Sujatha Jesudason, PhD, Executive Director
Sujatha’s passion for connecting innovation and social justice is apparent in her experience founding and leading several organizations, including CoreAlign. She works to inspire others to be curious and generous while keeping a sharp analysis on current trends and issues facing a wide variety of movements. Her past work ranges from community organizing in Milwaukee, to violence prevention in the South Asian American community, to policy advocacy on reproductive genetics in her role as founder and executive director of Generations Ahead. Sujatha earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and is a leading voice on women’s rights, racial justice, movement building and the ethics of human genetics. When not working or traveling, she can also be found riding her bike, running, weightlifting or reading murder mysteries in her pajamas.
Sujatha’s passion for connecting innovation and social justice is apparent in her experience founding and leading several organizations, including CoreAlign. She works to inspire others to be curious and generous while keeping a sharp analysis on current trends and issues facing a wide variety of movements. Her past work ranges from community organizing in Milwaukee, to violence prevention in the South Asian American community, to policy advocacy on reproductive genetics in her role as founder and executive director of Generations Ahead. Sujatha earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and is a leading voice on women’s rights, racial justice, movement building and the ethics of human genetics. When not working or traveling, she can also be found riding her bike, running, weightlifting or reading murder mysteries in her pajamas.
Layidua Salazar, Operations Coordinator
Layidua provides Operations support to CoreAlign’s team, bringing more than 10 years of experience ensuring smooth and efficient operations at social justice organizations, both in the office and with staff across the South and Central U.S. Her non-profit career has included serving on the board of Access Women’s Health Justice and facilitating a community-based women’s sexuality course. After migrating with her family from Mexico City, Layidua grew up in Oakland, firmly planting her Bay Area roots. A first generation college student who earned her B.A. in History and Women’s Studies from San Francisco State University, Layidua is passionate about removing barriers to sexual and reproductive health, and fighting for health, dignity and justice in her community.
Layidua provides Operations support to CoreAlign’s team, bringing more than 10 years of experience ensuring smooth and efficient operations at social justice organizations, both in the office and with staff across the South and Central U.S. Her non-profit career has included serving on the board of Access Women’s Health Justice and facilitating a community-based women’s sexuality course. After migrating with her family from Mexico City, Layidua grew up in Oakland, firmly planting her Bay Area roots. A first generation college student who earned her B.A. in History and Women’s Studies from San Francisco State University, Layidua is passionate about removing barriers to sexual and reproductive health, and fighting for health, dignity and justice in her community.
Rachel Brooks, MS, Training Coordinator
At CoreAlign, Rachel works to support movement building and grassroots organizing in the South. Throughout her career, Rachel has volunteered with and worked on a range of issues in the field of sexual health and reproductive rights, most specifically issues of bodily autonomy and integrity. Rachel brings with her a background in HIV advocacy and policy, and has served on the Steering Committee of Healthy and Free Tennessee and as an elected member of the Tennessee HIV Care and Prevention Group. An unapologetic Southerner, Rachel resides in Tennessee where she enjoys reading, walking by bodies of water and overly ambitious cooking projects.
At CoreAlign, Rachel works to support movement building and grassroots organizing in the South. Throughout her career, Rachel has volunteered with and worked on a range of issues in the field of sexual health and reproductive rights, most specifically issues of bodily autonomy and integrity. Rachel brings with her a background in HIV advocacy and policy, and has served on the Steering Committee of Healthy and Free Tennessee and as an elected member of the Tennessee HIV Care and Prevention Group. An unapologetic Southerner, Rachel resides in Tennessee where she enjoys reading, walking by bodies of water and overly ambitious cooking projects.
Rohan Shamapant, Senior Manager of Operations
Rohan is interested in unlocking the capability of organizations working to innovatively address major development issues at domestically and abroad. At CoreAlign, he is responsible for improving organizational capacity to achieve its mission, aligning operational, fund development, and programmatic goals, and developing and promoting a high-performing, impact-driven, positive, and collaborative organizational culture. Rohan previously worked at Arabella Advisors supporting a diverse portfolio of social change projects to scale their impact, and at the Naandi Foundation in India implementing programs to enhance maternal and early childhood healthcare and education. In his free time, Rohan serves as the Chairman of the Board for Breathe California Golden Gate and explores Sufi poetry and music. He is also a podcast addict.
Rohan is interested in unlocking the capability of organizations working to innovatively address major development issues at domestically and abroad. At CoreAlign, he is responsible for improving organizational capacity to achieve its mission, aligning operational, fund development, and programmatic goals, and developing and promoting a high-performing, impact-driven, positive, and collaborative organizational culture. Rohan previously worked at Arabella Advisors supporting a diverse portfolio of social change projects to scale their impact, and at the Naandi Foundation in India implementing programs to enhance maternal and early childhood healthcare and education. In his free time, Rohan serves as the Chairman of the Board for Breathe California Golden Gate and explores Sufi poetry and music. He is also a podcast addict.
Sandra Criswell, Senior Manager of Inspiration and Learning
Sandra’s love of regional organizing, collaborative work and venturing into the unexplored coalesces perfectly with her role at CoreAlign, where her job is to do just that. A recipient of the URGE Generations Leadership Award, Sandra’s past reproductive health, rights and justice work includes blogging, organizing, facilitating, leadership development and all-hands-on-deck work for Oklahomans for Reproductive Justice (OK4RJ), Provide, Trust Women and Take Root, as well as currently serving on the board of directors for Backline. When not jet-setting around the Central and South to connect with and learn from the genius of her collaborators, she is usually at home in Oklahoma City, cooking her feelings (and making her friends and family eat them).
Sandra’s love of regional organizing, collaborative work and venturing into the unexplored coalesces perfectly with her role at CoreAlign, where her job is to do just that. A recipient of the URGE Generations Leadership Award, Sandra’s past reproductive health, rights and justice work includes blogging, organizing, facilitating, leadership development and all-hands-on-deck work for Oklahomans for Reproductive Justice (OK4RJ), Provide, Trust Women and Take Root, as well as currently serving on the board of directors for Backline. When not jet-setting around the Central and South to connect with and learn from the genius of her collaborators, she is usually at home in Oklahoma City, cooking her feelings (and making her friends and family eat them).
COREALIGN FACULTY
Maura Bairley, MA
Maura is a member of the CoreAlign consultant design team for the Speaking Race to Power Fellowship. Maura’s transformative leadership development practice is rooted in her 20-year commitment to anti-violence and social justice movements. As a facilitator, coach, and consultant, she helps individuals and groups develop the capacity to hold complexity and ability to work across differences of identity and authority. Maura holds a masters degree in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teacher’s College, where she is also an adjunct faculty member and advanced doctoral student. A native San Franciscan, Maura makes her home in Brooklyn with her partner, teenaged son, and chosen family.
Maura is a member of the CoreAlign consultant design team for the Speaking Race to Power Fellowship. Maura’s transformative leadership development practice is rooted in her 20-year commitment to anti-violence and social justice movements. As a facilitator, coach, and consultant, she helps individuals and groups develop the capacity to hold complexity and ability to work across differences of identity and authority. Maura holds a masters degree in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teacher’s College, where she is also an adjunct faculty member and advanced doctoral student. A native San Franciscan, Maura makes her home in Brooklyn with her partner, teenaged son, and chosen family.
Monica Dennis
Monica, co-founder of The Spirit of A Woman Leadership Development Institute, centers her work on cultivating leadership and healthy racial identity in girls and women of color. Currently, she provides training, coaching and leadership development to organizations and communities committed to racial justice and equity. In addition to serving as a core faculty member for the NoVo Foundation’s Move To End Violence initiative, Monica partners with the Drug Policy Alliance and a host of others working to infuse racial equity practices and policies into their work. She is currently the Regional Coordinator for the Black Lives Matter NYC network.
Monica, co-founder of The Spirit of A Woman Leadership Development Institute, centers her work on cultivating leadership and healthy racial identity in girls and women of color. Currently, she provides training, coaching and leadership development to organizations and communities committed to racial justice and equity. In addition to serving as a core faculty member for the NoVo Foundation’s Move To End Violence initiative, Monica partners with the Drug Policy Alliance and a host of others working to infuse racial equity practices and policies into their work. She is currently the Regional Coordinator for the Black Lives Matter NYC network.
Viveka Chen
Viveka is the lead facilitator of CoreAlign’s consultant design team and designed our popular Practice Circle program. She works with people purposefully creating transformative change in their own lives and for a socially just world. She is a facilitator, certified coach, organizational development consultant and leadership trainer with over 20 years of experience and a commitment to cultural competency and a strength-based approach. She brings a depth of experience designing and facilitating convenings that bring together leaders working on common issues seeking to build networks, movement and impact.
Viveka is the lead facilitator of CoreAlign’s consultant design team and designed our popular Practice Circle program. She works with people purposefully creating transformative change in their own lives and for a socially just world. She is a facilitator, certified coach, organizational development consultant and leadership trainer with over 20 years of experience and a commitment to cultural competency and a strength-based approach. She brings a depth of experience designing and facilitating convenings that bring together leaders working on common issues seeking to build networks, movement and impact.
