Andrea Caupain Sanderson (she/her)
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director
“What we’re doing is movement building, this is an important ingredient in the quest for a just and equitable world.”
For more than 25 years, Andrea has worked to advance racial and social justice for people across Washington state. As an immigrant to this country at the age of 12 and a single mother at 19, Andrea knows how it feels to be marginalized and struggling to make ends meet. Throughout her career, Andrea has translated her lived experience, coupled with her determination, to forge solutions to systemic barriers to opportunity.
Most recently, she served as CEO of Byrd Barr Place, a historically Black organization that empowers people to live healthy, prosperous lives through essential services and
advocacy. During her 20-year tenure at Byrd Barr Place, Andrea was instrumental in turning the organization around from nearly closing its doors to thriving. Andrea is also one of four architects of the Black Future Co-op Fund, Washington’s first cooperative philanthropy created by and for Black people to ignite Black generational wealth, health, and well-being.
In addition, Andrea serves as a commissioner on the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs; on the boards of Craft3, Crescent Collaborative, and Lorna Jordan Foundation, a steering committee member of Equitable Recovery and
Reconciliation Alliance, (ERRA), and the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance. Andrea earned an MPA and a BA from The Evergreen State College.
Jodi Nishioka (she/her)
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director
“We are seeing the power of solidarity in the streets, and we are experiencing the power of coming together among our BIPOC leaders”
Jodi has worked for over 20 years on behalf of low-income communities, particularly women, children, and immigrant and refugee communities. She started her career as an attorney advocating for immigrant domestic violence survivors and single mothers fighting for child support in legal aid organizations in Boston and Honolulu. Jodi continued her work on behalf of women and children within state and city governments in Hawaii and Seattle, and later with grassroots nonprofit organizations.
Jodi enjoys her work because it combines her legal skills with her dedication to building power in communities of color and communities. Jodi is also on the board of directors of JustLead Washington.
Victoria Santos (she/her)
Co-founder and Co-Executive Director
“To dismantle the legacy of white supremacy and stand for justice and compassion, funders must invest in BIPOC communities and BIPOC leaders.”
Victoria is guided by her commitment to restoring balance. This driving force has led her to work as a facilitator, trainer, community organizer, leadership coach, and nonprofit leader. Drawing on her lived experience, education, and training, she works to advance racial healing and social justice in communities, organizations, institutions, and schools in the United States and internationally.
Victoria’s work emphasizes intersectional awareness, individual and collective healing, and compassionate action. In her role as co-executive director of the BIPOC ED Coalition, Victoria is part of a cultural change movement that prioritizes BIPOC health and wellness. She also advocates for more resources to flow towards BIPOC-led nonprofits and calls in philanthropic partners and other allies to reimagine their roles and commit to working with BIPOC-led organizations in more powerful ways.
Victoria is a Spanish-fluent Afro-Latina immigrant born in the Dominican Republic.
Massomeh Spahr (she/her)
Managing Director
“Our legacy is to create safe spaces centered around protecting our shared peace, standing on the side of justice and thriving as positive change agents in the communities we serve.”
Massomeh brings over a decade of leadership experience in program management and operations to the BIPOC ED Coalition team. Prior to joining, Massomeh served as the senior director of operations at a progressive K-8 charter school network. In this role, Massomeh led the development of network and campus based school operational systems and managed the opening of three out of four school buildings within a five-year span.
Massomeh was born and raised in New York City, and is the last child of seven from two Caribbean-born parents. She believes that we are all educators and learning spaces are beyond the four walls of a classroom. Additionally, it’s a basic human right to be seen and nurtured in those spaces no matter the participant’s ZIP code, race, gender, or their family’s socioeconomic status. Massomeh earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University, where she double majored in Gender and Sexuality Studies and Psychology. In addition, she earned her master’s degree in the Study of the Americas at the City College of New York.
Tianna Arredondo (they/them)
Outreach and Administrative Coordinator
“Prioritizing rest and regenerative relationships can nourish the nervous system and repair our bonds beyond what we can imagine.”
Tianna offers a decade of experience facilitating transformative leadership initiatives, research projects, and building out curriculums within environmental justice coalitions. Their work has focused on supporting BIPOC leaders to rest and realign their intentions to support – decentralized resource sharing, relational organizing and spiritual care. Tianna’s work is informed by their experiences growing up between Santa Cruz, Fresno and Oakland, California as a Black and Mexican being. They currently live in Northern Washington State.
Tianna has a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism and B.S. in Public Health Administration from Fresno State. They have since completed certifications via The Embody Lab to infuse practical nervous system nourishment into day to day necessities.