Meet the 79th class of Coro Fellows in the Bay Area! This new cohort of the Fellows Program in Public Affairs brings together emerging civic leaders from across the country, each with their own path to Coro — different hometowns, degrees, and early career achievements, united by a shared commitment to public service and ethical leadership. Get to know them below as they begin months of professional placements, regional exploration, and leadership training that will shape the next chapter of their careers.
Meet the 79th Class of Bay Area Fellows in Public Affairs
Avni Wadhwani
Piedmont, CA
BA in Politics, minor in Economics
Mount Holyoke College
LinkedIn
Avni graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and minor in Economics. She graduated with Department High Honors for her thesis, which examined the most effective political approaches to passing state-level incarceration reform legislation in Michigan. During undergrad, she also competed on the University of Massachusetts, Amherst’s Mock Trial Team, organized against evictions in her community, and interned with a state senator.
Since graduation, she has worked as Case Manager Paralegal for one of the largest certified race harassment class actions in California’s history, representing thousands of Black former and current employees in their claims of race harassment against Tesla. She is passionate about building transparent, communicative, and efficient systems, whether in the justice system, policy, or media. In her free time, she enjoys coaching the nationally-ranked University of California, Berkeley Mock Trial Team, running, and trying different wines.
Esmeralda Michel
Garden Grove, CA
BA in Social Welfare
UC Berkeley
LinkedIn
Esmeralda is an alumna of the University of California, Berkeley with experience advancing equity-oriented change through research, community engagement, and policy. She has held research, student engagement, and policy roles at UC Berkeley, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), the National Education Association, and the National Center for Youth Law. At UC Berkeley, Esmeralda has supported research-practice partnerships focused on school-based mental health initiatives by analyzing implementation data and translating findings for practitioners and decision-makers to strengthen policies and practices.
At OUSD, she supported district-wide student leadership initiatives and student-led campaigns focused on well-being and civic engagement, including the Oakland Youth Vote. Esmeralda is passionate about community engagement and hopes to build a career that bridges research, policy, and practice to drive equitable systems change. Outside of work, she enjoys listening to live music and spending time outdoors.
Golden Bachelder
Los Angeles, CA
Master’s Degree in Public Policy
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
BA, Political Science, CSU Northridge
LinkedIn
Golden is a 2026 graduate from UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs where he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy with a concentration in housing and transportation policy. He has a background in community outreach through campaign organizing, neighborhood council service, and a fellowship with the Governor’s Office. He most recently completed a fellowship with the L.A. City Council’s advisory committee tasked with reforming L.A.’s budget.
Golden is most passionate about advancing housing and transportation policies that make communities more affordable, connected, and livable. Outside of work, Golden finds joy in improving his Spanish skills, writing short stories, and exploring walkable cities.
Kaitlin Ducksworth (KD)
Atlanta, GA
BA, International Affairs; BA, Public Relations
University of Georgia
LinkedIn
Kaitlin is a communications professional who aspires to work at the intersection of public relations, policy, and community advocacy. A graduate from the University of Georgia with degrees in Public Relations and International Affairs, she has supported nonprofit organizations, political campaigns and small businesses through communications, fundraising, and marketing and engagement efforts.
Shaped by her own experience as a black woman of Caribbean heritage from the south, she is especially interested in environmental justice and the ways policy and storytelling can embolden marginalized communities to shape their futures and imagine a world beyond the crises of today.
Kareem Abdalla
Sacramento, CA
BA, Global & International Studies
UC Santa Barbara
LinkedIn
Kareem was a Legislative and Communications Intern in the California State Senate, where he supported legislative communications, policy research, and constituent engagement. He previously interned in the U.S. House of Representatives and has conducted research on global conflicts as a research assistant at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a B.A. in Global and International Studies in 2025. Kareem is passionate about public policy, government, and international affairs, and hopes to build a career at the intersection of domestic policymaking and global issues.
Through Coro, he looks forward to gaining experience across sectors and learning how diverse organizations collaborate to address complex public challenges. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, exploring different cultures, cooking, and following international affairs and current events.
Lailah Williams
Dallas, TX
Master’s Degree in Public Affairs, Brown University
BA in Political Science and International Studies
Louisiana State University
LinkedIn
Lailah, a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is passionate about housing justice, community development, and advocacy. Lailah graduated with College Honors from Louisiana State University with two bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Political Science. While in Baton Rouge, she developed her love for community organizing and urban planning.
Recently, Lailah earned her Master’s in Public Affairs from Brown University as an Equity in Policy Scholar. At both institutions, Lailah was a member of the student radio community as a DJ. In her free time, Lailah loves to thrift, go cafe hopping, and spend time with her sisters.
Rohith Moolakatt
Las Vegas, NV
BS in Molecular Environmental Biology
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, UC Berkeley
LinkedIn
Rohith is committed to preparing his communities for the environmental and social challenges of the 21st century. He attended UC Berkeley, earning a BS in Molecular Environmental Biology and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies. Rohith was selected to be a 2021 NOAA Hollings Scholar, through which he conducted summer research on how Alaskan beavers trap greenhouse gases. His published undergraduate research focused on ecology, wildfires, and sustainable development policy. When Rohith graduated in 2023, he was awarded UC Berkeley’s Chancellor’s Sustainability Award for his environmental organizing and work on Berkeley’s climate change adaptation planning.
Most recently, Rohith returned from serving as Peace Corps Volunteer in the rural Philippines, where he developed municipal policy to safeguard local coral reefs and support fisherfolk livelihoods. For fun, Rohith loves spending time outdoors, especially through running, hiking, and scuba diving. Beyond that, he enjoys amateur photography, reading fiction, and creative writing.
Stephanie Severance
Lynchburg, VA
Master’s Degree in Social Work
Azusa Pacific University
Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Liberty University
LinkedIn
Stephanie recently earned a Master of Social Work from Azusa Pacific University, specializing in Community Leadership and Program Administration, building on an MBA. After several years leading organizational growth across healthcare, nonprofit, and corporate organizations, she returned to graduate school to deepen her understanding of systems and community change. Her professional experience spans business development, brand management, sales strategy, and market expansion, including launching new markets for two organizations.
During her graduate internship with Every ONE Free, an anti-trafficking nonprofit, she revitalized the organization’s digital presence, strengthened donor engagement, and helped coordinate a community partnership that raised more than $70,000. Stephanie was recognized as Most Outstanding Student for her academic achievement and leadership during her MSW program. She hopes to build a public affairs career focused on organizational strategy and community impact. Outside of work, she enjoys distance running, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
About the Fellows Program in Public Affairs
The Fellows Program in Public Affairs is Coro California’s flagship public affairs fellowship in California, a rigorous, full-time program that has trained emerging civic leaders for more than 80 years. As a Bay Area public policy fellowship, this experience rotates Fellows through professional placements across business, nonprofit, government, labor, and electoral politics, pairing that hands-on work with Focus Weeks, leadership interviews with influential regional leaders, and weekly seminars on adaptive leadership, systems thinking, and stakeholder analysis. Fellows leave with a professional portfolio, a sharpened civic and policy toolkit, and a place in Coro’s national network of more than 15,000 alumni.
Benefits of the Bay Area public policy fellowship
Fellows in this Bay Area public policy fellowship gain far more than a line on their résumé — they build the credentials, network, and leadership toolkit to accelerate a career in public service.
Applications for the next cohort open in September — nominate a leader, schedule a call, or learn more about the Fellows Program in Public Affairs to get involved.
Learn more about Coro California’s leadership development programs.
Gohar Chichian
Ready to strengthen your leadership impact?
Explore programs designed to equip leaders with the skills to drive change.