Board of Directors
Lallia Allali holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego, a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from USD and a Bachelor's in Electronics. Lallia is a consultant leadership coach.
Lallia’s professional background includes a decade of work in education, focusing on educational outreach, training, creating resources, and engagement initiatives to support diverse communities including first-generation students, refugees, and marginalized groups, with an emphasis on Arab and Muslim students.
Lallia served on the San Diego Unified School District DELAC for the last 10 years and is currently serving as a San Diego Unified School District Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee member. Lallia has been a strong voice for countering bullying, improving school climates and bringing to light bigotry focused on the Muslim student population. In her capacity as a member of The San Diego Union-Tribune Community Advisory Board, Lallia wrote numerous articles that expressed the viewpoints of her community on local, national, and international issues.
Andrea Durazo is a proud Imperial Valley native who swapped desert heat for coastal vibes to study English Literature and TV/Film at San Diego State.
After college, she managed a small local production studio called Pixel Productions before taking to the skies and producing content for major airlines with In-Flight Media. Durazo caught the public media bug at KPBS as an on-air fundraising producer, where she became a full-fledged news junkie — and developed a strong appreciation for tote bags.
Currently, she's the media and operations manager at the San Diego County Office of Education where she manages a team of talented creatives and technicians as well as its iTV Cable 16 channel and local Community Access channel.
She currently resides in El Cajon, where she's raising two tiny humans under three with her husband Nicholas Peacock — who sounds like a British mystery novelist but is, in fact, an SEO wizard and businessman. She's passionate about cinema, video production, non-profit media and building elaborate train track kingdoms with her toddler.
Lauren Balcita Garces (She/her) is a city-wide event producer and artist currently based in San Diego, California focusing on diverse community empowerment and sustainable, inclusive economic development.
Currently, she directs the marketing, outreach, and events with the Asian Business Association San Diego representing over 30,000 Asian Pacific Islander owned businesses. Her work is bridged as the special events director of the Convoy District, one of Southern California's largest pan-Asian economic hubs named the "Convoy Pan Asian Cultural and Business Innovation District" in 2020.
A leader and advocate in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, she serves as the co-chair of the San Diego Asian Pacific Islander Coalition.
Her event production passion and engagements are dedicated to providing platforms and connections for diverse communities and cultures to be highlighted, bridged, and empowered. A few of the signature projects she has worked on include: Filipino Sun Festival, Kinda Kamayan, Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair, Asian Cultural Festival, San Diego Night Market, San Diego Ramen Festival, Asian Pacific Islander Festival Day at the San Diego County Fair, San Diego Padres Filipino Heritage Night, Seaworld Lunar New Year, Convoy Nights and Balboa Park December Nights.
Dr. Tonya Jackman Hampton, EdD, is an award-winning executive, speaker, and author with over 30 years of leadership experience spanning Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she served as Chief Human Resources OJicer and at UC San Diego Health and Chief People and Culture OJicer at Hennepin Healthcare. Dr. Jackman Hampton is the Founder and CEO of Sequel Consulting Group, LLC, and a bestselling author of The Myth of the Fearless Leader. She is also a nationally recognized speaker, consultant and certified executive coach.
Dr. Jackman Hampton holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and Pre-Law from Clark Atlanta University, an MBA with a concentration in Human Resource Management, and a Doctor of Education in Organization Development from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A breast cancer survivor, avid runner, and proud mother, Dr. Jackman Hampton is a native of Minnesota and now resides in San Diego. Learn more.
Lauren J. Mapp (She/her/akaónha) is a Daylight San Diego co-founder and journalist who has covered Indigenous communities, caregiving, senior care, art, music, travel, the restaurant industry and culinary traditions since 2005. Most recently, she was a staff reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune, but previously worked for several other newsrooms in San Diego County, including inewsource, Times of San Diego and the North Coast Current. Mapp is Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk), and started her career as a reporter for Indian Time and The People's Voice, two newspapers on the Akwesasne reservation that straddles the border of Upstate New York and Ontario.
Since 2008, she has maintained a food, beverage and travel blog called Off the Mapp. She previously served two terms as a board member of the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists, and is a current member of SPJ, the San Diego Association of Black Journalists, Indigenous Journalists Association and San Diego Press Club.
Justin Rushing is a strategic leader with deep experience in journalism innovation, media philanthropy, and revenue strategy, with a focus on empowering BIPOC-led news organizations.
As chief revenue officer at The Pivot Fund, he leads the organization’s earned revenue initiatives and builds national partnerships to strengthen sustainability for local publishers. He is also the co-founder of the HBCU Digital Media Collaborative, which supports the digital transformation of campus newsrooms at historically Black colleges and universities through innovation, training, and industry partnerships.
Justin’s work is rooted in a commitment to community-driven journalism, equity and long-term impact. With a background in consulting and ecosystem development, he has advised emerging publishers and managed initiatives that enhance news engagement and economic opportunities in underserved communities. His approach blends strategic thinking, creativity, and collaboration to create pathways for institutional growth and storytelling power.