People

Pranay first got involved in the pro-housing movement while living in Chicago. They believe that our cities can and should be available to people from all walks of life. As a co-Lead for Urban Environmentalists Illinois, Pranay projects a housing-and-climate-first message across Chicago and stays at the forefront of removing barriers to housing abundance and sustainable urban living. Pranay takes a data-backed approach to decision-making and is always looking for ways to optimize processes that further the movement. They have degrees in Marketing and Business Analytics from Indiana University.

In 2014, Sonja Trauss started organizing pro-housing renters in the Bay Area while working as a high school math teacher. She is a founder of the YIMBY movement in California. As Executive Director of Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY), Sonja leads YIMBY Law, our legal arm. Sonja also facilitates community organizing for housing projects that are compliant with state housing laws to be approved by local governments. Under Sonja’s leadership, YIMBY Law has won nine lawsuits since 2019.

Courtney has worked in the housing and real estate development space for five years. Before joining YIMBY Action, Courtney led the growth team at coUrbanize, a community engagement platform that empowers more people to have a say in what gets built in their neighborhood. She is also a frequent contributor writer, covering real estate development, green buildings, and of course, housing solutions. She is growing our membership of developers, architects, land use attorneys, and other key stakeholders in the building industry.

Jaclynn brings a diverse background to her position at YIMBY Action. In her role as an Operations Associate, she draws on her extensive experience in teacher leadership and operations across various sectors including construction, logistics, and non-profits. In her capacity at YIMBY, she focuses on operations and project management to create a healthy and efficient organization that can better serve the pro-housing movement. She has a Bachelor of Science. from Wittenberg University and a Masters of Education Degree in Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Andrew Gothard is a former labor organizer/union leader and higher education faculty member who joined the pro-housing movement after experiencing firsthand the impact of unsustainable housing costs in South Florida. He earned his Ph.D. in English in 2017 from the University of Miami and taught for six years at Florida Atlantic University. During that time, he also served as an organizer and elected union official with the United Faculty of Florida, the Florida Education Association, and the Florida AFL-CIO. Andrew comes to YIMBY Action with a great deal of experience in grassroots organizing, political advocacy, state and federal court litigation, and press relations.

Connor became involved in advocacy as a teenage student with a disability. He required additional help and resources to thrive and this imbued in him a sense of service. After studying political science in college, Connor set his sights on electoral politics in 2018. Over several years, he worked at the local, state, and national level for campaigns and democracy-focused organizations. Connor became the youngest member ever elected onto one of his hometown’s political committees and joined the activists who helped pass a criminal justice reform act in 2020. Connor joined the pro-housing movement and YIMBY Action in order to make a difference in Denver, the city that he has fallen in love with. Everyone needs a home, so Connor is motivated to ensure Denver can accommodate all current and future residents! Connor received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science and Government from Hartwick College.

Joanna Gubman gave her first YIMBY public comment in 2017, became a YIMBY Action lead in San Francisco in March 2020, and started as Executive Director of Urban Environmentalists in July 2021. She has spent the last 15 years in the energy, climate, and transportation sectors as an Administrative Law Judge and Commissioner’s Advisor at the California Public Utilities Commission. She has also worked as a research fellow at multiple institutions in Germany, and a sustainability consultant at Navigant Consulting (now Guidehouse). In her work as Executive Director for Urban Environmentalists and Environmental Director at YIMBY Action, Joanna advocates for the integration of urban land use policy with environmental policy. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

Gillian Pressman has spent her entire career in the nonprofit sector, leading fundraising and programs for a variety of direct service and advocacy organizations that all have focused on ending urban inequality. Prior to YIMBY Action, she was the Senior Director of Development at Peer Health Exchange (PHE), a national health equity organization. There, she led strategy and operations for the organization’s national and local fundraising teams. Prior, she was Executive Director for Massachusetts at Generation Citizen (GC), an organization that empowers young people to take political action in their communities. At GC, Gillian oversaw all fundraising, political advocacy, school and community partnerships, and programs for her region. In 2019, Gillian joined the YIMBY Action team, where she has increased the organizational revenue of YIMBY Action and Yes In My Back Yard by more than 8x. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Princeton University.

Amy has over a decade of experience in fundraising, event planning, and marketing for nonprofit organizations. She has led development strategies for organizations focused on the livability of our cities including working on local food accessibility, small business development, and urban forestry. Most recently, she served as the Director of Development at Transportation Alternatives in New York City, advocating for better walking, biking, and public transit options for all. She holds a Bachelors in Communications from Edgewood College in Madison, WI, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University, and an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.

Joanna is the former Executive Director of Urban Environmentalists and she now sits on the Advisory Board. She came to Urban Environmentalists from the California Public Utilities Commission, where she served as an Administrative Law Judge and Commissioner's Advisor, among other roles. She brings to Urban Environmentalists her expertise in clean energy and transportation policy, energy and infrastructure programs for underserved communities, and of course, navigating complex government bureaucracies. Her several research fellowships in Germany have also inspired Joanna to become ever more committed to urbanism here in the Bay Area. In her free time, Joanna serves as a member of the board of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Jason Sanchez is a resident of Gainesville. He became lead for the YIMBY movement because he believes we need denser, more walkable, and more accessible housing for everyone.

Joshua Ney is a father to three rad kids. He became a lead for the YIMBY movement because he believes we should have more housing choice in Gainesville.

I am a housing and transit advocate. I grew up in San Diego and now I'm living in San Francisco.

McKenzie brings a decade of experience in non-profit communications, programs and events to her role as the Event Coordinator for YIMBY Action. Her education and background has been rooted in her desire to build community through shared experiences. From managing galleries, to coordinating summer park programs, and facilitating virtual events for seniors, McKenzie’s previous work reflects her passion for gathering people in our collective pursuit of liberation. McKenzie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University and a Master’s Degree In Strategic Communication from Columbia College Chicago.

Growing up in South Dakota and moving to the Twin Cities for college means I am a hardworking, midwesterner through and through! After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2004 - I spent a year in Seattle, Washington working in the great outdoors with EarthCorp, a non-profit specializing in reforestation and restoration work. Trail building in the mountains was my favorite! At the end of the program, I returned to Minneapolis to continue volunteering at various non-profits throughout the Cities. I began working at Feed My Starving Children in 2006. I worked in a number of roles however - my favorite position was creating and overseeing “The MarketPlace.” In this role I had the honor of connecting with artisans around the world to purchase and promote their beautiful, handmade items in order to create additional economic growth through fair, sustainable wages - especially for women. In 2017 I left FMSC to work with local, non-profit organizations to help them create online stores to promote their great work. At the same time, I pursued my real estate license which I've maintained for the past 6 years. I enjoy helping friends and family find houses throughout the Twin Cities. I believes housing is a basic human right. Joining the St. Paul Affordability Task Force and helping create the first YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) chapter in Minnesota are a few ways in which I hope to work towards sustainable, affordable and abundant housing for ALL in the Twin Cities and beyond.

I'm a Twin Cities native who loves calling Minnesota home. I grew up in Plymouth and Richfield, spent my twenties in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and bought my first home in Columbia Heights. I now own my dream property in Andover that allows me to garden, grow apples, and support a robust pollinator population. From a young age, my single mother instilled the importance of giving back to people in our community. The value of each person and their right to be housed, fed, and clothed. Because simply, they are people and it's a human right. While attending college in Iowa, I engaged in grassroots organizing for a political campaign. I learned first hand the power of people uniting for a cause. I spent a summer in Baltimore living in an intentional community focused on nuclear weapon disarmament. I'm passionate about working with others to improve the greater good of the people in our communities. I worked in advising, coaching, and product operations for an education company downtown for 8 years. I loved the people I worked with and the students we served, but when the pandemic hit it was a turning point, a time to refocus my time and energy. I developed an interest in housing through my post college AmeriCorps service; a program that equipped high school youth with skills in home renovation while supporting community rehabilitation. This grew into a passion for guiding others through the home ownership process and teaching folx how to leverage generational wealth building through real estate. After getting licensed in 2020, I discovered the network professionals in this industry who are also passionate about housing affordability, housing as a human right, and ensuring accessibility to the stability of home ownership. When I'm not assisting clients or volunteering for community causes, you can find me walking a bear sized dog or enjoying live music at a local venue with my husband. I enjoy hiking, biking, birding and gardening. I also like to sponsor events or volunteer with organizations close to my heart. I believe we each have the power to weave the fabric of strong, interconnected communities that thrive, collectively.

I live with my two teenagers, their father, and a Shihtzu named Stella in St. Paul. We have happily been renting our home for 6 years. I work primarily in the Twin Cities region. Home has always been important to me - thinking about it, longing for it, and helping individuals and families build it. Before I was eighteen years old, I had lived in a dozen+ homes in various cities throughout the US. I learned first-hand how disruptive moving often is on a child, even when it’s within the same city, but especially when it’s cross-country. During my formative years, I lived in Mississippi with my mom where I witnessed blatant racial discrimination - from attending a mostly segregated parochial school to hearing stories from my mom about her childhood growing up in rural Mississippi to seeing Ku Klux Klan members "marketing" on street corners. As a child, I was horrified and confused by all of it. It's a feeling that has stayed with me decades later. My educational background is architecture and urban planning. While studying urban planning, I became interested in patterns of neighborhood segregation and how to create more integrated, inclusive neighborhoods. It is absolutely possible to create opportunities for more inclusive and racially diverse neighborhoods. There needs to be more education and outreach to the general public about why it’s important to create more affordable housing in ALL areas. And, to offer opportunities for grassroots involvement. I have been a Realtor for almost 20 years, and believe everyone in my industry should be vocal enthusiasts for the creation of more housing, especially the missing middle housing. In most instances, the real estate industry continues to advocate for private property rights, at the expense of real people’s lives. This is why Nichole, Meghan, and myself joined together to create a TC YIMBY chapter early in 2023.

Tia Stone joined YIMBY Action as the Senior Manager of Membership in June 2023. Her background is in community engagement, marketing, and volunteer management. Though new to the pro-housing movement, Tia has been in the thick of equity and justice-centered work as an organizer in the Black Lives Matter movement in which she worked on protest and policy organizing and coalition building around local cases and policies upholding police brutality. She also spent years in sexual violence and human trafficking work, working as a director for a local nonprofit where she became a certified Victim Advocate heavily focused on the importance of healing-centered and trauma-informed approaches to working not only in victim advocacy but all justice and equity work.

Chris is a renowned expert in urban sustainability and climate action strategies. With a background in urban planning and energy management, Chris works with local governments, universities, and non-profit organizations across the United States to develop sustainable infrastructure and environmental policy frameworks. He recently led the consultant teams for New York City’s first comprehensive environmental justice report and the award-winning Los Angeles Countywide Sustainability Plan – widely recognized as the nation’s boldest, most inclusive regional sustainability strategy.

Rudy joined the pro–housing movement after he and his husband faced housing insecurity in 2020. He quickly became engaged with his local YIMBY Action chapter, Peninsula for Everyone, by working to get endorsed candidates elected. In December of 2020, he officially joined YIMBY Action as staff and built YIMBY Action’s Marketing and Communications Department. His strategy elevated the YIMBY movement by growing and diversifying its membership as well as increasing small dollar donations. In 2021, Rudy served on the Redistricting Commission for San Mateo County and chaired the Redistricting Commission for Redwood City. His work led to the protection of two majority-minority districts in RWC. Rudy has a degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University and now serves as a Redwood City Planning Commissioner.

Vincent has been a housing activist since 2014. He founded of CoderPad, a tool for remote, skills-based job interviews for programmers, and is now effectively retired.

Parag Gupta is the Chief Program Officer at Mercy Housing, the largest US nonprofit affordable housing provider for families, seniors, and people with special needs. Providing affordable housing is the first step, and Parag oversees the wrap-around support provided to Mercy Housing’s residents. Parag has worked in coffee, education, solid waste, sanitation, and other industries with a focus of empowering communities across the world. He returned to San Francisco Bay Area to stand with folks seeking to make the community more inclusive. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and daughter where he attends public meetings and informs neighbors of pro-housing and pro-transportation initiatives.

Jeff has been active in housing policy debates for years, making the case for greater housing production and a revamped social safety net. He periodically writes about housing policy and politics. Jeff was formerly Vice President of Product at Postmates, an on-demand logistics platform. He now works at Hover, a technology firm that builds products for the home construction industry.

Jane has been a YIMBY since 2016, when she helped found the chapter Grow the Richmond. In addition to serving on the YIMBY Action board, she serves on the boards of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the SF LGBT Center. She also serves on the Citizens’ General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee. Professionally, Jane is a Financial Crimes Investigator at Stripe, where she conducts anti-money laundering Investigations. Prior to that, she worked in the same capacity at Wells Fargo.

Ernest is a current Board Member of YIMBY Action, and has been active in the YIMBY movement since 2017. Ernest also serves on the boards of Tech Equity Collaborative and the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund. He is a Senior Project Manager at Kaiser Permanente, where he supports the nonprofit’s strategy and partnerships. Ernest is a native of Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics.

In 2018, Nick fundraised to help Josh Harder (D) flip the CA-10 US House seat. Energized by this win, he turned his attention closer to his home of San Francisco. Having built a factory in the city, Nick knew firsthand the punishing impact of the local building regulations, and the burden that expensive housing and limited transit put on his production staff, not to mention most residents of the city. He got involved with YIMBY Action after seeing them effectively build a movement to make change. Nick brings his deep network in the tech and manufacturing communities into the movement to make better, more affordable, and equitable cities across America.

Anthony has been a leader in the pro-housing movement in Los Angeles since 2018, most recently serving as Director of Policy and Research at Abundant Housing LA. His work on housing reform has appeared on the op-ed pages of the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Streetsblog. Anthony is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Chicago MBA program. He is founder and CEO of Revival Homes, a startup that matches homeowners to financing and contractors for ADUs.

Andrea is a current Board Member of YIMBY Action, and joined the YIMBY movement when she was a council member in the city of Clarkston in 2017. Andrea is a campaign manager and political consultant who wants to help elect more pro-housing leaders across the country. She graduated from Georgia Southern with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a degree in Visual Art.

Asile Patin is a strategist, facilitator, and organizer based in Atlanta, Georgia. She joined the YIMBY movement as an Atlanta Regional Organizer in 2022. Previously, Asile participated in the first study and review of Atlanta’s historic Neighborhood Planning Unit system in over 40 years. Through the study, she developed and piloted a methodology to use civic engagement to mend social and economic inequality. Asile was a 2020 Georgia Women’s Policy Institute Fellow, advocating for gender pay equity legislation. She was also an inaugural Highlander Center ‘Seeds of Fire’ grant recipient, designing and facilitating a series of intimate focus groups within Black communities to discuss the political landscape in Georgia. In addition to her organizing work with YIMBY Action, she is currently a consultant with CommunityBuild Ventures, a pro-Black solutions firm committed to promoting racial equity. Asile is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and holds a dual Bachelor of Arts Degree in African American Studies and Civic Engagement from Syracuse University.

Alex Melendrez began working in pro-housing advocacy in 2018 as an organizer for the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County. As an organizer, he advocated for housing rights for communities in San Mateo County. Alex endorsed projects and policies to improve tenants’ rights and housing affordability, and developed new housing leaders. In 2019, Alex became a Lead with Peninsula For Everyone chapter, where he encouraged YIMBYs to join local boards and commissions. Alex joined YIMBY Action as an Organizing Manager for the California Peninsula & South Bay in 2022. He grows our movement in San Mateo and Santa Clara County by empowering grassroots YIMBYs to become leaders in their own communities. Alex has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government from the University of California, Berkeley. Alex also serves as the Communications Director for the San Mateo County Democratic Party, sits on the California Democratic Party’s Legislative Committee, and serves on his community college’s Chancellor Select committee. In the past, he has served on the Peninsula Clean Energy’s Citizens Advisory Committee, the San Bruno Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Peninsula Young Democrats’ Executive Board.

Rafa Sonnenfeld has been working in the housing sector since 2019, when he began serving on the City of Santa Cruz’s Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness. Rafa has experience working with local government and non-profit organizations that provide support for vulnerable populations experiencing the consequences of the national housing crisis. As Policy Director, Rafa uses his depth of housing policy knowledge to lead the strategic deployment of the YIMBY Action network to advance pro-housing policy. He focuses on policy prioritization, staff and volunteer management, coalition building and thought leadership, and legal team support. Rafa received his Bachelor of Science in Informatics from the University of Washington. Rafa also serves on the board of Recovery Cafe Santa Cruz, a non-profit that serves people suffering from homelessness, addiction, and other mental health challenges, and has served as a member of Housing for Health Partnership, and Housing Santa Cruz County.

Jessamyn Garner has been involved in housing advocacy for over four years. Starting as an advocate for ending homelessness, they worked with local organizations to support permanent supportive housing before finding the pro-housing movement and expanding their advocacy. Jessamyn joined YIMBY Action staff in 2020 and currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communications. Their strategies have resulted in a 34 percent increase in YIMBY Action members, growing our people power and spreading awareness of the pro-housing movement. Jessamyn has also been a main driver of YIMBY Action’s internal and external Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. They received their Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California State University-Fullerton. Jessamyn is also on the Board of Directors for Orange County LGBTQ+ Pride in California.

Leora Tanjuatco Ross has been organizing for housing since 2015. Before YIMBY Action, she worked at the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo, where she focused on organizing people in support of affordable housing. Leora has also served as the president of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition, the oldest and largest Democratic club in Silicon Valley. When she’s near surface-level parking lots, she’ll point out that they could be homes to anyone within hearing distance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Media Studies from the University of Virginia.

Nikki Yang joined the YIMBY Action Marketing and Communications team in 2022. Previously, she worked in the sustainability sector in California advocating for environmentalism on college campuses as a Zero Waste Coordinator at UC Davis Sustainability. Nikki also worked at affordable housing non-profit Community Land Trust Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium. As the Marketing Design Coordinator for YIMBY Action, Nikki supports graphic design and marketing work that increases awareness of our movement and attracts new members. Nikki earned her Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Environmental Design from the University of California, Davis. She is currently pursuing her Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.

Mariah started working in advocacy in 2017 at a nonprofit geared toward youth social justice initiatives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Later, she supported digital marketing efforts for a White House Initiative and worked on projects for agencies such as USAID, the State Department, and several U.S. Embassies overseas. In 2022, Mariah joined YIMBY Action’s Marketing and Communications Department. Mariah leverages social media and email marketing to spread awareness about the pro-housing movement and help grow our people power! Mariah earned her Bachelor of Arts from American University in Public Relations and Strategic Communication.

Julia Teitelbaum has worked in design and technology for more than ten years. Julia designed digital products for companies including General Electric and Cisco. After volunteering with YIMBY Action for a few years, she joined staff in 2020, working to advance the YIMBY movement through her technology and digital design skills. Her work includes brand stewardship, service design, website management, data management, and automation. She holds a degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Information Systems & Human-Computer Interaction, with a minor in Communication Design.

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Laura Foote became a housing activist in 2014, when she became one of the key founders of the YIMBY movement. As a Founder and the Executive Director of YIMBY Action, Laura has grown the organization into a thriving grassroots political organization with tens of thousands of activists. As of 2022, YIMBY Action has nearly 40 chapters in cities across the country. Laura is widely recognized as an authority on effective housing activism in the US. Her work building the YIMBY movement has been covered in Forbes, The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, the book Golden Gates, and more.