Momentum is a community of organizers who are committed to transforming the world through the power of social movements. While our staff drives our day-to-day operations and direction, we are composed of leaders from around the world who bring their craft and expertise to our programs as trainers, practitioners, facilitators, researchers, and artists.
Staff
Adiel Pollydore
Advanced Training Director
As Advanced Training Director, Adiel is responsible for driving our advanced training program and supporting the build out of the Leadership Development Pipeline through coaching. She leads the Momentum 201 training and Black Momentum.
Adiel is From Albany, NY via Georgetown, Guyana and is currently based in Oakland CA on Ohlone land. She enjoys drinking bubble tea, being by the water, and talking pedagogy.
Pronouns: She/Her
Brenda Valladares-Belleza
Operations Coordinator
As the Operations Coordinator, Brenda oversees Momentum’s financial accounts and supports our broader operation needs.
Brenda is a formerly undocumented immigrant from Peru and recently moved from Paterson NJ to Washington Heights. She loves to travel and explore different parts of the world, watch documentaries, video chat with loved ones, study law, and cook big meals.
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella
Nataly Castaño Vélez (Naty: Nah-tea)
People Operations & Finance Director
As the People Operations & Finance Director, Naty’s work focuses on making sure Momentum’s systems support the everyday creative work of staff, leaders and the community of practice.
A first generation Colombian, Naty lives in Tongva land (Long Beach, CA). Her happy places are the ocean, dancing salsa, eating Colombian empanadas, and having video calls with her dog Niche and loved ones.
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella
Amanda Saich
Interim Executive Director
As Momentum’s Interim Executive Director, Amanda guides the team’s institutional health, leadership team, and fundraising strategy and supports the larger strategic direction of the organization.
They immigrated to Wampanoag land as a little toddler and now live in Lenape land (aka Brooklyn). When they’re not organizing or wrapped in the world of Momentum, you can catch them jamming out to live music, reading sci-fi in a local park, or cooking their mom’s Sichuanese recipes.
Pronouns: They/She.
Delaine Andrea Powerful
Managing Director
As Momentum’s Managing Director, Delaine’s focus is to guide the growth of our organizational structure and healthy organizational culture and to support staff in being well.
Delaine is a disabled Black queer Jamaican who lives and organizes on the occupied lands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations in Chicago, IL. They enjoy playing soccer, being a plant auntie, wining their waist, and absorbing all things Afrofuturist, Octavia Butler, and Marvel Universe.
Pronouns: They/Themme
Nina Eichner
Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, Nina oversees the execution of our in-person and online programming. She loves ensuring that the details of each project run smoothly so that participants can get the most out of Momentum spaces.
Outside of her work with Momentum, Nina loves making art, roller skating and organizing in her hometown of Somerville, MA.
Pronouns: She/Her
Sophie Dover
Resource Mobilization Director
As Resource Mobilization Director, Sophie drives Momentum’s development strategy and works to mobilize financial and other resources to sustain our movement home. She is excited about mobilizing resources towards infrastructure for progressive social movements and engaging donors in political education, peer organizing, and shifting the tide on strategically funding the left. They bring a love of relationship-building and a commitment to self-determination for frontline communities to their work.
Sophie grew up in the Boston area on Wampanoag land and now lives in Los Angeles on Tongva land. You can find her searching for the best tacos in LA, fretting over her garden, and watching Top Chef reruns.
Pronouns: She/They