Ria Sengupta Bhatt is Founder and Principal Consultant at Mandala Strategies, where she brings over 20 years of expertise at the intersections of the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and public policy. Throughout her consulting career, Ria has partnered with a diverse array of clients, including foundations, universities, nonprofits, and research organizations. Her work spans launching new programs, developing strategy, assessing impact, and conducting applied research. In addition to her consulting work, Ria has held various leadership roles within philanthropy and policy advocacy. Ria served as founding Director of Public Policy at College Futures Foundation for 4+ years, and was deputy director at California Competes, a policy research and advocacy organization focused on improving higher education and workforce outcomes. Ria holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and a B.A. in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Christa Brown is the Director of State Policy and Advocacy at the San Francisco Foundation. Christa guides and supports the Foundation’s work on housing, economic inclusion, and racial justice- and helped lead the Foundation’s work on accelerating an equitable recovery. Christa brings experience leading policy, power building, and systems change efforts both locally and statewide. Prior to joining the Foundation, Christa helped launch the San Francisco Financial Justice Project at the City and County of San Francisco, a first-of-its-kind effort to work with advocates, organizers, and government to eliminate unjust fines and fees that strip wealth and resources from low-income communities of color. Christa’s research and work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, NPR, and other local and national outlets. 

Christa has a Master’s in Public Administration from the Goldman School of Public Policy. While not working, Christa can be found exploring Oakland’s hiking trails with her dog and baby, or searching for the best spots for dinner. 

Ruben E. Canedo (he/they) currently serves dual roles as Director of Strategic Equity Initiatives within UC Berkeley’s Division of Equity & Inclusion, and Co-Director of Education & Training for the University of California Essential Needs Consortium (UCENC). 

In 2012-2013, Ruben was appointed to the dual roles of Chair of the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Committee and then, in 2013-2014, Co-Chair of the UC Systemwide Basic Needs Committee. In 2023-2024, Ruben co-founded the UCENC, which exists within the larger Center for Economic Justice & Action. These combined efforts serve over 70,000 unique undergraduate and graduate students across the 10 University of California campuses per academic year.

Beyond UC, Ruben is a co-founder and facilitator of the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance that unites and coordinates basic needs efforts across all campuses and statewide offices of California’s public higher education segments. This alliance represents over 2 million college students in the state of California, specifically to improve their basic needs experiences coming into, moving through, and preparing for their lives beyond their final degree.

Lastly, Ruben is a Co-Founder and inaugural Coordination Committee member of the recently launched National Coalition for College Student Essential Needs, currently in over 20 states across the country.

Shruti Garg joined the Irvine Foundation as a Program Officer in June 2021. She brings extensive experience as a grantmaker, capacity builder, and consultant. Deeply committed to advancing organizational resiliency, Shruti has advised nonprofits through her independent consulting practice and her work at the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and continues to serve as a trusted thought partner to many organizations. 

Previously, she led membership engagement at Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and managed a grantmaking portfolio at the Open Society Foundations, supporting organizations focused on immigrant rights, racial justice, and low-wage worker advocacy. Shruti holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Southern California. She proudly serves on the boards of the National Immigration Project, New Left Accelerator, and The Capacity Shop. 

Queena Hoang (she/her) is the Senior Program Manager for Michelson 20MM Foundation’s Student Basic Needs initiative. The initiative aims to tackle the real cost of college, especially the non-tuition costs that place students in positions of housing insecurity, homelessness, food insecurity, and overall financial instability. Prior to joining Michelson 20MM, Queena worked at the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice providing technical assistance and institutional coaching to colleges around the country. She’s also served as a practitioner for over 10 years working directly with students of color, first-generation college students, former foster youth, and undocumented students. Queena completed her doctorate in educational leadership at the USC Rossier School of Education, focusing her research on creating an equity framework around housing and food insecurity within higher education.

Kyle Lierman is the CEO of Civic Nation, a nonprofit impact hub for ideas, leaders and initiatives working to strengthen civic culture, civic power, and civic participation. Civic Nation currently runs the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, We The Action, and When We All Vote. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Amanda Brown Lierman, and their three daughters. Lierman also serves as the Chair of the Maryland Commission on Service and Volunteerism. 

He has spent his career launching and leading organizations that engage communities in the fight to make the world a better place. He joined Civic Nation as CEO after building Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote and merging the two organizations. Prior to this, he spent six years working in the Obama White House as a Senior Policy and Engagement Advisor, during which time he led the White House’s efforts to engage with young Americans, education leaders, and stakeholders from the sports world. Kyle got his start in politics and public service as an organizer with the 2008 Obama for America campaign.

As Program Director, College Success, Monica Martinez leads strategies and partnerships for achieving the Haas Jr Fund’s goal of leveling the playing field in higher education and reducing the financial barriers to a college degree in California. A first-generation college student with a Ph.D. from New York University, Monica joined the Fund in 2023 with extensive experience building and managing initiatives and programs focused on equity and innovation in education at all levels. Most recently, she served as director of strategic initiatives with the Learning Policy Institute, where she played a crucial role in a groundbreaking national effort to broaden the use of alternative assessments to expand access in college admissions in California and nationwide. She has been appointed by two California governors to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing; she also was named to the White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics by President Barack Obama.

Karla Mercado serves as Vice President of Philanthropy California, the statewide alliance of Northern California Grantmakers (NCG), Southern California Grantmakers (SCG), and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties (Catalyst). In this role, Karla leads efforts to align the strategic priorities and collective impact of the three regional philanthropy-serving organizations, ensuring that funders across California can collaborate effectively on shared goals in public policy, programming, and systems change. With a focus on advancing equity, collaboration, and responsive philanthropy, Karla works to strengthen the statewide infrastructure that supports funders’ engagement in critical issues affecting California’s communities. She oversees Philanthropy California’s statewide initiatives. By connecting funders with policymakers, community leaders, and peers, Karla helps position philanthropy as a trusted partner in shaping a more just and inclusive California. In addition to her statewide responsibilities, Karla leads Southern California Grantmakers’ public policy work, where she directs advocacy, learning, and funder mobilization around key regional priorities. Her leadership bridges the local and statewide levels, helping to translate policy opportunities into tangible philanthropic action and fostering deeper collaboration across geographies and issue areas.