Figgers is a graduate of Tougaloo College with a B.A. Degree in Sociology. He is a member of the class of 1971. While at Tougaloo he worked with the Jackson Human Rights Project, found by the Howard Spencer, also a Tougaloo College graduate, “68” and a Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee Field Organizer and former civil rights worker.

One of the best known initiatives of JHRP was the Georgetown Liberation School which later came to be known as the Black and Proud Liberation School and finally known as the Black and Proud Elementary School. While working with the Jackson Human Rights Project, Figgers met, worked with and developed relationships with other former Civil Rights worker such as (Donald Jackson) Mohamed Kenyatta, Robert Lee Green, Jimmy Travis, Hollis Watkins, Curtis Mohamed, Euvester Simpson, Jessie Harris, Dr, L.C. Dorsey, McArthur Cotton, Jessie Morris, (Willie) Wazir Peacock, and many others. Figgers says, “As life last, I consider myself favored to maintained these relationship and others through these many years.”

Figgers currently serves on the board for the Young People Project (YYP) of Jackson, Mississippi since 1998. He also serves as vice chairman of the board of directors of the Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement Inc. (VMCRM).

Figgers is a member of Shady Grove M. B. Church, Jackson, Mississippi, where he serves as a deacon and chairman of the Finance and Administrative Services Support Committee.

He is also a “subscribing” Life Member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In addition, Figgers serves as Chaplin of the China Grove Lodge #110 PHA. Figgers is married to Laura Terrell Figgers and is the proud father of Fareeda Tobechi Figgers. He is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi.

Elyla Huertas is a Staff Attorney at the ACLU-NJ, where she conducts litigation and advocacy on a range of civil rights and civil liberties issues. She also supervises the intake department and internship program and works with the organization’s volunteers.

Prior to joining the ACLU-NJ, Elyla worked for five years at a private firm. She received her bachelor’s degree from Douglass College of Rutgers University and her law degree from Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey. While attending Rutgers Law, she was the Managing Editor of the Women’s Rights Law Reporter and worked in the Community and Transactional Lawyering Clinic.

Molly Linhorst is a Staff Attorney at the ACLU-NJ, where she conducts litigation and advocacy to protect and advance a range of civil rights, including immigrants’ rights, free speech, and the rights of people in New Jersey’s jails. She first joined the ACLU-NJ in 2019 as a Justice Catalyst Fellow to address egregious conditions in immigration detention centers.

Molly received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in political science and international relations, and her law degree from Harvard Law School. While in law school, Molly worked in the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic and the Crimmigration Clinic, and interned at African Services Committee and the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project. She served as the co-director of the Harvard Immigration Project’s Removal Defense Project and as Professor Deborah Anker’s senior research assistant, editing the 2019 edition of "Law of Asylum in the United States." Prior to law school, Molly was an English teacher in China and in her hometown of Syracuse, New York.

Molly speaks Mandarin Chinese and has a rescue dog named Moxie. She first became a card-carrying member of the ACLU in high school.

Rebecca Mears is the director of Democracy in the Structural Reform and Governance department at American Progress.

Prior to joining American Progress, Mears was a political law attorney at Elias Law Group and Perkins Coie, where she specialized in campaign finance, voting rights, and election law at the federal, state, and local level. In this role, Mears provided counsel to members of Congress, multimillion-dollar political committees, and nonprofit organizations. Mears also co-authored an amicus brief that was submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of 165 universities and colleges in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Earlier in her career, Mears interned across a variety of nonprofit organizations and government agencies, including the White House Domestic Policy Council and the California Attorney General’s Office. During her time with the attorney general, she worked on the online portal OpenJustice, which makes criminal justice data accessible to the public, helping enhance government accountability and inform public policy.

Mears earned her law degree from Stanford Law School, her master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, and her bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy from Brown University, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Before joining the SLSV Coalition team, Sithara worked for a variety of organizations within the Coalition primarily organizing and training students, including as the Michigan Deputy State Coordinator for Campus Vote Project, and a Campus Organizer with the Student PIRGs prior to that. In those positions, Sithara worked with college students in California, Florida, and Michigan to run campaigns to increase student voter turnout and to protect the environment. She graduated from UCLA, and during her time as a student there, she organized her peers to mobilize voters on their campus, fight food insecurity, and tackle climate change - including getting the university system to phase out single-use plastics. Sithara's childhood in a predominantly immigrant community inspires her passion for voting rights.

Naomi Minwalla is a third-year student at James Madison University pursuing a double degree in Political Science and Spanish, with minors in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and Modern European Studies. She currently works for iCivics, a non-profit organization, as the Education and Engagement Intern. In her spare time, she is part of JMU's Women's Rugby Club, the current treasurer for Gamma Sigma Sigma: National Service Sorority, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta: Pre-law Fraternity.

Erin Mysogland is the Assistant Director of the Center for Community Action and Research and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Peace and Justice Studies at Pace University. In both positions Erin works with Pace students to empower them to take action on justice issues they are passionate about. As Pace's Campus Champion, Erin and Pace's AGF Ambassadors work towards full-student voter participation through creative outreach strategies and institutionalization efforts like an on campus poll site. Erin has a Master's in International and World History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics where she studied strategies activists used in response to the policing of migrant children. Erin is passionate about youth voter engagement and movements for racial justice past and present, and is excited to participate in NCLTS to celebrate and learn from the transformative power of young people!

Anne is a Junior attending Pace University, pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry. As a Pace Votes Leader, she is an advocate for voting rights for younger people and for minorities. As someone who has seen firsthand the lack of opportunities, and injustice towards people of color, or those in underrepresented communities, it is Anne's goal to advocate for support and change for minorities. She hopes to make voting rights and volunteering in communities much more common for those who lack a voice.

Abigail is a student at the University of Central Arkansas passionate about ensuring others know they are seen, are heard, and know they matter. As someone who has seen the dynamic shift from gaining a disability in this world, advocacy for people with disabilities has become Abigail's heartbeat. Abigail hopes to provide a new perspective to others that will expand their thinking beyond what was priorly held.

Lailah Williams is a senior at Louisiana State University pursuing a dual degree of Political Science and International Studies. Lailah is a fierce advocate of voting rights and civic engagement! Lailah has worked in the political space since 2020 on multiple campaigns for public office, non-profits, and advocacy organizations! Through her work, Lailah hopes to make voting rights more accessible to young people in southern states and nationwide.

Christina Wiley (she/her) currently serves iCivics as Associate Director of Education and Engagement. In this role, she supports key organizational initiatives including research and the youth fellowship.

Christina’s love of civics traces back to 7th grade, when she joined the YMCA’s model government program. After over a decade of involvement as a participant, volunteer, and part-time staff member, Christina led Florida YMCA Youth In Government as State Director.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, where she studied economics, political science, and public leadership. She went on to earn an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where the Specialized Studies program enabled her to take a deep dive into civic education. During her time at Harvard, Christina worked to advance civics legislation in partnership with the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition. She also researched civic education initiatives across the U.S. as a member of Dr. Danielle Allen’s Democratic Knowledge Project. Christina participated in the Summer Institute of Civics Studies at Tufts University Tisch College and went on to serve as a Teaching Assistant for CVS 0020: Introduction to Civic Studies.

Christina lives in her hometown of Lakeland, Florida. When she’s not working, you can usually find her enjoying the company of local wildlife (including Humpback, Circle B Bar Reserve’s infamous 12-foot alligator).

For over 60 years, the ACLU of New Jersey has defended liberty and justice guided by the vision of a fair and equitable New Jersey for all. Their mission is to preserve, advance, and extend the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every New Jerseyan by the state and federal constitutions in courts, in the legislature, and in our communities. Visit their website at aclu-nj.org.

The Center for American Progress is an independent, nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through bold, progressive ideas, as well as strong leadership and concerted action. Their aim is not just to change the conversation, but to change the country. Visit their website at americanprogress.org.

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive, equitable America. They shift culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Visit their website at civicnation.org.

Guides.Vote provides clear, insightful, and well-sourced nonpartisan information on candidate positions to engage potential voters, especially young voters, so they can know what’s at stake in each election. Website: guides.vote

iCivics champions equitable, non-partisan civic education so that the practice of democracy is learned by each new generation. They work to inspire life-long civic engagement by providing high quality and engaging civics resources to teachers and students across our nation. Visit their website at icivics.org.

The SLSV Coalition is made up of campus, nonprofit, community, student, and philanthropic leaders, all working together to grow the student vote. We lead collaborations between these organizations, coordinate national programs and campaigns, and distribute resources to organizers on the ground, all to advance our shared goal of helping students take part in our democracy. Website: slsvcoalition.org

In 2004, the Veterans created an organization with the mission of preserving the history of the Mississippi Movement. The Veteran’s Collection of over 200 videotaped personal interviews and stories; videotaped lecture series; videotaped conferences, Board meetings and symposium is available for future generations to learn of the Civil Rights Movement and the connections between race, class, culture and their impact on politics. Visit their website at mscivilrightsveterans.org.

The Youth Power Project aims to break down barriers between lawmakers and youth by directly centering the stories and voices of young people in policy making at the local, state, and federal level. Website: youthpowerproject.org