OUR TEAM
Our Staff:
Brianna Cea
Executive Director/Founder
Brianna Cea is the executive director and founder of Generation Vote (GenVote). A skilled youth voting rights organizer and advocate for the AAPI community in NYC, Cea is a frequent media commentator on youth voting issues and has been featured in Good Morning America, WNYC, NPR, Vox News, as well as in USA Today, Ms. Magazine, among other outlets. Brianna is also the current President of OCA-Asian Pacific Advocates NY and the youngest chapter President on the OCA-National Board, where she is dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well being of Asian Americans in New York City.
Brianna is a former Senior Research and Program Associate at the Brennan Center for Justice. At the Brennan Center, Brianna focused on the census and redistricting. Her work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Atlantic, SCOTUSblog and other outlets. Cea graduated summa cum laude with a BA in political science and philosophy, politics and law from Binghamton University in May 2018.
Brendan Cushing
Managing Director
Brendan Cushing is the Managing Director of Generation Vote (GenVote). As one of the first GenVoters and founder of the GenVote @ Ualbany Team, Brendan has well-developed experience running state and local electoral and issue advocacy campaigns, recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, and designing multi-regional programs and direct actions.
Brendan graduated from the University at Albany in May of 2019 as a Dean's list scholar and worked in various professional settings during his time at University and after, including Empire State Development (New York State's economic development agency), in the New York State Assembly as a legislative staffer in Assemblyman Anthony D'Urso's office, and in the New York State Offices of the Inspector General as an Investigative Aide.
When he is not working, Brendan enjoys gardening, reading, painting, live music, and going on adventures.
Scott Benson
Senior Web Strategist
Scott Benson is the Director of Digital Strategy of Generation Vote. Scott is a software developer with a strong background in design. He is the co-founder and CEO of education startup Study Clash and additionally works a freelance web developer. Scott has worked as a web developer/designer for two design agencies, Langton Creative and Idea Kraft, as well as a software developer for healthcare technology company Cipherhealth.
He graduated from Binghamton University in May 2018, majoring in Political Science. Gen Vote allows him to combine his technical skills with his interest in politics. When he’s not working, he enjoys soccer, staying active, and volunteering at animal shelters.
Hamilton Brooks
National Stategic Advisor
Hamilton Brooks is a youth voting rights organizer whose expertise is concentrated within the voting and reformative justice space. Hamilton has worked at organizations such as the NAACP, Democracy Initiative, and GenVote @ NYU. Hamilton has created events centered around enabling young-people to vote, most recently having helped lead the mobilization of NYU students to vote in the 2020 election.
Wasi Ahmed
Development Director
Wasi Ahmed is a recent college graduate who has a passion for democracy and combating climate change. Wasi started organizing as a GenVoter at CUNY Queens College, having co-founded the GenVote QC chapter. Wasi has organized as a fundraiser and strategist as part of a congressional campaign and a NYC city council campaign. Wasi’s expertise lies in finance, electoral and non-profit fundraising, and financial and economic policy.
Hope-Marie Delgado
Director of Training and Leadership Development
Hope-Marie Delgado is originally from San Antonio, TX but now lives in Michigan where she recently graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Political Science and History at Central Michigan University. At CMU, Hope led and participated in various programs and organizations and grew a love for civic engagement and community involvement. Hope was most recently a GenVote Ascender- the first ever national youth-led program to mobilize the youth vote to win critical Secretary of State races in battleground states.
Hope is focusing on getting her Masters next in Public Administration and is excited to extend her stay with GenVote as Director of Training and Leadership Development. Hope’s life goals include helping marginalized communities fight for a more equitable way of living and increasing her knowledge and spreading awareness of different issues that are of interest to her. Hope is passionate about helping where she can to provide resources and knowledge to communities on how to be civically engaged, especially in elections.
Leila Winbury
Director of Digital Strategy
Leila Winbury is the Director of Digital Strategy at Generation Vote. As a Payomkawichum person and a citizen of the Pechanga band of Indians, Leila is passionate about Indigenous rights as well as collectively working towards creating a nation that truly reflects its people.
She is currently studying Political Science and American Indian studies at Arizona State University, while also working with Navajo County Democrats where the focus is on fighting voter suppression on Indian lands, and expanding tribal rights and recognition.
Our GenVote Education Fund Board
Murat Akaydin
Murat Akaydin is a native New Yorker who served as a military intelligence professional before transitioning to a career in NYC local government. He is a certified project management professional who holds a master's degree in pubic policy and administration, as well as a bachelor's of business administration in IT management.
Murat is also a lifelong volunteer and advocate who was a 2017 recipient of the President's Volunteer Service Award. He was appointed by the Manhattan Borough President to serve on his local community board, he is the Vice President for the NY chapter of Muslim Americans in Public Service, and he is a part of the NY state leadership team for Veterans for Political Innovation.
Bria Virgil
Bria Virgil is a 27-year-old Black ciswoman native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She relocated to Houston, Texas summer of 2019. Bria earned a bachelor's degree in Communication and a master's degree in Public Administration, concentrating in Health Administration, both from the University of Louisiana Monroe. She founded a non-profit organization called Pretty with a Purpose which aims to empower girls through the art of pageantry.
Bria Virgil is currently the Co-Executive Director at Youth Rose Texas and has worked in the nonprofit sector as a youth advocate since 2014. In her leisure time, Bria competes in pageants. She has a noteworthy pageantry career, including holding the inaugural national Miss Black Empowerment title and Co-Executive Director of Miss Black International Ambassador, the largest grassroots pageant for Black women. Additionally, Bria is an active member of the Houston NAACP branch and sits on the board of Generation Vote.
Sanda Balaban
Sanda Balaban co-founded and currently directs two youth civic engagement ventures, Next Generation Politics and YVote, aiming to help equip the leaders of tomorrow for their roles and responsibilities as citizens shaping a more just world.
Sanda has held leadership roles in education and youth development for over 20 years, in the public sector at the New York City Department of Education, in education philanthropy at the Ford Foundation and the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and in nonprofits including Facing History and Ourselves, the Boston Private Industry Council, and The Teachers Network.
Alexandra Flores-Quilty
Alexandra Flores-Quilty is the Campaign Director for Free Speech For People. Ms. Flores-Quilty previously served as the Executive Director of By the People, a pro-democracy grassroots campaign that organized to impeach and remove Donald Trump from office. Ms. Flores-Quilty got her start in organizing as a student when she served as Chair of the Oregon Student Association (OSA) where she was a part of winning instate tuition for undocumented Oregonians and developing OSA’s electoral program that broke records around the country in voter registration and turnout. Later she served as the elected President of the US Student Association (USSA) where she worked with Senator Bernie Sanders’s office to introduce federal legislation for free higher education and organized the 2015 Million Student March. Ms. Flores-Quilty was a co-founder of #AllofUs, that built political power behind progressive candidates. Ms. Flores-Quilty is a Lead Trainer at the Momentum Training Institute where she has trained and supported social movements in the US and around the world.