Program Staff

Kalima Rose, Senior Director and Director of the PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity, works with the infrastructure team to steer resources for transportation, housing, and key amenities to communities of opportunity. Rose helps local and statewide groups implement economic stimulus funds for greater workforce participation and new investments in underserved communities. Since 2005, Rose has led the organization’s Gulf Coast recovery work, collaborating with community organizations to shape the equitable rebuilding of New Orleans and Louisiana. With a decade of housing and land use policy expertise, Rose created the PolicyLink Equitable Development Toolkit, an online resource that highlights best social equity practices. Rose has a degree in narratives and culture from the University of California, Berkeley, and serves on the boards of many organizations, including Housing California and First Peoples Fund. (full bio) 

Mildred Thompson, Senior Director and Director of the PolicyLink Center for Health and Place, leads the organization's health team. As part of her work, her conducts research focused on understanding community factors that impact health disparities, and identifies practice and policy changes needed to improve individual, family, and community health. She has authored several reports and journal articles focused on reducing health disparities, increasing awareness about social determinants of health, and effective ways to impact policy change. Prior to joining PolicyLink, she was director of Community Health Services for the Alameda County Public Health Department; director for Healthy Start, a federal infant mortality reduction program; and director of San Antonio Neighborhood Health Center. Thompson has degrees in nursing and psychology and an MS in social work from New York University. She has also taught at Mills College and San Francisco State University, and has worked as an organizational development consultant. Thompson speaks frequently on health and place issues and serves on several boards and commissions including The Zellerbach Family Foundation and The Institute of Medicine’s Health Disparities Roundtable. (full bio)

Radhika K. Fox, Federal Policy Director, coordinates the organization’s federal legislative agenda. She works with Congress, the Administration, key federal agencies, and partner organizations to ensure the voices of low-income people and communities of color are central to policy debates in Washington, DC. Fox previously worked on promoting equitable affordable housing strategies and bringing shared prosperity to the nation’s older industrial cities. Fox also provides technical assistance, training, and policy development support to local and state equity coalitions. Fox has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and masters’ degree in city and regional planning from the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a HUD Community Development Fellow. (full bio)

Rebecca Flournoy, Associate Director, leads research, policy analysis, capacity-building, and advocacy efforts to improve community environments in ways that support good health. Her work focuses on ensuring equitable access to high quality and affordable healthy food, as well as healthy school and housing environments, clean air, appealing and safe opportunities for physical activity, and other components of healthy communities. Flournoy has over 15 years of experience in public health, and holds an MPH from the University of Michigan. Before joining PolicyLink, Flournoy was a researcher at the Kaiser Family Foundation, collaborating on survey projects with reporters at The Washington Post and National Public Radio. (full bio)

Mary Lee, Associate Director, is a member of the PolicyLink health team, providing research, technical assistance and training to public and private agencies collaborating to build healthy communities. Lee is a practicing attorney with more than 25 years of experience working on civil rights, land use and economic development strategies to revitalize neighborhoods and enhance public participation in the policy arena. Her expertise includes affordable housing, job creation and redevelopment law. She has been an adjunct professor of law and teaches public policy and civil rights courses at the college level. Lee is a graduate of Boalt Hall School of Law, U. C. Berkeley. (full bio)

Rubén Lizardo, Associate Director, leads equitable public investment efforts to ensure public investments in infrastructure generate community benefits. His work includes research and public education, training and technical assistance to strengthen community and civic participation in decision-making, and working with public officials to develop investment strategies and policies that further equity and economic vitality.  Prior to joining PolicyLink, he was the capacity-building director of California Tomorrow, where he led advocacy, training, and technical assistance efforts to address diversity and equity issues. He also served as director of the Community Planning and Economic Development Program at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.  He is a former president of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission and was awarded The California Wellness Foundation’s California Peace Prize for his work to address root causes of youth violence.  He currently serves on the boards of Californians for Justice and Justice Matters. (full bio)

Amanda M. Navarro, Associate Director, works with regional and national partners to build healthy communities through environmental and policy change. She provides research, technical assistance, and training on collaborative, multi-field strategies to improve community environments particularly in low income communities and communities of color. Before joining PolicyLink, she worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coordinating several programmatic and research activities related to health disparities, social determinants of health, community health promotion, and the impact of acculturation and mental health on chronic disease. She holds a BA from Vassar College, a MPH from Boston University, and a DrPH from the University of Texas School of Public Health-Houston. (full bio)

Melanie Tervalon, Associate Director, supports the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and PolicyLink partnership to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015, and works on multiple health and place initiatives for the Policylink Center for Health and Place. With over 30 years of experience, Tervalon brings a wide range of expertise. Her previous experience includes crafting strategic plans for program and funding initiatives; providing expert knowledge in the field of culture, race, ethnicity, and identity in health and health services; guiding leaders or teams from ideas to implementation while modeling participatory processes; and synthesizing large amounts of often disparate information for use in organizational planning or redirection. Tervalon received her MD from University of California--San Francisco (UCSF), her MPH from the University of California--Berkeley, completed a health policy fellowship at UCSF, and is a board certified pediatrician.

Nicole Boucher, Senior Development Associate, contributes to the management and advancement of grant fund development activities.  Previously, she supported PolicyLink projects on equitable development in older core cities and assisted in the development of public policy strategies to improve affordable housing and transportation options.  Prior to PolicyLink, Boucher developed and implemented programs and services for low-income housing communities in East and West Oakland.  Boucher earned her BA in women's studies from San Francisco State University.  

Chione L. Flegal, Senior Associate, works to ensure that infrastructure policy promotes social, economic, and environmental equity. She leads PolicyLink efforts to address infrastructure disparities in low-income unincorporated communities in California’s San Joaquin Valley and to promote equitable solutions to climate change. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Flegal managed Latino Issues Forum’s Sustainable Development program and directed the organization’s environmental health and justice work. Flegal advises the California Air Resources Board on the implementation of climate policy by serving on the AB 32 Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. She holds a Masters in City Planning and a BS in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley. (full bio)

Anita Hairston, Senior Associate, based in Washington DC, works on transportation policy. She advances PolicyLink priorities that relate to promoting equitable and fair infrastructure investments, with a particular focus on surface transportation. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Anita spent six years with the Washington, DC Office of Planning, where she served first as a Community Planner, working on neighborhood and citywide plans and ultimately as the Chief of Staff, providing leadership to the agency’s media activities, legislative initiatives, and several of its major projects. She has also worked as a planning consultant on several projects, including a regional smart growth plan for the San Francisco Bay Area. Anita holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Shireen Malekafzali, Senior Associate, is a member of the health team working to create environmental and policy changes aimed at addressing health disparities.  She provides research, technical assistance, and training to collaborative efforts intended to create health-enabling environments for all. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Malekafzali worked with the San Francisco Department of Public Health on a land use and health team, developing area-based methodology to measure the impacts of land use projects and policies on health. She also analyzed urban planning policies and conducted a community health impact assessment.  She taught environmental health and research methods at San Francisco State University and holds a BS in environmental studies from University of California--Santa Barbara and an MPH from San Francisco State University. (full bio)

Ron Stief, Senior Associate, organizes a grassroots equity advocacy network and movement seeking changes in the policy arena. He maintains relationships with state and local organizations, provides networking opportunities for members of the online EquityNow community, and contributes to the field strategy and issue advocacy agenda of PolicyLink. Stief is an ordained minister and was formerly the Director of the Washington, DC office of the United Church of Christ, a progressive mainline denomination. He holds masters in Ethics and in Religion, and has written and spoken widely on racial justice, poverty, economic policy, civic engagement, faith and politics, and community economic development.

Sarah Treuhaft, Senior Associate, researches and writes on a variety of equitable development topics including the use of information technology tools for community building, regional equity strategies, economic development, and healthy neighborhood environments. She also provides data and mapping analysis for PolicyLink projects. Treuhaft holds a MS in city planning and a MS in international and area studies from the University of California, Berkeley. (full bio)

Erin Hagan, Program Associate, is a member of the health team working to advance health equity by improving access to healthy living opportunities in low-income communities and communities of color. Her project focus is the RWJF Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity, under which she assists in providing technical assistance and conducting research and analysis on environmental and policy change strategies to help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. Erin’s background is in research and the development, coordination, and implementation of community based programs to increase healthy active living among children.  She holds a B.S. in nutrition and fitness from the University of Missouri, an MBA from Seton Hall University, and a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Connecticut.

Allison Hagey, Program Associate, is a member of the health team and food access team, where she works to advance policy promoting health, social, and economic equity. She focuses on promoting strategies to improve health and counteract obesity, including improving access to healthy food and advancing policies promoting healthy neighborhood environments. Hagey holds a MPH from the University of California, Berkeley and a JD from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jme McLean, Program Associate, aims to advance collaborative, multi-field strategies to improve community environments for health.  Focusing on land use, transportation, and community development approaches to build healthy communities for all, her work involves program development and implementation, policy analysis, research, writing, technical assistance, and training.  McLean brings expertise in health impact assessment, community indicators development, disparities prevention research, and programming from years working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.  She holds masters degrees in city planning and public health from UC Berkeley, where she was a foreign language area studies fellow in Mandarin Chinese, and earned her BA from Middlebury College. 

Marc Philpart, Program Associate, a member of the health and federal policy teams working closely with partners to highlight policy opportunities to advance equity. On the health team, Philpart is actively engaged in an initiative that addresses the multi-faceted challenges facing men and boys of color. With the federal policy team, Philpart conducts research and policy analysis for the equitable implementation of federal policies and resources at state and local levels. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Philpart worked in the president’s office at PATH, a non-profit global health organization. He holds masters degrees in public affairs and public health from the University of Washington in Seattle and earned his BA in History from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Solana Rice, Program Associate, researches the implementation of federal policies related to building and sustaining healthy communities and also contributes to data and mapping analysis for many PolicyLink issue areas. She has a background in planning, community development, and asset-building strategies. Prior to PolicyLink, Rice worked as a comprehensive planner with the St. Louis County Department of Planning where she helped develop the County’s strategic plan, facilitated interdepartmental County policies, and coordinated community-level organizing. Rice holds an MCP in city planning from MIT and a BA in architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.

Melissa Saavedra, Program Associate, researches and writes on a broad array of issues in support of CEO and founder Angela Glover Blackwell. In addition to developing material for Blackwell’s speaking engagements, Saavedra also acts as a liaison between Blackwell and national and community partner organizations.  Previously, Saavedra served as a program fellow on the community health team at The San Francisco Foundation – overseeing grant-making for community health organizations and coordinating training for the FAITHS Youth Leadership Program. 

Erika Bernabei, Research Associate, researches and writes on interagency, collaborative, and equity-focused policy change. She works on the Promise Neighborhoods Institute, which is a resource for communities that are working to advance opportunity and academic achievement for children and their families. Prior to joining PolicyLink, she worked on youth justice issues at the Vera Institute of Justice and in the housing division at Legal Aid in Oakland, CA. Bernabei holds a BA in political science theory and pan-African studies from Barnard College, and an MA in politics and education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Cynthia Bazan, Senior Program Assistant, coordinates the offices of the president and chief finance officer and provides administrative, research, and program support for the Convergence Partnership. Previously, Bazan worked as a biologics data steward for a birth defects research organization in Berkeley, California where she acted as a liaison between health study participants, researchers, and funders. 

Cara Carrillo, Senior Program Assistant, provides administrative, research, and program support for teams working on equitable infrastructure investment, climate change, and federal policy engagement. Prior to joining PolicyLink, she worked to promote educational equity at Marin Education Fund in San Rafael, CA. Cara holds a BA in sociology/anthropology from Mills College.                               

Jennifer Gaynor, Senior Development Assistant, provides administrative, research, and development support to the director of Development and Planning. She coordinates fundraising correspondence, grant reporting, and foundation and individual donor cultivation.  Gaynor also manages and leads staff trainings on the organization’s fundraising database.  Prior to joining PolicyLink, she worked in marketing and event planning for Wind River, a software company based in Alameda, California.

Niva Ayodele Flor, Program Assistant, provides administrative, research, and program support to PolicyLink projects that focus on Louisiana and Gulf Coast recovery. Prior to joining PolicyLink she worked as an administrative analyst and program coordinator for the Marin City Community Services District. Flor holds a BA in music from Spelman College, an MA in ethnomusicology from the University of California--Los Angeles, and is currently a PhD candidate in ethnomusicology at UCLA. Her dissertation focuses on the use of music in the promulgation of black identity and cultural tourism in Salvador, Bahia Brazil.

Emma Sarnat, Program Assistant, works directly with the vice president for civic engagement at PolicyLink, providing research, administrative, and program support on projects such as The Black Latino Summit, Civic Engagement Learning Year, and Men and Boys of Color. Additionally, she supports the health team’s focus on building healthy communities. Sarnat has a BA in law and society with a minor in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Amber Washington, Program Assistant, assisted with the development and management of a major health disparities convening in 2007 and served as a event coordinator for Regional Equity 08. Washington has a background in production coordination with media outlets in Los Angeles and has also planned recruitment and retention events for African American students at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a BA in American studies.

Ariana Zeno, Program Assistant, provides administrative, research, and program support for PolicyLink projects on equitable infrastructure investment and civic engagement. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Zeno worked as a bilingual paralegal at an immigration law firm, focusing on issues of social justice, equity, and the right to public space in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Zeno holds a BA in American studies with a concentration in African American studies from Wesleyan University.