About Us
Our History
Founded in 2022 by Alief students, AliefVotes is a non-profit that empowers youth civic engagement in Alief, a working-class and immigrant community in Southwest Houston. Alief has low voter turnout, economic divestment, and ineffective community engagement. Situated in City Council District F, we’re the “forgotten district.” In response, we began AliefVotes.
We envision a proactive, civically engaged, and community-oriented youth pipeline through civic education, leadership opportunities, and youth-led projects. Our youth leaders represent the diverse cultural heritages of the Vietnamese, African, Chinese, Caucasian, Cantonese, Nigerian, and Hispanic communities. Our suburbs, neighborhoods, and students represent a microcosm of diverse ideas and perspectives that are woven into the fabric of our nation.
In partnership with the office of Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, AliefVotes empowers the next generation of civic leaders and community advocates. Empowerment, not just success, defines our path. We envision a force of enterprising student leaders. By investing in youth visionaries, Alief stands to be forgotten no more. We stand to be forgotten no more. If you would like to collaborate with us in hosting an event, workshop, or mentoring our students, please contact us at admin@aliefvotes.org or 832-209-6616.
At AliefVotes, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in building strong partnerships, both within our team and with the community, to create a lasting impact. As we enter our fourth year, with full-time staff and a robust board, we remain committed to prioritizing students and investing in their growth. We're always open to new opportunities for involvement, knowing that stronger partnerships build a stronger community.
Executive Director
Abby Gail Trino (she/her) is the Executive Director of AliefVotes, where she leads efforts to empower youth in Alief, Houston, through civic engagement and voter education. Abby is passionate about increasing voter participation, particularly among marginalized communities, and has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including voter registration drives and educational workshops.
Her leadership extends to collaborations with local schools, community organizations, and government officials, with a focus on issues such as environmental justice and education reform. Abby’s work has been recognized in local media outlets, including KHOU, KPRC, and The Daily Texan, for her dedication to fostering a culture of informed civic participation. She has previously served as the President of the Board of Directors before stepping into her current role.
Outside of her professional work, Abby enjoys mentoring youth, engaging in community service, and continuing her work to build a stronger, more inclusive Alief. She can be reached at abby.trino@aliefvotes.org.
GOTV
Director
Melissa C. Allala is the Get Out the Vote Director at AliefVotes, where they lead efforts to register and mobilize voters across Alief and greater Houston. A longtime community advocate and strategist, Melissa has spent over a decade in civic engagement, public policy, and coalition-building, including years of helping Houston residents navigate the naturalization process on their path to citizenship.
Melissa is also the founder and president of Kauri's Lucky Star Foundation, established in loving memory of their brother Kauri. The foundation supports people with autism, families navigating mental health challenges, and victims of violence through programs like Parent Cafés and art therapy events that build family wellness and connection.
Their advocacy also reaches voting rights, redistricting, and fair representation for communities of color. Outside of their organizing, Melissa enjoys Star Wars, building LEGO sets, and spending time with their wife. They can be reached at melissa.allala@aliefvotes.org.
AliefVotes
Intern
Oyindamola "Oyin" Akintola (she/her) is an intern at AliefVotes, where she supports the civic engagement, voter registration, and community programming that AliefVotes runs across Alief. She first joined the organization as a high school student, volunteering at community events and later serving as Co-Director of Events, where she helped plan the organization's two major annual events, including its Youth Civic Engagement Conference. She was a fellow for the first ever AliefVotes cohort in 2022.
Oyin is a Government and Statistics student at Harvard College, where she is also an Events Co-Director for the Harvard QuestBridge Scholars Network, a policy fellow with Harvard Undergraduates for Bipartisan Solutions, and a member of the Harvard Undergraduate Mock Trial Association. A QuestBridge National College Match Finalist and graduate of Alief Early College High School, she is drawn to government, data, and the path toward law school.
Outside of her work with AliefVotes, Oyin mentors students through Students Engaged in Advancing Texas. She can be reached at oyin.akintola@aliefvotes.org.
AliefVotes
Intern
Edgar Euceda (he/him) is a Communications Intern at AliefVotes, where he supports civic engagement across Alief. He first got involved with the organization through volunteer work in his community and has continued that work through college, contributing to outreach and communications efforts alongside groups like Mi Familia Vota and 18byVote. He is currently interning with CARECEN DC.
Edgar is a Political Science student at George Washington University, concentrating in public policy, where he is part of the Class of 2029. A first generation college student and Alief native, he is drawn to immigration law, public service, and eventually leading a community focused nonprofit.
In his free time, Edgar tutors disadvantaged and low income kids in DC through FLOC. He has also served as a National Afterschool Youth Ambassador for the After School Alliance, advocating on Capitol Hill as the sole Texas representative, and founded a UNICEF chapter during his time at Elsik High School
Meet the Student Organizers
Program Director
Tommy Wan
Tommy Wan (he/him) is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, studying Civil Engineering and Government. His work focuses on youth civic engagement, community development, and voter education in Houston. Tommy’s experiences include working in the U.S. Congress, the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate, and the Houston City Council, as well as serving as a Future Leaders Fellow at Harvard Law School. He has also been involved in engineering research, the Texas Mock Trial program, a Bill Archer Fellow, journalism with the Daily Texan, energy policy with PowerHouse Texas, AANHPI advocacy with the OCA-Greater Houston, and environmental justice work. Outside of work, Tommy enjoys running, reading, and mentoring youth in Alief ISD (as a Mahany and Youngblood Alum!). He can be reached at tommy.wan@aliefvotes.org.
Program Co-Manager
Helin Wang
Helin Wang (she/her) is a senior at Alief Kerr High School. Her work focuses on youth civic engagement, voter education, and community advocacy, beginning in freshman year as a fellow with AliefVotes and growing into Events Manager, where she planned and hosted events reaching over 150 youth with speakers like Congressman Al Green and City Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas, and now serves as the Program Manager. Growing up in Alief, she’s seen firsthand how often the community’s potential goes overlooked, which drives her belief that civic participation should feel accessible to everyone. She’s also Vice Chair of the Houston Mayor’s Youth Council, founder of GRIP: The Policy Tank, and an Alexander Hamilton Scholar. Long term, she plans to bring this work to Capitol Hill, focusing on civil rights law. She can be reached at helin.wang@aliefvotes.org.
Program Co-Manager
Katelyn Tieu
Originally raised in Katy, Texas, Katelyn's (She/Her) transition to Alief began her journey as a student at Alief Kerr High School. In the future, she plans to study international business with the hopes of attending an out-of-state program and obtaining an MBA through grad school. Her work focuses not only on her passion for bridging communities, but also advocating for health issues, civic engagement, GOTV work, and cultural activities in Houston. In the near future, she aims to be an international business consultant with additional work in international relations, helping communities around the world as she works in Alief. Katelyn leads by her drive to reach past boundaries and can be reached at Katelyntieu@aliefvotes.org.
Leadership Team (2026-2027)
Helin Wang | helin.wang@aliefvotes.org | Programs Co-Manager
Katelyn Tieu | katelyn.tieu@aliefvotes.org | Programs Co-Manager
Cindy Marie Ukwu | cindy.ukwu@aliefvotes.org | Events Co-Manager
Kelly Ngo | kelly.ngo@aliefvotes.org | Events Co-Manager
Mariam Oloto | mariam.oloto@aliefvotes.org | Events Associate
Stephanie Torres | stephanie.torres@aliefvotes.org | Events Associate
Ngoc Ho | ngoc.ho@aliefvotes.org | Communications Manager
Abisola Akintola | abisola.akintola@aliefvotes.org | Communications Assistant Manager
Oluwanifemi Peters | nifemi.peters@aliefvotes.org | Communications Associate
Ifeoluwa Adebambo | ife.adebambo@aliefvotes.org | Data & Records Manager
Ericka Chanchavac-Rosales | ericka.chanchavac@aliefvotes.org | Data & Records Associate
Dhyani Shah | dhyani.shah@aliefvotes.org | Data & Records Associate
Angelina Nguyen | angelina.nguyen@aliefvotes.org | Finance Manager
Perry Sharp | perry.sharp@aliefvotes.org | Finance Associate
Zody Calderon Huerta | zody.calderon@aliefvotes.org | Finance Associate
Staff: Abby Gail Triño, Melissa Allala, Oyindamola Akintola, Edgar Euceda, and Tommy Wan
For press inquiries, please email admin@aliefvotes.org, and CC Abby Trino at abby.trino@aliefvotes.org, and Ngoc Ho at ngoc.ho@aliefvotes.org. This will ensure a timely response.
For governance inquiries or board nomination interests, please email admin@aliefvotes.org.
Our Team.
AliefVotes is student-led and student-run—and we take pride in that! All managers were appointed after a year of civic engagement experience with AliefVotes. We learn from new experiences and from our dedicated community partners. Learn more about our organizational structure here.
Mujeebat Gbolahan
Pomona College
Ngoc Ho
Kerr High School
Cindy Ukwu
Alief Early College
Stephanie Torres
Taylor High School
Kelly Ngo
Alief Early College
Helin Wang
Kerr High School
Angelina Nguyen
Alief Early College
Katelyn Tieu
Kerr High School
Zody Calderon Huerta
Alief Early College
Ifeoluwa Adebambo
Hastings High School
Mariam Oloto
Hastings High School
Abisola Akintola
Alief Early College
Oluwanifemi Peters
Taylor High School
Abby Gail Triño
Executive Director
Dhyani Shah
Alief Early College
Perry Sharp
Elsik High School
Julian Nguyen
GOTV Coordinator
Board of Directors
AliefVotes maintains a robust governance structure. We are guided by leaders in civic engagement, experienced attorneys, BRIDGE, the Alief community, and youth organizers. Read more about the profound experiences of our Board Members here. A full-fledged governance board is slated to occur in the next couple of years, with a supermajority of Alief representatives and community leaders.
Read our bylaws here. For inquiries regarding 501(c)(3) status or board notes, email admin@aliefvotes.org.
Mujeebat Gbolahan
Board Vice Chair
Belen Iñiguez
Board of Directors
Roseangela Hartford
Board Chair
Miracle Bui
Board of Directors
Sarah Imran
Board of Directors
Alexandra Onwuli
Board of Directors
Mission & Vision
Mission: To empower youth civic engagement in Alief through civic education, leadership opportunities, and youth-led community projects.
Vision: We envision a pipeline of proactive, civically engaged, and community-oriented youth in Alief.
Read our comprehensive program memo here.