“We are thrilled to welcome our inaugural cohort of state leaders who are on the frontlines of connecting Californians with their government,” said Dr. Amy E. Lerman, professor of public policy and political science and the executive director of the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab. “At a time when distrust in government is at an all time high, it is critical that we find innovative ways to reimagine civic engagement. We look forward to working with these incredible state leaders to bring the people of California more fully into the design and implementation of governance and public policy here in the Golden State.”
The 2026 State of Engagement Fellows
*Agency/department affiliation listed for identification purposes only
Hatzune Aguilar
Stakeholder and Community Engagement Supervisor, Office of Communications California Department of Health Care Services
Phoenix Armenta
Policy Innovation Team Lead
Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation
Bryce Avalos
Outreach Manager
California Privacy Protection Agency
Sidney Burt
Strategic Communication Manager
California Department of Child Support Services
Raffa Chávez
Manager Community Engagement, Language Access, Environmental Justice, Office of Public Affairs,
CalRecycle, California Environmental Protection Agency
Aubrie Fong
Acting Executive Director
The Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications
Erin Glenn-Valdiva
Bilingual Outreach Manager
California Civil Rights Department
Kelsey Howard
Chief, Strategic Communications Division
Employment Development Department
Anna Jane Jones
Program Manager, Community Resilience Centers
California Strategic Growth Council
Joseph Lott
Strategic Advisor to the Directorate
California Department of Public Health
Waynee Lucero
Deputy Director and Tribal Liaison External Affairs and Community Engagement Division
Covered California
Cara O’Brien
Deputy District Superintendent of the Bay Area District of California State Parks
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Fabián Pérez-Grove
Health & Equity Program Manager
California Strategic Growth Council
JaRita Pichon
Deputy Director, Access & Equity Division
California Department of Developmental Services
Roberto Rizo
Head of Legislative and External Affairs
California Government Operations Agency, Office of Data and Innovation
Casanya Ursery
Equity in Procurement Manager
California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Matthew Zhou
Assistant State Chief Data Officer
California Government Operations Agency, Office of Data and Innovation
In October 2025, the Possibility Lab worked in partnership with the Governor’s Senior Advisor of Civic Engagement and Strategic Partnerships and the State of Engagement Planning Committee (comprised of state government leaders) to host the inaugural State of Engagement Summit. The Summit brought together over 100 state leaders who oversee civic engagement within state government. The Summit coincided with the release of the Lab’s State of Engagement case study report.
The State of Engagement Fellows program emerged from a post-event survey of Summit participants, who requested more structured ways of staying connected with each other and the Lab.
“Public servants responsible for direct engagement with residents are uniquely positioned to shape government programs that are both effective and responsive to community needs,” said Jesse Melgar, Senior Advisor for Strategy and Public Affairs at the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab. “These leaders can ensure government programs and initiatives are thoughtfully co-designed and implemented in genuine partnership with the communities they serve.”
The Fellowship will run from May 2026 through May 2027 and will include an in-person orientation meeting and quarterly online discussion workshops. Sessions will focus on how the Possibility Lab’s IMPACT Model can help government engage with purpose, how engagement strategies can be deployed during times of crisis, emerging digital tools for engagement, and turning engagement into policy change.
Fellows will also be offered on-going mentorship, optional trainings, and 1:1 support from Possibility Lab faculty, staff, and graduate student researchers. The program will conclude with an event in Sacramento to showcase the fellows’ work.
