Meet the 2011 NLC Fellows: Amy Gunderson

Amy Gunderson
Program Assistant, Gary and Mary West Foundation

Amy Gunderson is the program assistant at the Gary and Mary West Foundation. Her scope of work includes organizational and policy research, special project assistance, communications assistance and keeping staff abreast as to local policy issues and events that relate to the foundation’s areas of interest.

Relatively new to philanthropy, Amy spent two years at Casa Familiar, a community development organization located on the U.S. Mexico border. In her role as the community liaison, Amy organized community members around issues of community planning, the restructure of the port of entry, environmental health concerns and regional transit planning. She also worked to build collaborative relationships among the local school district, health and human service providers, businesses and public agencies.

Amy is a graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in international relations and minors in Spanish and international development. Amy has worked on municipal and state campaigns and has served on the San Ysidro Community Planning Group. Amy grew up in Mariposa, CA, a rural community located near Yosemite National Park. Amy looks forward to building relationships that will enable her to make an impact in the San Diego region.

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Note: This is part of an ongoing series introducing San Diego's 2011 fellowship class

Meet the 2011 NLC Fellows: Tiffany Gilmartin

Tiffany Gilmartin
Clinic Fellow, Thomas Jefferson Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic

Tiffany Gilmartin is the clinic fellow for the Thomas Jefferson School of Law Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic. The Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic provides primarily civil legal services to homeless veterans enrolled at Veterans Village San Diego. The legal services the veterans clinic provides help struggling veterans reintegrate into society by managing the crippling legal burdens their years living on the street incurred.

In the past, Tiffany was a “freeway flier,” teaching English at far-flung campuses across Southern California including California State University, San Bernardino and San Diego State. She tired of commuting for a living and settled in San Diego, where she taught at Southwestern College for a few years. Tiffany has degrees from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, the University of Southern California, and the University of Kentucky.

After college, Tiffany served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Latvia, teaching English as a Second Language. In her free time, Tiffany is an avid CrossFitter, an urban backyard farmer, and a homebrewer of beer. Tiffany currently resides in University Heights. She is from Saugus, California.

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Note: This is part of an ongoing series introducing San Diego's 2011 fellowship class.

Meet the 2011 NLC Fellows: Zach Goldman

Zach Goldman
Principal, Malk Sustainability Partners

Zach is a founder of Malk Sustainability Partners (MSP), a management consultancy focused on partnering with corporations to incorporate environmental values into business strategy. In this position, he has introduced executives across the health care, information communications technology and real estate sectors to best management practices and negotiated partnerships between clients and multi-national firms to draw on technical expertise.

Prior to joining MSP, Zach led client engagement as the business development manager at the Midtown Niki Group, a real estate private equity firm. He was responsible for developing client relationships and interfacing across their organization to guide transactions to successful conclusions. Zach co-developed Midtown Niki’s Green Finance program, where he helped Midtown Niki clients to build alliances with the US Green Building Council and leading technical experts.

Zach holds degrees in business administration and political science from the University of Southern California, is a US Green Building Council LEED Green Associate, and RABQSA Certified Competent in ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems. As an avid backpacker, triathlete, eco-challenge racer and amateur mountaineer, Zach is drawn to sustainability by a driving passion for the outdoors.

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Note: This is part of an ongoing series introducing San Diego's 2011 fellowship class

Meet the 2011 NLC Fellows: Amanda Allen

Amanda Allen
Attorney, Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley, LLP

Amanda is an associate attorney at Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley, LLP. She primarily works in the areas of real estate and business litigation and is currently expanding her role in land use practice. Amanda is active in the legal community as a member of the San Diego Lawyers Club, La Raza Lawyers of San Diego and the American Constitution Society.

Amanda graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in political science and public policy. She also played softball at UCLA, winning two NCAA Championships in 2003 and 2004. Amanda loved UCLA so much she stayed around for another three years and completed her law degree at the UCLA School of Law with a specialization in business law.

Amanda is a native San Diegan and returned immediately after finishing law school. Since finishing law school, she has been active in politics at the local, state and national level, most recently volunteering for the Howard Wayne campaign for city council. She aspires to continue her involvement in San Diego politics to continue to build a strong progressive community. In addition, Amanda is an avid runner and triathlete and member of the fantastic San Diego Track Club.

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Note: This is part of an ongoing series introducing San Diego's 2011 fellowship class

Learn more about the New Leaders Council in San Diego!

NLC Institute Applications:

Applications for the 2011 NLC Institute are open between September 1st and November 10th.

• To apply for the NLC Institute, visit https://www.newleaderscouncil.org/institute/apply.

• To nominate a progressive young professional for the NLC Institute, visit http://www.newleaderscouncil.org/institute/nominate.

• To learn more about the NLC Institute, visit http://www.newleaderscouncil.org/institute.

NLC San Diego Outreach Events:

The NLC in San Diego is hosting outreach events this fall to introduce the NLC institute. Our outreach events are an ideal time to hear more about the NLC, talk to board members and hear first-hand from graduates of the NLC.

NLC San Diego Informational Session
When: Tuesday, October 26th 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Where: Pannikin Coffee in Del Mar. 2670 Via De La Valle Del Mar CA 92001.
Contact: Katherine Field, katcon02@hotmail.com
RSVP Online: http://bit.ly/nlcsd10-26.

Attend a conference call to learn more about the New Leaders Council in San Diego

NLC San Diego Informational Conference Call
When: October 20, 2010, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Conference Dial-in Number: (424) 203-8400
Participant Access Code: 807796#
Contact: Carlos Marquez, cmarquez@thecentersd.org
RSVP Online: http://bit.ly/nlcsd10-20.

Directions for 2011 NLC Graduation

[Time and Date Available for Invitees]

UCSD

Village West, Building 1, 15^th Floor Terrace

Directions:

Head North (or South) on the I-5.

Take exit 29 for Genesee Ave

Head west onto Genesee Ave

Turn left onto N Torrey Pines Rd

Turn left onto Pangea Dr

Park at Pangea Parking Structure (At the Corner of Pangea Drive and Scholars Drive North)

Head by foot up Scholars Drive North to The Village West, Building 1

Enter the Village West, Building 1 on Schollars Drive, head to the 15^th Floor.

NLC Institute 2010 – Political Management

The New Leaders Council of San Diego (NLC) held its Political Management session on the April 10, 2010.

Management skills are an important part of leadership across all sectors. NLC Fellows spent a day learning about how political campaigns operate, and how non-profits and campaign managers organize their volunteers.

The training began with a presentation from Gayl Jaaskelainen, a veteran campaign manager who operates across California. Jaaskelainen gave Fellows the cold hard truth about running for office, and the significant sacrifices of time and agency one must make to the process.

As the former San Diego Political Director for the Clinton 1992 election, Jaaskelainen had her fair share of war stories to share. She had an anecdote for every issue, and she tied her points to real world examples.

During lunch, the Fellows took a tour of the Training Center for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569. Micah Mitrosky, Environmental Organizer with the IBEW explained how IBEW’s Training Trust provides apprentices with free tuition as they learn how to be skilled electricians. Through the apprenticeship program, the IBEW is creating sustainable middle class jobs for San Diego’s economy.

Mitrosky explained that IBEW’s electricians are trained on a number of energy-saving techniques that have significant environmental impacts. She took the Fellows on a tour of the IBEW’s rooftop solar installation, which provides a significant percentage of the Training Center’s energy needs.

After lunch, the Fellows heard from one of their own, Aaron Freiberg. Freiberg discussed how a voter file operates, and how campaigns can manage data related to their supporters. Freiberg walked the Fellows through VAN, a popular voter file program. He explained how the program managed data, how to construct a voter universe out of likely voters, and how to generate walk sheets and phone lists of voters to contact.

The final component to the day was a session on volunteer management. A panel of skilled volunteer coordinators discussed some best practices for motivating and recruiting volunteers. NLC Fellow Rhiannon Good discussed how she organizes people to do voter contact at Planned Parenthood. Micah Mitrosky discussed her experience mobilizing voters and activists around the Sunrise Powerlink project during her days as an organizer with the Sierra Club San Diego Chapter. Angela Moran discussed her work as the Transformation Through Service Director with the nonprofit Shakti Rising.

The discussion ranged from how to identify “super volunteers,” identifying what volunteers want out of their service, and what sorts of best practices managers can follow to encourage repeat volunteerism.