Amplify Communities is committed to unlocking the opportunity of places and advancing social, economic and environmental justice.

Our team collaborates with diverse cross-sector partners to devise innovative solutions that center community needs, leverage existing resources and strengthen opportunities for collective impact.

About Amplify Communities

Mission

Amplify Communities is a women-led nonprofit dedicated to driving systems change and solutions to advance housing, education, and economic opportunity.

Pillars

Thought Leaders • Advisors • Partners

Approach

Our community-centered approach to planning builds on community knowledge, elevates diverse community voices, and raises awareness about the costs and benefits of potential solutions.

Valley Senior Village architect rendering

Meet Our Team

Alexa Washburn

Founder, Managing Director
[email protected]

Alexa brings over 25 years of policy, planning and development expertise across California to Amplify Communities …

Sandra Espadas

Community Impact Director
[email protected]

Sandra possesses over 20 years of experience advising on public outreach strategies …

Sarah Walker

Senior Project Manager
[email protected]

Sarah Walker has more than 15 years of experience in land use planning, housing policy and community development …

Taylor Libolt Varner

Policy Specialist
[email protected]

Taylor specializes in housing policy and implementation, bringing a wealth of expertise as an experienced urban planner …

Cynthia Mejia

Community Building Lead
[email protected]

Cynthia oversees an array of planning-related tasks, including technical assistance, community engagement, policy analysis, legislative tracking …

Creiselda Varela

Assistant Project Manager
[email protected]

With a strong foundation in building relationships as a trusted voice within underserved communities, Creiselda excels at connecting with …

What We Do

The quality of our work is measured by our ability to enhance the sustainability, health, and vibrancy of communities to promote access and opportunity for all. We see ourselves as community partners in delivering social, economic, and environmental benefits. We firmly believe in the importance of cultivating relationships and strategic investments that catalyze positive community change. We offer a breadth of experience across:

Land Use + Planning
Advisory Services
Outreach + Engagement
Climate Change + Environmental Sustainability
Grant Writing & Management
Technical Assistance
Collective Impact
Health & Housing

Our Client Partners

Let's Collaborate

GET STARTED TODAY

Alexa Washburn

Founder, Managing Director

[email protected]

she/her/hers

Alexa brings over 25 years of policy, planning and development expertise across California to Amplify Communities. As a private consultant, nonprofit developer and as a public agency program manager, Alexa has managed, prepared and implemented a variety of urban planning and design projects, including general, community/area, master, revitalization, downtown and specific plans, and corridor studies, housing elements, development entitlements and sustainability strategies throughout California. Her projects have been recognized with 13 awards from the American Planning Association, California Association of Environmental Planners and Southern California Association of Governments. Many of them have included extensive and equitable community engagement prior to approval.

Sandra Espadas

Community Impact Director

[email protected]

she/her/hers

Sandra Espadas possesses over 20 years of experience advising on public outreach strategies and leading community engagement efforts across Southern California. Before joining Amplify Communities, Sandra worked for several nonprofit organizations, designing and leading community campaigns in partnership with public agencies and community leaders across Southern California. Recently, she has focused on leading place-based initiatives to further human capital, economic development and neighborhood development goals. Sandra brings extensive knowledge in culturally competent engagement methods and excels in building collaborative relationships with community stakeholders.

Sarah Walker

[email protected]

she/her/hers

Sarah Walker is a senior project manager with over 15 years of experience in land use planning, housing policy and community development. She specializes in housing elements, affordable housing strategies and redevelopment/comprehensive community revitalization plans. With experience working for government agencies, private consultant roles and, more recently, affordable housing development, Sarah has worn many hats, giving her a unique understanding of how to manage projects effectively and efficiently. She has overseen and prepared a variety of urban planning projects, including general plans, community revitalization plans, specific plans, corridor studies, housing elements and development entitlements across California. Her projects have been recognized with awards from the American Planning Association and Southern California Association of Governments. Sarah holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of California, Irvine, and a bachelor’s degree in history from Macalester College. In her free time, you can find Sarah shuttling kids to and from activities, walking her fluffy Labradoodle and planting dahlias in her garden.

Taylor Libolt Varner

Policy Specialist

[email protected]

she/her/hers

Taylor specializes in housing policy and implementation, bringing a wealth of expertise as an experienced urban planner, collaborator and public affairs professional. Before joining Amplify Communities, Taylor worked at a collective impact backbone organization, honing unique skills to provide technical assistance and support across the state. Taylor's hands-on experience in organizing cross-sector partners around shared goals is a significant asset to Amplify Communities. Adept at making complex policies and programs understandable, Taylor is a trusted resource for California housing legislative updates for local governments.

Cynthia Mejia

Community Building Lead

[email protected]

she/her/ella

Cynthia oversees an array of planning-related tasks, including technical assistance, community engagement, policy analysis, legislative tracking and project management. With a background in government relations and public affairs, Cynthia is highly adept at engaging with a range of stakeholders to foster cross-sector collaboration. Cynthia is a detail-oriented project manager known to gracefully guide projects from initiation to completion – monitoring timelines, budgets, deliverables, evaluation and day-to-day implementation activities. Cynthia manages diverse projects ranging from equity-driven public engagement campaigns to technical product formation.

Creiselda Varela

Assistant Project Manager

[email protected]

she/her/ella

With a strong foundation in building relationships as a trusted voice within underserved communities, Creiselda excels at connecting with elected officials, agency staff and diverse stakeholders across both public and private sectors. Her expertise in public policy analysis is key to identifying strengths, bridging gaps and fostering collaboration using best practice methods. Creiselda has independently led numerous community initiatives, focusing on the immediate and long-term challenges related to homelessness, housing stability and inclusive economic development in Southern California. Her skill set encompasses strategic planning, power mapping, implementation and comprehensive program evaluation.