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.

Rendering of Palm City Village
Valley Senior Village architect rendering
Ramona Street architect rendering
Legacy Square architect rendering

Meet Our Team

Alexa Washburn

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

Sandra Espadas

Community Impact Director
[email protected]

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

Sarah Walker

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

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

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 Terpoorten

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 …

Valley Senior Village architect rendering

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

City of Bellflower logo
City of Montclair logo
City of Perris logo
City of San Bernardino logo
California Strategic Growth Council
City of Santa Ana, California logo
One San Pedro logo
San Bernardino County Transit Authority logo
Western Riverside Council of Governments logo
Gateway Cities Council of Goverments

Let's Collaborate

Contact us today to get your planning project or community outreach plan started