devan “Penny” Davis

San francisco, ca

she/her

Devan grew up in Southern California and graduated with honors from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with an Emphasis in Africana Studies. In 2020, she became the first student appointed as the Director of the Project Connect Resource Center, specializing in easing the college transition for low-income, marginalized, and underserved communities. While in school, she conducted academic research on critical race theories of intersectionality, rooted in the work of BIPOC scholars and activists. She used this research to create interdisciplinary solutions to social issues, such as deforestation in Nicaragua, police brutality, mass incarceration, and environmental racism. Influenced by her studies and other experiences, she hopes to dedicate her career to serving the needs of low-income and marginalized communities. As a Work First Fellow, She is looking forward to working directly with clients to understand their needs and the gaps within current public policy.

Marissa Cole

Manhattan, Ny

she/her

Marissa Cole is a recent graduate from James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. While at JMU, she majored in International Affairs with a minor in Spanish. Outside of the classroom, she spent time volunteering at local non-profits, served as a college mentor for local high schoolers, and worked alongside the office of admissions as a student tour guide. She also participated in a global citizenship and peace seminar at the University of Hiroshima, Japan. Her studies and experiences have helped her develop a deep passion for turning educational lessons she’s learned into a tool for advocacy, while simultaneously fostering enduring appreciation for her community. Marissa also interned with Dress For Success, a non-profit whose mission is to enable and empower women to re-enter the workforce. Marissa is very excited to learn how she can weave her passions for service and public policy to help create a more equitable world through community-based approaches! 

Lindsey Gartner

Orange County, CA

she/her

Lindsey Gartner recently graduated summa cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with dual degrees in Business Management (B.B.A.) and Theatre Arts (B.A.). During her time at LMU, Lindsey was an Executive Board member of Espérer, a service organization with focuses on human trafficking and environmental justice. Through her work with the org, she volunteered as a tutor with underserved youth, planned events for the org’s annual campus-wide human trafficking awareness week, and led reflections for fellow org members. Lindsey also recently worked as the Artistic Director of the Del Rey Players, LMU’s student-run theatre company, where she collaborated with board members to institute and implement an action plan for creating a sustained IDEA-based space (Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, and Accessible). A recipient of LMU’s Riordan Award for service, Lindsey wants to use her career as a means of uplifting underserved individuals and communities by ensuring people have the resources and support they need to thrive. She is grateful for the opportunity to be a Work First Fellow and is excited to learn about the ways in which she can make meaningful change through both policy and directly working with community members.

Traveria Evans

Milwaukee, WI

she/her

Traveria Evans is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and she recently graduated from Fisk University where she studied English Literature with a minor in Women & Gender Studies. During her undergraduate matriculation, she was a member of the W.E.B DuBois Honors Program, she titled her Senior Honors Project “Analyzing the Depictions of Black Familial Structures in Media + Contribution to Black Masculinity and Manhood”. She has a passion for working with children, social justice, intersectionality, and feminism. These interests led her to being the Planned Parenthood HBCU Generation Action Campus Fellow. This role allowed her to advocate for reproductive health and rights while creating a network that acknowledged and supported the dynamic perspectives and intersectional frameworks. As a long-term member and former employee of the Greentree Teutonia Community Center, she recognized the importance of community service and education which has increased her desire to attend graduate school and study abroad. While interning at The Cleveland Museum of Art in the Research and Evaluation Department she knew that she desired to be in an environment where all her interests aligned with one another. After various professional experiences, Traveria is very excited and optimistic about starting her Work First Fellowship right in her hometown!

Sydney Goldman

STATEN ISLAND, NY

she/her

Sydney Goldman is from the Bay Area, California. She recently graduated from Princeton University, receiving a degree with high honors from the School of Public and International Affairs as well as a minor in African American Studies. She engaged in service on and off campus, for instance leading the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program which served local children and helping to run the Princeton Re-Entry and Employment Preparation program which served currently incarcerated students. By interning with Legal Information for Families Today in 2019 and the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services in 2020, she furthered her commitments to empowering young and justice-involved individuals. Sydney also conducted extensive, fieldwork-based independent research, including her Senior Thesis, on the United States immigration detention system. Through these opportunities, Sydney has become passionate about working in the nonprofit world at the intersections of community engagement, youth development, and pushing against the criminal injustice and immigration detention systems. Sydney is excited to begin to work in these fields as she serves Work First clients in Staten Island this coming year. 

Jaeleigh Johnson

washington, d.c.

she/her

Jaeleigh grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She recently graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where she studied Political Science & International Studies. As a proud product of Tennessee schools, she became interested in the intersection of direct service and education policy. As a result, she interned for Stand for Children Tennessee, an education equity organization that advocates for equitable school facilities, teaching excellence, and putting an end to the “school-to-prison pipeline.” After gaining experience in advocacy, she went on to become a Congressional Intern for Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05). To increase her understanding of how policies impact people, she became a Research Fellow for Jones Mandel, a Democratic political research firm that orients justice and highlights underserved voices in their research. Collectively, these experiences have affirmed her passion for education policy and direct service. In the future, she hopes to give back to the Tennessee public school system she credits with her accomplishments. In her downtime, Jaeleigh enjoys hiking, gardening, and painting. She is excited to work directly with clients as a Work First Fellow and continue her work in advocacy.

RaEgan Larussa

Manhattan, NY

she/her

Raegan is a native Texan, now NYC transplant. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Political Science and French at the University of North Texas and received a full ride transfer scholarship from the Terry Foundation. Raegan is passionate about human rights issues, particularly homelessness and human trafficking. In her senior year of college, she conducted original research on the unsheltered homeless population in Denton, Texas, which was a part of her undergraduate thesis. Raegan founded Students Combatting Trafficking at her university and was a member of the Model UN team. She has interned with anti-human trafficking organization Rescue Her, as well as for the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Raegan has recently completed an AmeriCorps service year and is excited to pursue her interests in public policy and research as a Fellow with the Work First Foundation.

JANE MILLER

baltimore, md

Jane grew up in Arizona and attended Yale University for her undergraduate degree and recently completed a master’s degree at Arizona State University. At Yale, Jane graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and was a member of the women’s track and field and cross country teams, and a writer for the Yale Daily News. Her interests in public policy and social justice led to work on both health and education policy at the Primo Center for Women and Children in Chicago, and  as a policy staffer on a Phoenix City Council campaign. She is extremely excited to be a Work First Fellow and continue working toward creating more equitable opportunities through public policy. 

Daniela Paredes

Manhattan, NY

she/her

Originally from Stamford, Connecticut, Daniela Paredes recently graduated from the University of Virginia with double majors in Political Philosophy, Policy and Law (Distinguished Majors Program) and Foreign Affairs. During her time as a student, she was deeply involved with UndocUVA, an organization that was instrumental in pushing UVA to provide institutional aid to in-state DACA students and with whom she co-authored an extensive Plan of Matriculation to push for the enrollment of more undocumented students at the university. For her undergraduate thesis, Daniela completed research on the topic of epistemological decolonization. She has also been a Congressional Intern through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and for the past four years she has worked extensively with the nonprofit organization Let’s Get Ready, which provides free SAT and college admissions prep to underserved students in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Her experiences with underserved communities and direct service inspired her to be a Work First Fellow, and she hopes to learn more about urban policy and workforce development during her time in this fellowship.

Tavon Johnson

Milwaukee, WI

he/him

Tavon Johnson is a Morgan State graduate, Baltimore native, and current graduate student who has also served with AmeriCorps a total of 4 times in three different locales, Wilmington DE, Baltimore MD and Fredrick MD. He is excited to further ingratiate himself within his new community in Milwaukee and serve the community there through Work First with his passion for community development, youth development, and education. He loves taking in NBA games, reading, writing, as well as listening to music and podcasts. He also enjoys cooking and spending time with family and friends.

EMMA PHILLIPS

Brooklyn, NY

she/her

Emma Phillips is from Denver, Colorado and graduated magna cum laude from Skidmore College with an advanced standing degree in Social Work. Prior to attending college, Emma worked as a volunteer, intern, and then assistant teacher for the summer enrichment program, Horizons, which fostered her deep passion for teaching. In college, Emma was highly involved in Skidmore’s Peer Health Education program - most recently, she co-taught PHE training classes where she prepared and facilitated two weekly discussions on health behavior topics. She also lead the PHE Mental Health Committee and provided peer-to-peer anonymous counseling services in her role as a Wellness Center shift leader. Emma has also conducted qualitative research on empathy development in end-of-life care education and completed a full-time semester field placement at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists where she conducted health equity research and investigated women’s health issues on a policy level. Emma looks forward to developing her teaching and policy work skills as a Work First Fellow in Brooklyn! 

BRIANA PISTONE

Washington, D.C.

she/her

Briana Pistone graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University (GWU) with a degree in International Affairs concentrating in Global Public Health and a minor in Psychology. The major's interdisciplinary nature allowed her to explore many issue areas and understand how policy, politics, and discrimination intersect to contribute to these problems, especially poverty and inequities. Throughout her time at GWU, Briana combined service- learning and coursework to achieve a synergistic understanding of issues. She volunteered in a homeless shelter in Washington, DC, volunteered with student organizations, such as GWU Alternative Breaks, worked with a nonprofit to gain funding for Special Olympics on Capitol Hill, and spent time working for a local mental health hotline. The desire to ensure that all people have access to basic human necessities and retain the right to live a healthy life drives Briana in her career and future goals.

ELISE REIMSCHISEL

brooklyn, ny

she/her

Elise Reimschisel is from Nashville, Tennessee and graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in History and Secondary Education. In college, she participated in the Vanderbilt Prison Project where she served meals to formerly incarcerated men and participated in conversations surrounding criminal justice. She also served on the board of the Embrace Mentor Program which offered lessons on body positivity, conflict management, and community service to middle school aged women. Traveling to Costa Rica, she taught English to adults in her community. Through these experiences and her coursework, she developed her passions for education equity, labor policy, and collaboration between social services. She was introduced to workforce development while working for the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority where she witnessed the power of consistent employment. Her desire is to build coalitions that offer holistic services for underserved populations. She is looking forward to continuing her training in Brooklyn, New York!

rebecca risman

MANHATTAN, NY

she/her

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Becca graduated from Rhodes College in 2021 where she studied Urban Studies and Political Science. During undergrad, Becca was closely involved with policy and cultural reform on campus, working as a Policy and Research Associate for the college’s Title IX department. Here, she worked with the YWCA and became passionate about addressing gender/race-related disparities through equitable practices. Consequently, Becca served as President of the Rhodes College Student Title IX board and as Chair of the college’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention Working Group. Additionally, Becca was an “Urban Fellow” for the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development. As a Fellow, Becca worked with local Memphis NGOs and members of the community at-large, providing strategies and policies to promote equity in disinvested neighborhoods. For her senior thesis, Becca worked with the New Chicago Community Development Corporation in Memphis, TN to conduct research on urban revitalization and its connection to displacement of low-income residents. Becca looks forward to incorporating her passions for research, data analytics, and social justice advocacy to her year with the Work First Fellowship.

pemba sherpa

bRONX, NY

she/her

Pemba Sherpa is a recent graduate of the University at Buffalo where she earned her B.A in Legal Studies and Psychology. Pemba is passionate about Public service and Human Rights. Her passion stems from the values instilled by her upbringing, and her first-hand experience interacting with members of underserved communities. While in college, Pemba traveled to India where she coordinated with engineering students, community organizations, and the residents of the village to address equity and social justice issues. Simultaneously she worked with a team of UB students upon winning the Global Innovation Challenge 2017 to design a mentoring program that connected newly arrived refugee students with former refugee students from the same country. As a student, Pemba was actively involved in both her local and international communities through numerous projects. Her most recent project was a service-learning project in rural village Nepal, where she fundraised 7,000 USD to fund the local school. She also worked on a reusable pad project which empowered women and girls in Tanzania by permitting women to be self-reliant through education and advocacy. Upon graduation, Pemba served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the City of Buffalo Law Department and Department of Community services which have allowed her to further dive into issues that she cares about such as the right to adequate affordable housing as a human right and a safe and healthy home for children to grow up in. Now Pemba hopes to use her diverse experience and skills to help make a difference as a WorkFirst Fellow in the City she calls home.

THERESA TIAN

Brooklyn, NY

she/her

Theresa Tian graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College with a B.A. in English. At Amherst, she was selected for the Ed Pros Fellowship for future education professionals, founded the Rotaract community service club, and played violin in the symphony. To explore her passion for the intersection of education and community-based work, she volunteered to assist after-school programs at Chestnut TAG middle school. For three years, she also mentored students with the literacy nonprofit Reader to Reader Inc., leading book discussions to help underserved students develop writing skills while fostering a love of reading. She has experience working full-time as an educational consultant, mentoring students and teaching workshops to prepare students for the college application process. As a Work First fellow, Theresa is excited to work directly with clients to serve their educational and professional needs while researching the impact of educational disruptions on workforce outcomes.

Veronica Bido

BALTIMORE, Md

she/her

Veronica Valencia Bido is a recent graduate from The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers--New Brunswick. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. While at Rutgers, Veronica founded the Moot Court Association and served as President of the Rutgers Mock Trial Club, where she gained the foundational skills to understand and advocate using rule of law. She also interned with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in the Quality-of-Life unit, and served as a volunteer tutor for incarcerated students through the Petey Greene Program. Veronica is passionate about advocating for international human rights and women's empowerment throughout the world. During her undergraduate years, Veronica volunteered as a crisis response and legal court advocate for the Department of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance at her university, and served as a student ambassador for the Douglass Women's Residential College and Rutgers University as a whole. As an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, Veronica worked on policy and legislation to mandate all student leaders at Rutgers be trained on DEIB issues. In her spare time Veronica still volunteers as an intern for the National Network for Refugee and Immigrant Rights. She is excited for the opportunity to serve the Baltimore community as a Work First fellow, and is currently working with the ex-offender reentry program and bail diversion program.