GSAF Committees
California's Girls State Alumnae Foundation Board created four committees to support the work of the organization:
- Development Committee - Implements our annual summer fundraiser.
- Internship Committee - Implements our summer internship program.
- Public Relations Committee - Manages our social media throughout the year.
- Professional Development Committee - Provides opportunities for networking and professional development to our alumnae.
Development Commitee
Angie Balius
Director of Development
Angie Balius has been actively involved with ALA Girls State since 2007 in a variety of capacities, including her service as Assistant to the Chief, City Counselor, and Assistant City Counselor. She has loved each position and appreciates the opportunity to interact with Girls State delegates each year. She especially enjoys watching the delegates gain confidence in themselves and in their leadership abilities during Girls State as the week progresses. She believes that the biggest gift of serving on the Girls State staff is the lifelong friendships that are forged during the week.
Angie graduated from California State University Long Beach with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and her teaching credential. She was an elementary teacher for 18 years in the Garden Grove Unified School District, and now works at its District Office as the Specialist in the Office of K-12 Educational Services. Angie is also currently the Associate Director for the UCI Writing Project, and has also worked as a consultant for the California Writing Project.
Director of Development
Angie Balius has been actively involved with ALA Girls State since 2007 in a variety of capacities, including her service as Assistant to the Chief, City Counselor, and Assistant City Counselor. She has loved each position and appreciates the opportunity to interact with Girls State delegates each year. She especially enjoys watching the delegates gain confidence in themselves and in their leadership abilities during Girls State as the week progresses. She believes that the biggest gift of serving on the Girls State staff is the lifelong friendships that are forged during the week.
Angie graduated from California State University Long Beach with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and her teaching credential. She was an elementary teacher for 18 years in the Garden Grove Unified School District, and now works at its District Office as the Specialist in the Office of K-12 Educational Services. Angie is also currently the Associate Director for the UCI Writing Project, and has also worked as a consultant for the California Writing Project.
Nina Ho
Assistant Director of Development
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Assistant Director of Development
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Professional Development Commitee
Bre Martinez
Director of Professional Development
Director of Professional Development
Samaya Rubio
Assistant Director of Professional Development
Samaya Rubio was a girls state delegate in 2017 from Redondo Union High School and came back as a counselor in 2022.
She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a bachelors of political science with minors in sustainable environments and ethnic studies and a masters of public policy with a focus on environmental policy in 2022.
She currently works at an environmental nonprofit and focuses on increasing equity in environmental grant programs and at an environmental science camp for fifth graders. In her spare time, she serves on the alumni board for the Hispanic Access Foundation, leads a queer hiking group in Orange County, and still has time to bake and cook all kinds of fun things for her friends and partner who is also a CAGS alum.
Assistant Director of Professional Development
Samaya Rubio was a girls state delegate in 2017 from Redondo Union High School and came back as a counselor in 2022.
She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a bachelors of political science with minors in sustainable environments and ethnic studies and a masters of public policy with a focus on environmental policy in 2022.
She currently works at an environmental nonprofit and focuses on increasing equity in environmental grant programs and at an environmental science camp for fifth graders. In her spare time, she serves on the alumni board for the Hispanic Access Foundation, leads a queer hiking group in Orange County, and still has time to bake and cook all kinds of fun things for her friends and partner who is also a CAGS alum.
Arti Doshi
Assistant Director of Professional Development
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Assistant Director of Professional Development
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Amanda Stevenson
Assistant Director of Professional Development
.Amanda Stevenson attended CA Girls State 2017 as the delegate for Nipomo High School. She has been eager for the opportunity to give back to the program as it was one of the most impactful and defining experiences of her teenage years.
Amanda graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in 2022 with a B.S. in Environmental Management and two minors in Agribusiness and Sustainable Agriculture. She now works for DAOU Vineyards and Winery as the Grower Relations Assistant, and serves as the liaison between growers and winemakers throughout the year.
She is passionate about networking women across many professions, backgrounds, and locations to promote the advancement of women in all aspects of our community. Amanda hopes to foster meaningful relationships between Girls State alumnae by offering an accessible platform to build connections within such a beautiful, diverse group of women.
Assistant Director of Professional Development
.Amanda Stevenson attended CA Girls State 2017 as the delegate for Nipomo High School. She has been eager for the opportunity to give back to the program as it was one of the most impactful and defining experiences of her teenage years.
Amanda graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in 2022 with a B.S. in Environmental Management and two minors in Agribusiness and Sustainable Agriculture. She now works for DAOU Vineyards and Winery as the Grower Relations Assistant, and serves as the liaison between growers and winemakers throughout the year.
She is passionate about networking women across many professions, backgrounds, and locations to promote the advancement of women in all aspects of our community. Amanda hopes to foster meaningful relationships between Girls State alumnae by offering an accessible platform to build connections within such a beautiful, diverse group of women.
Public Relations Committee
Heena Doshi
Director of Public Relations
Heena Doshi attended ALA California Girls State in 2010 and has been serving on its counseling staff since 2015.
She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in International Development and a minor in Gerontology. Currently, Heena is pursuing her Master of Public Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health with a concentration on Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation. In the past, she served as the Development Coordinator at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and as Research Associate and Consultant at the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Director of Public Relations
Heena Doshi attended ALA California Girls State in 2010 and has been serving on its counseling staff since 2015.
She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in International Development and a minor in Gerontology. Currently, Heena is pursuing her Master of Public Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health with a concentration on Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation. In the past, she served as the Development Coordinator at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and as Research Associate and Consultant at the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Abeeha Shamshad
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Deana Guardado
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Colette Quaas
Assistant Director of Public Relations
.Colette attended ALA California Girls State in 2021 where she served as a Senator. She returned to Girls State as a Social Media Intern in 2023. Her favorite part of ALA California Girls State was making and seeing the delegates making lifelong friendships.
Colette is currently studying Economics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a minor in Political Science. She plans to combine her passion for Political Science and Economics in her future career.
Assistant Director of Public Relations
.Colette attended ALA California Girls State in 2021 where she served as a Senator. She returned to Girls State as a Social Media Intern in 2023. Her favorite part of ALA California Girls State was making and seeing the delegates making lifelong friendships.
Colette is currently studying Economics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a minor in Political Science. She plans to combine her passion for Political Science and Economics in her future career.
Intern Committee
Emily Taketa
Director of Interns
Emily attended ALA California Girls State in 2017 as a delegate from Roseville High School. She has returned to ALA California Girls State as a volunteer staff member since 2022 and plans on always staying connected to the ALA California Girls State network.
Emily holds a B.A. in History from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Washington. At Cal Poly, Emily found a passion for student affairs and higher education by working for Cal Poly Orientation, one of the top-rated orientation programs in the country. Today, Emily works as a Senior Orientation Coordinator at California State University, Fullerton and is also involved with NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education. She prides herself in working towards educational justice by designing accessible, inclusive, and empowering programs for new CSUF students and their families.
Director of Interns
Emily attended ALA California Girls State in 2017 as a delegate from Roseville High School. She has returned to ALA California Girls State as a volunteer staff member since 2022 and plans on always staying connected to the ALA California Girls State network.
Emily holds a B.A. in History from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Washington. At Cal Poly, Emily found a passion for student affairs and higher education by working for Cal Poly Orientation, one of the top-rated orientation programs in the country. Today, Emily works as a Senior Orientation Coordinator at California State University, Fullerton and is also involved with NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education. She prides herself in working towards educational justice by designing accessible, inclusive, and empowering programs for new CSUF students and their families.
Siarra Bergmann
Assistant Director of Interns
.Siarra attended ALA California Girls State in 2012 as a delegate from Willits High School. She returned to Girls State as a Junior Counselor in 2013 and has been a returning counselor since 2022.
In 2017, Siarra graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. After graduation, Siarra started work with Teach For America-Memphis and still continues teaching in Memphis. Siarra is passionate about education equality and fostering a love of learning in children of all backgrounds.
Assistant Director of Interns
.Siarra attended ALA California Girls State in 2012 as a delegate from Willits High School. She returned to Girls State as a Junior Counselor in 2013 and has been a returning counselor since 2022.
In 2017, Siarra graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. After graduation, Siarra started work with Teach For America-Memphis and still continues teaching in Memphis. Siarra is passionate about education equality and fostering a love of learning in children of all backgrounds.
Kori Damm
Assistant Director of Interns
Kori attended Girls State in 2004 where she served as an assemblywoman, leading to a deep interest in legislative processes. After graduating with her BA in Political Science from UC Merced in 2009, Kori worked for a member of the US House of Representatives as a legislative aide and served as the Field Operations Manager for a congressional campaign.
Kori has been an elementary teacher for the past ten years, and she is passionate about creating transformative learning experiences through blended-learning instruction. She earned her Master's in Education, Innovative Learning from Touro University in 2016.
In addition to volunteering as a counselor at Girls State, Kori is also a passionate supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She currently serves as the Event Chair for the St. Jude Greater Bay Area Walk/Run.
She resides in Vallejo with her husband, Aaron, and their two daughters, Hollis and Georgia.
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Assistant Director of Interns
Kori attended Girls State in 2004 where she served as an assemblywoman, leading to a deep interest in legislative processes. After graduating with her BA in Political Science from UC Merced in 2009, Kori worked for a member of the US House of Representatives as a legislative aide and served as the Field Operations Manager for a congressional campaign.
Kori has been an elementary teacher for the past ten years, and she is passionate about creating transformative learning experiences through blended-learning instruction. She earned her Master's in Education, Innovative Learning from Touro University in 2016.
In addition to volunteering as a counselor at Girls State, Kori is also a passionate supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She currently serves as the Event Chair for the St. Jude Greater Bay Area Walk/Run.
She resides in Vallejo with her husband, Aaron, and their two daughters, Hollis and Georgia.
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