CA Policy Forum: 2024 Ballot Measures

<p>Karla Mercado supports SCG's public policy efforts and manages Philanthropy California initiatives.</p>

<p>Prior to SCG, Karla was the director of special events for a public relations firm where she developed and coordinated strategic networking events for local nonprofits, institutions, and corporate clients, with the goal of expanding their community involvement and exposure. She began her work in the nonprofit sector as a case manager for the Los Angeles Chapter of Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she supported and maintained records for youth and their mentors to ensure positive youth and match development. Karla has a B.A. in Sociology from California State University, Los Angeles and an M.P.A. and certificate in Non-Profit Management from the California State University, Northridge.</p>

Chris Micheli is a founding partner of the governmental relations and advocacy firm of Snodgrass & Micheli located in Sacramento, California. He has substantial legislative and regulatory experience in the areas of state and local taxation, transportation, labor and employment, forestry, health care, civil liability, and insurance. As a legislative advocate, Micheli regularly testifies before policy and fiscal committees of the California Legislature, as well as a number of administrative agencies, departments, boards, and commissions.

Over the last twenty years, he has published over one thousand articles and editorials in professional journals, newspapers and trade magazines, whose diverse subjects range from tax incentives to transportation funding. He is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Political Science – Public Service and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with a J.D. degree. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at McGeorge where he teaches the course Lawmaking in California as well as several online courses, and as a Lecturer in Law at the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law where he teaches the course Legislative Drafting. He resides in Sacramento, California with his wife, Liza, two daughters, Morgan and Francesca, and son, Vincenzo. He enjoys reading, writing, soccer, martial arts, and travel.

Liana joins NCG as our Director for Policy and Movement, where she’ll focus on growing our capacity to transform philanthropic practice and investments and building power in communities most impacted by racial inequities. She brings a wealth of experience as a social change advocate and strategist advancing social, racial, and economic justice campaigns.

In her role with Build Affordable Faster - TODCO over the last few years, she’s provided core support for the emergent Oakland Progressive Alliance (OPA), a partnership between labor, community-based organizations and progressive elected leaders to harness political power to further progressive policy changes centering Oakland’s most vulnerable residents. Prior to this, she worked with the California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC) - now known as Rise Economy - as the Director of Community Engagement and statewide organizer where she led a multi-year campaign to reform predatory payday lending at the federal, state and local level and strengthened the statewide movement for financial justice and consumer protections. In her work throughout the years with the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), she organized faith leaders, workers, residents and built coalition support for campaigns to lift low-wage workers out of poverty and win community benefits from large-scale development projects.

Liana’s passion for social change work is rooted in her experience growing up in El Paso, Texas on the US - Mexico border, her family history, formative years in college, living in deep east Oakland, her spiritual beliefs and a strong desire to serve a greater purpose in life. Liana holds a B.A. in Sociology from Santa Clara University and a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. In her free time, you can catch her chasing sunsets and waterfalls, hiking in the redwoods, going to concerts and other shows, traveling to beautiful destinations and enjoying time with friends and family.