We’re Powered by Volunteers
Since our inception, volunteers have been SELAH’s most vital resource. Everything we do starts with the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who roll up their sleeves and help their neighbors. Thank you to everyone’s who volunteered with SELAH for helping us build thriving community — for all.
Staff
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Sara Reyes, Executive Director
Sara joined SELAH in late 2019 and, as a volunteer, served as an organizer and co-chair of the communications committee. In 2023, she accepted the role of SELAH’s first permanent Executive Director. Prior to SELAH, Sara spent 13 years working in communications and advocacy for The Hunger Project, an international organization that pioneers grassroots, community-led development initiatives. Sara is a proud resident of Los Feliz.
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Rachel Sanoff, Volunteer Engagement Manager
A born-and-raised Angeleno, Rachel was a SELAH volunteer before entering a part-time role in 2022 and full-time in 2024. She is a writer and editor with a focus on social movements, healthcare access, and education. Her work has appeared in MTV News, The Guardian, and Business Insider. Rachel’s academic research focused on local workers’ rights campaigns at the UCLA Labor Center and economic justice.
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Maebe Pudlo, Operations Manager
Maebe is a local politician and drag performer in Los Angeles. They’ve served on the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council since 2019 as At-Large Representative and Treasurer. They ran for US Congress in 2020, 2022, and 2024 with a particular focus on healthcare, housing, and education for all. She joined the SELAH team as Operations Manager in 2024.
Board of Directors & Officers
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Louis Abramson, Board Chair
Louis is a scientist and organizer in Hollywood. He began volunteering with SELAH in 2019 and led the effort to extend SELAH's operations to Hollywood. He has led LA Times-featured efforts to deliver free produce to seniors and count homeless Angelenos. These experiences spurred him to run for State Assembly in 2022.
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Nicole Arbusto
Nicole is originally from New York City but now calls Los Angeles home. She is a casting director working in film, television, and theatre, and grew up volunteering around social justice and food issues. She met someone from SELAH at a Homeless Connect Day and has been involved with the organization ever since.
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Paul Asplund
Paul is originally from Minnesota, where he built, crashed, and rebuilt his life. He’s volunteered extensively, served on non-profit Boards, and as an ED, twice. He serves as Director of Operations for The Pico Union Project and lives in Pasadena with his husband and their cat. He occasionally blogs at paulasplund.com.
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Molly Luetkemeyer
Molly is an interior designer who has called LA home for 27 years. She is an avid volunteer and in addition to her ongoing outreach work with SELAH Hollywood, she has been engaged in mentoring young girls for over 15 years. When not working or volunteering, she can be found at home in Laurel Canyon hanging out with her 16 year old rescue dog, Paco.
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Sarah O'Keeffe, Treasurer
Sarah moved to Los Angeles in 2006 for a job and quickly fell in love with the city. She works as a project manager in interior design, tapping into both her creative and practical sides. She currently lives in Los Feliz with a fig tree she’s barely keeping alive.
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Jania Palacios Azami
Jania is a strategic communications professional dedicated to social impact. Originally from Mexico City, she's called LA home for more than 20 years, 12 of which were spent in Hollywood. In her free time, she hikes, bikes, jogs and plays soccer with her kiddos and husband.
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Jasper Thomlinson
Jasper is a long time SELAH volunteer and resident of Silver Lake. He has 3 amazing kids and beautiful partner who all support his love of endurance bike riding. After helping to build several companies and 25 years of production experience, he is excited to explore how to apply his skillset to making a positive impact in the world.
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Michelle Tonn
Michelle is a deeply committed service professional with decades of experience in homeless services. She has served as the Executive Director of Alexandria House and as SELAH's Echo Park Outreach Program Director for five years. She is currently a fellow in CD1.
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Celeste Voce, Secretary
Celeste is an artist and freelance arts administrator. In addition to her volunteer work for SELAH, she serves on the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council Homeless Engagement Committee.
Former Board & Co-founders
Hayes Davenport, Darius Derakshan*, Dorit Dowler-Guerrero*, Meredith Gallen, Cat Kim*, Janet Kim*, Bryan Kramer, Genevieve Liang, Tee Martin, Michael O’Shea, Nithya Raman*, Lex Roman, Josh Scarcella, Justin Szlasa, Cathy Takemoto, Emma Thorne-Christy
*Co-founders
SELAH Partners
A Good Used Book. About My Father’s Business. Alexandria House. Ascencia. Better Angels. Bia Blooms. Bicycle Kitchen. The Bin. Bombas. Canyon Coffee. Casa Milagrosa. The Center in Hollywood. Clare Matrix. Clark Street Bakery. Chrysalis. Corita Art Center. Council Districts 4 & 13. Department of Public Health. Dynasty Typewriter. East Side Jews. Echo Park United Methodist Church. Echo Park Trash Club. Every Day Action. Exodus. Food Cycle. Food Finders. Food on Foot. Friends of the LA River. Give a Little Drive. Groundfloor Echo Park. HERO Network. Healthy Spot. Healthcare in Action. Hollywood Food Coalition. Homeless Health Care LA. Home-y Made Meals. Office of Supervisor Horvath. Independent Shakespeare Company. Junior High Los Angeles. Kaimore. Keck School of Medicine. KARMA. Ktown For All. Law Offices of Robyn S. Hosmer. Community Health Project Los Angeles. LA Condoms. LA County Public Defender Mobile Homeless Clinic. LA Regional Food Bank. LAHSA. La Monarca Bakery. Lens Co. Maeve. Miracle Messages. Miss Rodgers’ hood. Mutual Aid LA. My Friend’s Place. NBC Local Impact Grants. Northeast Neighborhood Outreach. Otis College of Art & Design. PATH. PATH Supportive Services for Veteran Families. PB Sundays. People Concern. The Pit. Polo’s Pantry. Project Ropa. Office of Senator Portantino. Public Carousel. Reach for the Barres. Raven & Crow Studio. Ridwell. SABAN Community Clinic. Safe Parking LA. Shelter Partnership. Shower of Hope. Silver Lake Community Church. Silver Lake Independent Jewish Community Center. Slack. The Stew. Stronghold. Tabula Rasa. Timelist. UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. United Way. Women’s Opposition Movement. Zebulon.