Student Advocacy Day 2026

Lexi West, MSW

LEAD ORGANIZER

Lexi West (she/her/they) is a Research Coordinator II at the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP), and Lead Organizer for Student Advocacy Day on the Hill 2026.​ She is a recent graduate of the University of Washington School of Social Work, holding a Master of Social Work with a specialization in Administration and Policy Practice.​ She is passionate about child welfare reform, technology-driven interventions such as virtual reality for incarcerated families, and youth engagement in policy systems.

Frederick Marte, MSW

Agenda & Session

Frederick Marte is a licensed social worker with over a decade of experience in community engagement, leveraging cultural and arts-based practices to promote healing and advocacy. He currently serves as a Community Engagement Manager at Public Health Solutions, where he educates elected officials and communities on the harms of tobacco product use and advances public health initiatives. As a bilingual psychotherapist, Frederick provides evidence-based, culturally responsive care to children, youth, and families navigating anxiety, depression, and life transitions. He integrates Afrocentric principles and theatre into social work practice, informed by his background in drama, youth leadership, and community organizing.

Frederick holds an MSW from Touro University and is a PhD candidate at Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, where his research explores Afrocentric approaches to social welfare and mental health service delivery. Dedicated to cultivating the next generation of social work leaders, he also mentors emerging practitioners. His work centers Black and Latine/x voices at the intersection of mental health, advocacy, and the arts—bridging storytelling, policy, and collective healing.

Ashley Singh

Agenda & Session

Ashley Singh graduated from Kennesaw State University (KSU) in 2025 and is currently pursuing a dual master’s degree in Social Work and Business Administration. She works as a Graduate Resident Assistant at KSU Cares Ascend Program, and also serves as support staff at the KSU Cares/Pantry.  She also served as support staff at YELLS (Youth Empowerment, using Leading Learning and Service). Ashley recently completed her Capstone proposal, which explored the motivations of low-income students to pursue higher education and the factors that help them persist through college. This project was a true passion of hers, and she looks forward to continuing research in this area in the future.

Beatriz Sanchez

Communications & Outreach

Beatriz Sanchez (she/her/ella) is a Public Affairs Assistant at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, and a Policy and Operations Intern at the Latino Social Work Coalition. She is also a graduate student at the Columbia School of Social Work, with a specialization in policy practice. She is passionate about immigration reform, Title IX policy and improving the living conditions of working families.

Giovanna Corcino

Virtual Platforms & Technology

Giovanna Corcino (she/her/ella) is a Master of Social Work Candidate at Columbia University School of Social Work, specializing in policy practice. She obtained her BSW from New York University, Silver School of Social Work. Currently, she is a CRISP Fellow and is a Public Affairs Assistant for Columbia’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy. She is passionate about promoting equitable access to resources for marginalized communities through policy reform and providing opportunities.

Emily Sutter

Virtual Platforms & Technology

Emily is a current MSW student with a projected graduation date of June 2026. They have a background in tech support, making a bit of an unconventional (but meaningful!) career shift into social work. Tech support has taught her a lot about problem-solving, clear communication, and staying calm under pressure—all of which translate surprisingly well to working with people. Emily is especially interested in harnessing technology for ethical use in social services. Currently, they are committed to learning about the harms that have been caused by technology and identifying new solutions. Currently, Emily is developing skills in policy analysis, community-based research, and ethical human resource management.

Justin Ryan Allen

Evaluation & Data

Justin Ryan Allen is a graduate student at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, specializing in Policy Practice. With a strong academic foundation that includes a BA in Political Science with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies from Temple University (magna cum laude) and dual associate degrees in Paralegal Studies and Political Science from Delaware County Community College, Justin combines interdisciplinary knowledge with hands-on experience. Their field and research interests lie at the intersection of political economy, carceral systems, and transformative justice.

Justin has served as a Case Manager at Project Renewal, working with system-impacted and medically vulnerable populations, and as a Transformative Justice Fellow with Debt Free Justice, where they focused on carceral reform and advocacy. A passionate academic and researcher, they have held roles as a peer teaching assistant and contributed to multiple research initiatives examining race, state violence, and economic justice. Justin aspires to influence policy through critical scholarship, cost-benefit analysis, and transformative models that uplift marginalized communities, especially Black and queer populations impacted by structural, cultural, and direct violence.

Bree Martinez

Evaluation & Data

Bree Martinez is a Mexican-American scholar from Bakersfield, California. She is currently a second-year PhD student at the University of Washington and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). She earned a BA in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley and an MSW focusing on children and family well-being from CSU Long Beach. Her work is influenced by her experiences working with youth in large systems, including school and juvenile legal systems. Her research interests include alternatives to incarceration, school-based mental health services, and youth substance use. She endeavors to use research to change policies, advocate, and create more compassionate systems for youth and families. 

Stephanie H. Singleton

Speaker & Programming

Stephanie H. Singleton is a dedicated social work professional with extensive experience across early childhood education, school systems, and nonprofit organizations. She holds a B.A. in Applied Sociology from the University of Tampa and an MSW from the Catholic University of America. Currently, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work at Morgan State University, where her research centers on social-emotional learning programs and their impact on African American students in early childhood settings.

Stephanie is licensed as an Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Washington, DC, and as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in Maryland. She currently serves as the Legislative Chair for the School Social Work Association of DC, advocating for equitable policies that support students, families, and school-based mental health professionals.

Emily Carchia

Speaker & Programming

Emily is a dual degree MSW/MPA student at Columbia University, with a focus on international social welfare, immigration, and economics/finance. She has a passion for politics, voting, and the environment. She hopes to bring these passions into her future workspaces. In her free time, she loves to travel, read, and cook dinner for her friends.

Rhyan Short

Advocacy & Day Training

Rhyan Short is a Master of Social Work candidate at Howard University, where she is concentrating in community, administration, and policy practice with an expected graduation in May 2026. She earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Dickinson College in May 2024. Throughout her academic and professional journey, Rhyan has been deeply committed to advancing equity, social justice, and community empowerment.

Rhyan has experience in social work practice, youth advocacy, research, and civic engagement. She has worked with groups and projects that prioritize underrepresented voices, especially those of women and girls of color, and is committed to addressing systemic injustices through policy change and grassroots organizing. She hopes to improve student viewpoints in policy debates, advance legislative remedies for systemic injustices, and fortify the link between social work practice and policymaking through her work with CRISP.

Emma James

Advocacy & Day Training

Emma James is a graduate student pursuing her Master of Social Work with a specialization in policy practice at Columbia University. She holds three B.A. degrees in Social Work, International Relations – Political Science, and Religious Studies. She is an avid learner and a passionate advocate for bringing a voice to those who have been underrepresented in society. She enjoys being involved in her local community and interning at organizations offering support for out-of-school programs for youth and refugee support services and funding. She has many hobbies, most of which involve learning something new or spending time outdoors.

Maryn Johnson

Advocacy & Day Training

Maryn Johnson (she/her) is a recent graduate from Colorado State University with a B.A. in Political Science, where she completed a minor in Spanish and another in Interdisciplinary Latin American Studies, and is now pursuing a Master’s of Public Policy and Administration at Colorado State University. With an emphasis in Public Policy, she is passionate about actionable and efficient policy change through accurate and data-driven legislative advising. Born and raised in Arizona, then educated in Colorado, she has strong ties to the West. Through prior work in grassroots organizing with Arizona List and NewEra Colorado, she has come to hold great value for every part of the legislative process.

Currently, she is the team lead at Colorado State University’s own Student Legal Services, where courtesy legal advice is offered for students. She is also a volunteer campaign intern for Daniel Hassler for Congress, where she remains active in state politics. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking, and reading.

Claudia Mendez

Registration & Participant Support

Claudia Mendez is a doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program at Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Lehman College, a BA in Political Science with a minor in Women’s Studies from SUNY Purchase, and additional certifications in field instruction (SIFI), chemical dependency, and life coaching. With over 15 years of experience in clinical and school-based settings, she currently serves as a School Social Worker, 504 Coordinator, and National Honor Society Advisor at Fordham Leadership Academy, an NYC Department of Education high school.

Her prior roles include nearly a decade at Mount Sinai’s CARES program, where she provided intensive outpatient therapy for adolescents and families facing co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings a culturally responsive lens to trauma-informed care, family systems work, and social-emotional learning. She has also supervised MSW interns and co-led Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) trainings for interdisciplinary teams.

With a professional commitment to educational equity and mental health advocacy, she continues to bridge clinical practice with school-based support to meet the evolving needs of underserved youth and families.

Allie Gomez

Venue & Logistics Operations

I’m Allie Gomez, a BSW student at Texas Tech University, with a passion for macro practice and community-informed political engagement. My academic journey has shaped my commitment to advancing social change through systems-level work. As a member of the National Association of Social Workers, I am actively building a foundation in elevating community voice and policy analysis.

My recent experiences include a summer internship at the Cannenta Center for Healing and Empowerment, volunteering with the Crisis Text Line, and serving as a Travis County election clerk. These experiences strengthened my resolve to pursue systems-level change that addresses not only individual needs but also the broader structures that impact well-being.

Currently, I am honored to serve as Venue & Logistics Operations Lead for the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work & Policy (CRISP) 2026 Student Advocacy Day Senior Organizer Leadership Team. I am especially interested in interdisciplinary policy practice, translating social work values into fields that may use different methods or language, such as legislative work on Capitol Hill or within judicial settings. Looking ahead, I aspire to ensure that social work perspectives remain present in the policy process and to contribute to meaningful change at the local, state, and national levels.

Jess Tholmer

Venue & Logistics Operations

Jess Tholmer is a Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle. Jess has a passion for holding systems accountable, especially those run carcerally, like foster care and family policing, and isn’t afraid of abolishment. She comes to the UW from a decade of work in nonprofit management, including over 5 years with the Northwest Adoption Exchange as their Program Manager, working closely with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) with both youth in foster care and potential adoptive families in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. Jess is a biracial-Black woman who lives in South Seattle and reads, writes, and thrifts as often as possible. In her free time, Jess writes a book review letter at www.completelybooked.club. 

 Though she isn’t sure what she’ll do once she graduates with her MSW, Jess is interested in group work with teens, reproductive justice work, early childhood development, grief work with families, and possibly teaching.