Our Leadership Team - Santa Clarita Valley Democrats

Our Leadership Team

From our Executive Board Members to our Directors, the Santa Clarita Valley Democrats leadership team is dedicated to our mission of serving local communities, cultivating Democratic leadership, promoting Democratic values, and fighting for an equitable and just future for our valley. This is a team of doers: people who have been active in the Santa Clarita Valley as organizers, community leaders, activists, advocates, and — most importantly — as neighbors who care about our fellow Santa Clarita Valley community members.

Executive Board

Andrew Taban

Chair

Andrew Taban (he/him) is an advocate for education and social justice. As a first-generation American and proud Californian, he believes that every individual should be given the opportunity to reach their true potential.

Jackie Thomas

Vice-Chair

Jackie Thomas is a 35-year resident of Santa Clarita and has long believed in the importance of civic engagement. She organizes across the 25th Congressional District and values the contribution of each volunteer willing to put in the effort to support Democratic candidates and values.

Gina Kaufman

Board Member & Director of Membership

Gina Kaufman was born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, and she has been a resident of Santa Clarita Valley for over 20 years. She is passionate about keeping abortion safe and legal for all women regardless of where they live and acceptance of LGBTQ+ community through politics and policy.

Mai Nguyen Do

Board Member & Director of Social Media and Public Relations

Mai Nguyen Do (they/them) is a Saugus local, poet, researcher, educator, and campaign strategist with experience in field organizing, digital organizing and fundraising, and issue advocacy.

Kat Walker

Board Member

Kat Walker (she/her) has worked as a Speech Language Pathologist for over two decades. She is also a full-time working mother of two school-age children and a gun violence prevention activist.

Rachelle Lyman

Board Member & Recording Secretary

As an educator and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Rachelle is passionate about equity in education, mental health advocacy, environmental sustainability, and Medicare for All.

Brett

Board Member & Director of Technology

Brett Haddock is a lifelong SCV resident who is passionate about serving the community that he loves. A software engineer and technologist, Brett is currently working with the City of Santa Clarita on the House SCV project to ensure no Santa Claritan goes without a roof over their head.

Finance

Sage Rafferty

Treasurer

Sage Rafferty lives in Santa Clarita and works as a manufacturing manager at an aerospace manufacturing company. He served in the U.S. Army for almost 9 years, retiring at the rank of Captain in 2015. Sage loves his fellow veterans and is committed to fighting for their wellbeing.

Chitra Rameswaram

Assistant Treasurer

Chitra Rameswaram was born in Sri Lanka, then lived in London and Toronto before finally settling in SCV 20 years ago. She owns a bookkeeping and accounting firm and has long-lasting business relationships with clients in the 661 and beyond. Chitra wants to help make SCV as awesome as it can be.

Committee Directors

Susan McKenzie

Director of Outreach

Susan McKenzie is a lifelong Democrat, an active volunteer, mentor and community advocate with organizations such as Organizing For Action (OFA), MoveOn.Org, Indivisible, Run For Something and National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC).

Juliana Sheldon

Director of Volunteers

Juliana Sheldon is an educator, district administrator, grassroots volunteer, and badass baker. She has lived in Santa Clarita for over 30 years, raised three daughters here, and taught elementary school in Canyon Country for 20 years. For the past 10 years she has been the Induction Coordinator for the Walnut Valley Consortium, where she supports new teachers.

Lynette Jackson

Director of Postcards

Lynette Jackson has lived in Santa Clarita since 2016. She’s spent her career working with incarcerated people in Cleveland, at-risk juvenile offenders in Phoenix, and other people including those experiencing homelessness and domestic abuse survivors. Now that her husband has retired from the military, Lynette is focusing on making positive change right here in SCV.

Andrew Munson

Director of Elections

Andrew Munson is a Canyon Country resident. He has served on local and congressional campaigns since 2013, including serving as the Campaign Coordinator for Christy Smith’s first Assembly campaign in 2016. He is passionate about helping to make sustainable change in his community.

Chad Kampbell

Assistant Director of Elections

Chad has been a volunteer and activist in his community for almost a decade. Originally raised in a small agricultural town in Ventura County, he moved to Santa Clarita in 2007. During the day, he works for a large ad agency in West LA and leverages his background in communications and technology to advance progressive causes.