Meet The 2012-2013 Executive Board!

We, the Executive Board of the CU Democrats, work hard daily to keep the political spirit of our campus alive. From Campaign Trips to weekly meetings, affecting some type of change is our number one priority. With a twelve person board, there is no shortage of opinions, ideas, and just outrageous personalities! Check out our profiles, get to know us, and we hope to meet you one day as well!

 

Janine Balekdjian, President: Janine was born in New York and raised in New Jersey, but her sports allegiance lies with Massachusetts (go Red Sox!). She is a Slavic Studies major who has spent her past two summers in Russia and Ukraine, because former Soviet politics interests her more than it should. If she could be any other Democrat, Janine would be Elizabeth Warren, because she’s proudly liberal in the tradition of the best progressive Democrats and willing to stand up for the interests of the American people no matter what.

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Evelyn Jagoda, Vice President: Evelyn is from Westchester County, New York.  She is a junior at Columbia College majoring in Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species, a major unique in the fact that less than half of Americans believe it is real.  Her favorite Democrat is Rachel Maddow and she really wanted this blurb to be funny.

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Sarah Schutz, Events Coordinator: Sarah is a member of the class of 2015 at Barnard, and plans to major in Economics with a concentration in Mathematics and minor in History. She was originally born in Arkansas, but, after Bill Clinton left, decided it was time to move to the east. She currently lives in Linwood, NJ, the original Jersey Shore. She, like any Democrat, is in love with FDR. As events coordinator, Sarah made a campaign promise to bake for her fellow Dems. She makes mean banana bread and, because she has her own kitchen this year, urges fellow members “to be prepared.”

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Sejal Singh, Treasurer: Sejal is a sophomore at Columbia College with a double major in Economics and Political Science. She loves progressive politics, campaigning, and two-toed sloths.  Her favorite Democrat is the same one she wants to be: Hillary Clinton! To Sejal, Secretary Clinton’s the embodiment of powerful female badassery.

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Ryan Morgan, Membership Director: Ryan was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He tries to share his hometown with Vice President Joe Biden,but it doesn’t always work out. Ryan is a junior majoring in Civil Engineering and is pursuing minors in Political Science and Economics (if time allows!). In his spare time, Ryan enjoys photography and cycling around the city. He is most passionate about economic and environmental policy (especially energy!) If Ryan could be any Democrat he would be Al Gore, because he invented the internet – or at least brought the issue of climate change to forefront of the public consciousness.

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Samantha Gilbert, Secretary: Sam is a native New Yorker and a sophomore at Barnard College studying Political Science and Race & Ethnicity. In her free time, Sam likes eating chocolate, speaking French and professing her newfound love for the state of Montana where she spent all of summer 2012. Go Grizzlies! If she could be any other Democrat, she would be Ted Kennedy because of his lifelong dedication to liberal causes, especially universal healthcare.

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Sarah Weinstein, Freshmen Representative: Sarah is a Freshmen in Columbia College majoring in Psychology.  She considers her hometown Ann Arbor, Michigan, while she’s lived in New York the past 8 years.  Her favorite democrats are First Lady Michelle Obama , Julian Castro, and Beyonce.  A fun fact about Sarah is that she once took a selfie with Michelle Obama!

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Nikita Ash, Lead Activist: Nikita was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but her parents decided to confuse her young by moving back and forth from Singapore. She is a Barnard College first-year and prospective Political Science major, both of which surprised her parents. Nikita’s favourite (spelled with a ‘u’) Democrat is Hillary Clinton, whom she credits with her love for all things America and for being generally fierce. Nikita is a black-belt in mixed karate, and so is literally prepared to kick some serious backside for the CUDems this year.
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Melissa Quintana, Lead Activist: Melissa was born and raised in in Miami, Florida where you can’t get by without knowing Spanish and where it’s always wonderfully humid and sunny.  She is a first year student at Columbia College planning on majoring in Political Science and Economics and hopes to become an immigration lawyer.  Melissa’s favorite Democrat is Congressman John Lewis because as a Freedom Rider during the Civil Rights movement he didn’t let the fact that the unreceptive political context at the time  stop him, and it is that kind of perseverance and determination that she finds so humbling and inspiring. She only eats cookie dough in cookie dough ice cream (a ridiculous waste) and loves Taylor Swift.
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Austin Heyroth, Media Director: Austin is a sophomore in Columbia College Majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics. He was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska and briefly lived in Texas. He plans on going to law school after he graduates and he promises everyone that he will own a kitty to prevent himself form being consumed by the dark side (a.k.a. corporate law). He also apologizes for whatever politicians from his home state are up to and would like to remind everyone that there’s a reason he decided to go to school in NY.

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Swara Salih, Webmaster: Swara is a junior at Columbia College Majoring in Political Science with a concentration in Environmental Studies.  He grew up around the DC area, went to High School in Jordan, and aspires to work in Environmental Policy, either domestically or abroad.  His favorite Democrat is Christopher Hayes, who demonstrates the badassness of political geeks everywhere.
 
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