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.

Valley Senior Village architect rendering

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.

Meet Our Team

Alexa Washburn

awashburn@amplifycommunities.org

Alexa Washburn is Senior Vice President of Planning and Acquisitions at National CORE. She has over 20 years of policy and development expertise …

Monica Guerra

mguerra@amplifycommunities.org

Monica Guerra is a senior project manager at National CORE with over 15 years of experience working across diverse cross-sector partnerships to advance …

Bryce Hudson

bhudson@amplifycommunities.org

Bryce Hudson is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at National CORE. Mr. Hudson has more than 20 years of experience in advancing equity, diversity …

Sandra Espadas

sespadas@amplifycommunities.org

Sandra Espadas is a community development manager with National CORE. She brings over 20 years of experience advising on public outreach strategies …

Sarah Walker

swalker@amplifycommunities.org

Sarah Walker is a senior project manager at National CORE with over 15 years of experience in land use planning, housing policy, and community development …

Taylor Libolt Varner

tliboltvarner@amplifycommunities.org

Taylor Libolt Varner is a planning and acquisitions manager at National CORE, with experience in land use entitlements, project development, housing and …

Cynthia Mejia

cmejia@amplifycommunities.org

Cynthia Mejia is an assistant development manager at National CORE, where she is responsible for helping guide projects through various stages of …

Laura Monroe

lmonroe@amplifycommunities.org

Laura Monroe is an assistant project manager at National CORE. She brings a wealth of experience in the coordination of community engagement efforts …

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

Our Client Partners

Let's Collaborate

GET STARTED TODAY

Alexa Washburn

awashburn@nationalcore.org

Alexa Washburn is Senior Vice President of Planning and Acquisitions at National CORE. She has over 20 years of policy and development expertise, including general plans, master plans, specific plans, and affordable housing development projects. She applies her in-depth understanding of progressive policy and implementation strategies to effectively enhance the feasibility, livability, and sustainability of National CORE’s communities. Alexa is responsible for acquisitions, forward and advanced planning, environmental, entitlements, and community outreach. She established National CORE’s consulting practice, providing public and private sector clients across the state. In this capacity, she has worked with advisory committees, commissions, and councils to develop long-range goals, policies, and programs, and to craft the regulatory implementation tools. Her projects have been recognized with 13 awards from the American Planning Association and Southern California Association of Governments. Alexa holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration and bachelor’s degrees in Geography and Environmental & Urban Studies. Alexa is a fitness and outdoor enthusiast; she enjoys hiking, traveling and adventures with her dog.

Monica Guerra

mguerra@nationalcore.org

Monica Guerra is a senior project manager at National CORE with over 15 years of experience working across diverse cross-sector partnerships to advance equity-centered policies that address the interconnected challenges to housing, transportation, and economic opportunity. She leads National CORE’s consulting practice, managing projects across a variety of service areas, including community planning; health equity and environmental justice; community engagement; planning and policy research; and strategic planning. Prior to her work as a consultant, she taught courses on urban poverty, qualitative research methods, and urban planning at Tulane University and the University of California, Berkeley. Her work also includes extensive research on urban poverty interventions in Medellin, Colombia. Ms. Guerra holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley, Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She loves dogs, hiking, and traveling with her family.

Bryce Hudson

bhudson@nationalcore.org

Bryce Hudson is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at National CORE. Mr. Hudson has more than 20 years of experience in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education. He is knowledgeable in developing and implementing programs that empower underserved populations. Prior to joining National CORE, Mr. Hudson served as a senior program director for first generation and underrepresented students. In that role, he designed and implemented a variety of initiatives that prioritized student success, tutoring, academic assessment, testing, accessibility, crisis management and co-curricular education. At National CORE, Bryce Hudson is responsible for building a culture of inclusivity within the organization and throughout its properties. Mr. Hudson is uniquely qualified to lead meaningful dialogue and workshops to structure policies and programs that further racial equity across various disciplines.

Sandra Espadas

sespadas@nationalcore.org

Sandra Espadas is a community development manager with National CORE. She brings over 20 years of experience advising on public outreach strategies and leading community engagement efforts across Southern California. Prior to joining National CORE, Sandra worked for several nonprofit organizations, designing and leading community campaigns in partnership with public agencies and community leaders across Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. Most recently, her work has focused on leading placed-based initiatives to further human capital, economic development, and neighborhood development goals. She has extensive knowledge adopting culturally competent engagement methods and building collaborative relationships with community stakeholders. Sandra is currently enrolled at USC and is pursuing an Executive Master’s in Urban Planning, expected Spring 2023. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego. For fun, Sandra enjoys walking and cycling with her family.

Sarah Walker

swalker@nationalcore.org

Sarah Walker is a senior project manager at National CORE 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, or planting dahlias in her garden.

Taylor Libolt Varner

tliboltvarner@nationalcore.org

Taylor Libolt Varner is a planning and acquisitions manager at National CORE, with experience in land use entitlements, project development, housing and community development policy, and government affairs. She is an embedded member of the Coachella Valley community in eastern Riverside County and maintains a rich network of relationships throughout Riverside County. She has held positions on the City of La Quinta Planning Commission, Board of Directors of the Desert Valleys Builders Association, and other community advisory committees organized by Riverside County cities. Prior to joining National CORE, Taylor served as the Regional Affordable Housing Planner for the Coachella Valley at Lift to Rise, a regional collective impact organization. Taylor earned her master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, with a concentration in affordable housing and community economic development, from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Sociology. In her free time, Taylor enjoys tending to her houseplants and chasing around her toddler.

Cynthia Mejia

cmejia@nationalcore.org

Cynthia Mejia is an assistant development manager at National CORE, where she is responsible for helping guide projects through various stages of the development process, including conceptual, design, entitlements, community engagement and approvals. With a background in government relations and public affairs, Cynthia is skilled in coordinating community outreach programs to advance housing and planning goals. As a project planner, Cynthia also collaborates on a range of planning and community development efforts including local plans and documents, policy analyses, and legislative tracking. Cynthia earned a certificate in Affordable Housing Development from UCLA and holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside. In her spare time, Cynthia enjoys taking her family on adventures near and far and listening to audiobooks on the way.

Laura Monroe

lmonroe@nationalcore.org

Laura Monroe is an assistant project manager at National CORE. She brings a wealth of experience in the coordination of community engagement efforts for various planning projects. She worked as a city planner in Douglas County, Oregon where she coordinated outreach events for public input on the County’s long range planning efforts and oversaw the County’s Historical Resource Review Committee. Laura also independently designed and executed an engagement program through the Institute for Metropolitan Studies, to better understand and address concerns of Multnomah County’s clients of color through interviews and focus groups. She served as the community engagement lead in her graduate planning workshop, where she coordinated outreach efforts to diverse stakeholders for a report on food cart vendors in Portland, Oregon, which was adopted by the Portland City Council. She has returned home to Los Angeles and is excited to apply her engagement background to communities across the County. She received a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University. Laura enjoys walking around her community in Long Beach with her dachshund, Fern.