Marcus Cinque Harris is a professional creative & project manager with over a decade of experience engaging diverse communities and connecting people as an entrepreneurial artist & communications specialist. Marcus is a skilled strategist in managing teams, developing impactful programs, and facilitating campaigns through community engagement.

His projects creating multimedia by bridging art & activism have been acclaimed by AFROPUNK, NPR’s Colorlines, and Complex magazine. As a self-proclaimed “Afrofuturist”, Marcus believes in working to build a better future by honoring the past through equitable and sustainable solutions to community health, safety and justice.

You can reach Marcus at Marcus@frontlinecatalysts.org

Karina is a dedicated advocate passionate about amplifying the voices of historically marginalized communities. Her personal experience growing up undocumented has shaped her commitment to social justice and community empowerment. Despite being told to live in the shadows, Karina discovered the transformative power of youth activism, which became the cornerstone of her professional journey.

As a Program Associate, Karina designs and implements initiatives that engage youth in meaningful activism, empowering them to become agents of change within their communities. Her work focuses on creating platforms where young people can participate in advocacy efforts and develop equitable solutions to the challenges they face. Karina’s approach is rooted in the belief that youth voices are essential in shaping a more equitable and transformative future.

With a diverse background in grassroots organizing, Karina has collaborated with prominent youth-led organizations such as United We Dream and the Sunrise Movement. These experiences have honed her skills in community mobilization, leadership development, and policy advocacy. Her early involvement in youth-driven movements has provided her with invaluable insights into effective strategies for empowering young activists. Her work is characterized by a deep understanding of intersectionality, particularly how factors such as immigration status, race, and socioeconomic background impact youth experiences and opportunities.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Karina is an avid outdoor enthusiast who finds inspiration in nature through hiking. She is passionate about music and tries to attend concerts as much as possible. She is also a huge soccer fan!

You can reach Karina at Karina@frontlinecatalysts.org

Cece Alter (they/them) is an educator from the Bay Area. Their teaching emphasizes hands-on learning, centering student voices, and equipping young people with the tools to critique and transform the world around them. As an OUSD teacher, they founded Highland Community School’s Rainbow Club, a space for LGBTQ+ youth to build community and engage in action projects that promote inclusivity. They also partnered with local parks and nonprofits to expand students’ science learning.

Outside the classroom, Cece has organized around issues like equitable learning conditions, school closures, and electing progressive leadership. They are also experienced in project management and curriculum development.

In their free time, Cece enjoys walking through East Bay parks, keeping up with their neighborhood book club, trying new sports, and sharing meals with family and friends.

Cece is thrilled to be part of Frontline Catalysts as a Program Associate and to collaborate with the team to strengthen the curriculum and empower youth leaders.

You can reach Cece at Cece@frontlinecatalysts.org

Jaqueline Verduzco is a Program Coordinator with Frontline Catalysts, where she works to inspire and empower youth in frontline communities to take the lead in climate justice efforts. Drawing from her background in environmental justice youth leadership programs, she understands the power of youth-driven change. She also works with the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, where her focus is on air quality monitoring and community engagement projects in East Oakland. This year, she’s excited to help Frontline Catalysts’ youth develop impactful action plans and engage their communities on key issues such as air quality, green spaces, pollution, and resilience.

You can reach Jaqueline at Jacky@frontlinecatalysts.org

Edward Chao is pursuing a Masters in Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. The research he’s focused on is exploring the intersections between environmentalism and ethnic studies. Growing up and returning to the Fruitvale District, he found himself wanting to give back to the community that raised him. To him, this takes shape by working with the new generation of people and community based organizations. As a Program Coordinator, he supports facilitation and relationship building with students. In the future, he hopes to become a faculty member at a 4 year university. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, making art, biking and hiking.

You can reach Edward at Edward@frontlinecatalysts.org

Angelia Vang proudly serves as the Outreach Coordinator for Frontline Catalysts. She is currently an undergrad at San Francisco State University studying psychology and in a college organization called Resist US-Led War which is an anti-war, anti-imperialist organization that exposes US led wars and fights for the liberation of all oppressed peoples around the world.

Angelia was first politicized in 5th grade after being shown the grave effects of climate disruption around the world. Environmental justice then became the spark that drove her to move beyond feelings of helplessness and take action for revolutionary change.

She joined her first organization in 2023 when the CSU system announced plans to increase tuition by 6% annually for the next five years. She saw this as a grave injustice, disproportionately affecting working-class students striving for an affordable education. Through her passion for fighting against this tuition hike, she joined the League of Filipino Students at SFSU. And from that, her organizing efforts only grew.

Now Angelia aims to organize for communities that are under-represented, exploited, and underserved in a society that prioritizes profits over people. She believes that building a socially and politically conscious future depends on empowering the youth and the working class, as they are the driving forces behind this envisioned generation. This is why she continues to organize and believes in the great works of Frontline Catalysts.

In her free time, Angelia enjoys bike rides in the city and taking part in various art forms such as music making and rug making.

You can reach Angelia at Angelia@frontlinecatalysts.org

Azriel (they/them) is a California Climate Action Corps Fellow at Frontline Catalysts where they lead urban greening projects, creek restoration efforts, and outdoor education initiatives with local schools. They are passionate about supporting BIPOC youth in understanding their own connections with the land and empowering them to make the changes they desire in their communities.

Azriel grew up on the unceded land of the Kumeyaay Nation (otherwise known as San Diego, CA) and graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and minor in Critical Gender Studies. Previously, they worked at San Diego Mesa College assisting with the financial management of a $1.5 million federal grant to support Asian American and Pacific Islander student programming. They also worked at UC San Diego’s Sustainability Resource Center where they collaborated with members of the Kumeyaay Nation to create the Kumeyaay Community Garden, a space for gathering community and educating around the cultural and historical significance of native plants. On their own time, Azriel enjoys hiking, birding, and reading.

You can reach Azriel at Azriel@frontlinecatalysts.org

Nia is a creative organizer driven by a commitment to social justice and a love of her hometown, Oakland, CA. A recent graduate from USC Annenberg and founder/CEO of Black outdoor rec organization, Woodlums, Nia is passionate about using arts/media and grassroots organizing to engage communities of color with environmental justice, outdoor education, and climate action.

Nia is a California Climate Action Corps (CCAC) Fellow at Frontline Catalysts, bringing a background in urban and outdoor education, restorative justice facilitation, organizational leadership, and digital communications. She is interested in the ever-evolving intersections between racial and environmental justice, and the ways in which visual storytelling can illuminate them to the public and spark action.

Nia enjoys hiking, cooking/baking, and making wearable crafts in her free time. As a journalism major, she rejected the notion of giving a voice to the so-called “voiceless,” and opts to turn the volume up on voices muted by inequities and injustices. Similarly, in her work at Frontline Voices, Nia hopes not to temporarily aid her community members, but to provide knowledge and tools so that they may empower themselves.

She feels gratitude, and hopes to always be working with BIPOC elders and youth to heal, restore, and sustain one another and the planet.

You can reach Nia at Nia@frontlinecatalysts.org

Danny is a California Climate Action Corps Fellow with Frontline Catalysts for the 2024-2025 term. They previously worked with the City of Oakland on the Better Neighborhood, Same Neighbors Community Greening project, supporting the development and implementation of city-led urban forestry efforts in East Oakland. Their work focused on increasing tree canopy to help mitigate challenges such as air pollution, the urban heat island effect, and other environmental concerns. This year, they are excited to work with Frontline Catalysts to inspire and empower frontline youth to take leadership and action for climate justice.

You can reach Danny at Danny@frontlinecatalysts.org

Nishan is a Climate Action Fellow through the California Climate Action Corps. He is deeply interested in strengthening Bay Area frontline communities against all forms of injustice and oppression.

In his current role, Nishan is focusing on the restoration of Peralta Creek in Fruitvale, while also supporting Frontline Catalysts programs. He has also previously worked in food justice and youth soccer organizations.

Nishan enjoys growing, learning, and educating about grassroots movements. He taught classes on decentralized technology to his classmates in college. He continues this tradition in the present by studying direct action movements and sociology in his free time.

Nishan grew up in Fremont, California, to Indian immigrants. He enjoys cooking, playing soccer, and enjoying music with friends in his spare time.

You can reach Nishan at Nishan@frontlinecatalysts.org

Catalina Garzón-Galvis coordinates the Resilient Roots Project, a digital storytelling collaboration with Frontline Catalysts and
StoryCenter, with support from a Switzer Foundation Leadership
Grant. This project engages youth from Frontline Catalysts programs
in sharing their lived experiences with local climate change impacts to
advance their visions for solutions that strengthen climate resiliency in
their communities. Catalina also serves as Project Manager for
Oakland Youth Advancing Climate Action (OYACA), a community
climate science and youth action research collaboration between
Frontline Catalysts, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice,
East Bay Academy for Young Scientists, San Francisco State
University and CSU East Bay. Catalina brings over twenty years of
experience with planning and facilitating leadership development,
popular education, participatory research, and participatory media
partnerships with community-based organizations and coalitions that
center the lived experiences and thought leadership of those directly
impacted by environmental and health disparities. Her past digital
storytelling work includes co-facilitating partnerships and workshops
with Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, Líderes
Campesinas, Central California Environmental Justice Network, and
StoryCenter to develop short videos and digital media that amplify the
diversity of languages and voices of Indigenous and women
farmworker leaders affected by heat-related illness and exposure to
wildfire smoke. Catalina is a recipient of the 2010 Yamashita
“Foundations for Change” Prize which honors scholar-activists whose
work bridges academia and community.

You can reach Catalina at Catalina@frontlinecatalysts.org

Cristy is the Executive Director at the Haas School of Business’ Center for Social Sector Leadership, which trains and supports social impact leaders and organizations across sector and industry to advance social change.  She is also the former Director of Youth Speaks, a national youth spoken word and literary arts organization.

Growing up in San Francisco’s Mission district, Cristy received a bilingual public-school education, infused with dance, music, and theater that ignited her passion to create spaces where all young people have access to the arts. She describes her work of building communities through multi-sector partnerships and collaboration as being centered in the arts, culture, business, and philanthropy. 

Cristy is excited to be on the board of Frontline Catalysts to give voice to our community most affected by climate change and to advance climate justice. 

When she is not working, Cristy likes to cook and spend time with her husband and two daughters ages 2 and 7.

Cristy earned her undergraduate degree in political science at UC Berkeley and an Executive MBA from the Haas School of Business.

Tony Marks-Block is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology, Geography, and Environmental Studies at CSU East Bay. Tony has collaborated with and learned from Karuk and Yurok peoples in Northwest California to study the social and ecological effects of Indigenous fire and small-scale subsistence practices as models for environmental justice. As a youth in San Francisco, Tony engaged in environmental justice organizing in the Mission and Bayview Hunters Point. He has also spent years developing and implementing participatory environmental youth research projects through the East Bay Academy for Young Scientists at UC Berkeley. 

Tony is excited to join the board of Frontline Catalysts because he loves to see the next generations connect with the earth and take on the responsibility of defending it from climate change.

Beyond his paid work, Tony enjoys land restoration and supporting liberation movements.

Tony earned his high school diploma from Leadership High School (SF), his Bachelors of Science in Applied Ecology from Cornell University, and his Masters and Ph.D. in Environmental Anthropology from Stanford University.

Jason Ferreira is Associate Professor Department of Race & Resistance Studies located within the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University.  He has been a recipient of the University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, and in 2019-20, he served as a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University in the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History.

Jason sits on several boards including the Board of Directors of the Kendra Alexander Foundation.  He also co-founded the Center for Political Education, a vibrant community institution located in the Bay Area whose ongoing mission has been to provide a space dedicated to building strong movements and the Left through education, analysis, theory, dialogue, and activism.  He is also the Project Director of the Eyes on Arizona Project, an initiative dedicated to providing political education, encouraging civic engagement, and developing leadership skills in youth in pursuit of immigrant justice.

Jason is a life-long student of social and radical movements for freedom, enjoys exploring and listening to global music (who can be found DJing as a side gig), and finds his greatest joy in spending time with his beautiful twin girls.

Jason has a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign and both an MA and Ph.D. in Comparative Ethnic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.

Rama Ali Kased is an Assistant Professor in Race and Resistance Studies in the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. She also has an extensive background in developing curriculum in K-12 and higher education.  Dr. Kased’s teaching focuses on education equity, racial and economic justice, and community engagement. She is a founder of the Metro College Success Program, an award-winning social justice program that serves low-income, underrepresented students at San Francisco State University.

Rama is also a seasoned community organizer. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, and of Palestinian origin, Dr. Kased’s community work spans major cities across the nation. She has served on the multiple boards of community-based organizations. She has also founded numerous organizations, including Arab Woman in Active in Arts in Media (AWAAM) in NYC and the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) in SF Bay Area. 

Dr. Kased’s scholarship and teaching focus on the ways in which the classroom and formal education can be used as a place of liberation, including building solidarity among students, relevant and responsive curriculum, and facilitating and fostering students into agents of social change.

When she isn’t working, Rama likes to spend time with her two little children 4 and 5. She enjoys the outdoors and likes to explore parts of Northern California. 

Rama holds a B.A. in special studies with an emphasis on Philosophy and Political science from St. Francis College, a Master’s in Special Studies with a focus on social justice and equity, and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership, both from San Francisco State University.

Akachi Kalem is an educator at San Francisco State University. His lived experience from 1st generation immigrant in Brooklyn, NY, and his military service across Asia and the Middle East inform his understanding that a successful student’s experience nurtures successful adulthood. 

Akachi graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies, USC with a master’s in teaching, and currently writing his dissertation in psychology with an emphasis on instruction and cognition. 

Akachi taught across the education system, k-12, community college, and universities giving him an in-depth understanding of the different ideas driving education in the United States. His acumen expands beyond resource allocation and poor teacher preparation to grapple with inherent racialization and anti-liberation narratives of people of color identities and experiences. 

His dissertation focuses on the influence social studies curriculum narrative has on educators’ pedagogy, self-agency, and self-efficacy concerning student intersectional identity development needs. 

Akachi is excited to begin 2022 as a member of a progressive team of educators and thinkers. 

Gopal is an educator, organizer and activist focused on racial, economic and ecological justice who currently teaches at San Francisco State University and Antioch University. Gopal also supports social movements through various organizing projects. Gopal believes that grassroots, bottom-up, inter-generational social movements on the frontlines of the interconnected crises of social inequity and ecological erosion are the key to deep, transformative change-making.

Gopal co-founded Movement Generation: Justice and Ecology Project, a collective committed to realigning movement strategy with the healing powers of living systems. MG has helped launch The Climate Justice Alliance and developed a Just Transition Framework widely used across US-based Climate Justice movements. 

Gopal has an MA in Urban Sustainability from Antioch University in Los Angeles and a lifetime achievement award in the form of two amazing young adult children.

Lisa Dinh is a Program Associate at the Skyline Foundation supporting climate and education grantmaking. Her work focuses on trust-based support in grantee relationships and grants management within an operationally lean, yet financially robust private foundation.

Her background informs her love for and motivation in science communication, the arts, culture, and education. She believes in interdisciplinary education (arts+sciences) and peace building through support of intersectional communities. In addition to her work in philanthropy, Lisa serves as a DEI chair of the co-op, Cal Sailing Club where she hopes to celebrate community and culture through self-confidence building in the sport of sailing.

Lisa holds a BA in Human Evolutionary Biology from Columbia University where she was awarded Multi-Cultural Affairs Honors for students who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to diversity, social justice and multiculturalism during their undergraduate careers. Additionally, Lisa has been a selected fellow in University Innovation — Design Thinking through Stanford’s Hasso Plattner d. School, a Philanthropy Fellow with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and a Northern California Grantmakers Rising Leader in the 2025 Cohort.

Ifeoma M. Adams, CPA, SPHR, is a compassionate financial leader with over 20 years of experience supporting nonprofits, social service organizations, and small businesses. Originally from Nigeria, she has made her home in the Bay Area, where she uses her expertise to strengthen community-based initiatives through strategic financial guidance and tax services.

As a Certified Public Accountant with an MBA, Ifeoma has dedicated her career to advancing social impact. Her leadership as Controller for the California Nurses Association and Business Manager at the Making Waves Foundation reflects her commitment to supporting organizations that uplift communities. She has also worked to ensure financial sustainability for public education institutions as Director of Business Services at West Sonoma County Union High School District and Alameda County Office of Education.

Passionate about economic empowerment and equitable access to resources, Ifeoma’s values align with Frontline Catalysts’ mission to foster frontline leadership and drive social and environmental justice. She believes in the power of financial stewardship to build resilient communities.

Beyond her professional contributions, Ifeoma serves her community as a board member of the Ephesian Children’s Center and has led initiatives with the Obosi Development Association. Her dedication to service and advocacy remains at the heart of her work. In her free time, she enjoys golfing, running, and spending quality time with her granddaughters in Oakland, CA.

Radhika is an Associate Research Scholar at the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute at Columbia University.  She is also the founder and Education Director of the Institute’s Eco Ambassadors, a program that equips youth with skills for tackling sustainability challenges locally and globally.  

Radhika serves on the Board of advisors of NGOs affiliated with the Government of India working towards rural educational literacy and women’s empowerment.  She is excited to be an advisor for Frontline Catalysts.

When she isn’t working or advising, Radhika likes to plant native varieties with her two girls and wait for Monarch butterflies to come into her yard.  

Radhika received her Ph.D. (with Distinction) in Economics of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.  

Dianna Rae Mullins is a serial entrepreneur who has launched and helped define multiple start-ups.  She is the COO of Work Sandy, an online one-stop-shop that helps clients find, manage and pay teams of freelance experts.

As a co-founder of Mode Media (Glam Media), Dianna helped the start-up grow from 10 employees to the #1 Lifestyle Media company and the 6th largest US Media company with 144 million US & 400 million global users a month and annual revenues of $100 million.

Dianna helped launch The Women’s Leadership Institute, helping executive women break through the glass ceiling.  She is an advisor to numerous women-led startups, co-founder of UC Berkeley’s Beverly Mullins Memorial Scholarship, a mentor with the #hireBlack Project, and supports women and BIPOC founders.  

She is excited to combine her support of women and educational equity by providing her expertise and experience to Frontline Catalysts.

When not working, Dianna is raising her 2 youngest children side-by-side with her wife and supporting her 22-year-old recent college graduate as she finds her path in the biotech world.

Nikki oversees the smooth running of the organization, donor relationships and assists with strategic planning.  

Prior to Frontline Catalysts, Nikki was Chief of Staff to Dr. Jane Sanders during the Bernie 2020 Presidential Campaign where she was inspired by climate activists to put her passion for environmental justice into action.

Nikki’s 20 years of working in the nonprofit arena includes empowering childcare workers, supporting working families, and advocating for bedside nurses.  While at the Labor Project for Working Families, she was part of a statewide coalition that achieved California’s paid family leave law; the first in the country.

When she isn’t working, Nikki loves to hit bay area hiking trails with her dog, Alfie. She also volunteers at the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

Originally from England, Nikki has made Oakland California her home for over 20 years.  She received a BA in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley.

You can reach Nikki at Nikki@frontlinecatalysts.org