Staff and Board of Directors

Staff


Jean Caiani, Co-Executive Director/Speaker Agent
Jean founded SpeakOut in 1990 after years of activism in the anti-war, labor, Central American solidarity, and farmworker movements. She worked for the United Farmworkers (UFW), organizing Cesar Chavez's speaking tours. She holds a Masters in Poetics and has also worked as a Program Officer in the foundation world, focusing on water issues. She does anti-racism work with SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice).


Shavonnee Clark-Lowe, Co-Executive Director
Shavonnee is an experienced organizational leader and advocate for women and girls, racial justice, and education. She is an Oakland, CA native whose work centers the intersections of race, gender, socio-economic status and educational opportunity. Over the years, Shavonnee has diligently worked to build systems that increase access and retention of students of color in higher education. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Education Studies from UCLA. She also holds a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on Policy Analysis and Public Management from Cal State East Bay. Shavonnee also cares deeply about prioritizing mental health and self-care. You can often find her dancing, writing, cooking, or in the ocean.


Amalia Mesa, Managing Director
Amalia’s passion - both personally and professionally - lies in discovering how we can better ourselves and the world in which we live. From an early age, Amalia was drawn to the intersections of activism, media, culture, education and leadership. She has garnered an array of experience in the social impact sector as well as the film and TV industry, helping to develop and produce projects for HBO, Universal, Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox, and National Geographic. She is thrilled to help accelerate SpeakOut’s growth and impact, helping the organization realize its vision, build an inspired community of creative talent, and empower the next generation. Born in Havana, Cuba, Amalia grew up in the Bay Area, and graduated from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television.

Felicia Gustin, Agency Senior Manager/Speaker Agent
Felicia is a long-time activist in racial justice, labor, international solidarity, and peace movements. She is also a writer, poet, and blogger. She co-edited two SpeakOut publications, Crash Course: Reflections on the Film Crash for Critical Dialogues about Race, Power and Privilege and Turning the Tide: Challenging the Right on Campus. She is currently working on several book projects including a memoir, one about living in Cuba where she worked for a decade as an award-winning journalist, an exploration of the history of the Americas through 300 years of family journeys from three islands – Cuba, Sicily, and the Channel Isle of Jersey, and a collection of poetry. Felicia does anti-racism work with SURJ Bay Area.
 

Muna Sharif, Speaker Agent
Muna is a Palestinian Muslim organizer and advocate with a strong background in policy, (J)DEI, and operations. Prior to joining SpeakOut, Muna led operations at SHIFT Consulting and The Institute for Middle East Understanding. Her advocacy work includes serving as an Organizer for Amnesty International USA and Campaign Director for Muslim Student Association West. Muna is also a co-founder of the national Anti-CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) coalition, where she worked to combat and prevent the harmful effects of surveillance and discrimination. She holds a Masters in Public Policy and Non-Profit Administration and is dedicated to using her skills and expertise to make a lasting impact on the world.
 

Marisol Torres, Organization Coordinator
Marisol is passionate about social justice and dedicated to contributing to a world that will be equitable for all. These values guide her career, education, and personal life. Previously, Marisol served as femtor/mentor to young girls through Girls Inc., guiding them to navigate the world around them. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Diverse Community Development Leadership, Marisol aims to understand people both individually and in community. She’s especially enthusiastic about creating community and helping communities of the global majority flourish. When she’s not at SpeakOut, Marisol may be out hiking, trying new restaurants, hanging with friends, volunteering at local events, or shopping at a local market to support small, homegrown businesses.

 
   
   

Board of Directors