Members of the Northern California Alumni Council at the Bay Area Alumni Night in September 2026.
A couple weeks ago, leaving a Muni station, I ran into a Fellows Program alum on her way to trivia — with her friends from Coro, though she graduated a dozen years ago and 3,000 miles away. Some version of this happens nearly every time I see alumni: “I got together with five alums at last week’s housing conference,” or: “My cohort’s monthly dinner is on Sunday,” or: “I met with someone on this new bill; once we realized we were Coro alumni, we dropped the small talk and rolled up our sleeves.” Since my own graduation from the Fellows Program, this network has given me some of my deepest friendships, most resonant conversations, and more than one introduction that turned into a job offer.
Needless to say, in early 2025, I leapt at the opportunity to help launch the Alumni Council and bring the Coro network together. Over the course of last year, I spoke with 50+ alumni from different programs, backgrounds, and perspectives, across the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, each of whom contributed to what would become the Council. Together with Regional Board Member, Nora Jendoubi, and some of my colleagues, we built the Council’s initial structure and application process, which yielded more than double the number of expected applications—a sure sign our alumni are ready and excited to engage with Coro and each other.
By far the greatest joy, though, has been watching this diverse group of leaders figure out how to work together, where their passions overlap, and what kind of change they want to bring about. As with any Coro cohort, the Council has been through their ups and downs, but after one year, they are seventeen members strong, with five events under their belts and a whole lot of momentum headed into 2027. Read on to learn more about the Council and meet our fabulous Council Members. And if you’re a Coro alum and you’re itching to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Thank you to our Communications Committee — Melanie Moore, Miriam Marks, and Rich Harrison — for putting together this blog post!
— Henry DeRuff, Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2021
About the Alumni Council
Founded in January 2026, Coro’s Northern California Alumni Council seeks to engage our regional Coro alumni in lifelong fellowship with each other and Coro California to address the deepest challenges facing Northern California. In true Coro fashion, our group of 17 members includes alumni from many of Coro’s distinct programs, working across multiple sectors and industries.
The Council connects the region’s Coro alumni community on a regular basis and in a variety of ways, from spreading the word about Coro events, programming, and other alumni, to helping organize and attend Coro’s events and volunteering opportunities. In 2025, this included a San Francisco youth mentorship event, virtual housing panel, Sacramento mixer, as well as support for Coro’s Sacramento Reception and Bay Area Alumni Night. As past participants of Coro programs, the Council is thrilled to help spread the word about Coro California and the leadership philosophy in which it is grounded, all while helping to cultivate the next generations of Coro leaders.
Meet the Northern California Alumni Council
Aaron Carruthers
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 1997
Aaron has worked in civil rights policy and programs for over twenty-five years, including as an appointee of two Governors, for California’s Attorney General, and in the State Senate and Assembly. As the Executive Director of the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities, he is currently carrying out the Council’s 2026 theme “Better, Stronger, Together.” Last year, his team of 50 met with 11,800 people to help with their individual problems and trained 34,000; their work impacted more than 3 million Californians. Aaron is a child of parents with developmental and other disabilities, is a person with disabilities, and is the parent of a young man with disabilities. In 1997, Aaron graduated from the San Francisco Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. He says, “Coro has given me so much, and I joined the Alumni Council to give back to Coro.”
Favorite ice cream shop: Fentons, in Oakland!
Blanca Castro
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (LA), 1993
Blanca brings 30 years of experience building coalitions, developing campaigns, and leading teams in the design, development, and implementation of effective advocacy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Homeless Resource Council of the Sierras (HRCS), which leads regional efforts through the Continuum of Care for Placer (CA-515) and Nevada County (CA-531) to coordinate funding, planning, and strategies to prevent and end homelessness.
Favorite ice cream shop: The Original Ghirardelli Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop
Greg Earnest
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2015; Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fellowship (SF), 2024
Greg is Deputy for Economic Development for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt for the 10th District. His interest in government stems from the belief that the government has the responsibility to correct the historic injustices it has committed in the context of racial segregation. Greg began his career working as an economic development specialist for the County of Los Angeles, where he organized local business owners to help lead a streetscape revitalization plan. Greg was previously a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in San Francisco from 2014-2015. He joined the alumni council because he felt an increasing desire to re-engage with the Coro community, and felt the best way to do that was to help other alumni find activities and issues that will bring them back to Coro’s programming.
Favorite ice cream shop: Dandelion Chocolate in the Mission in SF
Mario Enriquez
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (PIT), 2014
Mario is proud to be a Councilman for the City of Stockton, Director at the Jacoby Center for Public Service & Civic Leadership at the University of the Pacific, and a Fellow of the American Leadership Forum Great Valley Chapter (2026-2027). For well over a decade, Mario has been deeply involved in public service and youth leadership development, including in LGBTQ advocacy and political leadership. He was a 2013-2014 Coro Fellow in Public Affairs (Pittsburgh), and joined the Alumni Council to further promote Coro’s vision of leadership and connect with other past fellows.
Favorite ice cream shop: La Michoacana in Stockton (on the Miracle Mile in his Council district)
Alex Fuentes
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2022
Alex is a mental health advocate, artist, and community builder committed to creating environments where people feel seen, connected, and empowered to grow. As a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs (2021–2022), he developed a leadership philosophy rooted in curiosity, deep listening, and an understanding that meaningful change requires both strong relationships and systems-level thinking. Alex cares deeply about thriving alumni communities and previously served as Co-Chair of the Board of Stanford’s First-Generation and/or Low-Income Alumni Network. He joined the Coro Alumni Council to foster knowledge-sharing across sectors and experiences, create opportunities for intergenerational learning, and explore new pathways for local engagement. He is particularly interested in how alumni communities can sustain leadership development and translate collective strengths into civic action.
Favorite ice cream shop: Salt and Straw
Rich Harrison
— Generation Thrive Bridging the Bay (SF), 2023
Rich serves as the CEO for Lighthouse Community Public Schools—a TK-12 charter school network serving 1700+ students and families in East Oakland, California. He was also part of Coro’s Bridging the Bay program in 2023. Both Rich and members of his staff have been on various Coro Fellowship opportunities. They have also hosted Public Policy fellows as part of their rotations. He is excited to be a part of the Alumni Council to share the awesome work people are doing!
Favorite ice cream shop: Loard’s Ice Cream in the Diamond District, Oakland!
Maysha Jackson Bell
— Generation Thrive Bridging the Bay (SF), 2023
Maysha is currently Senior Executive Director at the Mission YMCA of Greater San Francisco and an alum of Coro’s Bridging the Bay program. As a nonprofit executive with 20 years of experience, she is grounded in a cause-driven leadership philosophy centered on advancing leadership, promoting equity, and creating environments where people and communities can thrive. Throughout her career, she has been committed to developing others, strengthening organizations, and helping turn shared values into meaningful impact. Maysha joined the Alumni Council to remain connected to a community of leaders who understand these commitments and share a desire to lead with purpose, deepen impact, and contribute to lasting change.
Favorite ice cream shop: Miyako- on Fillmore St, SF
Nora Jendoubi
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2017
Nora is a holistic systems thinker with a background in social entrepreneurship, education, economic development, and design. As Director at Arrow Impact, Nora seeks to disrupt the impact zip codes have on the socioeconomic outcomes and educational opportunities of individuals, families, and communities. She was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in San Francisco (2016-2017), sits on the Coro Northern California Regional Board, and supports the Alumni Council to foster reconnection and collaboration within the Coro community.
Favorite ice cream shop: Jeni’s Ice Cream
Macy Leung
— Affordable Housing Leadership Network (SF), 2024
Macy works at the intersection of affordable housing development, policy, and finance, serving as a Senior Housing and Finance Policy Specialist on the inaugural Housing Development and Finance Committee within the newly formed California Housing and Homelessness Agency. She focuses on building a simpler, faster, and more effective multifamily affordable housing financing system from the ground up to support the creation and preservation of stable, affordable homes in communities across California. Macy is a Coro Affordable Housing Leadership Network alumna and serves on the Alumni Council, with the shared goal of advancing Coro’s role in bringing people together to listen, uplift one another, and collectively strengthen our communities.
Favorite ice cream shop: San Francisco Creamery in Walnut Creek, with Salt & Straw as a close second.
Miriam Ellora Marks
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2013
Miriam is an attorney in the Oakland office of Keller Rohrback LLP, where she represents consumers and municipalities in cases against large corporations. A highlight of her legal career so far was helping the City & County of San Francisco recover $230 million in the national prescription opioids litigation. For more than a decade, Miriam has relied on the tools she learned as a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs (San Francisco, 2013) to navigate unknown unknowns, examine What Is [really] Going On, and ensure that her work reflects her values and leadership style. Through the Alumni Council, Miriam hopes to help expand the Coro network and promote Coro’s vision of ethical, effective leadership practice to future generations of leaders.
Favorite ice cream shop: Koolfi Creamery, either in San Leandro or SF!
Melanie Moore
— Women in Leadership (SF), 2024
Melanie brings a background in marketing and public relations for public agencies, paired with a deep connection to the region as a Bay Area native. As a Coro Women in Leadership alumna and Alumni Council member, she supports the communications team in keeping the Coro network connected, amplifying our collective voice, and highlighting inspiring alumni work. Melanie joined the Council to give back to the program that shaped her view of collaborative leadership, and to help the alumni community stay engaged and empowered.
Favorite ice cream shop: Ice Cream Bar
David Ramirez
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (LA), 2025
David is an alum of the 67th class of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Pacoima, he now lives in Sacramento, working as an Associate at California Strategies, where he focuses on utility regulations and energy legislation. David’s Coro experience was transformative, providing him with the skills to engage in his field with intentional inquiry and the tools to be effective. On the Alumni Council, he hopes to pay it forward by continuing to build a robust network that present and prospective Coro alumni will benefit from.
Favorite ice cream shop: Water & Salt in West Sacramento (Hawaiian shaved ice)
Meredith Rupp
— Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fellowship (SF), 2024
Meredith has over a decade of community development experience spanning the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. She is currently a Principal Planner for the City of Concord, where she oversees the redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Previously, she was part of Coro’s Partnership for the Bay’s Future program. In her spare time, she enjoys playing soccer, reading, and hiking. Meredith joined the Alumni Council to try to grow peer support across the larger Coro network and to have fun with interesting people.
Favorite ice cream shop: Bad Walter’s (Oakland)
Sara Russell
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (STL), 1989; Federal Executive Board Program (SF), 2022
Sarah has 26 years of proud federal service at the EPA and San Francisco Federal Executive Board. She’s also worked as a Postpartum Doula and volunteer as a Lactation Counselor, and served as a board member on federal alumni NGOs. Sara hired Coro to lead their Leadership Development Program and train over 120 leaders. She was reminded what a huge impact this program has on people. Previously, Sara was a 1989 Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in St Louis. She is thrilled to get to work with this diverse, amazingly talented, dedicated and engaging humans on the council.
Favorite ice cream shop: Fenton’s
Talio Ubalde
— Exploring Leadership (SF), 2023
Talio is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College studying public policy. In college, Talio is part of a life sciences/healthcare club, where they work with biotech and healthcare clients. His career interests are leaning toward affordable housing development/finance, where he can alleviate stress burdens through below-market-rate housing. Previously, Talio was in the Coro Exploring Leadership program, Class of 2023. He joined the Alumni Council because Coro has been a door opener for his young professional life, and he wants to extend that courtesy to bring past and future alumni together.
Favorite ice cream shop: Cream in Berkeley, CA
Kristy Wang
— Women in Leadership (SF), 2018; Affordable Housing Leadership Network (SF), 2024
At Community Planning Collaborative, Kristy currently supports public, nonprofit and philanthropic clients with housing policy research/technical assistance and community/stakeholder engagement. She joined the Alumni Council to participate in building a strong community among Coro alumni. Kristy has benefited from being a part of the Coro network twice – as part of Women in Leadership (2018) and the Affordable Housing Leadership Network (2024) – and she wants to contribute to (and knows she will benefit from!) building this community of smart people doing meaningful work.
Favorite ice cream shop: Smitten or Bi-Rite
Eddie Whitfield
— Fellows Program in Public Affairs (SF), 2021
Eddie is a San Francisco native and currently works at Skyline Foundation as a Program Associate for Just Democracy and Birth Justice, where he supports work advancing a more just and equitable democracy. Eddie’s approach to leadership is grounded in curiosity, creativity, and a deep belief in the power of relationships and community. Eddie was previously a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. He joined the Coro Alumni Council to reconnect with a community that has shaped how he leads, and to help create meaningful spaces for alumni to learn from one another and build lasting relationships.
Favorite ice cream shop: Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream
Get involved with the Alumni Council
There are many ways to get involved with Coro. Help shape Coro’s work in Northern California by applying to join the Council. To learn more, email Henry DeRuff at hderuff@coroca.org.
We anticipate expanding the Alumni Council to Southern California in 2027.
Learn more about Coro California’s leadership development programs.
Henry DeRuff
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