2011 Fellows

Ankur Asthana

Ankur is an advocate for a socially just and sustainable world. He brings experience in strategy, fundraising, and communications. Ankur worked alongside community leaders in Chagres Park in Panama implementing solar power systems, and created an annual sustainability conference focused on exploring environmental justice issues in the U.S. Ankur also served as the first Development Director of GlobeMed, a network of university chapters and grassroots partners fighting for global health equity. He has a strong interest in studying how social movements are built and sustained. Ankur is a graduate of Northwestern University where he majored in biomedical engineering. He is originally from the small town of Menomonie in Wisconsin.

Paul Berghoff

Annie Bigalke

Annie Bigalke is a student at the university of Puget Sound majoring in International Political Economy with a minor in Environmental Policy. She grew up in the Minnesota, where her interest in environmentalism first began after meeting other passionate students who were making the changes they saw needed. Moving to Washington she has found new inspiration in the geography and the reliable rain. In her free time she enjoys painting, cooking, and going on late night bike rides.

Maria Cardenas

Aaliyah Carney

Darlene Chavarria

Darlene Chavarria has been a spoken word artist since the age of 15.  Growing up in chaotic environments that pushed her to her limits, she has become a strong, young, resourceful leader.  When in the face of adversity she has triumphed countless times and her resilience is inspiring.  She see’s how the human spirit is effected when being marginalized, ignored and oppressed; and, wants to bring her story, heart and hands to effect change in a broken system.  Darlene is a well-known poet in the Los Angeles area and has recorded poetry on 3 albums with Street Poets Inc.  She also has had the privilege of co-facilitating poetry workshops in the schools throughout LA, juvenile detention camps and with other non-profits.  She hopes to bring what she learns in Oakland’s Summer Of Solutions back to the front lines of Los Angeles.

Brittaney Creswell

Jacob Greenberg

Adam Itkoff

Since 1999, I’ve been a member of Habonim Dror North America, a Jewish youth movement, which in English can be translated to “The Builders of Freedom.” This was no ordinary summer camp, I spent my summers playing soccer while learning about the harm of consumerism and the woes of morality amidst capitalism . There was a constant aura of awareness, optimism and engagement, something I didn’t really find in school. My parents too, have always shown me the way of social justice and righteous living and I’ve found nothing as important in my travels or elsewhere, than tolerance and compassion, than humanity and life! I am currently a student at Dickinson college. I love to write and explore and am currently dabbling in many different life pursuits. I hope Summer Solutions will immerse me in a world of passion and change!

Clidell Jackson

Keith Jenkins

Ambrosia Krinsky

Born in Los Angeles and raised in the foothills of northern California, Ambrosia has a deep appreciation for both cultural and biological diversity.  These interests are reflected both in her academic studies and community organizing.  In high school she was a youth organizer for the Paradise Unified High School and worked diligently to provide enriching opprotunities for her peers.  Since than she has studied and preformed volunteer activities in Costa Rica and in her college city, Chico Ca.  “Basically I see the way we are living on this planet and with each other, and I am not impressed.  My wish is that one day the dominate paradigm of our culture will shift to one grounded in cooperation and compassion.”

Travis Lyons

Tony Magaña

Elena Mitchel

Elena grew up in the small town of Sebastopol and spent her college years in Walla Walla WA. After college she pursued small scale rural farming and then decided to explore urban horticulture in the East Bay. An internship at two Berkeley school gardens renewed her passion for working with children. Elena wants to work to create good in the world and she is inspired by Summer of Solutions and the work she is doing with the other solutionaries. She is looking forward to continue working with others and the community to improve life for all in the East Bay. She also plans to continue classes in horticulture at Merritt College and further her artistic career.

Sierra Nagay

Sierra Nagay is graduating from Ohio University, majoring in Urban Planning and Theater, with a minor in African American Studies. She is the Vice President of the Sierra Student Coalition as well as the founder and director of the Environmental Theater Brigade, a group dedicated to environmental education. Sierra has been heavily involved in film, theater and the arts her entire life. She lives freely as an artist, while trying to help and teach her fellow peers and community. With plans to go to grad school for Urban Sustainability, her life is dedicated to fighting for environmental justice and equal rights. Some of her favorite hobbies include playing saxophone, singing, painting, gardening, hiking and climbing trees. She also enjoys huge slushies, dance clubs, her dog Fonzerelli, cuddling and trampolines. She wants to thank her family and close friends for helping her grow and keeping her sane, and she can’t wait live in San Francisco and start working with all of the talented people in Summer of Solutions Oakland!

Mallika Nair

I recently graduated from the New College of Florida where I concentrated in Environmental Studies with a minor in Political Science. For the last couple years of school I focused on studying food systems and small scale organic gardening. For my senior thesis I wrote a handbook on how to start a small home garden, available, for now, at sites.google.com/sitegardenforfood/ Part of my passion for growing food come from the fact that I grew up in New York City and had never really seen food growing until a couple years ago when I did a work exchange through WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms). I instantly fell in love with organic gardening and have been doing it ever since. Community gardening work unites my interest in gardening with my deep seated calling towards community service and my love of healthy and delicious food.  Last summer, I was lucky to intern at an amazingly inspiring hunger garden in North Carolina that grows food for those in need in the area and runs on volunteer power called the Lord’s Acre. I also worked on restarting my college’s community garden and gardening program over the last two years. I recently moved out to the Bay area and am so excited to call Oakland home for the summer.  Outside the garden I enjoy practicing yoga, listening and dancing to live music, and experimenting with a variety of artistic endeavors like drawing, knitting and jewelry making.

Ravahn Samati

Ravahn grew up in the Bay Area’s rich diversity right here in Oakland.  As a young Quaker attending meeting he was regularly challenged to articulate his vision for a just and sustainable world.  From his Iranian heritage he fomented his identity in the great mosaic of American immigrants.  Ravahn enjoys playing being physically active, good company, and cooking as much as eating a variety of cuisine.     

Greg Spevak

Greg Spevak is a long-time Bay Area resident and recent graduate of New York University, where he studied music and social movements. As a musician and passionate advocate for initiatives that aim to constructively address issues of social, environmental and economic injustice, he is thrilled to be a part of the team here at Summer of Solutions Oakland. Some of his primary hobbies include biking, cooking (with as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible!), list-making, yoga and meditation.

Beatriz Stambuk-Torres

Kimberley Schroder

Phillip Tidwell

Hannah Turk