RESUME
About Me
Advocacy-focused grassroots organizer
with extensive campaign experience.
I thrive in challenging environments and take pride in meeting objectives and getting the job done. I am a self-starter and a quick learner. I ask the right questions and have both an acute attention to detail as well as the ability to work efficiently. I have worked within small teams and managed large teams, including staff as well as volunteers. I have extensive experience in grassroots organizing, policy, management, leadership, communications, strategic planning, public speaking, and development. I assume the best intentions of my colleagues and approach my work with a positive attitude, humility, and pride.
Professional
Experience​
Public Policy Director, Statewide Coalition
December 2018 - Present
Facilitate public policy for Florida Immigrant Coalition, Organize Florida, New Florida Majority and other key organizational partners across the state and in the Florida Legislature, developing a collaborative statewide policy agenda with an emphasis on expanding democracy, criminal justice reform, and community wealth issues such as housing, public transit, and healthcare access.
​
Chief of Staff, Florida House of Representatives
December 2016 - December 2018
I currently serve as Chief of Staff to Florida House Represenative Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida's first openly LGBTQ Latino lawmaker and a progressive champion, representing District 49. Our office approach our work from an advocacy perspective. In my role, I direct all staff, policy, communications, events, and priorities of legislative office and constituent services, as well as cultivate relationships with key stakeholders and interest groups to mobilize support behind legislation. I also develop our legislative priorities in coordination with lawmaker; review, file, and track legislation. This role also requires me to prepare for committee hearings and debate in support and opposition to proposed legislation and implement a robust media strategy, draft press releases, execute press conferences and coordinate with press.
​
Youth Vote Director, For Our Future
Aug 2016 – Nov 2016
During the 2016 Election cycle, I served a statewide role as Youth Vote Director for For Our Future, a progressive PAC funded by labor unions. I designed a voter mobilization program with 100+ employees, nine college campuses, and $500,000 budget. Specifically, I managed team of nine campus organizers across the state, 82 paid fellows (hourly), and 25 paid shuttle to-the-polls drivers. I supervised voter registration, shuttle to the polls, earned media events, and leadership development efforts and achieved robust objectives, including 11,000+ registered voters and 3,000+ shuttle to the polls riders.
Development Officer, Equality Florida
Jan 2014 – Aug 2016
Equality Florida is the state's LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. For nearly three years, I served as Developed Office for five regions of the state; Orlando, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Gainesville, and Tallahassee. In this role, I expanded the development program and achieved regional goals of $15,000 - $200,000. I represented organization as spokesperson, including interviews with local and national media outlets and managed ten regional volunteer committees, 70+ successful events statewide annually. I also launched and supervised the $10 million fundraising effort in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, and advocated for inclusive victim services.
​​
Digital and Community Organizer, Florida CHAIN
Feb 2013 – Dec 2013
Florida CHAIN is the state's healthcare advocacy organization. As an organizer, I scheduled legislative visits, rallies, and health care fairs with lawmakers, consumers, and volunteers.I expanded and managed the organizations digital presence through advocacy platform, social media, and three websites. I designed custom-made and rapid response digital content on latest health care news and initiatives and educated the public on health care reform law through presentations, interviews, and opinion pieces. I served as one of the states youngest health insurance navigators during the roll out of the Affordable Care Act, working directly with uninsured Floridians to get them coverage.
Presidential Personnel Intern, The White House
Jan 2013 – May 2013
The Office of Presidential Personnel is tasked with finding the best and brightest Americans to serve as political appointees in President Obama's Administration. Serving as a White House Intern represents one of the most challenging and rewarding roles in my life. I executed multiple projects simultaneously requiring intense research, data entry, and compiling information from several sources to form clear and concise narratives as well as supported team of eight staff members with a wide array of assigned tasks and projects with immediate deadlines, included research, meeting preparation, and event logistics. I streamlined and maintained several extensive applicant databases for staff member portfolios and was honored to participate in the Professional Development Series and Speaker Series featuring senior White House officials.
​
Campaign Experience
Advisor & Finance Director, Carlos Guillermo Smith for Florida
Jun 2015 – Aug 2016
In this role I oversaw statewide fundraising strategy, including event logistics, donor recruitment, data management, and social media, guided candidate on messaging, campaign objectives, and policy stances, and mobilized and directed regional volunteer teams to generate grassroots support for candidate across the state and elect Florida's first openly LGBTQ+ Latino lawmaker.
​
Finance Director, Campaign to Re-Elect Rep. Joe Saunders
Sep 2013 – Nov 2014
As Finance Director to Florida House Representative Joe Saunders, I devised statewide fundraising strategy with receptions, call-time, emails blasts, and social media campaigns. I also engineered an extensive database with focus on data management and donor cultivation, and monitored contributions to ensure financial goals and reporting deadlines met. ​
Press and Research Assistant, Bill Nelson for Senate
Aug 2012 – Nov 2012
Following graduation, I joined the Bill Nelson for Senate team as one of the youngest staffers. As a Press and Research Assistant, I prepared and distributed daily morning news clips to Senator Nelson and campaign staff. I drafted news releases, advisories, statements, and other media-related materials and conducted opposition research including transcriptions, finance reports, and media monitoring, as well as assisted in debate prep.
Volunteer Leadership
Board of Directors, Organize Florida
Dec 2015 – Present
I volunteer for many nonprofits, and most notable serve on the Board of Directors for Organize Florida, a community-based, nonprofit member organization of low and moderate income people dedicated to the principles of social, racial, and economic justice and the promotion of an equal and fair Florida for all. In this role I direct large demonstrations via coalition partners, volunteer management, press coordination, and logistics, assist in achieving policy objectives, including passage of cannabis de-prioritization ordinance. and conduct membership trainings in areas of communications, community organizing, and fundraising.
​
Steering Committee, Equality Florida
Aug 2016 – Present
I serve on the Greater Orlando Steering Committee, assisting on local fundraising efforts, community engagement, and representing the organization at regional events.
Education
University of Central Florida
August 2013 - May 2016
​
Masters in Public Administration
Certificate in Nonprofit Management
​
I pursued my Master's degree while working full time, an incredibly challenging task. UCF's program allowed me to apply my real-world progressional experience to academia, and vice-versa. I also had the opportunity to participate in a graduate research team focused on refugee integration policies in Turkey and European Union, as well as complete a comprehensive Capstone Portfolio.
​
​
University of Central Florida
August 2008 - May 2012
​
Bachelors in Political Science
Bachelors in Sociology
​
As an undergraduate at UCF, I cut my teeth in advocacy and reached new heights in academics. I earned a dual degree in Political Science and Sociology, and was inducted into the Order of Pegasus, the highest honor bestowed upon a UCF graduate. I wrote and defended an undergraduate thesis and present my research at several conferences. As a student organizer, I served as a member of several student organizations, and most notably as President of the College Democrats at UCF. A the end of my term, the organization was recognized as one of the top student organizations for professional development and member engagement. ​
​
​
Recongition
Honors & Achievement
​​
-
Muslim Women Organizations GEMS Award Recipient (2017)
-
Orlando Weekly's "People We Love" edition (2017)
-
Orange Appeal Magazines “One of Central Florida’s Women of the Year” (2016)
-
University of Central Florida’s “30 Under 30” Alumni Awards (2016)
-
Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Award (2016)
-
St. Petersburg Blog “Florida’s 30 Under 30 Rising Starts in Florida Politics.” (2015)