Our Fellows

Current Fellows

Alexia Prieto

Alexia Prieto is a junior in high school and has been part of civil engagement work which encompasses acting as Sargent in Arms in one of the California State Model Legislature Delegations as well as being the bill sponsor for the State Budget Bill in the House of Representatives in the same program. She joined the GDHQ fellowship program because she wishes to exercise her voice in order to inform peoples minds and move their hearts. She is looking to engage in Environmental Legislation to cap carbon emission quotas as well as install legislation which will restrict the use of firearms.

Alyson Lu

Alyson is a high school sophomore in the Bay Area. She has worked on multiple campaign elections before coming to GDHQ, serves on her city's Youth Advisory Committee, and interns with a local vice-mayor. She is a Western Representative for the Democratic National Committee's Youth Council. Alyson joined the fellowship to help support Democratic causes nationally and help elect Democrats into public office. In her free time, she enjoys reading and binge-watching TV shows.

Anay Sabhnani

Anay Sabhnani is an incoming first year at Claremont McKenna College. He joined the fellowship in his sophomore year of high school, hoping to make critical relationships that would propel the Democratic party forward. Through the fellowship, he has led voter registration drives across Southern California's Swing Congressional Districts and worked heavily on the program's national postcard program. He has also participated in GDHQ's Organize For Democracy 2 times and Base Building For Power's training program. He hopes to be an elected official one day and create concrete legislation, especially for refugees.

Anna Rose Geisler

Anna Rose is an incoming sophomore at Emerson College studying political communications and women's and gender studies. She has past organizing and legislative experience as a national spokesperson and chapter lead for March For Our Lives and currently serves as a legislative affairs associate at the Young Democrats of Michigan. Anna Rose also serves on the communications and LGBTQIA+ committees of her local Democratic party and writes a blog on Substack in her free time. In the future, she hopes to pursue a masters degree in women's and gender histories and hopefully attend law school to focus on constitutional cases.

Anvika Jain

Anvika Jain is a rising junior in high school with a strong background in politics and advocacy. She has been involved in various leadership roles, including as an officer for her school’s Youth and Government and Mock Trial teams, is a TED-ED 2025 speaker, and has participated in political advocacy efforts both in the United States and India. Anvika joined the GDHQ fellowship program to deepen her understanding of campaign work and further her experience in grassroots organizing. She is passionate about international law, criminal justice reform, and ensuring equitable access to representation. Anvika aspires to one day run for office and use her voice to advocate for underserved communities.

Ella Tobin

Ella is a freshman in college at the University of Michigan, with a growing background in politics, organizing, and youth advocacy. She has participated in programs such as Organize for Democracy, where she strengthened her skills through phone banking and in community engagement and democratic leadership. She joined the GDHQ fellowship program in March 2024, looking to further grow her organizing experience, connect with like-minded young leaders, and meaningfully contribute to the protection of democratic institutions. Ella is interested in political science, civic engagement, and increasing representation for underrepresented communities. She aspires to enter government or law so that she can continue uplifting voices and creating meaningful change.

Eva Kirschner

Hello! I am in junior in high school, located in San Francisco. I have had some experience working in politics. I am an intern at inequality media where I helped produce content regarding political advocacy and misinformation in mainstream media. I also worked on the Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign using an online messaging platform, daisychain. I joined GDHQ as a way to get involved in grassroots organizing and helping to mobilize voters, especially younger ones in crucial elections. I also see this as a positive opportunity to work with fellow young people passionate about activism. I hope to study comparative politics and would love to work in government.

Evan Hyman-Mutchnick

Evan is a sophomore in high school based in Los Angeles, California (class of 2027). She joined the GDHQ Fellowship in 2025 and has always enjoyed political advocacy work. Being an election volunteer for 2024 Presidential Election as well as participating in other political fundraising throughout her life, Evan has always been a strong advocate for Democrats. Evan joined the HQ to enact more change in her community and protect the democratic processes of America. In the future, Evan wants to continue learning about politics and fighting for democracy--focusing on the impacts of political extremism around the world.

Ezra Anglin

Ezra is a ninth grader hailing from the Bluegrass of Lexington, Kentucky. As co-founder of VOTE16KY, a chapter of VOTE16USA, he brings a skill set grounded in empathy and framed around a drive to affect change in Kentucky as well as the United States at-large. He joined the Fellowship to further fuel his passion of reaching people who'd otherwise be neglected during an election cycle. He aspires become to become the Governor of Kentucky one day.

Hannah Sarnoff

Hannah Sarnoff is a first-year student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison majoring in journalism. She joined the Grassroots Democrats HQ fellowship in 2023 with the goal of contributing to the democratic process even before she was eligible to vote. Through the fellowship, she has been involved in Organize for Democracy during the 2024 election cycle, working to amplify civic engagement and ensure that people’s voices are heard. She is passionate about strengthening democracy and believes meaningful participation is essential to creating lasting political change.

Harjot Sangha

Harjot is an incoming freshman at the University of Texas at Dallas. She became interested in the GDHQ fellowship program because she enjoyed making a difference by doing political advocacy work and the community of working with many people who share similar views as her. Through her work at the GDHQ, Harjot has found new causes and people that continue to inspire and motivate her passion in politics.

Isabella McKenzie

Isabella Mckenzie is a sophomore in high school in Los Angeles, California. She joined GDHQ to immerse herself in politics, explore democratic policies, and aid in electing democratic officials. She has aspirations in political science and government and is an advocate for preventative medicine and minimizing food insecurity!

Jessie Cai

Jesse Cai

I’m an incoming first-year student at the University of Virginia, intending to study Politics and Commerce on a pre-law track. I’m passionate about criminal justice reform, racial equity, and voting accessibility. I joined the GDHQ fellowship program to create systemic, sustainable change through working on local, state, and federal elections.

Karl Lin

Karl is currently a second-year Philosophy and Political Science student at UCLA. Growing up in the diverse communities around Pasadena, he has always been interested in the fundamental question of how can the society be improved to make people happier. Having previous experience in local advocacy project, Karl started working with the HQ during the Prop 50 campaign. Starting 2026, he is excited to join the GDHQ fellowship program, and help contribute to meaningful changes for a better America.

Katya Clark

Katya is currently a senior in high school residing in southern California. She started her political journey a few years ago as an intern for Assemblymember Jaqcui Irwin and has been an active member ever since. Besides being a fellow through the Grassroots Democrats HQ, Katya is also a lead volunteer on Deborah Klein-Lopaz's campaign and a member of the Ventura County Democrat Party. She originally joined Grassroots hoping to take her political efforts nationwide and has loved every second. In the future, Katya hopes to major in finance and political science but knows that no matter where her future takes her, she will never stop fighting for what she believes in.

Kavya Vandavasi

Kavya Vandavasi is a junior Government & Politics and Psychology major at the University of Maryland - College Park. She was formerly an intern for Delegate Karen Simpson and has a passion for public policy, advocacy, and legal studies. She joined the GDHQ fellowship program in order to make a difference in her community and connect with like-minded people looking to make a difference. Her plans after graduation are to enroll in law school and become a lawyer.

Leah Fischer

Leah is a rising high school senior and has been a GDHQ fellow since 2023, when she was inspired by her debate coach's message that "politics is not a spectator sport." In addition to her work with Grassroots Democrats, she has completed internships in Congressman Eric Swalwell's Washington, D.C. office and Congressman Brad Sherman's district office. Leah has also participated in three cohorts of the Organize for Democracy program, where she developed organizing skills to support Democratic campaigns. Beyond her on-the-ground political work, she collaborates with Dartmouth professor Bruce Sacerdote on research analyzing congressional stock trading performance over time.

Levi Schwartz

Levi Schwartz is a senior in high school at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California. He has been with the GDHQ fellowship program since the summer of 2024, and he joined to get involved in elections within his community and to help fight for democracy at a time when it is most threatened. With GDHQ, he has worked on ballots such as the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial race, the 2024 House Elections, and the special election for Proposition 50. Levi is excited to stay involved with GDHQ moving forward and continue making a difference around the country.

Lily Howes

Lily Howes is a sophomore in high school based in Columbus, Ohio. She has been a fellow since May 2023, when she decided to join the program not only as an opportunity to gain experience in campaign work, but also to gather the skills necessary to enact change and elect Democrats in her own battleground state. Lily is especially passionate about voting rights and foreign policy and hopes to pursue a career in foreign services. She is involved with High School Democrats of America, the Columbus Council on World Affairs, and her school's refugee service club, orchestra, Model UN team, and student government. When she is not doing advocacy work, Lily can be found practicing cello, teaching herself languages, or perusing the New York Times opinion columns.

Lucia Herrera-Set

Lucia Herrera-Set is a second-year student at Northeastern University majoring in political science and human services. and was born and raised right outside of San Francisco, California. She is involved in political advocacy through local nonprofit organizations and youth-led campaigns focused on health and social justice. She joined the fellowship to take action on issues she cares about and to help elect candidates who will fight for what’s right. She is especially passionate about advocating for immigrant rights, expanding mental health access, and supporting the homeless population.

Malachi Wiafe

My name is Malachi Wiafe and I am a sophomore at Clark High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. I joined GDHQ this year because I wanted to be more involved and learn more about political campaigning outside of my state. I lead my local chapter of High School Democrats of America here in Vegas and am an Event Coordinator with Next Gen Politics. I've done volunteering and activism across my city, including food drives, park cleaning, and advocacy for civil rights with my state democratic party and am working with the campaigns of AG Aaron Ford for Nevada Governor and state legislators across the state (2026). I plan to study public policy and law and hopefully run for congress in the future!

Mannat Dhaliwal

Mannat Dhaliwal is a first year political science student at Las Positas College since graduating from High School at 16. She has experience in political advocacy through her internship with Brady California’s Gun Violence Prevention Program, TurnUp, and by founding and leading her community’s first youth mock trial team. Mannat joined the GDHQ Fellowship to deepen her understanding of campaigning and gain more experience in grassroots advocacy. Her long-term goal is to attend law school and pursue a career in corporate regulations and governance.

Maya Fischer

Maya Fischer is a freshman at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, California. She joined the GDHQ as a fellow in 2025 because she is passionate about addressing essential issues such as voting rights and healthcare accessibility. Through her work at Grassroots Democrats, she aims to raise awareness about important voter issues, help campaign for Democrats nationwide, and combat online election misinformation. Maya enjoys connecting with voters across the country and advocating for important causes.

MyLee Rhow

MyLee is a 16 year old high school student at Stanford Online High School. She is passionate about political advocacy and has helped organize and run several campaigns for politicians like current senator Andy Kim and current US representative Dave Min. One of her most notable achievements is her help in passing Los Angeles County Measure G to increase representation in the LA County Board of Supervisors during the 2024 elections. When she is not working on political issues, you can find her dancing as a pre-professional ballerina. MyLee joined GDHQ to meet other like-minded young adults and give back to her community. She hopes to go to law school and become a lawyer in the future.

Priscilla Johnston

Priscilla is a senior at Harvard Westlake high school. She has interned with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights over the past two summers, learning about social justice advocates from around the world. She also interned with a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts this past summer, reviewing casework, addressing constituent concerns, and learning how a government office is run and organized. Priscilla became a fellow with the Grassroots Democrats in the winter of her sophomore year of high school because she wanted a consistent space to learn about, discuss, and get involved in current political matters. She wanted to learn how to make a difference in our country. Priscilla plans to study government in college, and hopes to pursue a career involving politics, policy, and social justice.

Shrey Shah

Shrey Shah is a rising senior at Nashua High School South in New Hampshire. Currently, he is diligently working on the Nashua School District Board of Education and interning with State Rep. Manoj Chourasia to improve the economy of New Hampshire. He joined the GDHQ Fellowship to get his hands dirty and make a difference. He dreams big, hoping to serve his constituents and community as a Congressman one day.

Simren Bindra

Simren Bindra is a junior at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. Inspired by her father’s belief that “we are all equal,” she has advocated for causes including gun control, abortion rights, mental health, LGBTQ+ rights, and medical equity. She is a leader of her school’s Best Buddies chapter, volunteers at Teen Line, and has organized community events with groups such as Boys and Girls Clubs and senior homes. With international experience from being in Bahrain and fluency in Spanish, Simren joined the Grassroots Democrats HQ Fellowship to build skills and get involved as she hopes to pursue future work in psychology, journalism, politics, and FOOD!

Sophia Winston

Hi! I’m Sophia and I am a Senior at Palisades High School in Los Angeles. I joined the GDHQ fellowship program a little over a year ago because I was interested in our government and I wanted to become more involved. I worked with the HQ on the Harris-Waltz, Tester, Baldwin, Crawford, and Spanberger campaigns. I love working at the in-person HQ with the other fellows and assisting at events. I plan on studying and pursuing political and investigative journalism in college. I am extremely passionate about access to healthcare and education for all, gun control, and women’s rights.

Sophie Khan

Sophie is currently a high school senior. Before joining GDHQ, she was an intern on Edafe Okporo’s New York City Council campaign. She has also been a team leader at TurnUp Activism, frequently participating in grassroots events, and helping to increase youth voter turnout. She joined the GDHQ fellowship program to continue taking a stand in grassroots work, encouraging people to get out there and vote in local elections. Her career ambitions are to attend law school and eventually become a defense attorney, continuing to advocate for groups in need.

Sydney Assil

I am a senior in high school who joined the GDHQ fellowship program to participate in civic engagement in my own community and others. Education policy in America and protections for disadvantaged students is a very important cause to me. I spend a lot of time supporting education through community service and philanthropy, now. I am the president and founder of a nonprofit organization called The Honey Project to support education internationally. I hope to one day make positive change for educational equity and policy in America.

Tessa Alvarez

Tessa is an incoming freshmen at American University in Washington, DC studying political science in the Lincoln Scholar's program. She has been a Grassroots Democrats Fellow as well as a member of the GDHQ canvassing/voter registration program for a year and was in the fall 2024 cohort of the Organize for Democracy program. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she was interested in government from a young age and joined the fellowship her junior year of high school as a way to both learn more about politics and make a difference in her community. Tessa aspires to become a lawyer and one day run for Congress.

Zeke Ortiz

Zeke Ortiz is a senior at UCLA with extensive experience in grassroots political organizing and advocacy. He runs National Ground Game at UCLA and has worked on statewide and local races across California, as well as nationwide efforts focused on voter outreach, canvassing, and turnout. He joined the GDHQ Fellowship Program to deepen his understanding of effective, data-driven field strategies and to sharpen his skills in building winning ground games. Zeke is passionate about voting rights, democratic accountability, and building durable Democratic power through effective organizing. He plans to attend law school while continuing a lifelong commitment to political organizing and electoral work for Democrats.

Fellowship Alumni

Andrew Hermann

Andrew Hermann is a high school junior at Columbia Grammar and Prep School located in New York, NY. He has always been fascinated by politics and saw that becoming a GDHQ Fellow is how he can help change the world while learning more about certain topics in order to better shape his opinions. Andrew is particularly passionate about policy regarding immigration, gun control, and educational reform. In his own time, Andrew enjoys playing basketball, spending time with friends, and working at his neighborhood food pantry.

Evelyn Tsoi

Evelyn Tsoi loves political advocacy. As President of Arcadia High School’s Young Democrats Club, she organizes speaking events with Congressional Representatives like Rep. Judy Chu, hosts voter registration drives and postcarding weekends, and works to promote civic advocacy while working with her team to support over 10 campaigns per school year. She is deeply passionate about abortion, social security, and protecting democracy. Outside of advocacy, Evelyn is currently a high-school sophomore, a passionate Speech and Debater of 4 years, and a Digital Communications Intern for Arcadia Unified School District.

Ben Schardt

Ben is a sophomore at UCLA majoring in Mathematics/Economics in the hopes of eventually pursuing a career oriented around public policy work. Originally born overseas in Switzerland before coming over to Illinois and now California, he's been fortunate enough to experience wide swaths of the Earth and as a result has developed an ironclad desire to preserve and better the incredible world around him. Ben got his first real exposure to the intricacies of politics while working as an intern on a 2023 LA City Council campaign and immediately gravitated toward GDHQ as a result of the organization's robust advocacy dynamic and change-making community.

Fabian Diaz

Fabian is a sophomore in college currently attending UCLA and previously interned for a Los Angeles Council District 6 special election campaign. Fabian joined the GDHQ fellowship program in hopes of building on and continuing the canvassing, phone banking, and overall communication with voters that he has experience in and is passionate about. Fabian hopes to one day have a prominent role in local government or to become an entertainment and media law attorney. Gun control and immigration reform are causes that are especially important to Fabian and fuel his drive to be both involved and active in politics.

Bridget Matthews

Bridget Matthews is a sophomore at New York University. She was born and raised in the suburbs of San Francisco where she began volunteering with local ballot measures and campaigns. She became a fellow with Grassroots Democrats HQ in February 2022. She chose to become a fellow because she wants to help elect candidates that share her views. Bridget believes in equality for all and is passionate about women's reproductive health and gun reform. She enjoys connecting with new voters and other volunteers, and is excited to continue her work with the fellowship.

Fiona Kim

Fiona is currently finishing up her junior year at Harvard-Westlake school. She joined the GDHQ because she is devoted to addressing issues such as access to education, promoting representation, and protecting the rights of marginalized communities. With a passion for political advocacy, she is committed to working toward achieving these goals through volunteering and supporting candidates who promote these values. Through collaborating as a fellow with the Grassroots Democrats, she is proud to be a part of the movement which fights for a better future.

Kendall Conte

Kendall is a junior in high school (class of 2025) at Viewpoint School in Los Angeles, California. Although she does not much past political or advocacy experience, Kendall is passionate about her work at GDHQ and is so excited to continue to learn and educate others! Kendall is interested in going far in STEM, especially focused on science.

Kashish Sachdeva

Kashish currently a first year undergraduate student based in Westwood, CA. She has been passionate about politics and advocacy for a long time and has taken a trip to Sacramento to advocate for educational reforms, initiated a petition gaining national support, and founded her own social activist organization, Currently Informed. She joined the GDHQ fellowship program to give back to her community and help Democrats win more races to support her personal values. She is looking forward to becoming a lawyer in the future and fight for causes dear to her heart such as civil rights, mental health, immigration, and more.

Matthew Reiter

Matthew Reiter is a junior at the Harvard Westlake school. Before becoming a fellow at GDHQ, he iterned for a New Jersey congressman. During this experience, Matthew learned skills involving research and organizing information. The reason Matthew joined Grassroots Democrats was because he wanted a structured and consistent way of getting involved with politics and being able to do his part in making the country a better place. Matthew wants to continue his political journey throughout college and maybe as a career one day.