Andrew Segraves

Having grown up in Connecticut, Andrew leapt at the chance to attend college in Southern California. At Pitzer College, Andrew majored in Political Studies and graduated with honors. He wrote his senior thesis on President Obama’s use of executive authority in military action and immigration policymaking. Outside of the classroom, Andrew was an active member of the Pomona-Pitzer cross country and track and field teams. From October 2016 to July 2018, Andrew worked in clinical research at UC San Diego, focusing on clinical trials for gastrointestinal cancers. Andrew’s main current interests are public policy, government, and national security.

Arianna Sue

During her time at Occidental College, Arianna became interested in the intersection between law, policy, and advocacy, directing her to intern with the Education Rights Project at Public Counsel, extern with the U.S. District Court of Northern California, and work for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation for two years. Arianna became inspired to apply her studies in politics and joined Roy Cooper’s campaign for governor of North Carolina in fall of 2016 as a communications fellow, where she learned the strategies associated with campaign work and the intricacies of swing state politics. Upon graduating cum laude from Occidental, Arianna joined the Asian Pacific Islander Capitol Program’s 2018 summer class for an internship at the California State Assembly with Assembly member Evan Low, as a legislative intern. Arianna hopes to go to law school in the near future. Arianna enjoys cooking and coffee.

Edgar Sanchez

While at Sonoma State University, Edgar developed a passion for journalism that led him to intern with Sonoma County’s largest newspaper, The Press Democrat. Inspired by the social issues he reported on, Edgar became involved in policy work. He volunteered with the Oakland Promise, a government initiative seeking to increase college attendance rates in Oakland. In addition, Edgar ran and was elected to student government where he advocated for a more diverse student body and wider access to student resources. Edgar plans to pursue a Masters in Public Policy and one day represent underprivileged communities as an elected official.

Emily Rentschler

Growing up in Alameda and a 2018 UC Berkeley graduate, Emily is proud to call the Bay Area home. At Cal, she majored in Political Economy with a minor in Public Policy and a focus in economic and social inequality. Outside the classroom, Emily was on the Cal Women’s Club soccer team and its top operations officer. She also served as the student director of UC Berkeley football team’s recruiting operations. In her free time, Emily is an avid runner and hiker of the Berkeley hills.

Eric Medrano

Eric's passion for Public Affairs was cultivated during his involvement in student affairs while attending San Jose State University. Eric served in various student government positions, working with faculty and student leaders to make campus policy changes for the improvement of the student experience. Eric synergized much of this work with his role as campus organizer for Students for Quality Education. Eric worked in various campaigns as an organizer, including opposing tuition hikes and supporting an increase in faculty salary. Eric plans to be involved in policy-making and actively seeks opportunities to have a positive impact in low-income communities.

Flor Lorenzo

During the Syrian refugee crisis in Sweden, Flor focused in bringing advocacy and representation to immigrant and refugee populations in the island of Samos, Greece. After her discovery for advocacy in underrepresented populations she became a PPIA Fellow placed at Carnegie Mellon University. At CMU, she gained exposure to the field of public policy where she learned the importance of taking leadership in public policy to resolve some of the most challenging problems facing the United States. Flor hopes to become involved in her community to reform the lives of San Bernardino residents and help influence immigration policy.

Halah Ahmad

Halah has an MPP from the University of Cambridge, and an honors degree in comparative religion and sociology from Harvard. Her diverse, Palestinian-American upbringing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin led her to research Milwaukee's segregation, and work on minority outreach in the Russ Feingold Senatorial Campaign. As President of the Harvard Islamic Society, she led joint efforts to onboard Harvard's first full-time Muslim chaplain. While Halah's ongoing focus is affordable housing, her wide-ranging work experience has taken her from Milwaukee and Chicago to the West Bank, Albania, Greece, and, most recently, Berlin, with International Rescue Committee. Halah also loves studio and digital arts and playing tennis.

Jonah Bleckner

At Vassar, Jonah studied Political Science and Philosophy, focusing on how the design of the built environment impacts communities. Upon graduating, he joined the Center for an Urban Future and conducted policy research on practical solutions to reduce inequality and increase economic mobility in NYC. Jonah then worked for three years at PLASTARC, a workplace strategy firm that advises organizations about opportunities to create cultural change through workplace innovation. At PLASTARC, he led the delivery of several international consultative projects. Jonah hopes to extend his work in the built environment industry by pursuing a career dedicated to addressing the national affordable housing crisis.

Kristin Nimmers

As an aspiring political leader, Kristin has tailored her education and experience around gaining the skills necessary to improve communities through public policy and become a well-rounded future representative. She attended Humboldt State University for her undergraduate education where she majored in Political Science and minored in Communication. Upon graduating, she attended the McGeorge School of Law where she earned a Juris Doctor with a concentration in Capital Lawyering. During her time at McGeorge, Kristin interned with the Attorney General’s Office where she gained a passion for working towards prison reform, and participated in a Legislative Public Policy Clinic where she researched and drafted legislation aimed at bettering prison conditions and reducing recidivism. After Coro, Kristin hopes to continue to be a political advocate for marginalized communities.

Miranda Strominger

Following Miranda’s undergraduate work in human biology at Stanford, she completed a master’s degree in sociology at the same university, including independent research focused on the legacy of the squatter’s movement in Berlin’s present-day tenant struggles. Most recently, she has worked as the development manager for a Bay Area nonprofit working to end mass incarceration, volunteered in an Oakland tenants’ rights clinic, and served on the board of directors of an emerging participatory foundation. She is excited about work for housing and land justice that is grounded in community autonomy and mutual aid.

Sarah Smyth

Sarah is passionate about positive community development using socially-conscious urban planning. While at UCLA, she grew her interest in public service through studying Political Science and participating in student government. After spending the summer as a community organizing intern for the UK-based nonprofit Migrants Organize, she wanted to continue exploring the complex factors affecting public housing. This inspired a self-directed research project focused on cross-sector collaboration in affordable housing and an internship with the Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing. After Coro, Sarah hopes to pursue a Master’s in Urban Planning and continue promoting inclusive development.

Siena Guerrazzi

From the State Senate to Cal Student Philanthropy, UC Berkeley’s Public Service Center to the California Victory Cannon, weekends with family to weekly dinners with friends, Siena Guerrazzi is a passionate change maker. Working to solve problems in different communities led her to public service. During her time at UC Berkeley, while completing three political internships and connecting students to the community through the Public Service Center, she led three student organizations, taught an academic course, and raised $100,000 - all while firing the cannon and completing Harry Potter challenges with her cousins. Siena hopes to make a difference in public policy or education.