Board of Directors

Robert received a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, certificates in Real Estate and Construction Management from UCLA and was formerly employed by Hughes Aircraft Company.

Robert is a member of the Advisory Council of the School of Advanced International Studies in Washington and Bologna as well as a Trustee of John Hopkins University. He serves as a Vice-Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States and is on the executive committee of the Pacific Council on International Policy. He is also a member of the Chairman's Forum of the Council on Foreign Relations and the US Department of State Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy. Robert is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Brookings Institution and serves on the Boards of Directors of the RAND Center for Global Risk & Security and the New Leaders Council. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for The Truman National Security Project.

Previously, Robert served as Commissioner of the California Transportation Commission, the Los Angeles Telecommunications Commission, and the Los Angeles Planning & Zoning Commission and was Director of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metropolitan Water District. He was a Member of the California State Board of Education and of the California Arts Council. He resides in Manhattan Beach.

Justin has cultivated an impressive resume of policy and political experience. Justin previously served as Chief of Staff for then-New Jersey State Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Gary S. Schaer. Before joining Schaer's office, Justin served in numerous capacities including as the Political Coordinator for 1199 Service Employees International Union, representing thousands of healthcare workers throughout New Jersey and as Chief of Staff to Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Chairwoman Annette Quijano.

Additionally, he is also Chapter Director and a founding member of the state chapter of the New Leader's Council, a national leadership training institute for progressive political entrepreneurs throughout the state, winning National Chapter of the Year in 2013 and 2014. In his free time, Justin is an avid reader, a racquetball enthusiast and a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. A sports lover as well, depending on the season he can be found following his New York Yankees, Giants or Penn State.

She was previously a Co-Director of NLC New York City from 2012 to 2015, NLC-NYC Finance Chair from 2015 to 2016, and a NLC-NYC Advisory Board member since 2010. By day, she works in marketing and investor relations for Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management, a boutique asset management firm within the Nomura Group of companies. At Nomura, she manages a portfolio of client relationships and works closely with portfolio management, credit research, sales, and business development teams to create and market high-yield fixed-income investment products for institutional investors worldwide. By night and weekend, she brainstorms ways to connect progressive leaders, build coalitions, and take NLC to the next level and beyond.

Before NLC and Nomura, Heather toiled in private equity and spent her free time posting feminist rants on facebook. At ZM Capital, she managed a comprehensive internal and external branding and communications program, including a fully re-designed visual identity and presentation suite, and business development support for several portfolio companies and two funds. Heather also has experience in communications and development consulting, where she learned to synthesize months of research into a 100-page deck that only two people would ever read.

Prior to working in finance and progressive politics, Heather attended Cornell University, where she walked uphill both ways in the snow. She majored in Government, Sociology, and Fine Arts, wrote a column for the Cornell Daily Sun, and was named one of the "Top 25 Most Influential Cornellians" for her leadership of a student-driven effort to improve Cornell's marketing and communications strategy. In addition to the above, she has served on the New York County Democratic Committee and on the Executive Board of the Ansonia Independent Democratic Club. She lives in Manhattan with one husband and three cats, which she maintains is a perfectly reasonable human to feline ratio.

She was previously the National Programs Director at New Leaders Council (NLC). Before her work with NLC, Joy lent her expertise in enhancing cancer screening quality improvement measures within Federally Qualified Health Care Centers, launched a Tribal Colleges and University STD prevention campaign as a Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as overseeing county-wide tobacco control advocacy programs and HIV/AIDS initiatives. 

Joy is a 2014 alumna of New Leaders Council and a long-term volunteer. She has served in a myriad of roles including Chair of the National Programs Committee and Chapter Co-Director for several years in Tallahassee, Florida. She is currently the Vice Chair of the National Programs Committee and on the National Board of Directors. 

In her spare time, Joy has managed health equity programs to increase sustainability and access to healthy foods, as well as develop civic engagement events to enhance political literacy in Florida.  She is an avid international traveler and experienced performing artist who is passionate about connecting underserved populations to the arts in their community. She is also a member of The Junior League and currently serves as a United States of Women Ambassador.

A Florida native, Joy Dixon is a graduate of Florida A & M University where she received a Master of Public Health degree. 

LVCA serves as an investment and mortgage advisor and banker to New York Metro area based middle market real estate builders and developers. The focus is on "market rate" projects in underserved markets and property types.

Mr. Draizin is actively involved in national, state and local Democratic politics, primarily through fund raising and offering strategic advice for certain elected officials, candidates, the DNC and DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee).

Additionally, Mitch is active with the National Leadership Council at Lambda Legal, the Board of Directors of The Point Foundation, as a Trustee and Advisory Board member of the Truman National Security Project /CNP, as a NY/NJ member of the Board of Directors of Playworks, on the Board of Directors of Thalia Theater of NYC, with the Congressional Award Board, and as a National Advisory Board member with New Leaders Council.

Partnered for almost 4 decades with Philippe Brugere-Trelat, they were married in NYC in 2011.

Her legal background includes clerking for U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood R. Duval Jr. of the Eastern District of Louisiana, working at the prestigious Washington, DC law firm of Williams & Connolly and being appointed a faculty member of College of Law at Loyola University New Orleans.

In 2010, Caroline ran for the special election for Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, a race in which she finished second out of eight candidates. The Livingston Parish News editorialized in their endorsement of Caroline, "Imagine a world where the best and brightest step forward into public service to become leaders and problem solvers."

Caroline currently serves as President of Louisiana Appleseed, a non-profit organization that promotes access to justice. She is in-house counsel to the Junior League of New Orleans and former chapter president of Delta Delta Delta, Gamma Gamma chapter. Caroline is a current board member of both Evacuteer.org and the Louisiana Children's Museum.

Caroline's additional public service includes working at the White House, Office of the Social Secretary under President Clinton and in Congress as a congressional page. She also worked in financial services sector for Goldman Sachs investment firm.

Raised in Denham Springs, Louisiana Caroline she was Class Valedictorian and a member of the Navy Junior ROTC at Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge. Caroline graduated with honors from both Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan Law School. At Michigan Law, Caroline administered a public interest legal fellowship program on behalf of the law school and won awards for excellence in Torts and Clinical litigation.

Caroline currently resides in New Orleans and attends Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church.

He considers it good fortune that he has been able to occupy space between the tech and public sectors for more than twenty years. He served in the Clinton White House, at Silicon Valley's TechNet, and as a presidential appointee and lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission where he worked on early internet issues. Donnie is also a nationally recognized political campaign strategist with staff roles on eight presidential campaigns, including National Field & Delegates Director for Al Gore.

From 2012-2015, Donnie was VP of business development at crime prediction software venture PredPol, Inc., the result of a successful collaboration between the L.A. Police Department and UCLA. He recruited PredPol's largest investor and won a majority of the company's worldwide revenue. A South Carolina native, Donnie lives in San Francisco with his wife Heather and two daughters.

As a registered State and Federal Lobbyist, she will bring a broad and diverse range of expertise to CS&A clients, including the telecommunications, technology, education, energy and transportation.

"California Strategies and California Strategies & Advocacy rise to the challenges set forth by our clients and often deliver remarkable results," said California Strategies Founder and Chairman Bob White. "Cynthia Guerrero is an excellent addition to our team and our clients are sure to realize the full impact of her advocacy services and networking abilities here in Sacramento and in Washington DC."

Cynthia Guerrero brings the highest caliber of expertise to California Strategies' clients with unmatched advocacy experience specifically relating to the technology sector. She provides clients with policy and political strategy guidance and works collaboratively with them to achieve goals and overcome any crisis.

"Cynthia Guerrero has proven time and again that it's not just dedication or hard work that leads to her client's success," noted Robert Hoffman, Corporate Vice President of Government Affairs at Motorola Solutions. "Cynthia delivers a high standard of advocacy excellence for her clients because of her vision, integrity and ability to frame the debate in a nuanced way.

Congratulations to Bob White and the growing team of experts at California Strategies who will surely benefit from the addition of Cynthia."

Guerrero, over the years, has strengthened her working relationships with California's Congressional Delegation and often advocates on behalf of client interests in Washington, D.C. This same level of service is demonstrated for clients looking for legislative solutions on the state and local level.

She works tirelessly in Silicon Valley advising world-renowned companies on how to navigate the state and federal government's legislative and regulatory process which often trails innovation. Additionally, Guerrero provides valuable strategic counsel for Tech Startup companies looking to compete in California's competitive technology sector.

Guerrero's political acumen also includes a deep understanding of the banking, finance and investment securities industries making her uniquely qualified to provide clients with keen insight on legislative or regulatory challenges that directly affect the corporate bottom line.

Previously, Guerrero founded CG Consulting Group, Inc., in 2003. There, she dedicated her time ensuring client success by strategically navigating the legislative process and overcoming regulatory hurdles at the federal or state level. Primarily focusing on the technology sector, her 20-year experience in tech policy and finance has distinguished her as one of well-known advisors in the industry.

Prior to returning to her private practice, Guerrero served as the California Director for TechNet, the leading bipartisan political network of CEOs that promotes growth of the innovation economy. Guerrero nurtured long-term relationships between technology leaders and policymakers both on the state and federal levels and on both sides of the aisle promoting advancements in technology.

Before joining TechNet, Cynthia worked with various state legislators, public officials, Members of Congress and the U.S. Senate providing political strategy and campaign services. Her understanding of politics at the different levels of government is one respected by elected officials and colleagues in both Sacramento and on Capitol Hill.

Cynthia worked at the Rand Corporation and in the investment securities industry for top firms such as Credit Suisse First Boston Technology Group, Barclays Global Investors, and Merrill Lynch.

She serves on the Board of Visitors for Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy, and on the Board of Directors for New Leaders Council and Zero Divide.

"It's a privilege to work among my peers at California Strategies & Advocacy. The level of talent and expertise is rare to find in any singular organization. This is a further testament of how California Strategies Chair, Bob White is such a skilled architect of crafting the best teams out of the best people."

Cynthia has her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Pre-Law and a minor in English Literature from Mount St. Mary's University in Los Angeles. She graduated with a Master's degree in Public Policy specializing in Economics and International Relations from Pepperdine University.

She also is responsible for overseeing public outreach and education in conjunction with Verizon's Communications Lifeline assistance program.

Prior to joining Verizon in 2008, LaPlaca spent three years with the New Jersey General Assembly Majority Office, where she served as Deputy Budget Director/Associate General Counsel. During that time, she provided staff support to several standing reference committees, including Telecommunications & Utilities, Budget, and Appropriations. LaPlaca also worked on many significant legislative initiatives, including the Statewide Cable Franchise law that brought competition and choice to New Jersey's video market; property tax reforms; foreclosure relief legislation; and a variety of ethics/good government measures, most notably the "Clean Elections" pilot program for publicly-financed legislative campaigns.

Previously, LaPlaca served as Deputy Counsel for the Authorities, Utilities, Transportation & Communications Section at the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services.

In addition to her responsibilities at Verizon, LaPlaca sits on the boards of several organizations, including the New Jersey World Trade Center Scholarship Fund, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, the Boys and Girls Club of Camden County, and New Leaders Council - New Jersey. In 2015, she was named as an "Emerging Leader" by the Burlington County Chamber of Commerce and the Burlington County Times. LaPlaca is also a 2011 graduate of the Lead NJ (formerly "Leadership NJ") program.

LaPlaca received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Juris Doctorate from the Fordham University School of Law. She is admitted to the bar in New Jersey and New York.

Derrick currently is a Senior Manager at Ernst & Young and brings 10 years of experience in entrepreneurial, c-level, operational, human capital, technology, management consulting roles working with diverse organizations in the Public and Private sector.

Derrick has a passion for giving back. Having grown up and experiencing firsthand the lack of resources being provided to the poorest part of the United States, Derrick decided to take the initiative to create The Bronx Foundation, the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to The Bronx, New York. The mission of The Bronx Foundation is to empower residents to achieve their full potential, advance the well-being of The Bronx community, and make The Bronx a global destination. The Foundation leads strategic initiatives focused on four pillars: Economic Security and Education, Health, Food, and Community and Culture Engagement. Racial Justice will be at the core of the Foundations work.

Along with his efforts leading The Bronx Foundation, Derrick is also involved in other philanthropic efforts. He sits on the board of Juma Ventures, the first nonprofit to open and operate a franchise. Juma strives to break the cycle of poverty by paving the way to work, education, and financial capability for youth across America. Derrick also sits on the board of D.R.E.A.M. (Developing Responsible Economically Advanced Model-Citizens) whose mission is to empower underrepresented, urban youth by equipping them with the knowledge to become prudent, financially literate and adept individuals.

Derrick also has a passion for Public Private Partnerships (P3s). He is on the Advisor Board for Concordia, a non-partisan non-profit think-tank whose aim is to identify new avenues of collaboration for governments, businesses, and nonprofits through campaigns, programming, and research. Concordia hosts the Concordia Summit, which convenes the world's most prominent business, government, and nonprofit leaders to promote effective partnerships for impact.

Along with his job at EY and his philanthropic work, Derrick also applies his skills and abilities to advising elected officials. He is Senior Advisor to New York State Assemblyman Michael Blake and also advises other city and state elected officials in economic development, entrepreneurship, job growth, and education. This work allows for him to execute upon his passion for P3s. Derrick also advises state and local elected officials across the country.

Derrick is a graduate of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Most recently, he served as a Special Assistant to the President at the National Economic Council at the White House, where he led a special Taskforce for Baltimore City and advised President Obama on urban policy, transportation and infrastructure.

Previously, Nate helped launch and later led the Roosevelt Campus Network, a national student organization with more than 125 chapters and 10,000 members around the country. Founded in 2004, Roosevelt recently won the MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. He has founded or been a part of many other organizations that help empower young people in politics, including the Millennial Action Project and the New Leaders Council.

Nate has worked across policy areas and engaged in policy debates at the state and national level. He has written commentary in the The New York Times, Salon, Politico and The Democracy Journal, submitted testimony to Congress on Social Security, and published policy papers on housing and climate change. He is the editor of a book, Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era. He holds both a B.A. and J.D. from Yale University.

He has worked extensively building and executing voting rights programs for major political candidates including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In 2013, Tim co-founded NLC Broward, and later served as a Finance Director and Co-Director of NLC Washington DC. He has also served in a number of national NLC leadership roles including on the National Reimbursements Taskforce, the National Programs Committee, and as the chair of the Recruitment & Selections Open Review Committee to revamp NLC's fellow selections process.

Tim is from Winter Park, Florida. He is a former Florida Gubernatorial Fellow, former State President of the Florida College Democrats, and a member of the Florida Bar. He studied International Relations at the University of Central Florida and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.

Tim manages the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut.Tim Mason is an attorney with a background in legislative politics and political campaigns. He has worked extensively building and executing voting rights programs for major political candidates including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In 2013, Tim co-founded NLC Broward, and later served as a Finance Director and Co-Director of NLC Washington DC. He has also served in a number of national NLC leadership roles including on the National Reimbursements Taskforce, the National Programs Committee, and as the chair of the Recruitment & Selections Open Review Committee to revamp NLC's fellow selections process.

He maintains an active role in the actions of the US Congress based in Washington, DC. Mr. Murphy's ever-expanding base of contacts with established and emerging political leaders reinforces his ability to develop successful policy initiatives and execute winning strategies at the state and federal levels.

Mr. Murphy served on the Clinton Presidential Transition as a team leader within the U.S. Treasury Department and was senior staff for the Clinton Economic Summit.

Mr. Murphy was appointed by President Clinton as a Member-at-Large of the Democratic National Committee and served as DNC Vice-Chair.

Mr. Murphy remains a central figure in candidate recruitment and mentoring of rising political leaders at the state and federal levels. His Capitol Hill townhouse is a favored location for state party, gubernatorial, House and Senate member gatherings of Democratic insiders.

A native of Great Falls, Montana, he maintains close ties with the State's political and Congressional delegations. Prior to moving to Washington, DC, Mr. Murphy had an accomplished public service career winning two terms in the Nevada State Legislature and having served on the Nevada Board of Education and the Nevada State Crime Commission.

Knowing that the strength of the Ohio Democratic Party has a direct impact on the outcome of national, state, and local elections, David is committed to creating the most robust party infrastructure possible, supporting and implementing policies that improve Ohioans' lives, and recruiting and assisting the next generation of public servants as they run for office at all levels and helping them make a difference once they get there.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, David is a fifth-generation Cincinnatian. David was first elected to public office in 2001 when he served on the Cincinnati City Council, finishing first out of a field of 26 candidates, and was reelected for a second term in 2003, again leading the pack in votes. David came to the Cincinnati City Council as riots, a severe crime wave and a public safety crisis rocked the city.

Amid this turmoil, David's leadership was key in the successful push to improve police-community relations, and he ultimately served as the Chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee. David played an instrumental role in negotiating a historic collaborative agreement between the police, the community, and City Hall, which healed long simmering tensions while setting the stage for improved safety. David also played leadership roles in economic reforms, new investments, and progressive policy changes that helped spark a decade-long renaissance that continues in Cincinnati to this day.

In 2006, David was elected to the three-member Hamilton County Commission. He served as the Commission President from 2009-2010. During David's tenure at the County, Hamilton County won 19 National Association of County Awards for outstanding management practices, more than all other Ohio counties combined. David focused particularly on cleaning up the very poorly managed government that he inherited: adding much-needed transparency, championing greater disclosure and higher ethics, eliminating wasteful spending, and rebuilding the County's reserve fund. Independent ratings agencies praised the County's fiscally responsible policies.

David was nominated by Ohio Democrats to run in statewide elections twice. In 2010, David ran for the office of Ohio Auditor campaigning on a platform of increasing efficiency and transparency in government while ending the gerrymandering that has poisoned politics in Columbus and Washington. His platform gained him the endorsements of virtually every major Ohio newspaper. And, in 2014, David ran an intense campaign to unseat the incumbent Attorney General, calling for greatly improved transparency and integrity in that office. Although both years proved to be wave years against Ohio Democrats, David set records (for a non-incumbent) in fundraising for both offices and received praise for running aggressive, substantive campaigns.

David earned his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University, where he was Phi Beta Kappa, and later earned his J.D. from Yale Law School. In 1999, David clerked for the Honorable Nathaniel Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Since 2000, David has also worked in the Cincinnati offices of major law firms Squire Sanders and Blank Rome, focusing his practice on commercial and business litigation, and appellate litigation. David also teaches election and voting rights law as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

David is married to Alana (Swartz) Pepper. Alana grew up in Adams County, graduated from the University of Cincinnati, and earned her Master's Degree in Public Administration at Northern Kentucky University. Alana has spent her career helping those faced with mental illness.

Last May, David and Alana welcomed their first child, Jacob "Jack" Hamilton Pepper, into their family.

In this role, he is responsible for the company's strategic partnerships with national policy advocacy organizations as well as implementing the company's regulatory and legislative initiatives with local governments, managing relationships with state and local intergovernmental associations, and grassroots communications.

Bret joined Comcast in 2001 and has managed local government affairs while the Company grew from operating in 2,500 communities to over 6,000 communities.

Prior to joining Comcast, he served as Vice President of System Services and Assistant to the President at Mercy Health System in Pennsylvania and worked in legislative affairs at Keystone Mercy/AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan and with the North Philadelphia Health System.

In 2008, Bret received the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's Vanguard Award for Young Leadership, one of the cable industry's highest honors for its next generation of leaders.

Bret is a member of the Temple University Board of Trustees and currently serves on the Boards of The Committee of Seventy, the Philadelphia non-partisan political watchdog organization, the Family Online Safety Institute, Older Adult Technology Services (OATS), and the Philadelphia International Airport Advisory Board.

He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Temple University and resides in Philadelphia with his wife and two children.

Ms. Price believes compassion is its own reward and instills the value of “compassionate governance” in all of her work.

Upon reading “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander in 2012, Ms. Price ignited a passion for criminal justice reform and thus began volunteering as a literacy teacher at the Fulton County Jail, a position she held for five years. There, she developed a curriculum based on inspiration, current events, relevant grammar skills, civic-engagement and self-accountability.

Ms. Price volunteers with and serves in leadership positions with several organizations that focus on leadership development, urban youth, and community impact. She is a 2015 alumna of the Atlanta chapter of New Leaders Council. And now serves as the Chair of the National Programs Committee and on the Board of Directors. She previously served as the National Curriculum Chair, where she received the  National Programs Committee Member of the Year Award in 2018.  She also proudly serves: M.A.F.D.E.T., Inc, and The Junior League of Atlanta.

In 2010, Ms. Price was selected as a National Urban Fellow. Through this prestigious academic and leadership development program, she served as a special assistant at the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. She currently works as a Consultant to the Philadelphia Water Department, where she manages minority and women inclusion compliance on multi-million-dollar construction contracts. Prior to that, she worked in marketing for The Coca-Cola Company.

Ms. Price earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of New Orleans, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia, and a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College – City University of New York. Ms. Price resides in Atlanta and in her free time, enjoys travelling, practicing yoga, spending time with family and friends, and watching football.  

He most immediately was the founder and Executive Director of the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), which was created and designed to build progressive power in state legislatures around the country. In his three years at its helm, Nick merged several similar organizations together, grew SiX from an idea to a multimillion dollar organization with more than 30 staff and significantly impacted progressive state policy making in states across the country.  

Prior to SiX, Nick served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama-Biden Transition Team. In these roles, Nick served as President Obama’s liaison to states and U.S. territories, handling political and policy engagement as it relates to the states.

Nick also worked with Senator Elizabeth Warren to help build and establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and later served as the Bureau’s Assistant Director in charge of Intergovernmental and International Affairs. Nick has also served as a Senior Advisor to former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Senior Manager of State and Regional Affairs at the Center for American Progress, and Director of State Campaigns for Mayor Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety. A lawyer by training, Nick has also worked as a civil rights attorney and community organizer, with a focus on language access, housing discrimination, and immigrant rights issues. He is a founding member and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering the South Asian community.

In 2018 launched a consulting practice, where he focuses on advising non-profits, foundations, elected officials, company’s, celebrities, high net-worth individuals and others on communications, state and federal issue and electoral campaigns and philanthropic strategies.  

He began his political career in 2007 and has worked as a policy advisor and district director for Councilwoman Delicia Herrera, Councilman Rey Lopez, and U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett. In 2015 Andrew accepted a position as policy advisor and council liaison for Mayor Ivy Taylor. As policy advisor, his portfolio included criminal justice, public safety, economic development, and federal policies. Andrew currently serves as Chief of Policy for City Councilman Manny Pelaez. Outside of work, Andrew serves as co-chapter director for New Leaders Council San Antonio, on the board of M.O.V.E. San Antonio, and is a Political Partner with the Truman National Security Project.