Arnold Chandler is an advocate, researcher, and social change strategist who for more than 22 years has helped government, nonprofits, and foundations develop evidence-informed strategies to advance programs and policies focused on social and economic equity. He is the President and co-founder of Forward Change based in Oakland, California Recently, he was a Senior Research Associate at the Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at the U.C. Berkeley School of Law Before that he was a research Analyst working with a team to reform the Oakland Police Department as part of a federal lawsuit settled in 2001 Prior to that he was a researcher and policy strategist at PolicyLink for six years. Chandler has also authored several important policy analyses and studies in the equity field. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a M.S. in Information Systems. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife Janet.

Regan Douglass has worked for over a decade in social justice, arts/culture, civic engagement, education, and systems-change philanthropy, research, and advocacy organizations. She focuses on how strategic communications can deepen empathy, advance equity, and accelerate efforts to build a better world.

Douglass currently leads Sparkwise Communications, working in partnership with clients on a mission for good. Previously, she directed communications for California Humanities and College Futures Foundation, where she developed high-impact statewide audience engagement campaigns, led rebrandings, and launched a news media funding strategy. Previously, she managed communications efforts for PolicyLink, a think tank focused on applying community wisdom and original research to improve life outcomes nationwide for low-income people of color.

In addition to leading communications for non-profits, government agencies, and a multi-national corporation, Douglass has conducted trainings of all sizes, taught writing courses at a large university, and co-authored a NY Times bestselling book on advancing opportunity for Black communities. She holds a Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in English and an M.F.A. in writing. Currently, she serves on the board of a national news outlet focused on educational equity and as president of ComNetwork San Francisco Bay Area, California’s largest network of mission-driven communications professionals.

Tia Elena Martinez has over 25 years of experience doing social change work in low income communities and communities of color in the United States. Over the decades her work has spanned a wide range of issues including education reform, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the war on drugs, homelessness, affordable housing, disconnected youth, and immigration. She is currently an independent consultant doing work on dismantling the school to prison pipeline and transforming life chances for boys and men of color. Prior to consulting, she was the Chief Equity Officer at the Stupski Foundation where she designed an R & D effort focused on applying knowledge from the psychology and neuroscience to help low income students and student of color own and drive their learning and increase academic achievement. Tia came to the foundation from the Warren Institute on Race, Ethnicity and Diversity at UC Berkeley Law School, where she was acting director of education, leading a policy unit focused on issues related to education reform, teacher effectiveness, and racial justice. Prior to joining the Warren Institute, she served as strategic consultant to the Office for Civil Rights in the US Department of Education leading their strategic planning process and supporting rollout and implementation of the new strategy across 12 regional offices. Prior to working with the department, Tia was a senior manager with the Bridgespan Group where she led engagements with large, national foundations and major civil rights groups. She’s also been a senior fellow at the Hewlett Foundation, a policy analyst for the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the San Francisco Mayor’s HIV Health Services Planning Council, and a street outreach worker. Tia has an AB in History from Harvard University, a Master in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, and a JD from Stanford Law School.

Tanya Alvarado is the Administrative Coordinator for Forward Change. In this role, she performs a variety of administrative duties, including scheduling, data entry, and research. Tanya has more than 12 years of experience as an Administrative Assistant. She spent 15 years in the gaming industry, using her passion for employee satisfaction and process improvement to promote from administrative roles to supervisory and managerial assignments in gaming and hospitality areas. In addition to volunteering for the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Koman events, having been a Relay for Life Event Chair and Breast Cancer 3 Day Team Captain, Tanya is building a small ceramics and art business with a focus on teaching children. She lives outside Phoenix, AZ, with her husband and 2 daughters.

Mary Tam is an independent consultant who has spent over 20 years in the pursuit of social justice through her work at local and international nonprofit organizations. As Program Supervisor at the State Bar of California, she oversaw the distribution of $50 million annually to legal aid organizations that serve low-income Californians. Prior to grantmaking, she was Development Director, Western Region at Amnesty International USA where she worked with major donors and executive staff to raise funds,and managed partnerships. Before that, Mary served as Senior Manager of Undergraduate Programs at Net Impact, leading a team that supported students interested in pursuing impact careers. Earlier in her career, she worked at nonprofits focused on child and family services, as well as international development. Mary earned her MBA degree from San Francisco State University but has since returned to her home, Honolulu, Hawai’i. Mary is honored to support Forward Change through her nonprofit consulting practice, Nā Hopena Consulting.