Issue Area Coordinators Program
The Issue Area Coordinators Program provides our most committed students with training and practice in collective leadership.
- Haas Center for Public Service
The Haas Center’s Issue Area Coordinators build partnerships among Stanford students, faculty, and Bay Area community leaders to address challenges around affordability, civic and democratic engagement, education, environmental sustainability, and public interest technology.
Talk to an Issue Area Coordinator (contact information listed below) if you are a member of an official or unofficial student group in one of the six issue areas and you want:
- to collaborate with other official or unofficial student groups,
- to collaborate with local community organizations,
- to collaborate with faculty, or
- funding for an activity or project that involves collaboration among student groups, local community organizations, and/or faculty.
Contact Kristy Lobo for more information or to recommend a student/issue area for the 2026–27 Issue Area Coordinators Program. Self-nominations are welcome.
2025–26 Coordinators
Affordability Coordinator
Maria Rueda is a sophomore studying international relations and urban studies. She is passionate about community and economic development. As a volunteer for Faith in Action through Stanford’s Just Transitions Policy Lab course, Maria supported community leaders’ campaigns on housing justice. This past summer, she interned with her local county government, where she explored solutions for safe, decent, and affordable housing in Southwest Florida. On campus, Maria is involved with StanfordVotes, Stanford Habla, and Students for Workers' Rights.
Civic and Democratic Engagement Coordinator
Jeannette Wang is a senior studying political science. Growing up locally, she served as chair of the City of Mountain View's Public Safety Advisory Board to improve policing; campaign coordinator on a congressional campaign; and founder of AAPI Silicon Valley, a youth advocacy organization. On campus, she served in 2024 as chair of Democracy Day, Stanford's annual election day of civic celebration. In addition, she led the StandForDemocracy civic engagement coalition. She is now involved with the Stanford Democracy Hub and Local Engagement Working Group, and held positions in the Department of Political Science and Hume Center for Speaking and Writing.
Education Coordinator
Puali’i Zidek is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in Native studies. She grew up in Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi with her Native Hawaiian culture central to her identity. Her experience during K-12 in a Native Hawaiian school encouraged her to expand educational opportunities to hyper-local and minority communities. Last year, her tutor-mentor position with the High School Support Initiative and Education Partnerships fellowship with East Palo Alto Stanford Academy strengthened her passion for education. Puali’i is a co-chair of the Stanford American Indian Organization, co-president of the Pacific Islander Student Association, and residential staff member at Muwekma-Tah-Ruk, the Native theme house at Stanford.
Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
Ava Acevedo is a senior from Lodi and Stockton, California. She majors in public policy with a health care concentration, and minors in earth systems, environmental justice. Ava’s research focuses on environmental justice policy, as well as how farmworker communities face policy challenges across labor rights, health care, education, and more. She has interned for California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., U.S. House of Representatives, California Energy Commission, and Public Citizen Foundation. Ava serves as an advisory board member for Partnerships for Climate Justice in the Bay; president of Stanford Women in Politics; and vice president, guitarist, and vocalist for Mariachi Cardenal.
Public Interest Technology Coordinator
Varun Madan is a senior studying computer science with a concentration in artificial intelligence and a minor in materials science. He founded and leads the Google Developer Student Club at Stanford, a 300-member organization building technology for social good, where he created HavenLink, a platform that connects individuals experiencing homelessness to resources across the Bay Area using AI. Previously, he founded a nonprofit that helped over 1,000 students across 15 countries design and carry out original scientific research projects. Varun also conducts research at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab on AI alignment and at Stanford Medicine on improving gut health through data-driven methods.