SENIOR STAFF
ANGELA ENG (she/her) - CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR
Angela (she/her) joined Fandom Forward as a volunteer in 2021. Before this, Angela had no idea where to start with activism and what it would look like for her. Finding an entry point with fan activism, Angela began her activist journey and now hopes to spread Fandom Forward's mission to even more people. Angela's ADHD brain has led her down various paths that include getting a finance degree from UT Austin, working at an educational non-profit, being an ADHD and life coach, and now working in fan activism. In her off-time, Angela can be found hoarding books and MDZS merch, reading, watching cdramas and anime, and lurking amongst the fandom discourse.
DELIA GALLEGOS (she/her) - OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Delia has been a nerd longer than she has known the meaning of the word. Texas-born and raised, she’s host of 'The Nerds Are Typing: An Enneagram and MBTI Podcast,' a writer, an off-key singer, and journal enthusiast. When she’s not reading fanfiction into the late hours, Delia enjoys nerding out over K-Dramas, Jane Austen, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, and anime. You can nerd out with her on Twitter @deliaistyping.
SARA MORTENSEN (she/her) - DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Sara (she/her) joined the volunteer staff at Fandom Forward in 2015, a decision she would say changed her life for the better. She was ecstatic to join Senior Staff as Campaigns Director in 2022. Sara's background is a little all over the place: she has a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Dance from the University of California, San Diego. She also has a Research Masters in International Studies in Media, Power, and Difference at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain, in which her thesis is about how the media in the US has covered the police and prison abolition movements in recent years.
KATIE BOWERS (she/her) - SENIOR ADVISOR
Katie has been leading Fandom Forward’s campaigns since 2013, first as a volunteer and then as Senior Staff after joining the team in 2015. Katie has played an integral role in some of our most iconic campaigns, and her commitment to relational organizing and community-centered leadership has played an essential role in shaping the organization into what it is today. An avid reader with a desire to do good, Katie has been integrating her love of pop culture and social justice through youth organizing initiatives and experiential education since 2005. Katie holds a B.S. in Developmental Sociology from Cornell University and an M.S.W. from Hunter College. She is from Binghamton, New York, better known as the Carousel Capital of the U.S. and birthplace of the Twilight Zone.
Chika Onyedike (she/her) -
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Chika joined the Fandom Forward team as a Social Media Manager in 2023. She focuses on building the organization’s social media presence and long-term audience engagement across multiple social platforms. As a lifelong geek with a penchant for all things fandom and pop culture, she’s ecstatic to join the team. Chika has an MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and a BA in International Affairs from the University of Mary Washington. In her free time, she loves to dive into Japanese anime and manga, dissect Turkish soap operas, and discover new podcasts.
RIKKI WILHELM (they/them) - CAMPAIGNS COORDINATOR
rikki wilhelm (they/them) is an activist, creative, and writer living in Westchester County, NY. They graduated from Hunter College with their M.S.W. under the Community Organizing, Planning, and Development track and specialize in topics such as racial justice, birthing justice, trans liberation, mental health, healthcare access, and more. They dig deep into how these inequities specifically affect Black, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and disabled people. They are entering into the world of fan activism as a life-long nerd with a deep love for fandoms and how stories reflect the real-life experiences of marginalized communities. Outside of work, you may spot them crafting intricate fan theories, (re)binging their favorite animes, or writing juicy fanfiction!
interns
We are ecstatic to welcome our first Jack Kent Cooke scholar to our internship program this summer!
NOVA RODEN (she/her) - SUMMER INTERN
Nova (she/her) is an incoming freshman at Chapman University and a summer intern for Fandom Forward in 2024. She is a 13-year Girl Scout, active library member, founder of Culture for Community, and sister of five. Nova has grown up with a passion for media in all forms and processes the world through personal art projects. Her collection of Young Adult books is constantly growing and she strives to reach outside of the surface-level meaning of fandom and use her passions and skills to make a difference in the world. She believes fandom culture, both the good and the bad, is more reflective of America’s political climate than many acknowledge and hopes to work with her generation to enact changes they all want to see. Her parents are huge Harry Potter and Star Wars fans, but Nova has, over the years, found herself enjoying Percy Jackson, Marvel, Supernatural, and the Shadowhunter Chronicles. She’s also a fan of video games and Youtube content revolving around books, commentary, and video games.
VOLUNTEER STAFF
We’re enormously privileged to have the talents and passion of over 65 volunteers in 4 countries who make our work possible!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maggie Brevig (she/her) is a CFRE working as a fundraiser for an advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. Maggie became a volunteer for the Harry Potter Alliance in 2012. She has presented at Granger Leadership Academy and LeakyCon on topics ranging from fundraising to fictional organizing to magical governance. Maggie has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Music from Boston College, where she also earned her Masters Degree in Social Work.
Sabrina Cartan (she/her) is a fan activist, writer, and digital strategist who specializes in mobilizing online fan communities for social justice and civic causes. Sabrina’s most recent projects include organizing the massively successful Geeks for Harris and Gamers for Harris. Sabrina’s campaigns have helped move the needle on issues such as women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, ending voter suppression, climate justice, and anti-racist advocacy.
Anna Dardick (she/her or they/them) is a passionate activist who utilizes her training and experience in public health, electoral politics, and project management to bring about cultural and political change. She has been involved in education and social justice for many years, including (of course!) Fandom Forward, at which she started the first chapter in 2006. Anna is a two-time Chapter Organizer, former Program and Campaigns Director at Imagine Better, and ride-or-die Granger Leadership Academy alum and presenter.
Daniel Etcovitch (he/him) is an attorney in New York City. He has been involved in fandom since friends dragged him in over a decade ago (and he’s never looked back). He has worked on and written about a variety of issues involving law, technology, and entertainment, inspired by fandom and the media he grew up loving. After getting his Bachelors in Political Science and Economics from McGill University, he earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
K. Alexandra Mills (she/her) is a Motown made and Southern raised educator, writer, and activist. A HBCU graduate, she has earned both her BA in English and MFA in Creative Writing. Her career as a K-12 Educator has inspired her to become a staunch advocate for literacy, community equity and engagement, as well as diversity and inclusion. Her after-school activities include: co-host for Accio Politics, a podcast that combines political dialogue and critical readership within the Wizarding World, a fellow editor for Wizards in Space literary magazine, and freelance writer who has contributed to avenues such as Nerdist, Carefree Magazine, and Black Girls Create. When avoiding her to-do list, you can find her on Twitter (@KAlexIsWrite) talking about fandom, trivia, and volleyball.
Porshèa Patterson-Hurst (she/her) is a researcher, writer, and communications professional who uses her experience to interrogate connections between gender, racial, ability, and economic disparities within societal structures like democracy, immigration reform, and even fandom. She began volunteering with Fandom Forward in 2017 and often utilizes her time in fandom-related spaces like LeakyCon, Granger Leadership Academy, and Black Girls Create to explore her aforementioned interests. Porshéa holds an MA in international educational development at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA in political science from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.
Maddi Porter (she/her) is a CPA and writer. Fandom has always been an inherent part of her life; she started writing (terrible) fanfiction when she was in second grade. Maddi fell into the nonprofit space via writing when she joined NaNoWriMo as an intern in 2016, where she is now the Development Manager. Maddi’s expertise resides in the limbo space between financial literacy, nonprofit operations, and fandom. She holds a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Accounting, both from UC Davis, where she also joined the local Fandom Forward chapter back in 2012.