Evolve Staff

Ben Grieff, Executive Director: After graduating from Boston University in 2006, Ben began his organizing career right away by working to unionize healthcare workers in Massachusetts. After that he fundraised for various non-profit organizations, directed canvass operations and ran electoral field organizing projects. In 2011 Ben co-founded Evolve California and for the last 9 years, he has led Evolve CA’s campaign to reform Proposition 13. His work has helped change the political narrative around a once untouchable issue that is the root cause of California’s drastically underfunded public education system. In 2020 Ben sat on the Executive Committee of the historic Schools and Communities First Initiative (Prop. 15) that sought to reform Proposition 13 for commercial properties and generate $12 billion a year for California’s schools and communities.

Michael Bornstein, Founder and CFO: Michael has 25 years' experience in Bay Area politics. He started managing political campaigns with the California League of Conservation Voters, before becoming the Executive Director of the San Francisco Democratic Party and most recently the Senior Chapter Director at the Sierra Club Bay Chapter. Throughout his career Michael has led or worked on several dozens of election campaigns, dispatched thousands of volunteers, and made too many phone calls to count.

Gillian Garaci, Campaign Organizer, Intern Manager: Gillian graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and minor in Global Studies. Being a product of California’s public school system, she has seen and experienced the lack of resources low-income communities like her hometown of Pittsburg, CA continually face. Interning for Evolve made her realize that she loves working in a field that fights against corporate greed and stands up for our public schools and everyday people. Gillian enjoys reading, watching Formula 1, and walking around her neighborhood in San Francisco.  

Olivia McHaney, Campaign Organizer: Olivia recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare, and minors in Education and Public Policy. Growing up in rural Northern California, Olivia was troubled by the lack of funding for public education in her hometown as well as a lack of local discourse and advocacy surrounding it. Olivia worked extensively with students directly before interning with Evolve, where she fueled her passion for grassroots issue advocacy and community change making. Olivia knows that all of our students deserve better — not just those from privileged communities. For fun, they like roller skating, cooking ramen, and crafting with friends. 

Tran Nguyen, Campaign Organizer: Tran is currently a student at UC Berkeley studying Legal Studies and Public Policy, and Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies. Growing up as a first-generation, low-income student in the California public school system has informed Tran of our state's education crisis. Her passion lies at the intersection of education equity, grassroots organizing, and intersectional activism. On campus, she spearheads various multicultural student affairs, DEI, and advocacy work. She views education as a transformative vehicle for change and is committed to reimagining education policy. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the restaurants and museums in the city via public transportation.

Jules Pizano, Campaign Organizer: Jules is a junior at UC Berkeley studying Media Studies with a minor in Geography. Growing up in the Los Angeles area she has seen how poorly funded the Los Angeles Unified School District is despite being one of the largest school districts in the United States. Jules has also seen that poorly funded schools not only affect students but also workers such as teachers and supervision aids, joining her mom in union strikes for LAUSD workers as well as strikes in opposition of the building of charter schools around the area. Jules is interested in community organizing and advocacy as she believes that people have the power to drive change. In her free time they like to watch movies, bake desserts, go thrifting/antique shopping, and sew.