Kyrsten Sinema serves as the Assistant Leader to the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives and represents central Phoenix in the Arizona Legislature District 15. Now in her third term, she is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and also serves on the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee.

Kyrsten holds both a law degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the School of Justice and Social Inquiry at ASU. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Social Work at ASU and practices law when not in session.

Kyrsten has worked on initiatives in Arizona and around the country for a number of years, and in 2006 chaired Arizona Together, the first and only successful effort in the country to defeat a same-sex marriage ballot initiative. In 2008, she chaired Protect Arizona’s Freedom, the coalition that defeated Ward Connerly’s effort to place an initiative on the state ballot to eliminate equal opportunity programs. She continues to consult with political groups around the nation on electoral and legislative strategy.
Representative Sinema was chosen last year as one of 32 state lawmakers nationwide, and the only legislator from Arizona, for the White House Health Reform Task Force. As a member of the Task Force, Sinema has worked with Arizonans to help shape national health reform so that middle-class families can have access to quality and affordable health care. The historic passage of health reform in Congress was signed into law on Tuesday, March 23rd 2010.

Kyrsten is a strong voice for the community at the national level, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and she speaks regularly at national conferences on a variety of issues including health care, immigration, equal rights, ballot initiatives, messaging strategy, coalition building.

Kyrsten’s first book, Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions that Win and Last, was released in July 2009 by Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

As the Political Director at America's Voice, Adam coordinates our strategy to build a new majority for comprehensive immigration reform. Before joining the America's Voice team, Adam worked with community organizations and national leaders on immigration reform at the Center for Community Change. Adam is no stranger to winning national issue campaigns, having led the fight against Social Security privatization and other issues at the Campaign for America's Future and the 2030 Center. Adam has authored policy and political analyses that have garnered hundreds of news stories and has organized grassroots events that mobilized tens of thousands and online mobilizations that moved hundreds of thousands to action. Adam began his career in 1992, fighting anti-immigrant politics in California and looks forward to finishing the job at the national level with his colleagues at America's Voice.

Andrea Nill is an Immigration Researcher/Blogger for ThinkProgress.org and The Progress Report at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Andrea holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Political Science with a concentration in Latin American Studies and Law and Society. Prior to joining the center, Andrea was a Communications Associate at the Immigration Policy Center where she founded the blog, Immigration Impact. Andrea was also a Communications Specialist at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), specializing in bilingual public relations. Andrea was born in Guatemala and grew-up in upstate New York.

Born in Mexico, Chief Venegas and his family immigrated to the U.S. in 1958 settling in Santa Maria, California. Chief Venegas dropped out of high school and in January 1966 entered into the military, serving as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division in the US and Vietnam, returning stateside in December 1968. Chief Venegas began his law enforcement career in June 1969 with the Fresno Police Department and served in various ranks until Jan 1993, when he was appointed as Chief of Police for the City of Sacramento. He retired in February 2003.

Long a proponent of Community Policing, Chief Venegas knows that public safety success can only be achieved with the trust, support and engagement of each and every member of a community.

Chief Venegas now has a BA degree from the University of San Francisco and a MS degree from California State University Polytechnic, Pomona. He is a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and National Executive Institute, and the California Law Enforcement Command College. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, National Latino Peace Officers Association, Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, California Police Chiefs Association, Fresno Police Officers Association, American Legion, 101st Airborne Division Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

SOME OF HIS RECOGNITIONS INCLUDE:

2007 Newsmaker of the Year, Al Dia Newspaper, and Shaker and Mover, Impacto Newspaper, Philadelphia/South New Jersey
2007, Interim President, Camden County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
2001 Alumni Leadership Award, University of San Francisco
2001 “John Navarette” Inspirational Award, HAPCOA & Motorola Corporation
2000 “Gil Pompa” Leadership Award, Hisp.-American Police Command Officer Assn.
2000 Community Service Award, Jewish Resource Council
The Ohtli Medal for Service, Republic of Mexico
1998 Community Service Award, Japanese American Citizens League
1992 Businessman of the Year, Fresno Latin-American Business Club
Resolutions from the California Legislature
Community Service Award, Sacramento Urban League
Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service and Achievement, US Army