2019–2020 Coro Fellows - coronewyork.org · 2019–2020 Coro Fellows The Fellows Program in New...

2019–2020 Coro Fellows

The Fellows Program in New York is generously supported by Accenture, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Capalino+Company, Goldman Sachs, HR&A Advisors, The Hudson Companies, Lyft, The May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, New York Life Insurance, Related Companies, Scopia Capital Management, and the Senator Roy M. Goodman Fund.

ANA MURILLO (she/her/hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies City College of New York, 2019

Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, Ana moved to New York City when she was ten years old and has since called the Big Apple home. Her thinking is influenced by Black political theories such as Pan-Africanism, Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and Womanism. Ana aims to create policy driven by a holistic and radical approach to dismantling the structures and operations of racism, classism, gender discrimination, and homophobia to create more just opportunities for people of color.

Previously, Ana interned at We ACT for Environmental Justice, where she researched the effects of polluted environments on public housing residents in Harlem. In Washington, D.C., at the National Disability Rights Network, she focused her efforts on the intersection of disabilities and employment to design policy strategies that incorporate the meaningful participation of Indigenous communities in the creation of fair policies. Recently, she was a Community Outreach Intern at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, the nation’s first community development corporation serving low-income residents in Central Brooklyn. As a Coro Fellow, Ana is excited to continue developing her leadership as well as the knowledge to create a long-lasting impact on low-income residents of New York City.

ANDREW SCHRYNEMAKERS (he/him/his)

Bachelor of Arts in HistoryVassar College, 2019

Andrew is a proud native of the Bronx, its culture at his core. He is passionate about how public policy and hard work can be used to equitably meet the needs of New York City's residents.

He is a graduate of Vassar College's class of 2019, where he received a B.A. in History. To complete his thesis research on the foundation of the London Metropolitan Police Service, he received the Evalyn Clark Memorial Fellowship, which allowed him to travel to England and honor his commitment to in-depth primary source research. His thesis received the Laura Adelina Ward Prize for excellence in European history, and the project revealed the roots law enforcement has in class politics. He has also been proud to lead Vassar College's Scenic Production Shop, doing hands-on work in theater design and construction. He was also leader and set designer in Vassar's Shakespeare troupe, which provided free outdoor performances for all.

Andrew is excited for the ways Coro will reveal how he can give back to the city he loves so dearly.


ANYA PATTERSON (she/her/hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality StudiesFordham University, 2019

Though she was born in Jamaica, West Indies, Anya considers Mount Vernon, NY to be her home. Having grown up in an immigrant community, Anya has witnessed the social injustices faced by these communities, and they have been the catalyst behind her academic and extracurricular endeavors.

At Fordham University, Anya held leadership positions in a variety of clubs and organizations that share roots in equity and justice. Most notably, Anya served as President of ASILI: The Black Student Alliance, and led two Global Outreach projects to Guayaquil, Ecuador and Johannesburg, South Africa. Within the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (C-STEP), Anya’s combined interest in the sciences and women studies led her to pursue health science research. She was awarded an undergraduate research grant to study the lingering effects of racism in the medical field.

Anya seeks to leverage her experience as a Coro Fellow to learn cross sector approaches to eradicating health disparities in New York City. Additionally, Anya is committed to honing her leadership skills to be better able to serve lower income minority communities.

ELYSE SCHUPAK (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Movement StudiesEmory University, 2016

Elyse was born and raised in White Plains, New York and has been a proud New York City resident since graduating from Emory in 2016. For the last three years she has worked as a Fixed Income Analyst/Associate at BlackRock, focusing on U.S. interest rates and portfolio construction. Elyse is also actively engaged on political issues, volunteering on Antonio Delgado’s primary and general election campaign for congress. In the city, she is a mentor in the college preparation program, imentor, and partners with BlackRock on community engagement efforts.

While at Emory, Elyse was active in Atlanta’s immigrant and refugee community: volunteering at a school for refugee girls, tutoring in adult ESOL classes, and organizing students on campus. Elyse is motivated by the unequal access to opportunity in New York City and across the country and by issues of racial and economic injustice. Through the Coro Fellowship, Elyse hopes to become a better leader and community member, and learn how to better advocate for just policy making.


EVELYN BAUMAN (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in International Economics University of Notre Dame, 2016

Evelyn comes to Coro with a commitment to fostering economic and psychosocial wellbeing and building an engaged, just society that is focused on connection.

A native of Bloomington, Indiana, Evelyn attended the University of Notre Dame,

where she focused on international and domestic urban policy issues. After graduating, she served as a Project Manager for a nonprofit in Port au Prince, Haiti, for a year. With a team of social workers, she helped implement a gender-based violence reduction initiative that focused on direct psychosocial accompaniment and healthcare for victims of violence and non-violent conflict resolution training.

She subsequently worked as a researcher at Eurasia Group, a political risk research firm. There, she studied the macro economic and political trends that shape the global business and policy environment. This work honed her research and communication skills and sparked her desire to serve in local government. Through Coro, she hopes to continue her cross-sectoral training in analyzing problems and in combining public and private sector approaches to pursuing social and economic justice.

GRACE MOK (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Sciences in Economics Duke University, 2019

Grace developed her sense of curiosity, initiative, and justice through engagement with various community initiatives at Duke University and in Durham, North Carolina. As a Duke first-year, she asked herself, “How can I, a Chinese American, middle-class girl, stop being complicit in racial segregation?” To begin answering that question, she started working with America Reads/America Counts, a tutoring program in local schools, and the Community Empowerment Fund, a non-profit that works alongside homeless and low-income folks to achieve financial independence.

In these roles, she learned the importance of leveraging one’s own privilege to empower others. Her senior year, she founded Duke Students and Workers Alliance in order to leverage student power to strengthen worker rights. For her honors thesis, she studied the impact of eviction on household income.

Born in Queens and raised in Long Island, Grace is beyond excited to return home. As a Coro Fellow, she wants to continue asking questions and taking initiative in the service of others. She is looking forward to growing her conception of justice and effectiveness.


SAMANTHA ESPADA (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender StudiesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018

A native New Yorker, Samantha is a passionate advocate for the eradication of systemic barriers for marginalized communities and is focused on effective policy change and political representation. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she used activism to address racial and gender inequities and focus on positive, institutional change. She worked with LatinxEd, a Latinx mentorship program, and worked toward the eradication of gender-based violence through student government, organized protests, and One Act, a bystander intervention program. In 2018, Samantha was selected as a Congressional Fellow for Running Start, a nonpartisan organization focused on women’s political parity, where she worked for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office as a legislative intern. Following her fellowship, Samantha worked for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as the Hudson Valley Regional Assistant. Her experience in politics has taught her the powerful force women have to lead and create political change. As a Coro Fellow, Samantha intends to develop her understanding of ongoing equity efforts in different sectors, increase her leadership capacity, and learn to more effectively contribute to the advancement of equity. After Coro, Samantha intends to attend law school and aspires to defend those disenfranchised by the current legal system.

KOLETTE BODENMILLER (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Political ScienceLesley University, 2019

Kolette is a Long Island, New York native who recently completed her undergraduate education in Boston, Massachusetts. This schooling gave her the opportunity to explore the field of Political Science, in addition to the complexities of creative writing and global studies. She cares deeply about the extension of opportunity, the maximization of potential regardless of background, and the promotion of equity and fairness.

Her professional work experiences include the New York City Mayor’s Office of Appointments where she edited and revised the widely distributed Newsletter and tracked diversity and inclusion across mayoral programs. She was also a Press Intern within the Governor of Massachusetts’ Press Office, serving as liaison between government officials and journalists. In addition, she was a Research Assistant at Harvard University where she organized data regarding queer stereotypes.

Kolette is ecstatic to be partaking in Coro’s unique leadership program. She views this opportunity as a time to build her skill set while simultaneously learning from the diverse experiences of those around her.


SARAH KASHEF (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies, Sociology and Public Health Columbia University, 2018

Hailing from Washington D.C, Sarah is dedicated to tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues from a multisectoral perspective. With a global health background, she has worked in 5 continents navigating the role of context-specific solutions and the impact that decisions have on a community’s social, physical and economic health. She previously worked at IntraHealth International where she supported strategic expansion of advocacy efforts to strengthen health systems, serving as a key liaison to partners in US government, multilateral agencies, civil society and private sector organizations.

As a proud Jack Kent Cooke, Forbes Under 30, and Emerging Scholar, she has worked in youth empowerment, served as the Global Health University Director of GlobeMed, and engaged in social impact consulting. As globalization rapidly increases, she is particularly interested in using empathy, public policy, and human centered design to inform innovative tech solutions that address systemic social inequity. As a fellow, she is incredibly excited to unpack everything and gain real perspective on how decision making processes guide social and economic trends.

SAMANTHA SANCHEZ (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in Geography, Bachelor of Arts in Citizenship and Civic Engagement Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, 2019

Samantha is a passionate advocate for inclusive urban planning policies for marginalized communities. A native from Queens, she witnessed the impact of gerrymandered school districts and how it contributed to racial inequality in educational opportunities. Her childhood experiences drove her to major in Geography and Citizenship & Civic Engagement to complement her desire to empower underrepresented communities.

While at Syracuse University, Samantha studied abroad in Ecuador and learned about the governmental relationship with Andean indigenous communities. Influenced by her family’s immigration story to the United States, she focused on racial discriminatory policies in Ecuador, including her father’s village. Driven by her personal desire for racial equity, she became a 2018 Public Policy & International Affairs fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and conducted policy research on the expansion of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota.

As a McNair Scholar, Samantha created racialized maps of the lead poisoning epidemic in Syracuse. In addition, she created 2020 census outreach maps for hard-to-count populations in Syracuse and participated in the 2019 American Association of Geographers annual conference to participate in the research poster session. As a Coro Fellow, she hopes to gain valuable insights on the policymaking community in New York City and foster effective problem-solving skills.


VICTORIA ISQUITH (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelor of Arts in TheatreMiddlebury College, 2019

Originally from Thetford, Vermont, Victoria (Toria) is excited to learn and live in New York City. Toria studied Theatre at Middlebury College and graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa with highest departmental honors. Toria’s experience with the arts inspired a passion for children’s theatre as a means of teaching collaboration and building community – skills she hopes to hone during her nine months as a Coro Fellow.

During her senior year, Toria worked as a policy specialist intern on Christine Hallquist’s gubernatorial campaign. Focusing on the areas of Gender Equity and Opioid Crisis Intervention, Toria researched successful policies in other states and drafted proposals specific to Vermont’s landscape.

At Middlebury, Toria led the charge to bar a local Crisis Pregnancy Center – a religiously based anti-abortion facility – from campus events. After submitting the petition to college administrators, Toria worked with fellow students to amend college policy and develop community partner contracts. As a Coro Fellow, Toria is eager to learn how to have difficult conversations, find common ground, and leverage existing resources for progress.

SHACHAR COHEN-HODOS (she/ her/ hers)

Bachelors of Arts in Hebrew Bible and Human Rights List College Joint Program of the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, 2019

Los Angeles native Shachar arrived in New York four years ago to attend college. Her passion lies in mobilizing religious communities in joining social justice movements. She has held various leadership positions in this arena, inaugurating a Muslim-Jewish high school partnership, initiating the Jewish Activist Collective during college, and organizing religious communities for hotel workers’ rights in Southern California as a Young Religious Leader Fellow with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice.

Shachar interned at Families Against Mandatory Minimums in communications and policy where she learned about the complexities of sentencing guidelines and the ways nonprofits balance work inside and outside of the system. She wants to dedicate her career to animating her communities toward action, especially in the area of criminal justice reform. Shachar enters this fellowship with reverence for community organizers and those who work to build an equitable world from the ground up. She is excited to delve into the nuances of social change in New York to gain a broader understanding of different avenues of transformation.

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