Staff
Cruz Avila, MS Email 
Executive Director
Executive Director
Cruz Avila was most recently CEO at Poverello House in Fresno, California for 6 years. There he managed a $3 million-dollar budget, 37 employees, Naomi’s House, The Men’s Resident Rehabilitation program and a temporary overnight shelter for men and women. Cruz also collaborated with other agencies to provide clients with access to mental health counseling and housing. Cruz’s professional experience has focused on organizational management in non-profits, community and economic development and social services. Previous to Poverello House, Cruz was a Manager of Residential Services for Housing with Heart, a non-profit organization that is the social service unit of Jamboree Housing that develops and constructs affordable housing across the state. He also worked in Riverside County Office of Education as a Resource Manager and Counselor. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services and a Master of Art degree in Organizational Leadership. He is working towards completing his Master of Art in Counseling for completion of his Marriage and Family Therapy License (MFT)
Michael Scippa Email
Public Affairs Director
Michael has over 35 years of senior management experience in media advocacy and production, marketing, communications, and government relations. In addition to directing similar efforts at Alcohol Justice since 2006, he created the Free The Bowl® and Free Our Sports® Youth Video Contests and directed the REEL Recovery Film Festival - San Francisco Bay Area Edition.
Public Affairs Director
Michael has over 35 years of senior management experience in media advocacy and production, marketing, communications, and government relations. In addition to directing similar efforts at Alcohol Justice since 2006, he created the Free The Bowl® and Free Our Sports® Youth Video Contests and directed the REEL Recovery Film Festival - San Francisco Bay Area Edition.
Jorge Castillo, MA Email
Advocacy Director
Director de Enlace Comunitario
Jorge manages local organizing projects, such as the San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition and the Los Angeles Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance. He is focused on coalition organizing, training of leadership, press-worthy activities and empowerment of local organizations. He promotes the environmental prevention model and its practical application in campaigns and policy outcomes. Jorge received his bachelors from the University of Iowa in Political Science and Latin American Studies. He also received his Masters degree from UCLA in Latin American Studies.
Advocacy Director
Director de Enlace Comunitario
Jorge manages local organizing projects, such as the San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition and the Los Angeles Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance. He is focused on coalition organizing, training of leadership, press-worthy activities and empowerment of local organizations. He promotes the environmental prevention model and its practical application in campaigns and policy outcomes. Jorge received his bachelors from the University of Iowa in Political Science and Latin American Studies. He also received his Masters degree from UCLA in Latin American Studies.
Maite Duran Email
Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator
Maite is a community organizer at Alcohol Justice and the founder of Youth for Justice, a youth advocacy group. In her role as Project Coordinator, she organizies meetings and coordinates efforts of the San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition (SRADC), conducts extensive community outreach, heads efforts to expand in-school alcohol and marijuana prevention policies, and recruits and organizes youth actions.
Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator
Maite is a community organizer at Alcohol Justice and the founder of Youth for Justice, a youth advocacy group. In her role as Project Coordinator, she organizies meetings and coordinates efforts of the San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition (SRADC), conducts extensive community outreach, heads efforts to expand in-school alcohol and marijuana prevention policies, and recruits and organizes youth actions.
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Mayra Jimenez Email
Advocacy Manager
Mayra Jimenez is the Advocacy Manager at Alcohol Justice. Based out of Southern California, Mayra supports the California Alcohol and Policy Aliance (CAPA) and Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Policy Aliance (LADAPA) efforts to sustain partnerships, create alliances and advance Alcohol Prevention as a social justice issue. Mayra is a Los Angeles native who grew up in Highland Park. She has a background in environmental prevention, community engagement and advocacy initiatives. She is a community organizer and facilitator by training and a social justice advocate at heart. Over the past 6 years Mayra's work has centered on partnerships with organization across Los Angeles on issues of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Substance Use Prevention, She has specifically worked on initiatives and projects in Koreatown, Pico Union, and Westlake communities.
Advocacy Manager
Mayra Jimenez is the Advocacy Manager at Alcohol Justice. Based out of Southern California, Mayra supports the California Alcohol and Policy Aliance (CAPA) and Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Policy Aliance (LADAPA) efforts to sustain partnerships, create alliances and advance Alcohol Prevention as a social justice issue. Mayra is a Los Angeles native who grew up in Highland Park. She has a background in environmental prevention, community engagement and advocacy initiatives. She is a community organizer and facilitator by training and a social justice advocate at heart. Over the past 6 years Mayra's work has centered on partnerships with organization across Los Angeles on issues of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Substance Use Prevention, She has specifically worked on initiatives and projects in Koreatown, Pico Union, and Westlake communities.
Bruce Wolfe, MSW Email
Chief Information, Security & Technology Officer
Chief Information, Security & Technology Officer
Bruce is tasked with managing all office, administrative and Internet technology. With over 30 years of corporate ownership and senior management experience, he oversees Alcohol Justice's complete technology enterprise including but not limited to networking, support, security, hardware, systems administration and web application services in addition to assisting in advocacy and legislative affairs, and social work. He is also a professional audio engineer, stage manager, and T'ai Chi instructor and tournament judge. Bruce holds a Bachelors & Masters degrees in Social Work with an emphasis in Social Development from San Francisco State University and an experienced Life Coach. He serves as Chair of SF's Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Boardmember of SF Community Land Trust, Secretary of Haight-Ashbury Neighborhood Council, Pack Leader of DogPAC-SF, Secretary of SF Amateur Radio Club, Treasurer of Care Assn, Boardmember of Free Assn/Gnosis Retreat Center, Founder/coordinator of PublicNet-SF, Californians for Energy Choice & SF Clean Energy Advocates coalitions.
Raul Verdugo Email
Community Organizer
Raul is the community organizer for the Los Angeles Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance (LADAPA). LADAPA advocates for safe and healthy communities by reducing drug- and alcohol-related harm through public awareness and policy change. He is focused on coalition building, leadership development, strategic planning and policy development. Raul represents Alcohol Justice, with its ongoing effort to promote evidenced-based public health policy through the empowerment of local communities. He is a native of Los Angeles and currently enrolled at the Academy of Art University.
Community Organizer
Raul is the community organizer for the Los Angeles Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance (LADAPA). LADAPA advocates for safe and healthy communities by reducing drug- and alcohol-related harm through public awareness and policy change. He is focused on coalition building, leadership development, strategic planning and policy development. Raul represents Alcohol Justice, with its ongoing effort to promote evidenced-based public health policy through the empowerment of local communities. He is a native of Los Angeles and currently enrolled at the Academy of Art University.
Christina Mira Email
Community Outreach Coordinator
After graduating from Brigham Young University with a BA in Family Studies with emphasis on Social Services, Christina joined Alcohol Justice’s new Latino MAT Access Outreach Program as a Promotora de Salud, working with members of the Canal community of San Rafael, to inform and educate residents on Opioid Use Disorder and Medication Assisted Treatment. Christina is a Marin County native and lived most of her life in the Canal neighborhood where she now serves.
Community Outreach Coordinator
After graduating from Brigham Young University with a BA in Family Studies with emphasis on Social Services, Christina joined Alcohol Justice’s new Latino MAT Access Outreach Program as a Promotora de Salud, working with members of the Canal community of San Rafael, to inform and educate residents on Opioid Use Disorder and Medication Assisted Treatment. Christina is a Marin County native and lived most of her life in the Canal neighborhood where she now serves.
Yavar Amidi Email
Program Manager
Program Manager
Yavar Amidi is a community organizer at Alcohol Justice based out of the San Rafael headquarters. His work focuses on alcohol prevention at the intersection of social justice and public health to create healthy, thriving communities. Yavar has experience as a local community organizer and coordinator in Marin County and the Bay Area with successful grassroots social justice, immigrant justice, and electoral campaigns where he was involved in advocacy, strategy development, volunteer coordination, and community and media outreach. He is committed to organizing against the predatory and negative impacts of the alcohol industry to ensure that the lives and futures of our communities are put ahead of immoral profits!
Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, MSPH, CHES Email
Research Director/Web Content Manager
Carson is responsible for generating both original research in support of Alcohol Justice/CAPA’s projects and content for the website. He holds a Master’s of Science in Public Health with a health communications emphasis from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has formative experience in community health with the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic, and spent four years conducting tobacco control research at UCSF. He moonlights as an overdose prevention trainer with the DOPE Project/Syringe Access Services in San Francisco.
Research Director/Web Content Manager
Carson is responsible for generating both original research in support of Alcohol Justice/CAPA’s projects and content for the website. He holds a Master’s of Science in Public Health with a health communications emphasis from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has formative experience in community health with the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic, and spent four years conducting tobacco control research at UCSF. He moonlights as an overdose prevention trainer with the DOPE Project/Syringe Access Services in San Francisco.
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