Amy Everitt serves as the President of Golden State Opportunity, a leading, California-based anti-poverty organization.

Prior to joining GSO, Amy spent nearly seventeen years working to ensure that everyone could have a family if, when, and with whom they wanted as the Vice-President of Special Projects at NARAL Pro-Choice America and as the State Director for NARAL Pro-Choice California. Amy launched NARAL's first, innovative, multi-level corporate engagement initiative to educate, engage, and mobilize the corporate sector to support reproductive freedom. Amy led, with other stakeholders, the unprecedented and historic Don't Ban Equality declaration that secured more than 360 CEO signatures in support of the business case for reproductive freedom. Under her leadership, California successfully regulated anti-choice fake women's health centers to hold them accountable for their false advertising.

Amy has worked on campaigns throughout California including Kamala Harris for San Francisco District Attorney, Kathleen Brown for Governor, San Francisco Supervisor Willie B. Kennedy, and numerous state assembly and senate races. While at the Democratic National Committee, she focused on redistricting, establishing the first Rural Caucus and electing Mark Warner Governor of Virginia, Jim McGreevy Governor of New Jersey, Kathleen Sebelius Governor of Kansas, Dave Freudenthal Governor of Wyoming and re-electing the North Dakota federal delegation in 2002.

Outside of politics, she lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for three years, serving as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce of HCMC and as a freelance journalist for the Vietnam Business Journal and the Vietnam Investment Review. Amy was also the Country Manager at the U.S. Trade & Development Agency for Southeast Asia, bridging business opportunities for American companies with infrastructure needs in developing countries.

Amy currently sits on the Board of the Center for Civic Engagement and is active with the Silicon Valley DemFems. Previously, she served as the Board Chair for Emerge California, Board Chair for the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council, and on the Steering Committee for the Civil Rights Coalition of California.

She is a 5th generation Californian with deep roots in San Francisco and Newman, CA who attended UC Santa Cruz (BA, Politics) and UC San Diego, School of Global Policy & Strategy (MPIA). She currently lives in Burlingame with her three kids and, more often than not, with her nephew-dog, Eddy.

Andy Rodriguez is the Organizing Manager for Golden State Opportunity, working with grantee organizations and elected officials in Los Angeles to promote CalEITC4Me and reduce poverty among California’s working families.

Prior to joining GSO, he was the Youth Development director at Bresee Foundation. Andy is experienced in non-profit management, with a track record of success in leading and directing community-focused initiatives in Los Angeles. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to social justice and has dedicated his career to improving the lives of those in his community through his work in the non-profit sector. With his expertise in community organizing and program development, Andy has made a significant impact on the organizations he has served, working to build stronger and more equitable communities throughout the city.

Brandon Serna serves as our Community Organizing Fellow for Golden State Opportunity, where he supports community outreach events.

Currently based in the San Fernando Valley, Brandon is an accounting student at Los Angeles Valley College; his career goal is to become a certified public accountant with an emphasis in tax preparation. He believes that actively helping out the community is the best way to build public trust and get involved in current social issues. Besides advocacy work and schooling, he enjoys spending time with his family, learning new food spots in his community, and reading books on psychology.

Cayla McCrae is the Designer and Web Manager at Golden State Opportunity where she manages our websites and designs all collateral materials for both GSO and our signature education and outreach program CalEITC4Me.

Prior to joining GSO, she spent eight years working in branding and communications at mission-driven organizations including the American Red Cross, Denim Day, and Doctors Without Borders. She specializes in design practices that are trauma-informed and human-centered, often working cross-discipline with organizers, educators, writers, developers, ethnographers, craftspeople and others.

Cayla is an alum of Art Center College of Design and UCLA’s Design | Media Arts program.

Citlalli Lizárraga is the CalEITC+ Project Manager at Golden State Opportunity where she manages the schedule of our President and assists our Operations Director.

Prior to joining GSO, Citlalli worked in nonprofit development for three years. She is a Northern California native and graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BS in International Business.

Citlalli loves to help people and volunteers at the Alameda Community Food Bank. She enjoys traveling, finding new food spots and exploring nature areas in the Bay Area.

Denise is the Senior Manager of Finance & Administration at Golden State Opportunity, where she manages human resource functions for the GSO team.

Prior to joining GSO, Denise was the Senior Operations Manager at Schaffer&Combs, a search and strategy consultancy dedicated to the purpose driven sector. She’s also worked for ING, Banc of America Securities, and Liz Claiborne.

A longtime PTA member, Denise previously served as Board Financial Secretary, Board Treasurer, and Chair of DogFest, a fundraiser that raised $100,000 for her children’s elementary school. She’s also the Troop Leader and Treasurer of her daughters’ Girl Scout Troop.

Denise is a New Jersey native, who earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the American University in Washington, D.C. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and three daughters, their budgie, Kiwi, and their dog, Baxter.

Emily is returning to GSO as Distributed Organizing Fellow following two terms as Fellows Lead. With the knowledge and experience gained from the program, she supports the SoCal team in texting incentives and volunteer recruitment. Before joining GSO, Emily worked as Front Office Specialist and Peer Advocate at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Pasadena. As a fierce supporter of reproductive rights, she lobbied in DC to democratize access to care. Emily hails from Knoxville where she studied Journalism and Cinema Studies at the University of Tennessee.

Esperanza (Espe) serves as the Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer for Golden State Opportunity where she oversees the communications team and develops effective communications and marketing strategies.

Prior to joining GSO, Espe served as Vice President for HPA Strategies where she helped clients tell their stories in unique ways through innovative communications, marketing, and public relations. She also worked with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) planning public and community relations programs for the Hetch Hetchy Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) and served as the director for Safeway’s northern California public affairs programs.

Espe earned her MA in International Affairs and Latin American Studies from George Washington University and her BA in International Relations and French from the University of San Diego. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Gemma Berry is an innovative leader in nonprofit development who combines her passion for humanitarian and social justice causes to advance the mission of the nonprofit organizations she serves. She enjoys creating meaningful opportunities for donors to engage and connect with her and the organizations she serves so they can make a big impact through their generosity.

Most recently, Gemma served as Senior Community Philanthropy Manager for The Trevor Project where she helped lead the mid-level team in raising $8.5M annually in support of its mission. She has a reputation for building strong donor relationships and securing significant gifts for advancement.

A former Princeton Fellow with a criminal justice background, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies and English from The CUNY Grad Center’s Baccalaureate Program for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies. She earned her master’s degree in English from Rutgers University- New Brunswick where she was a doctoral fellow from 2007-2011. In early 2023, Gemma was made a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley via there GTU affiliate.

Gemma began her career in development at the University of Miami as part of then President Donna Shalala's Momentum2 campaign. Shalala served in both the Carter and Clinton administrations as well as in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. At UM, Gemma helped compose key proposals that assisted the team in raising more than $1.6 billion dollars eight months ahead of deadline.

Gemma is an avid supporter of the arts and a fixture of her city’s arts and cultural scenes. She is a big-time foodie, Francophile, coffee drinker, music, dog and nature lover.

Jamie is the Narrative Media Strategist for Golden State Opportunity where she creates social media content and manages six accounts across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Prior to joining GSO, Jamie managed social media strategy and communications for San Joaquin Memorial High School and West Hills Community College District where she crafted award-winning social media campaigns. She also worked as a reporter for the Coalinga Recorder.

Jamie earned her MA in Strategic Communications from Washington State University, her BA in English from UC Berkeley, and earned a professional certificate in Digital Marketing from CSU Fullerton. She lives in Clovis and enjoys spending time with her husband, camping, and sampling new restaurants.

Jordan is the Programs Assistant at Golden State Opportunity. Jordan was previously a Distributed Organizing Fellow and Policy Fellow, where he worked with the policy department in their pursuit of providing Californians with the services needed to find peace and thrive.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jordan graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Literature. He hopes to one day fully understand the full implementation of the arts as a means of substantially healing the wounds of the world.

Jose Quezada is the Organizer, Southern California in Riverside County for Golden State Opportunity.

Prior to joining Golden State Opportunity, he worked for ACLU California Action as the Power Building & Legislative Operations associate where he helped to advance civil rights and civil liberties at the State Capitol for all Californians. He has worked on many civil liberty issues from immigrant’s rights to economic justice to uplift all communities in the state.

A southern California native he graduated from the University of California Davis with a major in political science with an emphasis on public policy. He began working as a community organizer in Sacramento in 2014 where he learned the importance of grassroots advocacy. Having grown up in Riverside, He is now the regional organizer for Golden State Opportunity in his hometown.

Lindsay Cooper Martin is the Chief Operating Officer at Golden State Opportunity. With over 25 years of experience, Lindsay has served the non-profit sector in executive leadership and consulting roles. Most recently she was part of the founding team of ACLU California, a 501c4 organization focused on advancing and protecting civil rights and civil liberties in California, overseeing governance, finance, administration, legal, human resources, operations and organizational advancement.

As a consultant, her clients have included Grace Cathedral, Longwood Gardens, Kennedy Center, Museum of the American Revolution, the Studio Museum in Harlem, SFMOMA, and the Smithsonian. She also served as Deputy Director for the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio and the Director of Administration at the Hammer Museum at UCLA.

She has degrees in Political Science-Public Service and Art History from UC Davis where she was also an ArtsBridge Scholar teaching arts education in Title One public schools.

Luis Ortiz is a Distributed Organizing Fellow at Golden State Opportunity where he communicates with Californians about available public benefits and collaborates with the Distributed Organizing Manager to develop future texting campaigns. He previously served as a GSO Mobile Organizer and Rapid Response Organizing Fellow.

Born in Palmdale and currently living in Upland, Luis earned his M.S. in Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona. He is a New England Patriots fan at heart and enjoys building gaming computers. 

Malia Bert is the Organizer, Northern California in the Bay area for Golden State Opportunity. She works to empower underserved communities by advocating for financial stability and economic equity. With extensive experience in community outreach, event management, and education, Malia is dedicated to creating lasting change through impactful programs and initiatives.

Prior to joining Golden State Opportunity, she served in leadership roles at another organization, spearheading projects like youth empowerment programs, community wellness programs, and cultural celebrations. Her background also includes experience in early childhood education and supporting survivors of domestic violence through administrative and outreach roles.

Malia is passionate about mentoring, fostering creativity, and building vibrant, inclusive communities.

Patricia is the Executive Assistant to the Office of the President. Patricia has over 20 years of experience supporting executives, partners and senior executives across a range of industries. Outside of her professional life, Patricia enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, indulging in her love for shopping and cooking. She enjoys giving back through community service initiatives, and she is passionate about serving and helping the unhoused community. She also partners with her husband in providing marital counseling and mentoring young couples.

Patricia brings a unique blend of expertise, dedication and a personal approach making her an invaluable asset to the executive team.

Ryan is the Deputy Director of Integrated Campaigns for Golden State Opportunity where he oversees our online and offline organizing, digital campaigns, and data projects.

Prior to joining GSO, he ran digital advocacy, fundraising and organizing campaigns for progressive, non-profit organizations for more than ten years.

Ryan earned a BA in Environmental Analysis from Pomona College. He lives in Oakland with his wife, his cats, and his dog and loves all things outdoors and urban gardening.

As the Senior Digital Organizer at Golden State Opportunity, Taylor Jackson uses innovative digital strategies to promote economic mobility and build collective power.

Prior to joining Golden State Opportunity, Taylor has led initiatives to address systemic barriers and empower workers. She mobilized communities in Southern California to advocate for Senate Bill 16, which expands local enforcement of civil rights protections in housing and employment which passed. In North Carolina, she collaborated with unions, policymakers, and grassroots organizations to enhance worker protections and improve job quality through comprehensive labor programs. As part of the Black Census Project 2023, Taylor built and executed a strategy to amplify voices in the nation’s largest survey of its kind since Reconstruction.

Having grown up in three countries, Taylor has gained firsthand insight into economic disparities across diverse contexts, shaping her deep commitment to systemic change. Her global perspective drives her passion for crafting equitable solutions, and through her role, she remains dedicated to advancing economic equity and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Vanessa Orozco is the Legislative Advocate at Golden State Opportunity.

Prior to joining GSO, Vanessa has worked in the political arena for several years in both the public and private sector. She most recently worked for an Assemblymember at the California State Capitol as a Legislative Aide. She is a Northern California native and graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration and a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies.

Vanessa lives in Sacramento with her partner and two cats, Toast and Bagel. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and all things outdoors.