CEO & Founder

Edwin brings over 12 years of experience shaping electoral, legislative, and narrative campaigns across local, state, and national landscapes. He has worked on statewide campaigns for Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, as well as numerous local and congressional efforts.
He serves on several boards, including as Board President of COPAL MN and as a Trustee for the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. He also serves on the boards of FairVote Minnesota, Good Trouble, and SAVE, and was recognized by Twin Cities Business Magazine in 2024 as a Notable Nonprofit Board Member.
Edwin holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School and, in 2023, became the first undocumented student to pursue a Ph.D. there. His work has been featured locally and globally, including in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Newshour, MPR, and many more. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

President

Melisa López Franzen brings more than 20 years of experience in corporate and policy advocacy, strategic communications, and reputation management for complex institutions. She served as Executive Director of Government and Community Relations at the University of Minnesota. Elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 2013, Melisa served for 10 years, including as Caucus Leader. Earlier in her career, she held roles at Target Corporation in community relations and government affairs.
Melisa holds a Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline Law School, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, and a B.A. in Political Science, from Inter American University of Puerto Rico.

Public Affairs Manager

Yeng is a strategic leader with deep experience in higher education, civic engagement, and equity-centered leadership development. They previously served as Director of Campus Life at Augsburg University, where they led student engagement strategy, supervised multidisciplinary teams, managed multi-million-dollar program budgets, and advanced inclusive leadership initiatives.
Yeng currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance. At the University of St. Thomas, they served as Assistant Director of Engagement and Education, and previously led recruitment and access efforts as a Senior Admissions Counselor. Their civic and political experience includes coordinating AAPI outreach for the Harris-Walz campaign and the Minnesota DFL.
A Fulbright Scholar in Thailand, Yeng earned a Master of Arts in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and brings a global, comparative lens to their work.

Creative Director

Brian brings over 15 years years of filmmaking and design experience, blending cinematic storytelling with strong visual strategy. He is a four-time Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Award winner, including three awards as Lead Cinematographer for Here’s The Truth with Georgia Fort and one through Twin Cities PBS (TPT).
A 2023 Next Step Fund Recipient and 2026 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Individuals Grant Recipient, Brian is a first-generation college graduate with a B.S. in Mass Communications (Advertising sequence) and a minor in Graphic Design. He has led FilmNorth’s Summer Youth Camp in 2024 and 2025 and has captured major moments in sports history, including the 2016–2017 Minnesota Lynx seasons, the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game, and two WNBA Championship runs. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Director of Strategic Development

Karen is a seasoned political and nonprofit leader recognized for her commitment to inclusive leadership and equitable representation. In 2015, she was named one of The Huffington Post’s “40 Under 40: Latinos in American Politics,” and in 2025 she received Minnesota United FC’s Target L’Étoile du Nord Award for her dedication to uplifting her community.
She previously served as Chief Operating Officer at LatinoLEAD, where she strengthened leadership pipelines, operational systems, and cross-sector partnerships focused on economic opportunity and workforce equity. Karen has also held senior leadership and operational roles at Women Winning and the Minnesota DFL, and worked at the immigration law firm Benach Collopy in Washington, D.C. - I graduated from George Washington University. She has served as an at-large delegate for Minnesota’s Congressional District 2 and remains deeply engaged in advancing equitable political representation across the state.
Karen remains deeply committed to advancing equitable political representation while building durable funding strategies that empower communities to thrive.

Digital Coordinator

Ayla is a strategic communications professional and Minneapolis native who brings creativity, research expertise, and cultural grounding to her work. She graduated from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications and a minor in Digital Media Studies. She holds a Google Analytics certification and has experience using industry research tools including Simmons and Mintel.
In 2025, Ayla was named one of the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Students. She has worked on multiple pitch competitions and brand campaigns, including presenting a full campaign strategy to Adobe in New York.
A Dakota language speaker, Ayla’s work is deeply informed by Indigenous traditions of storytelling and community care. She has advocated for expanded resources for foster care college students through Foster Advocates and served as a mentor at Bdote Learning Center, an Indigenous language immersion school, through the University YMCA.

Public Affairs Coordinator

Ashima holds a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and Criminal Justice, along with a Paralegal Certificate. In 2020, he enlisted in the Minnesota Air National Guard and served as a Commander Support Staff Technician in the United States Air Force.
He previously interned in the office of Congresswoman Betty McCollum and served as a Hmong Organizer for the Harris–Walz presidential campaign, bringing both public service and community organizing experience to his work.

Public Affairs Coordinator

Katie Velez is completing her Bachelor of Arts in International Business at Augsburg University, with minors in Political Science and International Relations. She is a full-ride scholarship recipient and three-time Dean’s List honoree.
In 2025, Katie was selected as one of just 43 Urban Scholar Interns nationwide, serving full-time with the City of Minneapolis in Finance & Property Services. At Augsburg, she has held multiple leadership roles within ALAS (Augsburg Latin American Students), including Vice President, Outreach Coordinator, and Secretary, where she organized initiatives, built partnerships, and strengthened student engagement. She has also served as Public Relations Officer for Augsburg’s mentorship club and remains active in community organizations including COPAL’s youth committee and LatinoLEAD.
A former varsity soccer athlete, Katie is also a Thielen Award recipient.