Phillip Kennedy-Wong is a public policy professional with over 20 years of experience lobbying at the state, local, and federal levels. He has worked for several nonprofit organizations throughout his career and served on nonprofit boards. He brings a strong understanding of nonprofit lobbying and planning advocacy programs. Phillip served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves while earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Lewis and Clark College. Upon graduating, he went to work right away as a field organizer on a political campaign during the 1992 presidential election. Getting the political bug, he proceeded to earn a Master of Science in public policy from Rutgers University and has never looked back in his public service career.

Mercedes Elizalde was born and raised in Hayward, California, a small city in the San Francisco Bay Area. She relocated to Seattle, WA in fall of 2010 and then to Portland, OR in the summer of 2018. She carries a passion for social justice, equal opportunity and compassion throughout her personal and professional endeavors. Mercedes started working when she was 14 as a peer educator and summer camp counselor. She brings a unique set of perspectives and knowledge to her work having experience in direct service as a social worker and program coordinator, a legislative aide to an elected official and as a community activist. Mercedes was the first in her family to attend college and now holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, and a MA in Non-profit Leadership. She is currently the Director of Advocacy, Latino Network Portland.