Our Staff
Our Team
Matt Abularach-Macias
Deputy Campaign Director
Veda Banerjee
Communications Director
Resa Barillas
Inland Empire Regional Organizer
Akira Brathwaite
Major Gifts Officer
Mary Creasman
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Escamilla
Regional Organizer
Elise Fandrich
Policy Affairs Associate
Tammy Chan
Finance Director
Ainslie Faust
Administrative Assistant
Oscar Garcia
Ballot Initiative Coordinator
Danielle Graham
Executive Assistant
Tami Harmon
Human Resources Generalist
Shanil Jiwani
Senior Philanthropy Officer
Ameen Khan
Regulatory Affairs Advocate
Jonathan Kuperberg
Email and Web Manager
Annquenetta Lawrence
Administrative and HR Senior Manager
Lucas Lineback
Data Services Manager
Sarah Lyons
Development Associate
Aaron McCall
Federal Advocacy Coordinator
Sean McManus
Director of Philanthropy
Mattea Pechter
Campaigns and Organizing Manager
Santiago M. Rodriguez
Legislative Affairs Assistant
Melissa Romero
Senior Legislative Manager
Jason Smith
Digital Content Producer
Gina Stovall
Grants Manager
Samuel Sukaton
State Advocacy Coordinator
Mike Young
Political and Organizing Director
Matt Abularach-Macias
Deputy Campaign Director
Originally focused in San Bernardino and Riverside, Matt has expanded to also work on our statewide organizing efforts. In this role, Matt has been able to build partnerships and amplify community concerns about the impacts of climate change, the local benefits from investments in clean energy, and the critical need to conserve and protect our environment. Outside of EnviroVoters Ed Fund, he chairs the Board of the Inland Region Equality Network an Inland Empire based LGBTQ Advocacy and Education Org. His work with EnviroVoters Ed Fund and IREN is an extension of his previous organizing on educational access, LGBT rights, and anti-racism issues. He got his start working on Pete Aguilar’s successful congressional campaign. Prior, Matt graduated from UCLA with a degree in Chicana/o Studies. Contact Matt at: mattam@envirovoters.org.
Veda Banerjee
Communications Director
Veda manages overall communications and marketing strategy, thought leadership, press relations, and digital marketing at EnviroVoters Ed Fund that impact bold climate policy. She has extensive experience in corporate communications, public-private partnerships, online marketing, and the ability to forge productive relationships with diverse stakeholders and build community. Prior to joining EnviroVoters, she worked at San Francisco Goodwill and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy managing media, digital marketing, and social media strategy. She has a graduate degree in journalism, public relations, and marketing, and been an invited speaker at SXSW, NTEN (Nonprofit Technology), and PR News Big 4 conferences. Contact Veda at veda@envirovoters.org.
Resa Barillas
Inland Empire Regional Organizer
Resa is a former digital marketer, graphic designer, and musician. When she moved to the High Desert, she found herself in a community whose voice was unheard and saw a need for change. She utilized her mixed background and experience in organizational leadership to advocate and organize around youth issues, health equity, and environmental justice. She is a proud queer woman and a first-generation Salvadoran-American living in the city of Adelanto with her son, Cameron, and their two kittens, Stevie and Jett. She enjoys working on DIY and home improvement projects, audiobooks on long drives, family movie night, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends. Contact Resa at: resa@envirovoters.org.
Akira Brathwaite
Major Gifts Officer
Akira works to connect our wonderful donors with our ground-breaking work. Deeply committed to sustainability, Akira has dedicated her career to the environmental movement, from building out the membership program at Rainforest Action Network, to helping rehabilitate endangered species with Orangutan Foundation International, to hitting the pavement with Greenpeace USA. Having graduated from Humboldt State University with studies in ecological restoration, environmental policy and planning, and sustainable economics, Akira has a strong understanding of the intersectionality of the issues we face and the urgency with which we must face them. When not sharing this passion with supporters, you can find Akira hiking through forests, baking ridiculous confections, reading sci-fi/fantasy, or cuddling with her cats. Contact Akira at: akira@envirovoters.org.
Tammy Chan
Finance Director
Tammy has a multidisciplinary background, including over 13 years in Finance and Informational Technology. Her passion is in making a difference by building out the operational foundation, business processes and systems for nonprofits to grow and become financially sustainable. She transitioned from the private sector and co-founded a nonprofit, Conversations for Good, that provides opportunities for ordinary people to help students and job seekers to share about their careers and provide mentorship. She holds a bachelor of science degree in Management Science from the University of California, San Diego. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and volunteering. Contact Tammy at: tammy@envirovoters.org.
Mary Creasman
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Escamilla
Regional Organizer
Elise Fandrich
Policy Affairs Associate
In this role, Elise engages in policy research and supports the Legislative Affairs Manager in advocating for bold climate policy at the state level. In addition to supporting legislative action, Elise participates in state agency processes around climate policies as well as state efforts to advance nature-based solutions to climate change on natural and working lands throughout the state. After attending law school in the Pacific Northwest, Elise returned to her home state of California where she volunteered extensively on local and state climate initiatives. Elise is motivated to work on climate change to tackle air pollution, preserve biodiversity, and ensure everyone has access to nature and greenspace. Contact Elise at: elise@envirovoters.org.
Ainslie Faust
Administrative Assistant
Oscar Garcia
Ballot Initiative Coordinator
Danielle Graham
Executive Assistant
Tami Harmon
Human Resources Generalist
Shanil Jiwani
Senior Philanthropy Officer
Ameen Khan
Regulatory Affairs Advocate
Jonathan Kuperberg
Email and Web Manager
Annquenetta Lawrence
Administrative and HR Senior Manager
Lucas Lineback
Data Services Manager
Sarah Lyons
Development Associate
Aaron McCall
Federal Advocacy Coordinator
Sean McManus
Director of Philanthropy
Mattea Pechter
Campaigns and Organizing Manager
Mattea works to connect grassroots energy to climate champions and build power in communities that have been historically excluded from the process of policy making and the opportunity to hold their legislators accountable. Mattea is a former Field Director working on electoral races at the local, state, and national level. She graduated from Ursinus College with a bachelors in Environmental Studies, with a focus on the social and political dynamics that have brought us where we are today. Mattea is passionate about storytelling and the arts and studying the way our culture and values are messaged to us from within that space. Contact Mattea at: mattea@envirovoters.org.
Santiago M. Rodriguez
Legislative Affairs Assistant
Melissa Romero
Senior Legislative Manager
Melissa represents the organization in Sacramento lobbying for strong environmental policies and working with partner organizations on advancing priority legislation. Her work includes tracking and prioritizing legislation, representing EnviroVoters Ed Fund on a variety of coalitions and networks, working with state legislators and their staff, and being the organization’s voice in the Capitol. Previous to her time at EnviroVoters Ed Fund, Melissa worked with Californians Against Waste on advancing waste reduction and recycling legislation and at Cal State Long Beach, Associated Students Inc. advocating for sustainability and zero waste policies and practices on campus. Melissa’s interest in policy began with an interest in environmental sciences and developed with strong sense of urgency to address the need to shift away from fossil fuel use and other extractive industry practices. Contact Melissa at: melissa@envirovoters.org.
Jason Smith
Digital Content Producer
Gina Stovall
Grants Manager
Samuel Sukaton
State Advocacy Coordinator
Mike Young
Political and Organizing Director
Mike has been with EnviroVoters Ed Fund since 2005, and he has served as Political and Organizing Director since 2018. He has extensive experience working with key political and grassroots community partners to build strategic relationships that have helped both identify and support environmental leaders, as well as hold legislators accountable to their community’s concerns. Mike is a graduate of Pepperdine University, and he earned B.A.s in Political Science and Philosophy, as well as an Undergraduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution. Contact Mike at: mike@envirovoters.org.
Ed Fund by the Numbers
We are in the business of changing what is possible. Take a look at our key numbers and statistics to see our impact.