Kenny Boddye — Woodbridge, VA

Occupations
Business Development Managers at Kevin Davis Insurance Services; Occoquan District Supervisor of Prince William County Board of Supervisors

Current Leadership Positions
Prince William County Board of Supervisors

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising, Digital organizing, Communications, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Writing, Public speaking, Field organizing, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Criminal Justice Reform, Healthcare, Workers Rights, Equality, Campaign Finance Reform, Climate Change

What does mentorship mean to you?
Having a truth-telling relationship of advice and advocacy where we learn from each other, and I am able to challenge my mentee to be better not only in an issue area but also as a student of life.

Past experiences
I’ve mentored new candidates, new activists to political advocacy, and scores of new volunteers in campaign activities including canvassing, phone banking, and fundraising.

Denver Supinger — Fairfax, VA

Occupation
Program Specialist at American Federation of Government Employees

Leadership Positions
Political Director, VAYD; Co-President, Fairfax Young Democrats; Co-Director, New Leaders Council of Virginia, Board Member, NARAL Virginia

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising, Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Public speaking, Non-profit formation, Political campaigns

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Democratic Party, Labor, Women and Gender-Related Issues

What does mentorship mean to you?
It means being a confidant, a guiding hand, and a friend in one’s personal journey and development.

Past experiences
I have been a mentor in Democratic organizations and had a mentor while in grad school to an undergraduate student who was discovering their path and next steps.

Courtney Campbell — Roanoke, VA

Occupations
Communications Consultant whose clients have included local and state candidates, PACs, and nonprofits

Leadership Positions
Board President, Local Colors (a Roanoke organization that celebrates international diversity and promotes the values of inclusion, equity, and multicultural understanding); Member of Community Engagement Advisory Board for Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

Past positions include serving as Commissioner for the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; a board member for Transitional Options for Women (helps women recently released from incarceration); and Program Advisor for Leadership Roanoke Valley

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising, Communications, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Writing, Public speaking, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive Freedom, Financial Empowerment, Diversity, Arts & Culture

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship is the opportunity to facilitate the personal and professional growth of another person through discussion, guidance, and relationship building. I strive to create a space where someone I’m mentoring can be candid and vulnerable. Everyone needs a partner on their journey, so I seek to empower others by connecting them with tools and resources and inspiring them to take ownership of their goals.

Past experiences
Program Advisor and Curriculum Committee member for Leadership Roanoke Valley, mentor to staff and interns while serving as Legislative Director to a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

Eriberto Velazquez, Jr. — Springfield, VA

Occupation
Field Manager at Human Rights Campaign

Areas of Expertise
Digital organizing, Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Field organizing, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
LGBTQ+ rights, Immigration, Gun reform.

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship means providing an opportunity for someone to learn or build off the experiences, lessons learned, and mistakes made by either mentor or mentee. Just as the mentee can learn from the mentor’s experiences, the mentor can provide insights and guidance to the mentee’s unique experiences. Mentorship opens the door to ask questions you may previously have been afraid to ask and will likely give you the direction needed to get you where you want to be, professionally.

Past experiences
As an intern supervisor for my department, I have hired and mentored over 10 interns. I set out goals, regular check-ins, and evaluated their performance at the end of their internship.

Cameron Bell — Newport News, VA

Occupations
People’s Process Coordinator at the People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom

Leadership Positions
Founder, The Pandemic Tutoring Project; Former Lead Organizer, VA BLOC

Areas of Expertise
Digital organizing, Communications, Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Writing, Public speaking, Field organizing, Relationship Building, Civil rights history/history of social movements

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Education, voting, voter mobilization, issue-based organizing, the criminal legal system, prison abolition, and coalition building

What does mentorship mean to you?
Supporting people on their journey to achieve their goals

Past experiences
As a Black student at a PWI, I was an unofficial mentee of the Black upperclassmen and mentored Black underclassmen. We helped each other navigate an extremely racist and elitist institution.

Cydny Neville — Triangle, VA

Occupations
Educator & Entrepreneur (The Virginia Black Lifestyle Magazine, LLC & Cydny Consults)

Leadership Positions
Dumfries Town Council, Former Gubernatorial Appointee of Virginia State Historical Records Advisory Board, Northern Virginia Regional Commission Vice-Chair, VSU Alumni Association PHIner Ladies President, a few others.

Areas of Expertise
Grant writing, Communications, Volunteer management and recruitment, Writing, Public speaking, Non-profit formation, Relationship Building, I’m a certified Myers-Briggs Type Instrument Practitioner

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Education, Poverty, Literacy, Media

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship means developing the next leader by taking the time to delicately share your talents with them, in authentic ways. It is also providing guidance to a mentee, as they take deeper steps towards leadership.

Past experiences
I believe in the power of mentorship, and currently (actively) mentor three ladies. One is currently in college and has done phenomenal work in Virginia politics, another I mentored to help her become an English teacher – which she now is, another I’ve mentored since hiring her ten years ago as an intern! The latter works in education and has a thriving firm of her own.

Lisa Zargarpur — Manassas, VA

Occupations
Teacher at FCPS; School Board Member of Prince William County Public Schools

Leadership Positions
School Board Member, PWCS

Areas of Expertise
Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Networking, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Education–this is leaving me little time to volunteer these days

What does mentorship mean to you?
My mentors have always served as a person to go to for advice, guidance, and to help build me up as a leader. I feel like there are stages to it. Some people are starting off and need structure or a plan. Others are in the thick of their work and need a thought partner.

Past experiences
I have mentored new teachers and students. We also have new political candidates with whom I’ve spent time helping them think about how to organize and assess their strengths and weaknesses.

Michelle Wooten McFarland — Newport News, VA

Occupation
Organizing Manager at NARAL Pro-Choice VA

Leadership Positions
I am the Organizing Manager with NARAL Pro-Choice VA; I serve on the Virginia Reproductive Equity Coalition Leadership Committee, this past summer I also served as a National Delegate for the 3rd Congressional District at the Democratic Convention. I serve on two Democratic Committees in Hampton Roads, Hampton Democratic Committee, and Newport News Democratic Committee.

Areas of Expertise
Capacity Building; Volunteer Management and recruitment; Goal setting; Coalition Building; Networking; Political Campaigns; Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
In my work/personal life, I work in Reproductive Healthcare Advocacy, in my private life, I also work on voter registration with the Democratic Committees I serve on and various campaign volunteer tasks.

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship to me is a relationship that helps build leaders up. Mentors should be available to provide support and give the best advice based on their personal experiences navigating their expertise field of work. A mentee would hopefully feel compelled to turn to their mentor if they feel stuck or in need of help in achieving their goals.

Past experiences
I mentor student fellows with NARAL every year and enjoy it! The mentees are young activists on their campuses and they are already doing amazing work, so to be able to help them in giving them more tools to help build their capacity with their student groups or to help them problem-solve to achieve their goals while seeing them succeed is always a joy!

As a mentee of this program, I enjoy my mentor every day in my work life working alongside Margie and learning from her in our coalition work!

Sarah Flores Shannon — Falls Church, VA

Occupation
Virginia Senior Coordinator at Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice VA

Leadership Positions
Co-leading Virginia campaign for the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which encompasses field, policy, and comms strategies; Member of the Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance – communications committee member; Current board member of ARCH, a repro healthcare fund based in Northern Virginia

Areas of Expertise
Volunteer management and recruitment, Coalition building, Networking, Writing, Public speaking, Field organizing, Relationship Building, Building intersectional movements

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive justice and immigrant justice. Personal interest in advancing racial equity.

What does mentorship mean to you?
An opportunity to provide guidance to someone who is looking to grow in different areas. I do also believe that mentorship is not just one way, as there is so much I can also learn from the mentee.

Past experiences
As someone who oversees volunteers at Latina Institute, I am very familiar with working with volunteers and paid activists 1:1 to develop their story, connect to opportunities in the area, and increase their own visibility. I have been mentored by various people at Latina Institute and partner organizations who have truly looked out for my best interest and have pushed me to advance my career.

Nikki Duncan-Talley — Virginia Beach, VA

Occupation
Regional Field Director at New Virginia Majority

Leadership Position
Communications and Development Officer for Action Alliance

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising; Communications; Capacity Building; Coalition Building; Networking; Field organizing; Political Campaigns; Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Social Justice; Civic Engagement; Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention; IPV; Movement Building

What does mentorship mean to you?
A symbiotic relationship where persons in the same work help to build each other.

Past experiences
I have mentored college students who are now nurses and social workers.

Monica Hutchinson — Richmond, VA

Occupation
Community Organizer at the Campaign for Family Friend Economy Virginia

Leadership Positions
Second VP for Henrico Branch NAACP, Vice-Chair for Henrico County’s Special Education Advisory Committee, The leadership of Women of Color Coalition, Chair of Henrico County Democratic Committee

Areas of Expertise
Coalition building, Field organizing, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Social justice; racial equity; education; racial justice; Black womxn equality; diversity; and inclusion.

What does mentorship mean to you?
Share info, knowledge, and my experiences to help guide and build up others. Be there as another support system for someone not just during the program but ongoing.

Past experiences
Mentor to the Chair of the Henrico Branch NAACP Youth and College Chapter. Also, being a member of VAPLP Cohort 5 (Fab 5), I was lucky to be a mentee of many mentors during our time.

Katherine Olivera — Springfield, VA

Occupation
Assistant Program Officer at International Women’s Health Coalition

Areas of Expertise
Capacity Building; Volunteer Management and recruitment; Coalition Building; Writing

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Women’s rights; sexual and reproductive health and rights; human rights; global health; United Nations advocacy; US foreign policy

What does mentorship mean to you?
I believe mentorship means and requires a culture/relationship of learning. We are all experts and learners and have something to contribute to others. Being a mentor requires being vulnerable and honest with one’s experiences whether personal and/or professional.

Past experiences
In high school, I mentored “at-risk” youth. Additionally, I currently serve as a mentor for undergrad VCU students that are a part of my sorority.

Alexandria Bratton — Hampton, VA

Occupation
Sr. Program Manager at Virginia Civic Engagement Table

Leadership Position
Election Protection State Lead (VA)

Areas of Expertise
Volunteer Management and Recruitment; Coalition Building; Field Organizing; Program Management

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Election Administration; Expanding Democracy; Census; Redistricting; Legislative Bill Tracking; Overall program build-out and management

What does mentorship mean to you?
Short answer– I think good mentorship is a crucial part of growing and matriculating in life (both personally and professionally). There is always someone who has been in your shoes and has figured out a way to overcome or tackle obstacles and I always find it extremely helpful to bounce off ideas and problems I may run into off someone who shares a similar knowledge/background.

Past experiences
I’ve been a mentor to k-12 aged children (over 17 years)…many of whom have become young adults and I still keep in contact with them. I’ve also been a mentor for VAPLP for two cohorts! Excited for the opportunity to continue to pour into emerging leaders in Virginia!

Rae Pickett — Richmond, VA

Occupation
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia

Leadership Position
Interim executive director PPAV, birth and abortion doula

Areas of Expertise
Grant writing, Communications, Writing, Public speaking, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive health, I’m a parent to small children, I help as a birth doula and a volunteer abortion doula. I am also a volunteer with the Richmond reproductive freedom project. Maternal health and mental health are HUGE for me.

What does mentorship mean to you?
Being a mentor to me means supporting someone else with real-life advice and support so they can nurture their professional and personal development.

Past experiences
I have had many strong women mentor me over the years and it has been invaluable! I also have mentored and am mentoring other young millennials as they go through various stages of their careers. Lastly, in college I worked with a Big Brothers/Big Sisters org for 2 years.

Brooke Taylor — Richmond, VA

Occupations
VSDVAA, VCU, The Collab Spot, Catalysts for Change Consulting

Leadership Position
Co-Director of The Collab Spot, Chair of iCubed Intersections in the Lives of LGBTQIA+ Core

Areas of Expertise
Capacity building, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Public speaking, Non-profit formation, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
LGBTQIA+, underserved populations, DEI, Education, community organizing

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship is an intentional relationship where someone who has experience in a certain area willingly seeks to assist someone else. I think of mentorship as sacred in the Black community. For me, I believe a mentor should enter the relationship singularly focused on the needs of the mentee. What are the mentee’s needs, desires, goals, etc., and how the mentor can meet them or set them up for success.

Past experiences
I have taken place in various initiatives where a formal mentor/mentee relationship was developed. VAPLP, Community Trustbuilding Fellowship through Initiatives for Change, Forum for Theological Education, Residential Life programs, local church leadership programs, etc. I also take an informal mentoring role with each of my collegiate students.

David Broder — Vienna, VA

Occupations
President/Union Organizer, SEIU Virginia 512

Leadership Position
President, SEIU Virginia 512. International Executive Board Member, SEIU. Multi-Racial Talent Initiative Board Member, SEIU. Board Member, New Virginia Majority. Board Member, Virginia C4 Table. Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Northern Virginia Aging Network. Board Member, Virginia Community College System. Board Member, Commonwealth Council on Aging.

Areas of Expertise
Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Public speaking, Field organizing, Relationship Building, Labor/Union issues, Union organizing

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Labor/Union, Economic Justice, Public Employee issues, Home Care, Health Care

What does mentorship mean to you?
To me, mentorship is about creating a space where people can learn, grow, be vulnerable, be supported, ask questions, challenge themselves, etc. so that they can be the kind of leader they want to be. It’s also about being a resource for others.

Past experiences
I’ve served as a mentor in the VAPLP, for SEIU International Executive Board members, and for local union members. I’ve had mentors in previous jobs.

Lacette Cross — Richmond, VA

Occupation
Virginia Strategic Advisor/NEO Philanthropy

Leadership Position
Interim ED Side by Side; Co-founder/Director, UGRC/Black Pride VA; Pastor, Restoration Fellowship RVA

Areas of Expertise
Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Public speaking, Non-profit formation, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive Movement, LGBTQ Inclusion, Sex and Faith, Racial Equity, Facilitating

What does mentorship mean to you?
A relationship of connection, learning, and sharing in service of impacting change.

Past experiences
My experience as a mentee has helped me in my work as a sex and faith educator. I learned how to hone my voice and partner with others. As a mentor I have the experience of supporting the dreams and plans of others who are interested in making a difference in their community through listening, offering resources and being a sounding board for problem solving.

Taneasha White — Richmond, VA

Occupations
Plan C, Community Organizer and Staff Writer, Verywell

Leadership Position
Co-Director of Collaboration for The Collab Spot, Editor of UnSung Literary Magazine, Organizer for Campaign4ComfortRVA

Areas of Expertise
Grant writing, Digital organizing, Communications, Operations, Coalition building, Writing, Public speaking, Field organizing, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive Justice, Mass Incarceration, DEI, Wellness and Mental Health, Anti-Violence

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship is sharing your experiences, expertise, time, and resources with someone with shared goals and interests but in a different place.

Past experiences
I have experiences of folks who wanted to be mentors for the clout but not for actually supporting the individual.

Elena Langworthy — Fairfax, VA

Occupation
Sr. Policy Manager at State Voices

Leadership Position
Project/policy management

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising, Grant writing, Digital organizing, Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Writing, Public speaking, Field organizing, Political campaigns, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Voting rights and civic representation

What does mentorship mean to you?
Supporting someone to develop their skills and expertise.

Past experiences
Staff and intern management

Marissa Liebling — Washington, DC

Occupation
Director of Policy at State Voices

Leadership Position
Director of policy dept & former legislative director of another national organization; previously led Illinois Voting Rights Coalition, served on board for Chicago Votes, a young people of color democracy organization

Areas of Expertise
Legal, Coalition building, Writing, Public speaking, Relationship Building, issue campaigns + some limited nonprofit formation

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Open depending on need, but expertise primarily lies in policy advocacy on democracy issues

What does mentorship mean to you?
Helping someone build their skills and confidence to assume more leadership and achieve their goals.

Past experiences
I’ve done a few mentoring programs and really enjoyed the experience from mentoring a pre-teen at Community of Hope shelter to mentoring the girls in my West Side. I’ve also worked closely with a few advocates within the SV network to help them develop their policy skills and had them refer to me as a mentor.

Thalia Hernandez — Richmond, VA

Occupation
Program Director at Equality Virginia

Leadership Position
Program Director at Equality Virginia; Member of LGBTQ Alumni Leadership Circle as well as Latinx Alumni Leadership Circle at the College of William & Mary; Member of the steering group for the Richmond chapter of Southerners on New Ground (SONG)

Areas of Expertise
Digital organizing, Communications, Capacity building, Coalition building, Writing, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
LGBTQ+, especially trans and non-binary, identities; Latinx inclusion (note: I’m white and not raised in a household with a strong Mexican culture); programs, events, and organizing

What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentorship is a two-way knowledge-sharing process based on modeling behavior and engaging in dialogue that respects the autonomy, interests, and identities of the mentee. As a mentor, you should strive to meet mentees where they are at but help them help themselves to get where they can be.

Lata Nott — Washington, DC

Occupation
Deputy Director of Policy at State Voices

Leadership Position
Deputy director of State Voices’ policy department.

Areas of Expertise
Legal, Writing

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
First Amendment, voting rights

What does mentorship mean to you?
Sharing knowledge and resources and helping someone achieve their goals.

Past experiences
Over the years I’ve mentored a number of younger attorneys, especially in my previous job (I was the E.D. of a small non-profit called the First Amendment Center) where I had a number of interns and law students who came to me for advice.

Margie Del Castillo — Alexandria, VA

Occupation
Non-profit director at Latina Institute

Leadership Position
Board Chair – VACIR; Board Chair – New Virginia Majority Education Fund’; Board Member – New VA Majority C4 and ARCH Fund.

Areas of Expertise
Fundraising, Communications, Capacity building, Volunteer management and recruitment, Goal setting, Coalition building, Networking, Public speaking, Field organizing, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Reproductive issues, in particular at intersections of immigrant and economic justice.

What does mentorship mean to you?
It means movement building. It means paying forward the investments that have been put into me as a leader so we can grow more leaders in order to serve our broader purpose and mission for justice overall.

Past experiences
I’ve mentored several folks as part of VAPLP program, and have also been a mentee. I’ve also mentored folks at my org and folks within broader movements.

Jess Unger — Arlington, VA

Occupation
Staff Attorney at Advancement Project

Leadership Position
Union unit chair (Washington-Baltimore News Guild affiliated), board member w/ VCET, various church steering committees.

Areas of Expertise
Volunteer management and recruitment, Legal, Networking, Relationship Building

Issue Areas of Work and Volunteer
Voting rights, civil rights, racial justice, democracy

What does mentorship mean to you?
Building confidence, sharing knowledge, giving back, esp. in ways that break up old-boys-club capture/cliques.

Past experiences
I’ve mentored with VAPLP before and helped students from my alma maters with mock and info interviews.