Our team is everything.
Take a scroll and get to know us.
Meet our 2022 RiseUP Fellows
Ashlynd Fine
Ashlynd’s passion in life is to encourage, support, and uplift others in their pursuit of making a difference. After joining the military in 2012, she continued to serve as a Medic & Program Manager in the United States Air Force Reserve, spending one weekend per month overseeing nursing training education. During this time, she also recognized her untapped creative side, and taught herself the basics of branding, social media, and graphic design—all while re-enrolling in college (she's set to graduate in May 2022), raising a toddler on her own, and providing freelance branding services to local businesses and nonprofits. During her time with RiseUP, Ashlynd hopes to grow in the technical aspects of digital marketing so that she’s able to bridge the gap between her passion and experience, and start a long-term career that’s filled with purpose and fulfillment.
Fun fact: If Ashlynd could travel anywhere, it would be to Ireland.
“I got to fly over it once on my way home from a deployment and I've never seen the color green so vividly. Ireland, absolutely."
Tori (Victoria) Gibbs
Tori recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a B.S. in Business Administration. While she was in school, she also worked part-time in food service to help pay for her housing, and served as PR chair, and member of the fundraising and philanthropy committees, for Kappa Delta Phi N.A.S., a service-oriented organization. It was there she realized that she wanted to use her creativity and business skills to continue making an impact after college, and help other minority and low income individuals succeed. With RiseUP, she’s excited to gain hands-on experience that will prepare her for her “dream career”—marketing for non-profit organizations.
Fun Fact: Her strangest job was working at Subway!
But, her favorite was spending seven years at Ransom Photography as a secondary photographer and assistant.
Check out our RiseUP Alumni
Shirley Kim Tang
Shirley graduated from San Francisco State University in 2017, and began honing her skills through the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship program at COOP. After gaining practical experience through RiseUP, Shirley was hired by Media Cause as a full-time Associate Account Strategist.
Berenice Mosso
After graduating with a B.A. in English from CUNY Brooklyn College, Berenice held professional and volunteer roles at Brooklyn Public Library and Maimonides Medical Center, among others.
After RiseUP, Berenice is continuing to explore her career options, including a potential path in graphic design. We wish you luck in your next adventure!
Shel Sligar
When college wasn't an option, Shel started her own business at the age of 16, and earned a certificate in Digital Marketing through Thinkful in 2020. RiseUP gave her the opportunuty to bring her passion and skills together, and she's now working as a full-time Associate Social Strategist at Media Cause.
Benjamin Doherty
Benjamin is a first-gen college graduate, earning his B.A. in Sociology from UC Berkeley in 2020. He is a two-time Kaiser Permanente finance intern, and served as a social media community manager for a small nonprofit in college.
After RiseUP, Benjamin joined Media Cause as a full-time Associate Account Strategist. Congrats, Benjamin!
Joe Colon
After graduating from Marist College in 2019, Joe spent time as a writer and freelance social media strategist, but struggled to land a full-time role without formal Marketing experience. RiseUP helped him break down that barrier, and he's now working an Associate Account Strategist at Media Cause.
Isaiah Schutz-Ramon
Isaiah graduated from CSU East Bay with a BS in Business Admin/Marketing and a minor in Advertising, and currently mentors other students as a Data Analytics Cohort Captain COOP Careers.
After RiseUP, Isaiah joined Media Cause as a full-time Associate Account Strategist. Congrats, Isaiah!
Our Amazing RiseUP Mentors
2020-2022 Pro-bono Account Mentor and RiseUP Marketing Director
2022 Mentor
2021-2022 Curriculum Advisor
2022 Mentor
2021-2022 Mentor
RiseUP Leadership
As an entrepreneur devoted to social impact, Eric is passionate about developing scalable solutions to global issues through the power of marketing and technology. In 2010, Eric founded Media Cause, and has since helped 500+ nonprofits and organizations move their missions forward.
Earlier in his career Eric spent five years at Google where he launched programs, and ran Google’s SEM & Agency councils. Eric received an EMG/Founder’s award from Google’s Executive Management Group for his work on the creation and rollout of the multi-billion dollar AdWords API program in 2008
Eric Facas - Founder
After spending 15+ years in the traditional consumer advertising world, Amy joined Media Cause, and opened the agency’s Atlanta office, in early 2018.
In her current role as EVP of Creative, Amy advocates for bringing empathy, psychology, and human-centered connection to building nonprofit awareness and impact. She’s also on a mission to share her knowledge and experience with the next generation of thinkers and doers, helping them develop the skills, confidence, and insights they need to drive progress of their own.
When she’s not at work, Amy enjoys spending weekends with her family in the North Georgia mountains, building her meditation practice, and unsuccessfully trying to read too many books at once.
Amy Small - Managing Director
After spending a number of years abroad in international development, Jillian most recently came from the start-up world of SF, where she scaled operations at an education technology company.
Having seen and worked with many nonprofits abroad she is committed in helping social impact organizations spread their mission and helping make this world a smaller, more connected place.
When not working, Jillian can be found doing anything outdoorsy in the Bay Area, brewery hoping, and trying to figure out how to navigate SF's hills on rollerblades