Go to Coro Homepage
 






 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
  Characterized by a shared commitment to public service, these Fellows have distinct ethnic and socio-economic perspectives, and unique interests. They have lived across the country and around the world, committed themselves to different causes and worked towards the resolution of issues facing our society today. The following is a summary of the experience they bring to Coro.

David S. Dobbie
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
B.A. Sociology, Kalamazoo College

David describes himself as hungry for new ideas, concepts and approaches. That search, and his desire to push himself, has led to many of his most stimulating experiences including working with urban communities in their neighborhoods, studying in Spain, playing varsity basketball, working as a camp counselor and completing a year of service for Americorps. The role that many of his professors at Kalamazoo play in the greater community has been inspiration for his goal to teach at the college level while maintaining a strong connection to his community.

Ila Jain
Hometown: Lynnfield, MA
B.A. Government, concentration in American Politics and Policy, Wesleyan University

Through experiences as a tutor and mentor, community service became an integral part of Ila's education. In high school she co-founded a writing and arts camp to promote cross-cultural relationships on and off the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. In college, Ila's passion for service led her to work with non-profit organizations at the local and national levels. At Wesleyan she served as a liaison between community organizations and the university, helping students to develop and implement research strategies for community projects. Ila plans to utilize her teaching experiences to work for more effective education policy. She enjoys reading, creative writing, running and biking.

Lia Miller
Hometown: New York City, NY and Oneonta, NY
B.A. Social Work and African-American Studies, Syracuse University; M.S.S.W., Columbia University

Lia Miller's extensive background in community service work includes volunteering in an HIV/AIDS drop-in center, creating an AIDS awareness group, helping to start a Peer Mediation group, and joining a teen acting troupe that educated through performance. She participated in many volunteer activities during college and frequently led service-based projects as an officer in several campus organizations. Lia is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a recipient of the Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship. She loves to sing, dance, read, act, laugh and play sports. She plans to attain a doctoral degree and teach on the collegiate level.

Eli Naduris-Weissman
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
B.A. Philosophy and B.S. Biological Sciences, Stanford University

In his public service and leadership experiences, Eli has dedicated himself to economic empowerment of the working poor. At Stanford, Eli was the lead organizer of a statewide conference on "Students and the Labor Movement." He helped found the Stanford Labor Action Coalition, a group committed to educating the student body about regional and international labor issues. Eli has interned with the Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety and Health, the Bus Riders' Union, and Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. Most recently, he worked inside the 2000 National Democratic Convention. Eli is interested in pursing a joint degree in law and political science.

Elisa Nigrini
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
B.A. Biology with a minor in Anthropology, Swarthmore College

Elisa Nigrini wants to learn, teach, mentor and build healthy communities. In college she created a mentoring program between college women and adolescent girls and learned how to build bridges between people. Elisa spent the last year researching the neurobiology of learning and memory. She will combine her interests in biology, education and working with people through medicine. Elisa plans to become a pediatrician and aims to work holistically with children, their families and communities. Elisa believes that health is a balance between all aspects of a person just as a community is a balance of the workings of the public sector.

Jessica L. Oliff
Hometown: Gwynedd Valley, PA
B.A. History, University of Pennsylvania

As an undergraduate, Jessica became deeply interested in urban issues. In her senior thesis, she examined the ways the University of Pennsylvania attempted to improve public education in the surrounding neighborhoods. She also volunteered as a tutor in a West Philadelphia public school, helping to address the needs of urban schools. Most recently, as an intern at the Mayor's Office of Policy and Planning and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation, Jessica worked with the team coordinating welfare-to-work programs and helping to move families to self-sufficiency.

Kendall E. Pelling
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
B.S. Public Policy and Management, University of Southern California

Driven by a desire to serve, Kendall seeks to develop wisdom in community and governmental affairs. Kendall has made professional contributions to the U.S. General Accounting Office, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, and the California 4-H Youth Development Program. Serving under Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Kendall helped develop and implement regional airport policy. He has conducted academic research on labor relations in public utilities and on electricity deregulation. Kendall is particularly interested in public transportation and other services for low-income urban communities. Kendall embraces a strong Christian faith with a vision to live in and personally serve low-income communities.

Tracy M. Royston
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
B.A. Psychology, Ithaca College; M.S.W. and M.P.A., University of Pittsburgh

After receiving her degree from Ithaca College, Tracy went on to work in the mental health field for eight years. Upon realizing her goal to pursue a career in public affairs, Tracy obtained a dual Masters degree in Social Work Administration and Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. The Coro Fellows program presented Tracy an opportunity to learn more about Pittsburgh, a city in which she already has and plans to continue playing an active leadership role.

Victor Sanguanboon
Hometown: Cerritos, CA
B.A. Political Science and Criminology, Law and Society, University of California, Irvine

Victor's interest in community service and passion to assist others has led him to pursue a career in law enforcement. He has served as a Explorer with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and as a DEA Intern with the Department of Justice-INTERPOL in Washington D.C. He conducted undergraduate research in the adjudication of juveniles and the law enforcement response to hate crimes. Victor's goal is to share his knowledge and experience to make a difference in the lives of the people he serves.

Jaya Saxena
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
B.S. Policy and Management, additional major in History and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University

At Carnegie Mellon University, Jaya served as a Resident Assistant, a Sexual Assault Advisor, and a member of the Mosaic Women's Conference Planning Committee. Her desire to serve as an agent for social change led her to internships with the Women's Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee, Congressman Albert Wynn, and the Young Women's Project. She loves to travel and had the opportunity to study abroad in Monterrey, Mexico. In the future, Jaya plans to attend law school and advocate on behalf of women and children. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and making batiks, a form of textile art.

Corilyn Shropshire
Hometown: Gary, IN
B.A. Political Science and History, Tufts University; M.S. Social Policy and Planning, London School of Economics
Corilyn has spent five years as a legislative assistant for two members of Congress, been involved with community service and improvement organizations since high school, and worked as a researcher and consultant to numerous community-based organizations. She is interested in assisting multinational corporations by directing their philanthropic efforts to worthwhile, grassroots, economic development and social policy projects in their communities. She plans to become part of a national redistribution movement to ensure that U.S. firms are financially committed to investing in economically depressed urban centers.


Abigale P. Stoller
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
B.A. Political Science, Middlebury College

Abigale Stoller is a summa cum laude graduate of Middlebury College and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. In college, Abigale studied political science, co-established the Middlebury College Literacy Project, and chaired the student committee charged with promoting campus and county-wide literary efforts. She has spent an academic semester in Argentina, interned as a publisher's assistant in New York City, and spent a summer as a baker's apprentice in Maine. Abigale enjoys running and art history and plans to pursue a career in urban revitalization and community development.

Richard Quang-Anh Tran
Hometown: Garden Grove, CA
B.A. Comparative Literature, University of California at Irvine

As an undergraduate at the University of California at Irvine, Richard volunteered in a variety of educational outreach efforts, including a community literacy program for students who live in underprivileged sectors of the community. He coordinated outreach projects with the American Red Cross to educate the public about HIV/AIDS prevention. In addition to studying for a year in Chile as a Rotary Scholar, Richard completed a thesis on Chilean literature and politics. He plans to pursue a dual degree in law and public policy.

Mailee Walker
Hometown: San Diego, CA
B.A. Urban Studies, Stanford University

Mailee is pursuing a career dedicated to promoting positive social and economic change in lower-income communities. After graduating from Stanford in 1996, she participated in the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship, a non-profit management program. The following two years, she served as Executive Director of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, an educational program for low-income youth. This past year, she was Project Coordinator for the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative and represented Stanford in a resident-driven community development initiative in East Palo Alto, a lower-income neighboring city. Mailee enjoys swimming, teaching aerobics, laughing with her husband, and walking their dog, Conan.

James Lawrence Weinberg
Hometown: White Plains, NY
B.A. Classics and Psychology, Tufts University

James is both an academic and a community organizer. His background includes a variety of employment and volunteer experiences, a liberal arts education, and significant national and international travel. At Tufts University, he conducted extensive research in the field of ancient medicine. He has served his community as an Emergency Medical Technician and is also an avid skier, cyclist and scuba diver. James' professional goal is to pursue a career in public policy after obtaining several years of practical work experience and a law degree.