Felix Schein founded RALLY in 2011 and as its President has guided the firm’s expansion in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York. Now more than fifty strong, RALLY has been engaged by leading foundations, advocacy groups, and companies to execute earned, paid, and digital media campaigns that touch everything from the environment, to education, to reproductive rights.

Prior to RALLY Felix tried his hand at political campaign management and was a member of the much-maligned mainstream media. As an intern for Meet the Press he clipped and organized newspaper articles for Tim Russert, a role he performed well enough to advance to the position of Researcher for Andrea Mitchell. He later joined the Today Show as an Associate Producer, and then NBC’s political unit where he was assigned to follow and report on the activities of Gov. Howard Dean and Sen. John Kerry during the 2004 Presidential election, an experience that frequently put him one-on-one with both candidates and embedded him with their campaigns for more than 18 months.

Born in Munich, Germany and raised in part in Telluride, Colorado, Felix is an avid, some would say rabid, football/soccer fan and an outdoor enthusiast. He lives in sunny Los Angeles with his brilliant wife and young son.

Lara Bergthold, Principal Partner at RALLY, is a campaign and communications strategist with a wealth of experience in positions such as political and communications strategist, philanthropic advisor, presidential senior campaign advisor, and PAC director. Lara is a leader in integrating her wide network of relationships in entertainment, politics, and the nonprofit space to develop and launch campaigns involving high-profile individuals and the causes they support.

Lara is skilled at developing and launching impactful campaigns and delivers results that truly make a difference. Her clients at RALLY have included TIME’S UP, Gap, Inc., Maria Shriver’s The Shriver Report, NARAL, Common Sense Media, Protect Democracy, CBS, and Rock the Vote.

She most notably helped guide Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit founded by parents who had lost their children in the Sandy Hook shooting, through the first two years—helping build programs to identify potential mass shooters and suicides through peer-to-peer awareness campaigns. She has since worked with March for our Lives and The Trace, and remains committed to ending gun violence in the United States.

Lara provided strategic guidance for TIME’S UP in their first year, as they developed a clear and lasting voice around the issues of safety and equity for women of all kinds in the workplace.  She has also worked with Christine Ford and Debbie Ramirez in their efforts to testify during Justice Kavanaugh’s hearing. Additionally, Lara had the pleasure of working with Chanel Miller on the launch of her award-winning biography, “Know My Name”. 

From 1997 – 2018, Lara served as Executive Director of the Lear Family Foundation, a private foundation of Lyn and Norman Lear, where she directed millions of dollars of grants annually to progressive organizations working on civil liberties, civil rights, the environment, and the arts, among others. She helped launch the “Declaration of Independence Road Trip,” a multimedia historical document and voter registration tour following the Lears’ acquisition of an original copy of the Declaration of Independence. It eventually toured all 50 states and registered over 4 million voters.

Lara served as National Deputy Political Director for John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, overseeing the engagement of entertainment industry figures as surrogates. She had previously joined General Wesley Clark’s presidential campaign as National Political Director, where she managed political operations in over 12 battleground primary states. From 1989 to 1997, Lara worked with, and then ran, the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee, raising over $6 million for progressive candidates at the national level. She organized more than 50 celebrities and donors to attend the 1992 Choice March in Washington, DC.

Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Lara received a Master’s in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. Lara fights with passion for social justice issues, civil rights, and civil liberties by serving as Co-Chair of the Board for People for the American Way, as well as Rock the Vote, and her son’s school board. She is inspired by her colleagues at RALLY and is dedicated to building a better world for her son and other children.

After 20 years in communications, marketing, government, and the world of international NGOs, Latia Curry is channeling her wide breadth of experience into laser-focused messaging, strategy, and campaigns at RALLY.

Specializing in strategic communications, message development, and campaign management, Latia oversees a large portfolio of clients in different issue areas and supervises multi-faceted internal teams across disciplines. As a Principal, she also plays a leadership role in recruiting, hiring, and company culture as well as new business development.

Latia currently leads communication campaigns and projects for The California Endowment, The Colorado Trust, California Wellness Foundation, Braven, and Cities For Financial Empowerment. She recently served as the lead on Reddit, Google.org, Teach For America, The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Gap Inc., and The Shriver Report, created by Maria Shriver’s A Woman’s Nation. She has served as a featured speaker at South by Southwest Conference and Engage for Good and facilitates workshops that help her clients unpack sticky communications issues to move their causes forward.

Previously, Latia spent three years as Senior Director of Partner Engagement and Special Initiatives at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. In this role, she was responsible for creating, developing, and launching new ways to engage corporate partners. She worked with American Airlines, UPS, Starwood Hotels, Pfizer, and Giorgio Armani Beauty. She also served as the lead campaign manager for America’s oldest youth movement, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, overseeing all marketing, communications, and programmatic elements for the national campaign.

Prior to her work with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Latia managed all ethnic and specialty media outreach for former New York Governor David Paterson as Director of Special Projects. Latia regularly staffed the Governor at press conferences, acted as a spokesperson, led communications for new task force initiatives, and oversaw 83 state agency press offices, including coordinating messaging and fielding media requests.

Latia has also founded and run her own strategic communications firm, Statement, where she developed and implemented research-based communications for nonprofit clients and their corporate partners, including Mercy Corps, Dartmouth College, PepsiCo, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Goldman Sachs. Latia has held roles at consumer marketing agency PowerPact, integrated communications agency SS+K, and The Coca-Cola Company.

Latia enjoys a number of athletic pursuits including volleyball and Bikram yoga. She has always been passionate about making the seemingly impossible, possible with creativity and energy. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in African and African-American Studies. She is a native New Yorker.

Hillary Moglen is a Principal at RALLY, providing high-level strategy and communications guidance across an array of accounts. With a robust background in policy and law, Hillary is adept at simplifying complex advocacy challenges and transforming them into actionable, results-focused campaigns.

Hillary has played a crucial role in helping to expand the firm’s footprint and grow the firm’s diverse talent pool during her 10-year RALLY tenure. She has assumed a leadership role within RALLY that allows her to contribute to the management areas she’s most passionate about: the professional development of staff and the shaping of the company’s culture.

Hillary approaches her work with enthusiasm and curiosity, fueling a drive for insights that translate into winning strategies for her clients. She is particularly proud of her work with Chanel Miller to change how society thinks about sexual assault survivors, an ongoing statewide campaign to phase out oil drilling in California, and working with a coalition of education and equity leaders to build equitable learning environments for our K-12 students. 

Before joining RALLY, Hillary worked at a national philanthropic consulting firm, where she managed high-profile clients’ philanthropic work, and a Los Angeles-based public affairs firm, where she focused on clients in the energy and environmental sectors. She also worked on both a California Senate campaign and a presidential primary campaign and managed the Green Schools Campaign on behalf of the Los Angeles-based environmental nonprofit, Global Green USA.

Hillary holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Brown University and a Juris Doctorate from the UC Hastings College of the Law. She is currently a mentor through Brown University’s Women’s Launch Pad program and volunteers with Social Venture Partners, Los Angeles.

Hillary grew up in Los Angeles and currently enjoys hiking, trying to win a point off her husband on the tennis court, and keeping up with her two boys.

Manny Rivera is a Principal at RALLY, leading multiple account teams and offering strategic communications guidance to amplify clients’ messaging and drive audiences to action. A seasoned expert in issues management, as well as in crisis and litigation communications, Manny has been an instrumental member of RALLY’s impact litigation practice and has helped numerous clients protect and bolster their brand and reputation, even in the face of complex communications challenges.

Manny leads communications for a range of high-profile clients including national non-profit organizations, philanthropists, and foundations across a range of issue areas. Manny collaborates extensively with advocates and experts, working routinely with Tier I print, broadcast, and online media to help shape powerful and compelling narratives that move the needle of public opinion.

Most recently, Manny led communications around the federal case of a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) beneficiary, Daniel Ramirez Medina, who was illegally detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Manny’s efforts helped elevate the national narrative around immigrant youth, combat the government’s misinformation campaign about Daniel and share his story in local and national media.

Manny also works with the national education nonprofit Students Matter, leading communications around the organization’s groundbreaking impact litigation and advocacy to support students’ access to quality education. He managed stakeholder communications and media relations around the education equality lawsuit Vergara v. California, and the federal education equality case Martinez v. Malloy. Manny executes at the macro and micro levels, from launching communications campaigns around significant legal and organizational milestones to leading the day-to-day efforts of media rapid response.

Previously, Manny led media relations for the American Foundation for Equal Rights—the sole sponsor of the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, Hollingsworth v. Perry—in an effort that helped fuel a momentous shift in public opinion and paved the way for full federal marriage equality. He served as the media relations lead for Sandy Hook Promise, working with national and local media to help the families of Sandy Hook victims share their stories and promote solutions to address the issue of gun violence. He also oversaw the communications effort around various health-related education and awareness campaigns for The California Endowment, California’s largest health foundation, including steering earned media initiatives and branding opportunities, planning and executing events, and creating opportunities to raise the visibility of The Endowment’s flagship Health Happens Here campaign.

Prior to joining the RALLY team, Manny worked with several global and boutique public affairs and public relations firms, focusing on reputation management and crisis communications-related disciplines and capabilities. In these roles, he was responsible for crafting and implementing communications campaigns and strategies supporting the business imperatives for multiple Fortune 20 companies.

Manny is a graduate of Cornell University, with a double major in Sociology and Government and a concentration in Law and Society. A Californian for most of his adult life, Manny enjoys exploring Los Angeles’s diverse neighborhoods, outstanding cuisine, and notable tourist traps.

Leo Wallach is a Principal at RALLY, working with clients to develop political and communications strategies, create advertising, and oversee complex and multifaceted communications campaigns. Leo has an extensive background in paid communications, opinion research, ballot measure and candidate campaigns, and issue advocacy.

Leo has managed, consulted, and created advertising for more than a dozen ballot campaigns in California, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. His broad advocacy and communications background has seen him work on a range of issues, including criminal justice reform, public land protection, and project entitlements.

Currently, Leo leads RALLY’s San Francisco office and serves a number of environmental causes, including the Center for Western Priorities, which advocates for balanced land and energy policies in the Mountain West, and Proposition 67, which made California the first state in the nation to ban plastic grocery bags.

Leo previously ran his own strategic consulting firm, Wallach Public Affairs. Prior to that, he was vice president at Winner & Mandabach Campaigns, one of the nation’s leading ballot measure consulting firms. In 2011, Leo was named a Rising Star by Campaigns & Elections magazine.

Leo grew up in Oakland, California and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA and has an MBA from Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. He loves soccer and is an avid hiker and runner.

Ashley Burns is a director in RALLY’s Seattle office, bringing more than a decade of communications and marketing experience specializing in community engagement and messaging, media events and storytelling, and connecting with ambivalent audiences.

At RALLY, Ashley focuses on health and racial equity, education equity, child welfare, and other issues for clients including The Colorado Trust, Casey Family Programs, Equal Opportunity Schools, and Destination Crenshaw. From strategy development and message training to conducting focus groups and 1:1 interviews, Ashley helps her clients uncover and understand new insights in order to reach their audience more effectively. Ashley also oversees launch event execution and digital strategy to engage online and offline influencers.

Prior to joining RALLY, Ashley led international media campaigns and product launches for Microsoft, Minecraft Education, Skype, LEGO, NASA, Hour of Code, Microsoft Accelerator Startup and many others. Before focusing on edtech, it was just tech. Ashley led multiple Microsoft communication account teams focused on developers, hackers, and startups including consumer and tech events such as Consumer Electronic Show, TechCrunch Disrupt, and the Napa Valley Film Festival. Ashley also worked in-house on marketing, public relations, and design efforts in the built environment for Nintendo, Vulcan, Seahawks Stadium, University of Washington, the Pike Place Market, and Seattle Aquarium. She managed photography projects, marcom creation, message development, and supported crisis communications.

Ashley graduated with honors from Seattle University with a degree in Marketing and Japanese. Outside the office, she mentors college students and serves on scholarship committees to encourage youth travel abroad.

Noah Finneburgh is a Director in RALLY’s San Francisco office, where he specializes in electoral campaigns, paid media, messaging, and copywriting. Noah is passionate about shaping our clients’ narratives through compelling digital, mail, and TV advertising, to help elect candidates to local, state, and federal office, secure big ballot measure wins, and advance progressive public policy.

At RALLY, Noah has overseen paid media and communications strategies for campaigns in California, Washington, and Colorado. Most recently, Noah composed digital, video, radio, mail, and print advertising for clients including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Equality California, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, and independent expenditures which worked to elect President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff. Noah is also passionate about environmental protection and has written direct mail and digital advertising for our clients involved in coastal protection and State Park funding.

In his home region of Northern California, Noah is known as a hands-on general consultant who wins tough campaigns against the odds. Recently, he led campaigns that elected Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Richmond Mayor Tom Butt.

Noah has been a political and communications consultant for 15 years. Prior to joining RALLY, he served as the Vice President and Communications Director at a Bay Area political consulting firm. Before that, he worked as a fundraiser, field organizer, and social media strategist for campaigns across California.

Noah grew up in Oakland, California and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Film and Digital Media and a Minor in Electronic Music. Outside the office, Noah enjoys music, reading political history, rooting for his Oakland A’s, and finding the next great sushi restaurant and coffee shop.

Kaitlin Funaro is a Director at RALLY specializing in communication strategy, media relations, and executing large scale events. She has a background in news production and spent seven years as a producer and reporter in business, technology, and breaking news.

Kaitlin is proud to work on issue areas she cares about deeply including reproductive rights, gender equity, and gun violence prevention. Recently, Kaitlin worked with March for Our Lives to plan and execute the first national convention of youth gun violence prevention activists and led the development of a new multimedia research project on best practices in issue advocacy for the Omidyar Network. Kaitlin also works with Pivotal Ventures and the Susan Crown Exchange on reimagining the concept of digital well-being and with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group to create new messaging to expand the audience for zero emissions vehicles. 

Kaitlin helped launch TIME’S UP London by shaping communications and messaging for TIME’S UP’s presence at the BAFTA awards in 2018 and helped execute a strategy to allocate $20 million donated by CBS to organizations working in the sexual assault space. 

Prior to joining RALLY, Kaitlin worked as a producer in Los Angeles for NPR affiliate KPCC and American Public Media’s ‘Marketplace’, and in London for the BBC and BBC World Service. Outside of work, Kaitlin is usually at one of Hollywood’s many music venues or drinking coffee at the park with her two small kids.

Jacob Hay is a Director at RALLY specializing in media relations, message development, and advocacy. Combining communications expertise with a legal background, Jacob is particularly adept at packaging complex issues into clear messages for a public audience.

At RALLY, Jacob has worked with Sandy Hook Promise to develop and advocate for commonsense community programs aimed at preventing gun violence. He also helped the Act Now for Washington Students campaign make students and parents heard in the fight to keep their public schools open. Jacob recently led earned media outreach for the Yes on Prop 62 campaign to end California’s death penalty, driving extensive positive media coverage of the issue and winning the editorial board endorsement of every major newspaper in the state.

Currently Jacob advises the Center for Western Priorities on communications strategies to promote responsible conservation and energy practices on national public lands in the Mountain West. He also helps support the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ campaign to end homelessness.

Prior to joining RALLY, Jacob worked on a variety of projects for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), including developing campaigns to help improve the working conditions of janitors, security officers, and airport workers across California, leading communications efforts to call for immigration reform, and earning extensive media coverage on the issues of income inequality and the need to invest in good jobs to help struggling Los Angeles communities. In that capacity, he also handled media relations and produced campaign materials for independent expenditure committees supporting the Yes on Prop 30 and No on Prop 32 initiatives in 2012 and the Eric Garcetti for Los Angeles Mayor election in 2013.

Before his time with SEIU, Jacob handled national media relations for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) in Washington, D.C. where he earned coverage in key influential media outlets and led successful legislative advocacy campaigns in support of federal programs to put people back to work building America. Jacob has also worked with progressive organizations including Planned Parenthood and the California Democratic Party.

Jacob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UC Berkeley and a Juris Doctorate from The George Washington Law School. Born in Napa and raised near Sacramento, Jacob enjoys exploring the music and food scene in Los Angeles with his wife Stacey and daughter Hillary. A former ski instructor in the Lake Tahoe area and an outdoor sports enthusiast, Jacob loves California’s ski slopes and mountain bike trails.

Pi James is a Director in RALLY’s San Francisco office where she brings more than 14 years of experience driving strategic communication and advocacy efforts at the UN, international NGOs and for clients across the public, nonprofit and private sector. Pi specializes in translating complex issues into engaging campaigns, messaging, media pitches, trainings and impactful digital content for diverse audiences. At RALLY, Pi’s clients have included 11^th Hour, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Colorado Trust, the Walton Family Foundation, Tipping Point and the Asia Society.

Pi’s work has taken her to more than 25 countries where she’s seen firsthand the power of storytelling for social change. She loves big ideas as much as getting things done, which has seen her take on everything from organizing CHIME FOR CHANGE’s hackathon at Facebook on improving education for refugee girls, to producing a peacebuilding and education film series with UNICEF across Africa and the Middle East, running a campaign on gender-based violence with UN Women in China and building communications strategies and protocols during a humanitarian emergency at the International Rescue Committee in Pakistan.

Pi has advised CEOs on communications, led high-level strategy and design, produced events and managed communication responses during crises. Pi also led digital at a firm advising celebrities and brands on philanthropy.

Pi has worked on issues including health, climate change, education, refugees, gender-based violence, peacebuilding, press freedom, equality, and sexual and reproductive rights. She has a Masters’ in International and Community Development, a post-graduate diploma in Global Media and Communications and a Bachelor of Journalism all from her home country of Australia. San Francisco is the 10th city she’s lived in, and while New York will always have a piece of her heart, Pi is making Northern California home.

Derek Jansen is a Director at RALLY specializing in political strategy, coalition management, and paid media. He brings strategic discipline to message development and execution, and has extensive experience building high-impact ballot measure, candidate, and issue campaigns.

At RALLY, Derek worked on the award-winning Yes on Prop 68 campaign, a successful $4.1 billion bond measure for water, parks, and natural resources in California. He also helped launch and drive earned media for Resilient by Design, a community-driven design challenge to strengthen the Bay Area’s resilience to sea level rise and earthquakes. Derek has worked with clients across a broad set of issue areas, including advocating for local public power in San Francisco, increasing education funding in Washington state, and ending the death penalty in California.

Prior to joining RALLY, Derek worked on high-profile issue and political campaigns in San Francisco, including Ed Lee for Mayor 2011, the approval of a new $2 billion seismically-safe hospital, and a multimillion-dollar citywide ballot measure. He also worked for NextGen Climate to block the Keystone XL pipeline and on the organization’s legislative and ballot priorities in California. Just before joining RALLY in 2015, Derek helped the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids pass ordinances eliminating chewing tobacco at baseball fields in San Francisco and Los Angeles, including at AT&T Park and Dodger Stadium.

Derek graduated from Kalamazoo College with a degree in political science, and has a Masters of Science in Teaching from Pace University that he earned while teaching elementary school with Teach For America in Brooklyn, New York. Derek grew up in Davis, California and lives with his wife Victoria in Sacramento.

Alexis Mahrus is the Design Director at RALLY, where she works closely with the firm’s account teams to create visually rich and inclusive communication experiences through the power of design. Based in the San Francisco office, Alexis leverages a wide range of disciplines, including brand development, visual design for web and print, and motion graphics. A member of RALLY since 2015, Alexis collaborates on projects spanning a variety of issue spaces.

Alexis created the brand system and design assets for Tipping Point Community’s All In campaign—a diverse coalition focused on solutions to end homelessness in San Francisco. As part of the campaign, she created a graphic explainer video that outlined a new approach for providing housing to those in need. The campaign received unanimous support from San Francisco’s City Hall and 6,000 (and counting) residents.

Additionally, Alexis oversaw the creative on the Yes on 68 campaign, a state-wide bond aimed at protecting California’s Water and Parks. She developed a fresh brand strategy that played out over a myriad of deliverables, including direct mail, an award-winning digital campaign, outdoor billboards, video ads, and even a water bottle. Our work reached 5 million Californians and passed with flying colors on Election Day.

Prior to RALLY, Alexis produced visual solutions for a variety of clients, specializing in brand, editorial, illustration, and advertising. She cut her teeth in the political space at a local San Francisco political consulting firm, creating logos, collateral, and direct mail for dozens of campaigns. 

Alexis was also the Professor of Illustration at California College of Arts in San Francisco (her alma mater) for 15 years. During her time there, she helped shape the curriculum, manage the program and grow the department as Assistant Chair and Program Chair. 

A native of California’s Bay Area, Alexis and her family now reside in the Presidio of San Francisco, where she enjoys outdoor hikes, mountain bike riding, and exploring the many decadent bakeries of SF.

Howli Pfeiffer is a Director in RALLY’s San Francisco office where she specializes in strategic message planning, grassroots organizing, political communications, creative storytelling, and media events. At RALLY, Howli oversees strategy for XQ Institute, an organization dedicated to rethinking school in America in order to create new learning opportunities for young people and open up the possibilities of the wider world.

Howli moved to San Francisco from Washington, DC where she served as the Director of Message Planning for President Obama. In her time with the White House, she helped craft the President’s public message and bridged the gap between strategy and execution. Throughout her time on the Obama campaign and in the White House, Howli used her creative vision to communicate the President’s message to the American people and worked across the Administration to move teams in the same direction to achieve the President’s agenda. She made sure that all of the moving pieces of President Obama’s communications strategy stayed on track and spearheaded multi-layered logistical operations to gain press coverage and public support. She planned the President’s media events, live press statements, network interviews and domestic travel.

In her previous role as Special Assistant to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, Howli helped manage the West Wing press office and prepare the Press Secretary for his daily briefing. She assisted in planning press strategy for international trips, traveled with the White House Press Corps, and coordinated feature articles and photo shoots for the President. As Director of Correspondence for First Lady Michelle Obama, Howli was responsible for managing the First Lady’s communication with the hundreds of Americans who wrote to her each week.

Prior to her time in the Obama Administration, Howli worked as a public relations account manager in New York City where she drove the execution of plans and campaigns to generate publicity, expert quotes, trend stories, and company announcements. She also managed media requests, developed compelling story angles and pitches, and identified media trends, news cycles, and spin opportunities.

Howli graduated from Chico State with a degree in political science and journalism. When she is not at RALLY, she enjoys searching for the best burrito in San Francisco and spending time with her Bay Area-based friends and family now that she is back on the West coast.  

Melissa Feldsher is an Account Manager in RALLY’s New York office who helps clients uncover key insights to inspire action through highly effective campaigns, messaging, and storytelling.

Melissa has spent over a decade as a communications strategist for corporations, causes, and campaigns. After working in polling and paid media for Obama for America (2012), Hillary for America (2016), and numerous state-wide political campaigns, Melissa brings a research-driven mindset to targeted message development for clients across a range of issues.

Prior to joining RALLY, Melissa has worked with nonprofits and advocacy organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry, Planned Parenthood, and Sandy Hook Promise to connect complex issues with audiences to raise awareness and change perceptions. She has also worked with corporate partners such as Comcast, JP Morgan Chase, and Delta on corporate reputation, public affairs, and social impact programs.

Melissa received a Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and her daughter, who inspires her to help build a better world for future generations.

Amy Jasper is an Account Manager at RALLY, specializing in strategic communications and message development. She is passionate about translating tough issues into people-focused stories, especially in education, health care, and digital spaces.

Amy worked with Reddit to help shape the public narrative around its transformation into one of the largest and most important websites in the country, and with the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation, helping drive earned media around smart guns. She has also worked with The California Endowment, YWCA Seattle, Sandy Hook Promise, and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

Prior to joining RALLY, Amy worked The Broad Foundation, an organization dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science, and the arts, and at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. Amy was the recipient of Fulbright Scholarship to Cyprus, and holds a B.A. in Political Studies from Pitzer College.

Sean Wherley is an Account Manager in RALLY’s Los Angeles office, who draws upon his 20 years of communications experience to position organizations in the public eye and advance their work in the community.

During his career, he has managed communications and public policy for affordable housing, environmental, and LGBTQ organizations; labor unions; federal and state elected officials; and candidates for state and local elected office. Through much of that time he has focused on earned media campaigns and securing compelling coverage in print, digital, and broadcast outlets.

Sean relishes helping social justice organizations win, especially when the odds are daunting and the larger community is indifferent. There is nothing more satisfying to him than putting his communications skills and advocacy experience to work on behalf of the men, women, and children who are marginalized.

He is a native of Wisconsin and earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, but has lived in Southern California since 2006. A former stand-up comedian, he also enjoys cooking, reading, swimming, yoga, going to the beach, and documentaries.

Amber Hubert is RALLY’s Business Administrator based in the Los Angeles office. She supports the firm’s operations and leadership, assists with talent recruitment and internal event planning, and manages RALLY’s new business and marketing vertical. She serves as the primary contact for all of RALLY’s offices and works on special projects.

With over a decade of experiential and digital marketing experience, Amber has planned and executed live and virtual events and managed entire portfolios of advertising for numerous small businesses—including launching and maintaining SEO websites, search campaigns, digital advertisements, direct mail, and email and social media campaigns.

Amber has written for the LA Times, the Argonaut, Salon.com, DameMagazine.com, Girlboss.com, and other digital outlets. She holds a BFA in Acting and Original Works from Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts. 

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Amber enjoys a strong cup of coffee, the creativity of cooking, and can be seen around Los Angeles performing in various storytelling shows.

Dr. Toya Johnson-Moore is RALLY’s Manager of People and Culture based in the Los Angeles office. Dr. Toya is an organizational psychologist dedicated to helping people and organizations excel. After spending a decade attracting, managing, training, and progressing the careers of an array of diverse employees, Dr. Toya knows that a company’s most precious asset is its people and talent. Merging her interests in social justice and talent management, she handles recruitment, selection, onboarding, and engagement for all of RALLY’s offices.

Dr. Toya utilizes HR business strategies that include recruiting diverse candidates and retaining the right people, as well as providing ethical and cultural leadership. She contributes to RALLY’s success by guiding training and development initiatives to promote employee productivity. Additionally, Dr. Toya oversees RALLY’s Fellowship, Internship, and Mentorship programs. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the premier credentialing agency HRCI. As a subject matter expert, she writes exam content and enhances standards for emerging and executing HR practitioners. Previously, she presided on HRCI’s task force for the creation and development of the Associate Professional in HR (aPHR) certification. Dr. Toya serves on the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of African-Americans In Human Resources (NAAAHR).

Outside of RALLY, Dr. Toya enjoys supporting advocacy and leadership groups like the California State Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. She was honored to be their inspirational keynote speaker for the Youth Awards Luncheon. Dr. Toya is a NorCal native, SoCal educated graduate from Phillips Graduate University where she earned her Doctorate of Psychology in Organizational Management and Consulting. Dr. Toya also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology from the University of La Verne.

Mollie West Duffy is RALLY’s Manager of Organizational Development based in the Los Angeles office. Mollie helps RALLY amplify its culture as the organization scales. She designs internal strategies, structures, processes, and programs to help the company grow and achieve its goals. She also helps RALLY’s people grow and develop by designing leadership development and learning and development programs. She loves this role because she gets to create purposeful and meaningful change within organizations and help people thrive at work.

Previously, Mollie worked at IDEO, a global innovation consulting firm, as an organizational design lead. She helped IDEO’s clients become more adaptive, creative, and prolific by reimagining all aspects of an organization from its underlying structures, incentives, processes, and talent practices to its physical workplaces, digital collaboration tools, and communications. She worked on projects at IDEO ranging from starting an innovation lab within a financial services firm to shifting organizational culture within a major federal government entity and improving customer and employee experience at a large stadium. Her clients included Citibank, JetBlue, Carnival Cruise Lines, Brooklyn Public Library, Mercy Corps, American Express, Zalando, and NBCUniversal. Previously, she consulted for Casper (the mattress e-tailer), did research for the dean of Harvard Business School, and was a design strategist at Capital One Labs. She co-founded the Capital Good Fund, Rhode Island’s first microfinance fund, in 2008.

She co-authored the Wall Street Journal bestselling book about emotions at work: No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work published by Penguin. She’s written for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Quartz, and other digital outlets. Mollie holds a BA in Organizational Studies from Brown University and an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons. She is also a trained leadership coach through CTI.

Elyse Dickson is a Digital Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office. With over a decade of experience in digital and traditional communications for organizations across the United States, Australia, and the UK, she provides clients with an integrated approach to their digital communications challenges.

At RALLY, Elyse works with the Computer Science for California coalition to grow their online communities and build support for equitable access to CS education, advocates for regional solutions to homelessness in King County through the We Are In campaign, provides strategic advice to the Reboot Representation Tech Equity coalition, and uses social media advertising and email marketing to raise money for the WA Food Fund.

On any given day you might find her geeking out on analytics, creating engaging online content and data-driven strategies, or researching new ways to reach audiences. During her time at RALLY, Elyse has spearheaded our work with paid influencers, engaging them on a variety of accounts from education to food security to renewable energy advocacy.  

Before moving to sunny Los Angeles, Elyse lived in not-so-sunny London, managing digital strategy for the UK’s leading youth volunteering organization. She also worked for fundraising agency Homemade Digital, helping charities recruit and nurture fundraisers online, and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds via Facebook for international disaster relief and refugee aid. Prior to that, Elyse worked for one of Australia’s leading nonprofits for ten years, working her way up from Media Assistant to leading the Public Communications team, and becoming one of the organization’s youngest managers. 

When Elyse isn’t working, she’s probably planning her next overseas vacation, getting sweaty exercising, experimenting in the kitchen, making cocktails, or winding down in front of the television with a glass of Australian Shiraz.

Elyse holds a Master of Human Rights and Bachelor of Law from university in her hometown of Sydney, Australia.

Amy DuBose is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in message development, research and analysis, event production, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Amy works with Reboot Representation to develop messaging, communications, and coalition capacity to close the race and gender gap in the tech sector. She also works with The California Endowment to build youth voice and power with the biennial Youth Awards—an award show honoring young leaders and youth-led organizations across the state. 

Before joining RALLY, Amy worked in the tech industry managing publicity and communications for a startup. Previously, she worked as a communications consultant at Pramana Collective, a strategic advisory firm in the tech sector that works with clients that range from small startups to Fortune 50s.  

A California native, Amy was born and raised in the Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University before moving to Los Angeles. She majored in the interdisciplinary field of Science, Technology, and Society which examines how people, politics, and culture impact innovation.

In her spare time, she seeks out good fiction, dinner parties, and banter. 

Andrea Flores is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office with expertise in media relations, digital strategy and content creation, and design.

At RALLY, Andrea uses digital communications and outreach to strategic partners to support Parks Now’s mission to ensure that underserved, park-poor communities across California have access to quality parks. Andrea also supports strategic communications planning and creates web content for Education Matters, a non-profit dedicated to improving public education in the West Contra Costa Unified School District.

Previously, Andrea supported media relations for the National Student Poets Program, the nation’s highest honor for youth poets supported by a partnership between the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Additionally, Andrea worked with Californians for Water Security in their efforts to repair California’s aging water distribution system. Andrea managed CWS’s online communication channels and monitored analytics for the digital campaign.

Andrea began her career at RALLY as a fellow, working with Our Bay on the Brink to raise awareness around flood risk in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Prior to joining RALLY, Andrea supported UC Berkeley’s Center for Latin American Studies’ mission to promote an understanding of Latin American issues on the university campus and in the local community. She produced videos of CLAS sponsored events and worked on CLAS’s biannual publication.

Andrea is a graduate of UC Berkeley where she majored in Media Studies and Political Science with a concentration in international relations. As an undergraduate, she worked with various organizations to support students in higher education and explored cinematography at the university’s TV station. Andrea is a Bay Area native and enjoys fine-tuning her graphic design skills, asking too many questions during movies, and being a role model for her two younger sisters.

Alex Hammarstedt is a Senior Designer in RALLY’s San Francisco office with years of experience in branding, visual identities, and web design.

At RALLY, Alex works with SEIU-UHW, creating graphics and digital elements supporting their fight for better pay for Kaiser workers. She also works with The Raikes Foundation on the launch of the brand and website for their Student Experience Project campaign, and with the Peninsula Open Space Trust to develop an outdoor and digital advertising campaign raising awareness of open space in the Bay Area’s southern peninsula.

Before joining RALLY, Alex was the Art Director for SOMA Magazine, a bi-monthly publication dedicated to discovering and featuring up and coming creatives.

An Oakland native, Alex studied Art Direction and History of Art and Architecture at Boston University before returning to the Bay Area. While at school she created award-winning designs with an advertising team as part of BU’s AdLab program.

In her free time, Alex is outside hiking or tucked in her favorite restaurant enjoying good food with people she loves.

Annie Kim is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in community engagement, coalition building, and campaign management.

As a part of the RALLY team, Annie is helping to elevate Destination Crenshaw, a public art and culture experience celebrating Black Los Angeles, by assisting with digital media and fundraising efforts. She also helps pro bono public interest law firm Public Counsel amplify their impact litigation cases with strategic communications.

Previously at RALLY, Annie helped develop messaging and strategy for Vision Zero, an initiative that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2025. She also provided strategic communications and event management support for NARAL Pro-Choice America during the 2016 presidential election.

Prior to RALLY, Annie worked as a UNICEF Kid Power Coordinator, managing ninety schools participating in an innovative program encouraging kids to get active to save lives. She was also a UNICEF Community Engagement Fellow, where she engaged thousands of Southern Californians on UNICEF’s mission.

Annie is an alumna of Occidental College where she majored in Diplomacy and World Affairs and minored in Classical Studies. During her years there, she interned for Sen. Barbara Boxer and EaterLA, where she explored the best eats in LA.

Sara Lueders is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office, where she specializes in media relations, communications strategy, and message development. At RALLY, Sara leads the GoFundMe team and their earned media strategy, working to elevate crowdfunding campaigns through national and local press coverage. Additionally, Sara works with XQ: The Super School Project, a national initiative to rethink and design the next American high school, where she leads proactive and reactive media relations and supports on general communications strategy.

Sara also leads the media relations strategy and message development for Youth Speaks, an international youth poetry organization that encourages young people to speak out on the pressing issues of our time. Previously, Sara worked with NARAL Pro-Choice America, helping advance NARAL’s mission of supporting every American woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices. Sara supported press and event coordination for the All Access 2016 concert in Cleveland, Ohio and managed organizing and paid media for All Access satellite concerts in four cities.

Prior to joining RALLY, Sara worked as an Assistant Account Executive at Edelman Public Relations where she held a variety of nonprofit and entertainment accounts including the Movember Foundation, the Television Academy Foundation, Ticketmaster, and Redbox. While at Edelman, she assisted in developing and executing large scale public relations campaigns, which included earned media, paid, and social strategies.

Sara graduated from Northeastern University where she majored in Communication Studies, focusing on media relations and political communication, and minored in Political Science. While at Northeastern, she spent a semester abroad in Rome where she studied Italian art and architecture.

Growing up, Sara split her time between Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Outside of RALLY, Sara enjoys supporting her Los Angeles Dodgers and checking out the newest bars and restaurants on Los Angeles’ East Side.

Claire Shipton is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office with experience in strategic communications, policy research and analysis, and message development.

At RALLY, Claire works with the Natural Resources Defense Council to advocate for the integration of a Western energy grid by creating social media content, website management, and supporting press outreach. Claire also supports the Center for Western Priorities by writing website content and assisting with communications strategies that promote the responsible conservation and energy practices on national public lands in the Mountain West.

Prior to joining RALLY, Claire worked for a Chicago-based communications firm where she guided clients through state and municipal regulatory approval processes, developed and supported an outreach strategy for a state-wide education initiative, and facilitated community engagement and event logistics for nonprofits.

Claire has also spent time interning for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the press office, assisting the staff with event planning, media relations, and press inquiries. She has also interned for then-U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth and at D.C.-based communications firm Precision Strategies, where she conducted policy research.

Claire graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in Political Science and Public Policy, with a specialization in Poverty Policy. Outside of the office, Claire enjoys reading, traveling, excessive NPR-listening, and cooking new recipes, which only occasionally result in disaster.

Sarah Sifuentes is a Senior Account Executive based in Los Angeles. At RALLY, Sarah uses her experience in strategic research, message development, and organizing to help issue-driven organizations develop and execute impactful communications campaigns.

At RALLY, Sarah helps groups taking on a range of challenges. With Campaign Zero, Sarah manages volunteer strategy and engagement as they work to end police violence. She also works with the state of California to develop public health messaging and engage communities around Covid-19. Additionally, Sarah works on climate change and conservation issues, supporting and amplifying the voices of those working to protect our planet. 

Prior to joining RALLY, Sarah worked to drive research and strategy for causes and corporations. At Benenson Strategy Group, she led message development for political campaigns at every level, national advocacy groups, and nonprofits. At The Wonderful Company, Sarah used research to shape marketing and strategy across the company’s consumer brands, expansive CSR programs, and internal corporate initiatives. 

Sarah graduated with honors from Princeton University, where she studied Politics. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys exploring all that Los Angeles has to offer, whether taking long runs through the city, hiking its many trails, or exploring the newest restaurants in her neighborhood.

Kevin Singer is a Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office where he specializes in paid media and creative projects, digital communications, and electoral campaigns.

At RALLY, Kevin implements communications strategies for a variety of environmental and water-related issues, including campaigns to highlight inequity in California public parks, build support for Bay Area wetland restoration, call attention to inadequate water infrastructure, promote clean energy, and ban plastic bags in California. Recently, he teamed up with Kaiser, Blue Shield, and a coalition of healthcare, labor, and progressive organizations to develop the digital strategy supporting passage of California Senate Bill 7 for drug pricing transparency–now the strongest law of its kind in the United States.

Kevin will go as far as it takes to get the perfect product. He’s hiked miles for quality footage of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, mastered complicated mapping technology to power an award-winning interactive documentary, and produced a ground-breaking virtual reality experience that transports users to the clean energy future. He is excited about the rapidly changing media landscape, in which digital channels are becoming the primary means of disseminating information, and takes pride in keeping RALLY’s clients on the cutting edge when it comes to crafting effective messaging and communicating to a target audience.

Prior to joining RALLY, Kevin worked as a campaign manager on state legislative campaigns where he coordinated strategy, managed digital programs and ad buys, oversaw field efforts, and conducted endorsement outreach. Previously, he wrote copy for various mailers, brochures, and emails for candidates in the North Bay Area.

Kevin graduated from Cal Berkeley (go Bears!) with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Theater. When he’s not in the office, he moonlights as a professional actor, singer, and performer around the Bay Area. He also enjoys rooting for his San Francisco Giants and Cal Golden Bears and watching some quality television.

Dana Variano is a Digital Senior Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office who works with issue-based organizations to concept, implement, and scale digital campaigns for change.

At RALLY, Dana works with All In WA to build and manage a website that—after it hosted a statewide COVID-19 relief concert garnering over a half-million live views—continues to raise donations for over 100 local community funds. Dana also supports NRDC by helping to hone and strategize the foundation’s organizational voice, and creating a series of user personas and engagement ladders to align digital channels. 

After spending more than a decade in the advocacy space from New York to Los Angeles, Dana knows what inspires folks to act online and how to create meaningful offline impact. A trained writer, videographer, and film editor, Dana has produced action-focused digital campaigns alongside community organizers for issues ranging from immigration rights to intimate partner violence to mobility justice. She has worked with a wide spectrum of inspiring partners and clients, including the Packard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute, Detention Watch, and GuideStar. Prior to joining RALLY, Dana was the Communications Director at the LA County Bicycle Coalition, and Digital Manager at CicLAvia. 

In addition to her digital work, Dana is a pen and ink artist who spends most of her free time using art and media to tear down boxes that separate us from each other. Dana holds a BA in History and Film & Media Studies from Swarthmore College.

Sommer Yesenofski is a Senior Account Executive and has been with RALLY for six years, advancing environmental justice through messaging development, digital strategy, and media relations.

Sommer manages strategic communications for the Center for Biological Diversity to uplift the voices of communities living near fossil fuel infrastructure to become catalysts for clean air and climate justice. With the Center, Sommer works on message development to improve awareness and understanding of the public health and climate impacts of California’s oil industry and urge local and state leadership to pursue transformative climate action.

Working alongside environmental law organization Earthjustice, Sommer also provides event planning and social media strategy to shift the narrative around air quality and climate action to push policymakers to commit to zero-emissions energy, transportation, and building infrastructure.

Alongside the 11th Hour Project, Sommer works with civil society organizations and human rights activists in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to develop compelling messaging and build their communications capacity to advocate for their right to access clean, affordable energy.

Prior to joining RALLY as an intern six years ago, Sommer worked as a policy intern with Music for Relief, a nonprofit organization dedicated to activating musicians and their fans to provide critical aid to survivors of natural disasters worsened by climate change and urge the United Nations to take global action.

Sommer is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in French. As a Trojan, she worked as a barista and graphic designer at a combination coffee shop and concert venue, managed a lecture series and events for students and faculty, and reported for The Daily Trojan.

Outside of RALLY, Sommer is exploring hiking trails and campgrounds in Southern California with her Border Collie Clover.

Derwin Aikens is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in message development, research and analysis, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Derwin works with clients on issues ranging from education and poverty to correcting misinformation. Derwin is working with the California state government to distribute and correct information surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine. He is also working with the H.E. Butt Foundation to shift the narrative around the effectiveness of direct payment systems to address poverty in Texas. Other notable clients include the Walton Family Foundation’s K-12 Education program and GoFundMe. 

Prior to RALLY, Derwin worked at Sard Verbinnen & Company, a leading crisis and financial communications firm, where he worked on various corporate issues ranging from M&A announcements and cybersecurity matters to public affairs and profile raising campaigns.

Derwin graduated from Yale University with a degree in Environmental Studies focusing in Strategic Communications. When not working, Derwin delights in nerdiness, spending his free time playing adventure video games, binging anime series, and discussing the political subtext and/or implications of movies and TV shows.

Aarti Chandorkar is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Seattle office with experience in campaign management and execution, message development, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Aarti has worked on a broad range of issues from environmental justice, to solutions to homelessness, to gender and racial equity in Washington, California, and nationally. She works with SchoolHouse Connection—a national nonprofit working to overcome homelessness through education—leading strategic communications and supporting federal advocacy efforts. Previously, she helped develop strategy, messaging, and community engagement efforts for the YWCA Seattle l King l Snohomish, an organization focused on uplifting women through housing, health, and economic empowerment programs. She also worked with the Center for Biological Diversity, dedicated to environmental justice and the promotion of responsible use of California’s energy. 

Prior to RALLY, Aarti worked at Benenson Strategy Group, where she aided her team in data analysis and message development for a myriad of corporate and political clients.

Aarti studied Public Policy and Law and graduated with honors from the University of Southern California. She is a die-hard Seattle Seahawks fan. When she isn’t watching them play, she enjoys yoga, getting outdoors, traveling, and checking out the latest great read. There isn’t a food truck in existence that she won’t try.

Ayannah Crawley is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office where she specializes in content creation, project management, and media relations.

At RALLY, Ayannah works with The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards program, supporting recipients’ efforts to maximize impact through earned media and digital communications. Additionally, Ayannah works with the Women’s Foundation of California, where she supports proactive media relations and social media strategy.

Previously, Ayannah worked with the California Wellness Foundation’s Upspoken’s campaign targeting Black women in California to address the disproportionate rates of HIV, AIDS, and STIs among this group. She helped launch RoyalTea, the first-ever sexual health and wellness guide created for Black women by Black women. She supported earned media, managed social media, and oversaw design for its launch.

Prior to RALLY, Ayannah completed her MA in Strategic Communications where she volunteered for NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina’s office to develop a crisis communications plan and developed research that examined how the order of information, message framing, and specificity influences college students to report sexual assault.

She recently relocated from North Carolina and enjoys visiting museums and trying different restaurants.

Julia Dionne is an Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office.

At RALLY, Julia works with the GLIDE foundation on message development and strategy and with the California Wellness Foundation on content creation and event execution. She also supports the ACLU with their new voter-education tool, Smart Justice.

Julia is passionate about women’s health and equity, literacy, and improving access to mental healthcare and is obsessed with how good storytelling lifts up these issues.

Prior to joining RALLY, Julia worked at a youth homeless shelter in New Orleans as a UPenn Leadership Fellow supporting the organization’s executive leadership with operations, messaging, and events. She has also held communications internships with NBCUniversal as a production intern for Dateline where she researched and pitched story ideas, at the Center for American Progress where she managed social media and content for the Poverty to Prosperity team’s website TalkPoverty.org and with The New Republic.

Julia studied American History and graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania. When she’s not at work you can find her biking around San Francisco, doing yoga, reading a novel, or planning her next travels. She’s originally from D.C. and is learning to love the California sunshine.

Rodrigo Gouveia is a Design Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office. He is responsible for the conception and development of graphic and digital design assets for a range of clients. He believes that design is undeniably nestled at the core of a successful communication strategy, and it should be used for a greater purpose — reinventing the world around us by giving it new colors.

At RALLY, Rodrigo creates graphic solutions in print, web, motion and interaction that best translate a client’s brand and messaging strategy. His most recent work includes print materials for the Irvine Foundation, social media and web assets for the California Wellness Foundation, and email frameworks for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. He also created visual solutions for a California Charter Schools Association campaign and motion assets for Colorado Rising.

Rodrigo obtained his undergraduate degree in digital design from FIEO University in his hometown of São Paulo, Brazil. His design background is diverse, having worked in the publishing industry, branding, photography, illustration, and interior design.

When Rodrigo is not working, his inner geek takes the driver’s seat – buying more books than he can actually read, going on a gaming spree with the newest game in the market, or engaging in witty discussions about movies and TV shows with friends.

Kasey Iranon is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Seattle office with experience in project management, research and analysis, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Kasey has worked on a wide range of issues from education equity to homelessness. Currently, she supports YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish around strategic communications, message development, and storytelling for their work at the intersection of race and gender equity. Previously, Kasey worked with SchoolHouse Connection—a national non-profit working to overcome homelessness through education—on their federal advocacy goals. Past clients include Education Trust and Stand for Children Washington.

Prior to RALLY, Kasey was a fellow at The Washington Bus, a nonprofit aimed at increasing youth participation in politics. While there, she led community voter registration drives and managed field logistics for an initiative to create publicly funded Seattle city council elections. She also completed a fellowship with Progressive Majority Washington, an organization focused on providing resources to help historically underrepresented groups in politics run for local and state offices. 

Kasey graduated from the University of Washington, where she studied marketing and political science. Outside of the office, Kasey enjoys reading, traveling, and spending entirely too much time on Twitter. She is also a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu.

Sabina Li is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in messaging, research and analysis, earned media, and event planning.

At RALLY, she currently works with The California Endowment to produce the Youth Awards—a celebration of youth power and organizing across the state. She also works with the James Beard Foundation to position the foundation as a force for racial equity in the restaurant industry, and Health Leads to drive the national health equity narrative. Previously, Sabina supported March for Our Lives in developing the first national convention of youth gun violence prevention activists, and worked with clients such as the Center for Effective Public Policy and Green Dot Public Schools building internal communications capacity, driving earned media coverage, and developing targeted messaging.

Before starting as a fellow at RALLY, Sabina developed her public policy, advocacy, and communications knowledge while interning in the offices of U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and California Assemblymember Phil Ting. She also spent time working at a food and hospitality public relations firm where she assisted in securing media coverage for various clients. While in college, Sabina spearheaded multiple student lobbying trips to advocate for higher education affordability and the protection of DACA.

Sabina stayed close to her Los Angeles roots and graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Global Health. In her free time, Sabina can be found hunting down the best boba spots in the city, binge watching sitcoms, and baking a massive amount of cookies.

Lena Kazer is an Account Executive at RALLY’s Los Angeles office specializing in content development, storytelling, and strategic messaging. 

At RALLY, Lena leads messaging development and earned media for C40 Cities, a network of global mayors who are committed to taking bold climate action. Within the broader C40 clean transportation initiatives, Lena helps to shift the narrative surrounding electric vehicles in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. She collaborates with community organizations, transportation advocates, and city officials to motivate consumers and city officials that electric vehicles are affordable, practical, and beneficial for community health.

Lena also provides creative strategies for how to amplify the need for equity in education through her work with the Walton Family Foundation. She creates strategic messaging, organizes expert-led panels, and plans events that convene community leaders to find innovative ways to improve the education system for all students. 

Lena previously led events, partnerships, and influencer engagement for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ campaign: Everyone In, increasing local support for housing as a solution for homelessness in LA County. With a background in film production and creative content development, Lena spearheaded the campaign’s shift to virtual events during COVID-19.

Before joining RALLY, Lena worked as director of development for a creative production studio, where she led new business, created and launched brand campaigns, and managed public relations. In her first year, she launched content partnerships with agencies and brands including Capcom and Cyberpunk 2077, overseeing projects from pitch to production and press. She also volunteered for Manifest Works, a professional skills training program that connects those impacted by foster care, homelessness, and incarceration to jobs in film production.

Lena graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. In her spare time, Lena creates multimedia artwork on repurposed surfaces, wrecks her kitchen baking, and hunts for parks on her bike. She also provides communications services to women’s health clinics pro bono.

Alisha Qiu is an Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office, with experience in strategic communications, campaign management and execution, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Alisha spends her days reimagining high school with the XQ Institute, advocating for the wellbeing of all San Franciscans with GLIDE, and building communities that flourish with the Alliance for Greater Works’ Well-Being in Rural Communities program. 

Alisha led narrative change efforts and internal communications capacity building for Prospera Housing Community Services, a San Antonio-based affordable housing and services provider, and in collaboration with the California Independent System Operator. In addition to her work with Prospera and the CAISO, Alisha has also executed successful earned media outreach programs for The Trace’s Since Parkland project, SEIU-UHW, and Imaginable Futures, and helped launch Tipping Point’s All In campaign to end homelessness in her adopted city.

Prior to joining RALLY, Alisha was a member of DKC’s Media/Tech practice and Analytics team. She conducted an analysis of media and competitor landscapes to inform strategic communications plans, executed public relations strategies for groundbreaking companies and brands such as Refinery29, Miso Robotics, and Lonely Planet, and crafted digital content and strategy for Caboodles. While at DKC, Alisha also drove analysis and reporting on social media sentiment for the American Museum of Natural History in New York to form the foundation of the institution’s public affairs strategy.

Alisha holds a dual BBA and Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) as well as a strong preference for the Oxford comma. In her spare time, Alisha enjoys collecting more books than she has time to read.

Sydney Spier is an Account Executive in RALLY’s San Francisco office with experience in strategic communications, political campaigning, and message development.

Currently, Sydney works with the Reboot Representation Tech Coalition on thought leadership development, Kapor Center and the CSforCA Coalition on content creation and legislative advocacy, Lift to Rise on rapid response and communications planning, and the American Jewish World Service on strategic message creation for communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sydney first joined RALLY as a campaigns fellow, where she supported various local city council campaigns.

Prior to joining RALLY, Sydney’s passion for policy and communications grew during her internship with the Press Office of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, where she wrote press materials and social media copy on legal action and public policy topics. She has also held communications internships with SKDKnickerbocker, DKC, and Prague TV Media, Prague’s top online news site for the expat community.

A native Texan, Sydney moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California (Fight On!), where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. Although she misses Texas BBQ and the LA sunshine, Sydney loves exploring San Francisco and the broader Bay Area. When she’s not at work you can find her in a ballet class, lounging in a park, or trying out a new ice cream spot in the city.

Evan is a Digital Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office, specializing in digital strategy, advertising, and mobilization.

At RALLY, Evan leads paid and organic digital strategy for All In Washington, expanding awareness around key funding needs and raising donations for COVID-19 relief. The campaign partners with famous Washingtonians including Ciara and Russel Wilson, as well as micro-influencers to build trust and solicit support for disproportionately affected communities. He also works with the California Partners Project, advising on content strategy and digital channel integration.

Previously at RALLY, Evan helped grow the Packard Foundation’s digital footprint, building out a strategic framework process that leveraged the foundation’s strength as a peer convener and a platform for elevating grantees’ stories. He also supported Chicago CRED’s inVEST campaign, galvanizing and amplifying community support and pressuring local officials to fund the Mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction.

Prior to RALLY, Evan worked with humanitarian NGOs World Vision International and Compassion International, auditing website structures, and testing landing pages to optimize donor funnels.

Evan grew up in Northern California and moved to Los Angeles to attend Azusa Pacific University. When he’s not in the office, Evan loves hiking (outside of LA), trying out a new recipe, reading with an AeroPress cup of coffee, and playing music.

Samantha Wong is a Digital Account Executive in RALLY’s Los Angeles office. Specializing in digital advertising, digital analytics, and social strategy, Samantha has worked with a variety of clients to implement digital campaigns that persuade, engage, and mobilize key audiences to take action.

Working alongside the San Francisco-based nonprofit Tipping Point Community, Samantha supports digital communications for the All In campaign to educate the public on the issue of homelessness. She manages the campaign’s social strategy to engage the community and executes digital advertising campaigns to generate support for solutions to homelessness.

Samantha also works with the Center for Biological Diversity, elevating the voices of frontline communities living near fossil fuel infrastructure and providing digital engagement tactics to galvanize supporters to take online and offline actions.

Prior to RALLY, she worked for Precision Strategies in Washington D.C. as a Digital Advertising Intern where she focused on supporting digital advertising campaigns for Democratic candidates and nonprofit organizations. Samantha also worked with clients on digital transformation, organizational design, and crisis communications as a Digital and Management Consulting Intern at PulsePoint Group in Los Angeles.

Samantha graduated from UCLA with a major in Political Science and a minor in Entrepreneurship. She grew up in Hong Kong but currently lives in Los Angeles. Away from work, Samantha enjoys trying out new restaurants, doing hot yoga, and watching true crime documentaries.

Sam Gibson is an Account Associate at RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in research, strategic messaging development, and media relations. 

At RALLY, Sam works with the University of Chicago, SecondMuse, and the Susan Crown Exchange in creating brand voices and crafting effective communications campaigns. She supports GoFundMe on thought leadership, positioning, and tactical media relations.

Sam joined RALLY as a fellow, providing support to the Center for Biological Diversity, assisting in content creation and on-site media relations for the November 2020 Youth Climate Strike in Los Angeles.

Sam is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy. As a student, she worked as the Opinion and Managing Editor of the school newspaper, harnessing her decision-making and communications skills to foster dialogue around current events and issues.

Outside of RALLY, Sam enjoys reading, improv, and spending time with her dog.

Shea Irwin is a Design Associate in RALLY’s Los Angeles office where she develops brand identities and collateral.

At RALLY, Shea works with clients to visually communicate their brand messaging across print and digital platforms. Her recent work includes creating social media graphics, illustrations, and display advertising for the Sierra Health Foundation’s See Her Bloom Campaign.

Previously, Shea worked as a Graphic Designer for an e-commerce company and as an Art Director for her university’s media group. Her skillset is versatile with experience in branding, advertising, editorial design, video editing, and packaging.

Shea earned a BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in Environmental Studies from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Outside of RALLY, Shea loves to go to the beach, listen to live music, read fiction novels, and spend time with her cat Zorro.

Justin Lagera is an Account Associate at RALLY’s San Francisco office with experience in strategic communications, messaging development, and policy research and analysis. 

He joined RALLY as a Communications Fellow, supporting campaign strategies for Tipping Point Community and messaging development for the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and the 11th Hour Project. Currently, Justin is working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature to build a campaign that seeds a new economic vision for Uganda without the oil and gas industry. Additionally, he is facilitating community engagement strategies with All In Washington and examining the impacts that COVID-19 and the ongoing anti-racism movement have had on the narrative around postsecondary students with children for Imaginable Futures.

Prior to RALLY, Justin received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears). To pursue his interest in environmental advocacy, he worked on the Climate One podcast supporting strategic development efforts as well as with Berkeley Law’s Project Climate performing policy research. Justin has been involved with a pro-vaccine campaign and affordable housing development in the Bay Area.

Outside of RALLY, Justin loves spending his time hiking, playing the guitar, or watching a good movie.

Devin McMahon is an Account Associate in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in media relations, policy research and analysis, and writing.

At RALLY, Devin works with The California Endowment on the Youth Awards, a biennial event celebrating California-based youth organizers and amplifying the impact of intergenerational power building. She provides strategic communications support for SchoolHouse Connection, driving the message that education systems provide critical support for youth and families experiencing homelessness, and Center for Western Priorities on elevating issues and solutions surrounding responsible public land use and conservation. In addition, Devin works with GoFundMe on proactive media relations and thought leadership. 

Devin is an alumna of Oberlin College, where she majored in Politics. During her years there, she was Features Editor of Oberlin’s alternative newspaper and was awarded a Cole Scholarship in Oberlin’s Initiative in Electoral Politics (OIEP). Through OIEP, Devin interned for Katie Hill in her congressional campaign to flip House seat CA-25, and with Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project where she researched and assisted in electoral strategy. 

When not on the clock, you can expect to find Devin crafting, cooking, or swooning over her cats Echo and Bug.

Jared Robinson is an Account Associate in RALLY’s Seattle office with experience in strategic communications, political strategy, event planning, and community engagement.

At RALLY, Jared works to develop strategic messaging for the BELE Network as they transform education systems and build more equitable learning environments for students everywhere. He also supports communications strategy and capacity for VitalTalk in their work to educate clinicians on the importance of effective doctor-patient communication in hospitals and clinics across the country.

Prior to RALLY, Jared worked in Congressional and Mayoral offices in the Puget Sound region, focusing on constituent correspondence and services that connect people with the government resources they need most. He also supported campus campaign operations for Teach For America at the University of Washington alongside a team that ranked among the highest in the country for corps member recruitment and retention.

Jared graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle where he studied Political Economy and Entrepreneurship. In his time at UW, Jared coordinated events for the Dream Project, a volunteer organization dedicated to mentoring underrepresented high school students as they explore post-secondary pathways. Outside of the office, Jared enjoys strategy games, exploring the Puget Sound, and has played the trumpet for over ten years—even though his neighbors might not always appreciate it.

Becca Roithmayr is an Account Associate based in San Francisco, with a background in strategic communications, community outreach, and social justice.

Moving from a small town in Pennsylvania to the busy streets of the Bay Area, Becca has enjoyed working alongside organizations such as Tipping Point Community, Kingmakers of Oakland, SecondMuse, and more, focusing on work such as advancing solutions to homelessness, education equity, and gender equality.

Before her time at RALLY, Becca received a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Music and Human Services from James Madison University, focusing her studies on the nonprofit and music industries alike. While at JMU, Becca served as Service Chair for a volunteer and leadership organization, editor of the University’s newspaper, and ran PR/hosted radio shows at the local NPR station.

Since switching coasts, Becca enjoys exploring all Northern California has to offer. From burrito-crawling her way through Mission to hiking Mount Tamalpais, and serving on the Women’s March leadership board, each day is an opportunity to discover something new.

Haley Townes joins RALLY’s Los Angeles office as an Account Associate with experience in strategic communications, media relations, community engagement, and social media.

At RALLY, Haley works with United Way’s Everyone In campaign to educate and build public support for affordable and supportive housing in order to end homelessness in the Los Angeles area. She has also worked to create equitable and accessible education with ReGeneration Schools and the Computer Science for California Coalition.

Prior to RALLY, Haley worked for her local chamber of commerce where she helped connect businesses to needed resources and strengthen her community. She also worked as a junior publicist with a focus on building start-up brands and shadowed the Rams communications team for a semester. Haley spent a semester studying media and politics in London during her time at California Lutheran University where she graduated with a degree in communications.

A Southern California native, Haley loves the outdoors and food. When she’s not at work, Haley can be found with her nose in a book, watching an NBA, MLB or NFL game, or spending time with her dog Caesar.

Sam Trinh is an Account Associate in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in earned media, social media, strategic messaging, and community engagement.

At RALLY, Sam has worked with Earthjustice, Walton Family Foundation, Center for Biological Diversity, and Colorado Health Foundation to enhance communication around issues of educational equity, health equity, and environmental justice.

Prior to joining RALLY, Sam steered a media campaign for a Los Angeles nonprofit coalition aiming to prevent substance abuse among youth. Globally, he has led communications for a health campaign to prevent malaria among vulnerable populations in the Amazon Rainforest. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Behavioral Science degree, and Columbia University where he earned a Master of Public Health degree.

Hailing from the Inland Empire city of Riverside, California, Sam enjoys trying out new vegan recipes, listening to music, and carving through LA’s cityscapes on his skateboard.

Minerva Solís is an Account Associate in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in strategic and bilingual communications, social entrepreneurship, international development, and community organizing. A Los Angeles native and first-generation college graduate, Minerva’s passion to uplift and celebrate BlPOC communities inspires her work at the firm. 

At RALLY, Minerva works with clients on campaigns to achieve greater educational, racial, and socio-economic equity. She currently provides communications content and digital support for Tobacco Free California, a campaign aimed at improving the health of Californians by reducing illness from the use of tobacco products with a particular focus on the health impacts tobacco has on Black and Latinx communities. Additionally, Minerva works on creative advocacy campaigns for Imaginable Futures, a global philanthropic investment firm that works to provide every learner with the opportunity and the tools they need to imagine, and to realize, a brighter future. 

Prior to joining RALLY, Minerva was a Fulbright Binational Business Fellow in Mexico City where she worked at México Media Lab, a boutique consulting agency. In this capacity, she conducted a regulatory analysis of sustainability legislation and international trade agreements across Mexico for the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) TechEmerge Project – an unparalleled initiative to help develop sustainable cooling technologies in emerging economies. Minerva has also worked as a Community Analyst at the Los Angeles Workforce Development Board helping to bring over $8 million to help formerly incarcerated people gain access to key resources in Los Angeles.

Minerva holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California in International Relations and Spanish. She has taken linguistics and communications courses at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid; sociology courses in São Paulo and Salvador da Bahia in Brazil; as well as MBA courses on entrepreneurship and communications at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City. 

In her free time, you can find Minerva spoiling her dog, hosting drag show competitions, and scuba diving.

René Verma joins RALLY’s San Francisco office as an Account Associate with experience in strategic communications, creative campaigning, and content development.

At RALLY, René works with healthcare unions like the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West and the Registered Nurses Professional Association to produce, promote, and monitor digital content. She also supports the California Solar and Storage Association with media outreach, research, and messaging strategy and development.

Driven to think of big ideas through small gestures, René has previously worked with VICE Media on a short-form documentary series pitch around immigration and border reform, and with the International Gender Studies Centre, Oxford as a research associate. She also worked with The Walt Disney Company, India on a range of creative marketing and post-production projects. Her work in creative advocacy has involved developing and performing in digital campaigns with the BBC Arts Hour and Sofy India: debunking menstrual taboos, interrogating sexism in pop culture, and rethinking public safety. 

A self-identified imp and tinkerer, René enjoys performing lyrical poetry, making memes of herself, and fervently watching lawn tennis (¡Vamos Rafa!). She appreciates museums, oceans, and beagles.

Asha Wafer is an Account Associate in RALLY’s Los Angeles office with experience in message development, strategic communications, research, and analysis.

At RALLY, Asha works with the James Beard Foundation, Campaign Zero, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Imaginable Futures, and the Center for Biological Diversity, supporting her clients in advocating for racial equity, police reform, educational equity, and environmental justice.

Asha joined RALLY as a fellow, where she provided communications support to SEIU United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) bringing awareness to their work advancing legislation to improve the working conditions of janitors across California.

Asha is a graduate of Tulane University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Sociology. As a student, she worked with The Office of Multicultural Affairs to encourage civil dialogue around social justice, inclusion, and relevant issues on campus. She was selected to be GirlTrek’s campus ambassador, bringing their mission of healing Black women and girls through the power of walking. 

Asha strengthened her communications and advocacy skills through internships at a non-profit working with underserved micro-entrepreneurs to address opportunity gaps and a Los Angeles based boutique PR firm.

A native Angeleno, Asha enjoys spending time outdoors with her rescue pitbull, going on road trips, catching a local comedy show, play, or concert, and settling into a book at a cozy coffee shop.