Rise Economy, formerly the California Reinvestment Coalition, added Jillian Spindle and Hermán Barahona to its Board of Directors. Their three-year terms began in June. Spindle will serve as the board treasurer, replacing William Pavao, who retired from the board earlier this year. 

Spindle serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Mission Economic Development Agency, where she oversees the organization’s administrative functions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in social sciences from The University of Chicago, and a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Illinois Chicago. 

Barahona is the founder of the Sacramento Environmental Justice Coalition, a nonprofit organization that organizes faith-based communities, nonprofits and civic groups to address the root causes of health and environmental inequities faced by poor and marginalized communities. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of La Verne and serves on several nonprofit boards in the greater Sacramento region.

“With the addition of these two highly-regarded advocates, the Rise Economy board now reflects the breadth and depth of our legacy work in housing and economic justice as well as our work in climate change advocacy,” said Paulina Gonzalez-Brito, Rise Economy’s Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to the decades of experience Spindleand Barahona will bring to the board.”

The two join Kendra Noel Lewis of the Sierra Health Foundation and Eric Payne of the Central Valley Urban Institute, as the latest appointments to the Rise Economy Board of Directors. The board also includes Board Chair Chancela Al-Mansour, Executive Director of the Housing Rights Center, Vice Chair Elba Schildcrout of the East LA Community Corporation, Secretary Vanessa Carter Fahnestock of the USC Equity Research Institute, Nikki A. Beasley of the Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, Joe Ridout of the Knight Law Group, and Stephanie Carrol of the Public Counsel Law Center.