DIRECTOR

Patrick Messac is the Director for #OaklandUndivided. School-based at the start of the Pandemic, Patrick’s understanding of the digital divide was shaped profoundly by the sudden transition to remote learning and the pervasive impact digital inequity had on his students and the community at large. Patrick leads #OU with the goal of ensuring that all those who live or work in East and West Oakland— especially his former students—have access to reliable internet as a 21st century civil right. To do so, Patrick seeks to address the structural barriers that create distance between his community and opportunity, and he believes that in partnership, Oakland can serve as a national model for a community-led movement to bridge the digital divide.

Prior to this role, Patrick served as a teacher, administrator and non-profit director in Bay Area Title 1 schools where he focused on cogenerating spaces that made all children feel seen, safe, and secure through culturally-relevant curriculum and research-based pedagogy.

Patrick earned his B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and receiving his M.Ed in Secondary Education from Arizona State University.

CONTACT

pmessac@oaklandundivided.org
(518) 542-8105

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY IMPACT

Cinthia is #OaklandUndivided’s Director of Community Impact. As a Mexican immigrant growing up in East Oakland she experienced first-hand the challenges faced by communities of color living in underserved areas. This informed her career path and commitment to making systemic changes to eliminate the barriers that too often prevent her community from thriving.

Cinthia has dedicated her career to working in Bay Area-based non-profits like La Clínica de La Raza, First 5 Alameda County, and the First 5 Center for Children’s Policy where she focused on promoting policies and practices that strengthen systems for children 0-5 throughout the state. In her current role, she focuses on working alongside community members to ensure that their voices help guide #OU’s work to ensure digital equity throughout Oakland.

Cinthia holds bachelor’s degrees in Business Management Economics, and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master’s in Public Administration with a Public Management and Policy Analysis concentration from California State University, East Bay.

CONTACT

cdiaz@oaklandundivided.org
(510) 282-2959

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Georgia Savage is the Deputy Director at #OaklandUndivided. As a teacher in rural New Mexico and Brooklyn, New York, Georgia saw firsthand how under-resourced and underserved communities across the country lack access to devices, the internet, and the digital skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. Those disparities are what drove her to take a more systems-level approach at #OaklandUndivded, where she leads efforts to eliminate the digital divide in Oakland, California.

Her previous policy experience includes working for Colorado House District 4 Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, in which she researched rental late fees and renter protections, contributing to the presentation and passing of SB21-173: Rights in Residential Lease in June 2021. In addition, she worked on the How Learning Happens campaign at America’s Promise Alliance, supporting social and emotional learning in various non-profits, schools, outside learning programs, and research institutions.

Georgia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Science degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University, School of Education.

CONTACT

gsavage@oaklandundivided.org
(925) 699-3340

PROGRAM MANAGER AND LEE FELLOW

Carolina is a Program Manager and Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) Fellow at #OaklandUndivided. As an Ecuadorian immigrant, she experienced institutional inequities as she navigated higher education under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Her shared experience with peers of marginalized backgrounds shed light on the educational gap in the education system. While in college, she participated in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) program, where she interned for Congressman Keith Ellison. This experience on Capitol Hill and her journey of accessing education shaped her interest in policy, advocacy and advancing educational equity for students of all backgrounds.

Her professional experience includes working in higher education administration, specifically admissions. During this time, she primarily assisted students and families from marginalized backgrounds in their college application journey, advocated for institutional aid, and championed comprehensive and racially inclusive training for staff. She joins #OaklandUndivided as a Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) fellow and is ready to grow her impact on closing the digital divide.

Carolina holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Augsburg University and a Master’s in Public Policy with a Social Justice concentration from the University of Southern California.

CONTACT
cmendez@oaklandundivided.org
(612) 245-7176