Latinx Advisory Team

Gina Malagold PhD, MS, MA is a Uruguayan-American research, analysis, and teaching professional with a portfolio focused on Latin America, Drug Policy, and Counter Narcotics. Her doctoral research centered on U.S. Latinx History, Literature, and Culture with an emphasis on U.S.-Mexico relations from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice from Georgetown University (2022) and a Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2013). She is a published author, public speaker, grant writer, and recipient of various national and international awards and fellowships including McNair, Fulbright, and FLAS. She is a former intern with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug-Free Communities. Presently, she is developing as an expert in Supply Reduction with the USG. She is a native speaker of Spanish and English. 

Malagold lost her little brother Dylan (forever 27) to fentanyl in July 2020. Raising awareness about the dangers of the contaminated drug supply, helping to prevent others from experiencing this tragic outcome, and bringing loved ones together in the aftermath of a substance involved death is her life-long mission.

Renee Cuevas is a recent graduate with honors from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in biology, she is originally from Mexico, and her goal is to be a medical doctor and businesswoman.

She has described herself as part of Gen Z and seeks to help others learn about substance abuse and its consequences. Cuevas says, “Within the scholar environment, access to drugs is everywhere, and the most dangerous part of it is the lack of knowledge. I have found myself a victim of this ignorance, by not acknowledging how disguised drugs, such as fentanyl, exist.

As a first-generation Latina and Mexican, and as a pre-medical student myself, I believe I can bring my perspective. I am passionate about finding answers to the questions nobody wants to ask. I believe that knowledge is power, and I want to help Song for Charlie create change.”

Samantha Freedman is a Latina NYC-based video editor and audio producer with an interest in making content that educates and inspires reflection. She got her start in media as an intern at Latino USA, then joined the Sponsorship arm of NPR to produce custom audio campaigns for a diverse set of companies and non-profits. She currently works in-house producing videos for Vibrant Emotional Health, an NYC-based mental health nonprofit that administers the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Disaster Distress Helpline, and more. From ideation to execution, Samie has experience collaborating with organizations at all stages of the production process to engage their audiences in creative ways.

Caden Koontz is a Fulbright Garcia-Robles scholar, teaching English at the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana de Aguascalientes in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Born in San Francisco, he has spent almost 10 years living abroad — in Mexico and Canada — and has developed an international perspective on policy issues. 

Caden continues to develop as an expert on U.S.-Mexico relations. He worked with Hispanic youth as an academic enrichment teacher in the DC area and now works with 500+ university-age Hispanic students. He graduated from Georgetown University in May 2023 with a degree in Science, Technology, and International Affairs.

Mike de la Rocha is one of the most effective change makers of our generation with over two decades of experience as an organizer, strategist, and artist. As co-founder and CEO of Revolve Impact, a movement-driven creative impact agency, he is behind several of the largest policy victories and cultural shifts in America. 

Mike’s impact portfolio includes serving as Director of Strategic Partnerships for Californians for Safety and Justice, Senior Legislative Deputy for former Los Angeles City Council Member (and current U.S. Congressman) Tony Cárdenas, and Policy Advisor for the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. 

In 2020, Mike co-founded Tepito Coffee, an award-winning Latinx owned and operated coffee company based in Los Angeles, CA. Mike’s work in utilizing music and culture for social change spans four continents where he has worked alongside notable cultural icons such as Harry Belafonte, Dolores Huerta, and John Legend. He is one of GOOD Magazine’s top 100 people changing the world, recipient of the AFL- CIO’s Justice, Peace and Freedom Award, and a top innovator in America, as listed by Stanford Social Innovation Review. 

Audrey Buchanan is an award-winning filmmaker, interviewer, and business strategist who believes in the healing power of art and the outdoors, civic engagement, social justice, and the fact that diversity drives innovation. Presently putting those skills to use in Washington, DC as a Senior Director at National Geographic, she has a deep passion for growing and engaging intergenerational audiences through thoughtful, super-charged, imaginative brand franchises that build community, enrich people’s lives, and make the world a more connected place.

Audrey most recently directed her first short film, The Mystery of Now, which is an official selection for the 2019 National Geographic Short Film Showcase.

As the founder of a boutique production company called THE WOODS, and a founding board member of NPR Generation Listen, Audrey curates and lifts up diverse voices through intimate interviews, films, digital content, and experiential programming.Prior, Audrey served as the host and creative director for a leading business and storytelling conference called Summit at Sea, bringing together 3,000 millennial CEO’s and company founders and luminaries like Quentin Tarantino, Kendrick Lamar, Norman Lear, Sonia Sanchez, Dolores Huerta, Douglas Miles, Herbie Hancock, Aja Monet and Patrisse Cullors. In addition, Audrey partnered with Revolve Impact and the California Endowment to creatively direct the statewide Schools Not Prisons music tour in California alongside cultural leaders like Mike de la Rocha, dream Hampton, Mystic, Buyepongo, Ty Dolla $ign, Pusha T, John Forte of the Fugees and more.

“As Associate Director for Policy and Advocacy at the Opioid Operational Command Center, I am dedicated to driving meaningful change in Maryland’s approach to reducing overdose mortality. With a background in community-based harm reduction services, I bring a holistic perspective to crafting effective policies and strategies. My passion lies in creating compassionate, evidence-based solutions that prioritize the needs of people who use drugs and people with substance use disorder. I earned my MS in Addiction Policy and Practice from Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and enjoy snowboarding, sci-fi, and hanging with my cat in my free time. Let’s connect and make a lasting impact on drug policy.”

(Linkedin)

Dr. David Goodman-Meza MD, MAS is a Mexican-American physician-scientist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his medical degree with honors at Universidad Autonoma de Baja California in Tijuana, Mexico and his master’s degree in clinical research at UCSD. In Tijuana, he started his work with people who use drugs supervising a student-run free clinic in Tijuana’s red light district and started a research project to evaluate HIV in the city. He then went on to complete residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center in New York, and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at UCLA, where he subsequently joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor. He was awarded a career development award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Currently among many other projects, he is investigator of record in Los Angeles of HPTN 094: An NIH-funded randomized controlled trial evaluating mobile clinics to engage people who inject drugs. His published work centers at the intersection of infectious diseases and substance use disorders. He sees patients at Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Westwood and Santa Monica UCLA Hospital.

Mayra Medrano Named one of Wisconsin’s 48 most powerful Latinos, Mayra is an advocate of systemic social change via economic development opportunities.​​ 

“My goal is to have a positive impact on my employers and be the bridge between companies and communities. To advance my career, I took on several short-term employment opportunities to further develop my skills, awareness, and connections in industries where I’m interested in future career aspirations. I am passionate about fostering and nurturing relationships that greatly improve organizational efficiency in public support, market visibility, diversity and inclusion, and financial success. I enjoy playing a key role in cutting-edge community development projects for my employer, city government, and our broader community.” 

Mayra currently serves as Special Advisor to the Minority Business Development Agency in the Department of Commerce.

Bianca Blaettner, MD is a first generation Mexican-American general surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, she completed her bachelor and medical degrees at Indiana University where she was a Hudson-Holland Scholar for high-achieving underrepresented minorities in addition to being on committee boards for the Indiana University School of Medicine Diversity Committee, Medical Spanish Interest Group, and American Medical Women’s Association. 

She tragically lost her younger sister, Isabella, to a fentanyl overdose in April 2021. In her grieving, she hopes to save others from fentanyl-laced pills so that no one has to endure the pain of losing a loved one to accidental drug overdoses. #forever22

Angelica Warsaw recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Work, and a minor in Hispanic Studies. 

She completed an Honors Track in Liberal Studies, was awarded the Peggy Shaker Leadership Award, and was given the Excellence in Senior Thesis Award from the National Catholic School of Social Services for her research on Substance Use Treatment in the Correctional System.