“We intentionally change in ways that grow our capacity to embody the just and liberated worlds we long for.”
— adrienne maree brown
about me.
At my core, I am an organizer centering the power of bringing people together – a weaver that sees connections across organizations, people, ideas, and movements. I bring over 15 years of experience managing multi-sector projects, leadership development, and training at the graduate-level and in community spaces. Growing up in a difficult financial situation, including losing our family home, brought moments of tremendous shame; however, it also greatly informed the work I do and my approach to doing it. I have been a waiter, field director, housekeeper, consultant, board member, statewide project lead, fishing boat cleaner, union organizer, small business owner, and graduate school faculty member. I am uniquely adept at being creative with resources and connecting across differences. My passion and aliveness come from working to co-create systems rooted in equity, compassion, and mutuality.
I have had the pleasure of working with individuals, students, and groups on deepening their commitment for social change, and developing their practices to employ that commitment. I support individuals and organizations in the areas of:
Teaching by centering collaborative learning, trust-building, and critical dialogue among participants.
Managing multi-sector projects and events by adding efficiency, expertise, and capacity.
Leadership development through the lens of understanding power and privilege, interdependence, distributive decision-making, and ongoing self-reflection with accountability.
my values.
Resiliency
I foster practices to build resiliency, individually and collectively, to support moving from a place of resourcefulness.
Creativity
Imagination is central to creating new liberated worlds. I believe in fostering the creative space and time to allow our movements, relationships, and spirits to grow.
Integrity
I strive to live my values through my actions and behaviors, understanding the messiness and contradictions that exist in the work of social justice.
Transformation
I am committed to systemic change and working in solidarity with our movements for collective liberation. This requires both personal and collective transformation.
Connection
I center the importance of relationships across all aspects of this work. Fostering connection and trust seeds strong communities.
Curiosity
I lead with curiosity to help uncover what I may not know or understand or explore other ways of doing things.
testimonials.
“Andrea was a core team member for helping put on UC Berkeley's Labor Summer program. For orientation she designed curriculum and facilitated trainings, along with creating a cohesive plan for the research and legal track participants. Andrea co-led a supervisor training and facilitated several midsummer evaluation meetings with interns and host organizations. She provided support for interns and worked closely with Labor Center staff to fill gaps, anticipate challenges, and ensure that the program was a huge success. I recommend her without reservation.”
— Danielle Mahones, Director, Leadership Development Program, UC Berkeley Labor Center
“Andrea supported the Chinese Progressive Association on key research for our pilot workforce development program. She worked with an incredibly ambitious timeline to successfully complete a final report for us, building upon findings from our SRO Families United Collaborative survey and focus groups. She conducted meetings with 24 leaders/experts in the broader workforce development space and did industry research on the four industries that survey participants are interested in working in: homecare, childcare, hotel, and janitorial/custodial. She captured recommended best practices for the pilot based on the meetings with the leaders. She was thoughtful and thorough in her approach, I highly recommend Andrea and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with her again in the future.”
— Claire Lau, Senior Advocacy Manager, Chinese Progressive Association 華人進步會
“Andrea managed all aspects of a pioneering new research methodology for understanding working conditions and livelihoods for on-demand mobility workers in San Francisco. She was incredibly efficient, organized, and effective in managing a complex process with multiple data gatherers and a diverse research team of academic, public, and labor/community partners. She was an invaluable thought-partner, and always several steps ahead of where we needed to be. I would recommend her without reservation – it was a real joy working with her.”
– Chris Benner, Professor of Environmental Studies and Sociology & Director, Institute for Social Transformation UC Santa Cruz
“Andrea was a wonderfully conscientious colleague, and she was invaluable in: helping to foster a supportive and collaborative learning community, developing/co-creating thoughtful materials, consistently bringing a professional and high caliber of collaborative work, paying attention to the small details that help implement the broader vision, bringing a joyful attitude and being lots of fun to work with! I would gladly welcome the opportunity to work with her again in the future.”
— Loretta J. Ross, Associate Professor, Smith College
“Andrea has an impressive way to make space for everyone in the class. She’s patient, considerate, engaging and wicked smart. She had the best residencies of all of my time at PGS – they were dynamic– included 1-1 time with other students, guest speakers, lecture, group work, etc. She’s an incredible leader and PGS is lucky to have her! It was such a perfect way to end my time at PGS, and I look forward to staying in touch with her for years to come!”
— Kristen Albrecht, CSO + Director of Production & Operations, Ravel
“These trainings were foundational and transformational. I really appreciated the opportunity to participate. Thank you for holding space for us to share and be vulnerable with one another. It deepened our ability to learn, grow and connect. Finally, thank you for bringing love into the conversation! Such an awesome experience!”
— Rachael Staudt, Founder and designer, FiberGirl Designs and Project Squeeble