Maryland Civic Engagement Summit

Aisha Bien-Aime
Director, Candidate Development at LEE

Aisha Bien-Aime has served a diverse cohort of incumbent and future elected leaders as a campaign manager, legislative aide, ghostwriter, advisor, and coach, among other roles. Frustrated with the lack of inclusivity she experienced as a Black STEM undergraduate student, Aisha was inspired to begin her career as a high school algebra teacher. During that time, she was serendipitously introduced to electoral campaigns as a catalyst for systems-level change, and soon became an organizer for a presidential campaign in 2012. Since then, Aisha has dedicated her career to supporting conscientious leaders who prioritize equitable, common-sense policy solutions in service of others. Aisha is thrilled to leverage her experiences—from raising funds for high-profile legislative races, to briefing lawmakers ahead of committee hearings—to help LEE’s members create more just, equitable, and inclusive communities.

Melissa Ait Belaid
Director of Member Engagement at LEE

Melissa cultivates memorable experiences as the LEE Director of Member Engagement for regions in Texas, celebrating members for their contributions to the community and co-discovering their next opportunity to effect change. As the leading fundraiser in her campaign for the Board of Trustees in the Princeton Independent School District, she underscored the importance of community engagement and field efforts in campaigning. She is committed to amplifying her impact in public service by building capacity in campaign management and voter engagement across Collin County through operations and finance. Melissa is a student in the fifth cohort of the University of Texas LBJ Women’s Campaign School, earned a M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language at American University in Washington, DC, and double majored in Spanish and International Studies at the University of Missouri – Columbia.

Paige Bacon
League of Women Voters

Paige is a baby boomer and proud to claim it! Typical of many of her generation, social justice has been and continues to be her passion, influencing her employment choices, religious affiliation, how she spends her spare time. Shej oined League of Women Voters Baltimore City in 2019 as a volunteer for voter registration drives before the 2020 election. Subsequently, she has volunteered with the Time Is Now Voter Ambassador Program recruiting, educating, and registering high school students. Most recently, she have been training others to become Voter Registration Volunteers (VRV).

Brandon Best
Director of National Candidate Recruitment at LEE

Brandon Best is an educator turned policy maker and political strategist with a profound commitment to shaping the future of public policy through education and civic engagement. His journey began in the classroom, where he cultivated a passion for empowering young minds, an experience that has profoundly influenced his approach to policy and reform. Transitioning from education to the political arena, where he now serves on the DC State Board of Education, Brandon has adeptly applied his teaching acumen to mentor political aspirants, equipping them with the skills necessary to effect meaningful change across various levels of government in the United States.

Sandy Brown
Director, Partnerships and Coaching

Sandy has spent her career in either politics or education, and in the ideal positions, doing a combination of both. She is excited to help the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders for educational equity realize their goals. Sandy has more than a decade of experience in the classroom, having taught English in Chihuahua, Mexico; government and economics in McAllen, Texas; and, most recently, environmental education in West Virginia and various national parks. Prior to that she served as Vice President of Government Affairs at Teach For America; Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), and as a legislative assistant for Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell.

Kenzie Funk (she/her) is the Policy Advocate at Strong Schools Maryland. With a background in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Public Leadership from the University of Maryland, Kenzie’s passion for advocating within healthcare and education systems was solidified through her work as a medical assistant and her involvement with Terps for Change. A lifelong Baltimore County resident, she is dedicated to empowering community voices and advocating for a world-class school system.

Riya Gupta (she/her) is the Interim Executive Director of Strong Schools Maryland, with a deep commitment to education, advocacy, and youth development. Based in Baltimore for the past six years, Riya earned her Master’s of Science in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her work focuses on analyzing equity within educational funding formulas. Riya’s vision is centered around both public health and data — she aims to create change through data and engagement that is accessible and equitable.

Dr. Henry Jones, PhD
Director of Organizing Strategy, LEE

Dr. Henry Jones Jr, PhD serves as the Director of Strategy for Leadership for Educational Equity in Memphis. As an outstanding professional in the field of Community Engagement, Dr. Jones has shown leadership and immense expertise in building grassroots organizations, recruiting grassroots leaders and building effective community-based programming that pushes communities of color to show up and speak out.

Aleni Lila, Baltimore Votes

Aleni Lila is a senior at Western High School. Her interest in politics and youth civic engagement stems from her experiences in her AP US Government & Politics class, where her teacher connected her with community engagement opportunities. Aleni became a League of Women Voters Ambassador and, ultimately, pursued a spot on Baltimore Votes’ Student Advisory Board. Outside of Baltimore Votes, Aleni serves as the Chief of Staff for ASCBC (the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City), ensuring that the Executive Board of the ASCBC completes tasks in a timely and efficient manner. She has also previously served as a member of the Elections Committee, overseeing the conduction of ASCBC elections

Zykera Lee, Baltimore Votes

Zykera Lee, a senior at Green Street Academy, is a talented scholar with a poignant interest in the political process. She is a member of the National Honors Society, showcasing her impressive academic record. Zykera is a part of her school’s speech and debate team, where she has developed effective communication skills. As a member of the Student Advisory Board, Zykera utilizes her experience serving as an election judge, her political interest, and effective messaging skills to inspire fellow students to serve as election judges.

David Lopez
Director of Member Engagement at LEE

David Lopez is the Director of Member Engagement at LEE. He is an experienced community organizer, educator, and civic engagement leader with a passion for advancing social justice and equity. David began his career as an 8th grade English teacher in Houston, where he developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing students and families, especially in underrepresented communities. He went on to serve as a school administrator in the Spring Branch ISD SKY partnership with YES Prep, furthering his expertise in school operations and educational leadership. David holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Education at Rice University. He also co-founded a community organizing and advocacy organization in his local community, focused on equity and justice. David’s work is driven by a commitment to empowering communities and amplifying marginalized voices, particularly within the Latino community.

John David “J.D.” Merrill
Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human Services (Interim)

John David “J.D.” Merrill (TFA Baltimore ’13) is currently the interim Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human Services for Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott. Prior to joining City government he worked with Baltimore City Public Schools as a teacher, school district leader, school leader, and consultant for ten years. Merrill’s first political campaign was Bill Ferguson’s (TFA Baltimore ’05) successful run for the State Senate in 2010. Since then, J.D. has worked or volunteered on more than 20 local, state, and national campaigns, including his own campaign for State Senate in 2018. Merrill has served as a trainer for several local organizations including Emerge Maryland and Young Democrats of Maryland, helping to train the next generation of political leaders. A native of Baltimore, Merrill is a graduate of Baltimore City College, the third oldest public high school in the United States. He earned a B.A. in Educational Policy Studies from Davidson College and an M.S. in Educational Studies and a Graduate Certificate in School Administration and Supervision from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He lives in Brewers Hill.

Celeste Perilla
Director of Regional Impact for Maryland, LEE

Celeste Perilla is a social worker in the tradition of Barbara Mikulski who’s spent her career focused on equity and inclusive community engagement. Early in her career, Celeste served as a labor organizer with SEIU and later as a case manager to older adults in West Baltimore. These experiences proximate to issues of inequity, coupled with continuous grassroots political campaigning & later campaign management, laid the foundation for Celeste’s entry into education equity work with Teach for America and later with Leadership with Educational Equity.

Celeste is the Director of Regional Impact for Maryland for LEE. As a graduate of Baltimore City Public Schools, her work centers around building community capacity, emphasizing the vital role of leaders of color and women to positively impact community outcomes in and around Maryland. She has supported and recruited more than 20 LEE members to run for political office in Maryland. She supports the leadership journeys of LEE members all across the state.

Taylor Stewart
Vice President, Platforms, LEE

Taylor Stewart is the Vice President,Platforms at LEE. Taylor has been on staff at LEE since 2013. Previously, she has led the community organizing work for the whole organization, supported regional leads across the country, and founded and led the Maryland LEE region. Taylor entered into education after graduating with a degree in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and joining the 2007 corps of Teach For America, Baltimore. She spent three years teaching high school government, secured a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a J.D. from University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She lives in Baltimore with her husband Tom and daughter Lillian.

Bri Whitaker
Director of Fellowship, Govern For America

As the Director of Fellowship at Govern For America, Bri leads program development, enhances fellow experiences, and manages a talented team of Program Managers. Previously, she worked in EdTech, driving educational and career opportunities for adult learners. Bri is passionate about advocating for equity-seeking communities and has served as a City Year AmeriCorps Member, where she mentored and tutored middle school students, helping them achieve academic and personal growth