Gabriella and Maddie met in 2008, when they were hired by the Obama Campaign to work in Western Pennsylvania. They bonded over their shared commitment to public service, social justice, and engineering elaborate Facebook photo shoots. Gaby graduated from Princeton with a degree in comparative literature and is pursuing a career in journalism. She is a research editor at a travel magazine. Maddie graduated in 2009 from the University of Chicago, where she studied international relations and human rights. She currently works at a non profit and plans to attend law school.

You can reach the CASE duo at case [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Zachary Townsend is an associate at Bennett Midland LLC, a management consulting firm that works exclusively with public agencies, not-for-profits, and other civic organizations. He is also a partner at Blueline Campaigns, a political consulting firm, and has worked on NY State Senate, NY State Assembly, NYC Comptroller, Congressional, and Presidential campaigns. Previously, Zac interned with the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre. A former co-chair of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Human Trafficking, he has conducted state, national and international policy analysis on many facets of human trafficking. He is currently studying part-time for a Master of Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service, where he specializes in Financial Management and Public Finance. Zac earned a BA with honors in applied mathematics-economics and public policy from Brown University.

You can reach Zac at econ [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Sophia James, a native New Yorker, received her Master of Science in Educational Psychology from the School of Education, State University at Albany. With her strong background in education and youth development, she is dedicated to opening the dialogue on educational and juvenile justice issues. As a 2008 Fellow with the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, she recognized how policy can affect the lives of young people, and how it must be more responsive to the needs of young people. Sophia worked as a consultant with the Early Childhood Advisory Council at the NYS Council on Children & Families, working in areas of policy planning and strategy development to address and improve critical services for children and families throughout New York State. She uses her skills in these areas to assist in policy and campaign initiatives at the New York State Democratic Committee. She currently sits on the executive board of Phi Delta Kappa (NYU Chapter), an international organization for educators.

Sophia’s personal and professional journey cemented her conviction that she must work to advance the education of youth and create paths of educational opportunities for this population.

You can reach Sophia at education [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Kanem Johnson, a native of New Haven, CT graduated from Wesleyan University in 2004. He earned a BA in African American Studies with Political Science and History concentrations. While managing projects for New Haven’s Mayor John DeStefano, he found an overwhelming interest in leading a society rich in ideological diversity to taking progressive strides. This was just a microcosm of the world that we live and MYD provides the opportunity to take an active and leading role. He moved to New York shortly after graduation and now works for Citigroup. He is looking forward to a great 2010 and beyond with the bright and energetic members of MYD.

You can reach Kanem at foreign [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Carlos Cuevas is currently a graduate student at Columbia University where he is pursuing a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from the School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) and a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) from the Mailman School of Public Health. Carlos’ graduate coursework focuses on health care management and policy, with emphasis on quality improvement and cost efficiency. At Columbia, Carlos is the President of the Future Health Care Leaders and has worked as a student consultant with the United States Department of Defense to improve the Military Health System’s Patient Centered Medical Home model. Prior to his graduate studies, Carlos worked as a financial and managerial consultant to community health centers in New York City and as an analyst at a hedge fund in midtown Manhattan. A native New Yorker, Carlos, holds a Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University (Columbia College), where he was the recipient of the Charles Rolker Prize at graduation. Carlos is excited to be working with MYD health care committee in promoting the discussion, education and cooperation on issues pertaining to health.

You can reach Carlos at health [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Tony graduated from Wesleyan University with a major in Government and International Relations. While at Wesleyan, Tony was a Representative on the Student Assembly and an advocate for LGBT and first-generation students. During the summer of 2010, Tony served as the Campaign Manager for Mike DiSanto, a State Senate candidate in Southern Brooklyn. Currently, Tony is a Legal Assistant at a civil rights-focused firm. It is Tony’s goal to expand LGBT rights in New York and in the rest of the United States by strengthening the inclusion of the LGBT voice within the Democratic Party.

You can reach Tony at lgbt [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Josef moved to NYC in 2008 to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation for a Masters in Urban Planning. At Columbia, Josef focused on transportation and public policy and wrote a thesis on planning transit-oriented development for an aging population in the New York suburbs. He also helped found the Columbia Urban Planners an official Planning Student Organization recognized by the American Planning Association. Upon graduation in 2010, Josef won a Graduate Kinne Fellowship to study transportation planning in Australian cities. Josef currently works as a Transit Policy Analyst at Komanoff Energy Associates. He also serves as School Relations Coordinator for the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association. Josef volunteers with Planning Corps and Transportation Alternatives.

You can reach Josef at transport [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Heather B. James is a fellow at Rutgers University where she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on Women and Politics, American Politics and American Public Policy. Heather has served in various MYD volunteer capacities, most recently as Community Service Director and Secretary. She is also ED of the White Roof Project.

You can reach Heather at women [at] goMYD [dot] com.