Mike Smith is an education lawyer. He is a founding partner of the Lozano Smith law firm, which specializes in the representation of school districts and other public agencies. Mike is a strong advocate of student voice, civil dialogue, problem solving and inclusivity

Dr. Kim Cole works at Fresno State with preservice teachers and first-time college students. Kim has worked in Civic Education for the past 15+ years in addition to service-learning and mentoring programs.

Selena Farnesi grew up in Fresno and participated in Civic Education and Service-Learning Programs all through her youth. Those experiences created a lifelong passion for Civic Education and Community Service that Selena carried with her to Fresno State, where she graduated with a BA in Anthropology, a BS in
Philosophy, and served as Student Body President. She went on to graduate from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with her Juris Doctorate in 2015. She returned to work as a Deputy District Attorney for Fresno County from 2016–2021. She is currently the Director of Academic and Student Affairs at McGeorge School of Law and teaches Trial Advocacy.

Christina Cassinerio-Wilson is a Restorative Practitioner serving Fresno Unified and an experienced Conflict Resolution Educator. Mrs. Cassinerio-Wilson received her master’s degree in Special Education from Fresno State along with a Master’s in Educational Administration and School Leadership. While attending graduate classes at Fresno State she was an active member of Fresno State’s Mediator Mentors and worked alongside Dr. Pam Lane Garon and Karen DeVoogd to teach students and support central valley schools in implementing peer based peaceful problem solving, peer mediation. She furthered her commitment to learning about conflict resolution by completing the Dispute Resolution Certificate program at Pepperdine University’s Straus’s Dispute Center. She continues to support students, schools, and community organizations in providing opportunities for youth to engage in service learning, meaningful contribution with an emphasis on the transformational work of building, affirming, and repairing relationships.

Neftaly González is a undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley pursuing a B.A in Political Science with a minor in Ethnic Studies and Public Policy. Born and raised in the Central Valley (Visalia, CA) Neftaly found it important to promote spaces for youth involvement with necessary discussion surrounding issues that affect marginalized communities. She is heavily involved in activism around the issues of human rights, ethical leadership in healthcare, ethnic studies, climate change and LGBTQ+ rights. Neftaly aspires to hold a governmental role, committed to a “life as a servant leader”.

Daniel O. Jamison is a retired attorney.  He retired in 2021 after over 42 years of law practice, mainly as a civil trial attorney.  Over the years he has published over 40 op-eds and articles in multiple publications on legal, political, historical, military, educational, mental health, and philosophical matters.  His op-eds have appeared in The Mercury News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Boston Herald, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, San Diego Union-Tribune, The Fulcrum, Inside Sources, The Fresno Bee and many others around the country.  He is a long-time member of Fresno County’s Civic Learning Partnership. Together with Stephen Morris he has been a frequent speaker on issues of race for educators, lawyers, judges and community groups.  He has also been a frequent speaker for lawyers and others on other matters.  He is currently working on a book that will attempt to address why and how the Second American Revolution, which was the Civil War and the magnificent Constitutional Amendments and civil rights laws that were adopted in the ten years after that War, failed as the 19th Century ended with the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson. 

John Minkler, Ph.D., was a history/civics teacher and an administrator since 1971.  He was a Coordinator at the Fresno County Office of Education, Director of the Center for Multicultural Cooperation, a consultant for the Education Commission of the States and Co-Founder of the Academy for Civic and Entrepreneurial Leadership.  John is author of Active Citizenship, Empowering America’s Youth and COO and Co-Founder of the Civic Education Center.

Robert, one of the most highly-recruited high school football players in the nation, received a football scholarship in 2008 to the University of Arizona, where he earned a degree in General Studies with an emphasis in Social Behavior and Human Understanding.

Robert brings his leadership and development abilities to the underserved communities of Fresno. He wants to help children become equipped with knowledge and skills for their future, knowing that exposure to a world-class education will change the trajectory of children and their families. Robert understands, from personal experience, the unequal opportunities that less fortunate families may have to overcome and desires to help children formulate their dreams and develop skills to make those dreams become reality.