Most of the superhero talent is out in the states, but some of us get to run the Alliance HQ.
Whitney Celestin
Development & Grants Manager
She/Her/Hers
▼ In the Office
Prepare grant reports and proposals
Research and prospect new foundation funders based on Alliance network priorities
Support development staffers across Alliance network organizations
▼ Out of the Office
Rudy Garrett
Vice President of Capacity Building
She/Her/Hers
▼ In the Office
- Supporting the most powerful network of youth-led, grassroots organizations in the country.
- Working with the Alliance program, data, and advocacy teams to provide top-of-the-line services and support to our network.
- Connecting all Alliance departments to the capacity building team.
▼ Out of the office
- Cheering on the Chicago Sky.
- Perfecting her brownie recipe.
- Watching any show produced by the CW.
Dakota Hall
Executive Director
He/Him/His
▼ In the Office
- Hypes our incredible network of local youth-led organizations to fight for change
- Fights for the issues that young people care about the most
- Builds youth power nationally at this pivotal time in our country’s history
▼ Out of the office
- Hiking and visiting national parks
- Long road trips with his lonely Cancer spirit
- Engaging in the Marvel cinematic universe
Billy Koontz
Chief Financial Officer
He/Him/His
▼ In the Office
- Monitors and maintains organization-wide financial management systems to ensure financial reporting, analysis, and planning are on lock
- Develops internal financial systems, processes, and controls to keep the auditors happy
- Manages and tracks documentation, grant and contract agreements, and all the fun stuff to ensure the organization is ready to rock at all times
▼ Out of the Office
- Sings for 90 minutes during Newcastle United matches
- Always trying to find the best live music
- Could eat BBQ for every meal
Amit Mistry
Chief Impact Officer
He/Him/His
▼ In the Office
- Manages the Program and Data department heads, leading the coordination and completion of projects across departments
- Coordinates regular engagement and collaborative work between the network and the Alliance national team
- Works with network orgs to get them the right tools and systems to do their work more efficiently
▼ Out of the Office
- Figuring out how he can cheaply fly international business class anywhere
- Watching all of the Fast and the Furious movies to get over how Game of Thrones ended (still)
- Loudly proclaiming that Maryland is the greatest state
Kenny Myers
Director of Network Capacity
He/Him/His
▼ In the Office
- Serves as a liaison between our network and the rest of the Alliance staff
- Supports Alliance affiliates developing badass programs that deliver real wins and results for our generation
- Facilitates collaboration among the network for sharing best practices and lessons learned
▼ Out of the Office
- Will derail his travel path to ensure he can say hello to random dogs
- Obsesses over his National Parks passport stamps
- Avid nerd and board gamer
Marisa Slifka
Senior Operations Director
She/Her/Hers
▼ In the Office
- Manage seamless logistics to ensure everyone can get down to business at meetings
- Keeps internal systems tidy for a smooth day to day work environment
- Works to cultivate an inclusive and productive workspace for the whole team
▼ Out of the Office
- Emotionally invests in adult recreational soccer far too much
- Identifies with Buddy the Elf’s relationship to coffee and then falls asleep. Literally everywhere
- Peaked when compared to Park and Rec’s Jenn Barkley by a former student
Jordan Swanson
Operations Coordinator
She/They
▼ In the Office
- Supporting internal operations systems including the onboarding of new operations systems to ensure a smooth deployment.
- Supporting the Staff Professional Development program including identifying and promoting staff development opportunities.
- Collaborating in annual goals and budget for the Operations Department.
▼ Out of the Office
- Buying video games and forgetting to actually play them
- Putting stickers on as many things as humanly possible
- Making sure that everyone knows I’m a Virgo
Robyn Swirling
Chief of Staff
She/Her/Hers
▼ In the Office
- Overseeing big organization-wide projects and initiatives
- Leading all things internal management, performance and leadership development, and org culture
- Organizing the ideas, projects, people, time, and resources to keep the Alliance moving forward
▼ Out of the Office
- Cooking elaborate meals from her out of control cookbook collection
- Watching her pup run around their second home, the dog park
- Funding abortions and coordinating clinic escort volunteers
Kate Travis
Data Manager
She/They
▼ In the Office
- Support and foster organizations to build data capacity and carry out voter & community outreach
- Facilitate network-wide collaboration on data use and best practices
- Ensure the metrics and data are correct and in the right place
▼ Out of the Office
- Brainstorming ways to visit all of their friends in all of their far-flung places
- Entertaining / befriending / bending to the will of their household (and other) cats
- Experiencing more of their home state of Colorado each season whether by ski, hike, drive, or camp
Board
The Alliance for Youth Organizing have some awesomely brilliant and strategic advisors behind us. Our board[s] of directors are the kind of activists who’ve been getting it done for years — and they make sure the raucous and riotous Alliance stays on track and on mission. The arc toward justice is bent a lot farther because of their work.
The Board of Directors of the Alliance for Youth Organizing
Affiliates listed for identification purposes only.
Alexis Anderson-Reed
Executive Director, State Voices
Hernan Carvante
CEO and Founder, Healing Ninjas
Amy Faulring
Management Coach, The Management Center
Vaughn Frisby
Director of Individual Giving, SPUR
Amy Faulring, Secretary
Cathy Lerza, Treasurer
Philanthropic Advisor
Tatenda Musapatike
CEO and Founder, Voter Formation Project
Whitney Porter, Chair
Gisel Romero
Clinical Counselor, City Colleges of Chicago
Liba Wenig Rubenstein
Mollie Ruskin, Vice Chair
Digital Consultant