Staff

Mark Toney

Executive Director

Executive director since 2008, Mark has transformed TURN into a social movement organization, whose 27 staff are two-thirds women and two-thirds people of color, expanding its impact to promote and win racial and economic justice in energy affordability, climate action, and broadband equity policy areas.

Mark was appointed in 2020 to the California State Bar Board of Trustees by Governor Newsom and reappointed in 2024.  He also currently serves on the National Whistleblower Center board, and previously on the boards of ACLU Northern California and California Shakespeare Theatre.

Mark served as executive director of the Center for Third World Organizing for four years and of Direct Action for Rights & Equality for eight years.  He holds a B.A. from Brown University, a Ph.D. in Sociology from UC Berkeley, and has been recognized as a Kellogg National Leadership Fellow, National Science Foundation Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, and Mother Jones Heroes for Hard Times.

Administration

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    Richard A. Perez

    Chief Financial Officer

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    Cassandra Houston

    Human Resources Director

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    Reina Yanagiba

    Paralegal

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    Alejandra Cruz

    Operations Coordinator

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    Kelsey Chirlinn

    Digital Solutions Architect

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Communications

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    Lee Trotman

    Communications Director

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Philanthropy

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    CJ Callen

    Philanthropy Director

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Organizing Department

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    Constance Slider Pierre

    Organizing Director

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    Alejandra Vargo

    Southern California Organizer

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Race Equity & Legislative Policy

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    Adria Tinnin

    Race Equity & Legislative Policy Director

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Legal Staff – Energy Team

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    Hayley Goodson

    Managing Attorney

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    Elise Torres

    Assisting Management Staff Attorney

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    Bob Finkelstein

    General Counsel

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    Matthew Freedman

    Staff Attorney

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    David Cheng

    Staff Attorney

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    A. Mireille Fall

    Staff Attorney

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    Ruthie Lazenby

    Staff Attorney

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    Julia de Lamare

    Energy Attorney

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    Jennifer Dowdell

    Senior Policy Expert

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    Sylvie Ashford

    Energy and Climate Policy Analyst

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    Jalal Awan

    Energy and Climate Policy Analyst

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Legal Staff – Telecom Team

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    Kori Cordero

    Telecom Advocacy Managing Attorney

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    Ashley Salas

    Telecom and Regulatory Attorney

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    Alexandra Green

    Telecom and Regulatory Attorney

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    Ryan Johnston

    Telecom and Regulatory Attorney

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    Regina Costa

    Telecom Policy Director

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    Leo Fitzpatrick

    Telecom Policy Analyst

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