Sina is a first-generation American who grew up in Denver with his parents and three siblings. His parents are Iranian immigrants, and every year Sina’s family would spend summer breaks and his grandparent’s house in Mashhad. His upbringing made him obsessed with international affairs and politics from a very young age. He attended Denver East High School and continued his education at the University of Colorado Boulder for a BA in International Affairs and the University of Denver for a MA in International Studies. He spent the early parts of his career working on a U.S. State Department professional exchange program called the “International Visitor Leadership Program” in both Washington D.C. and Denver. After the pandemic, he wanted to focus more on domestic issues, with a focus on addressing the widening gap in economic inequality. In 2022, he attended the London School of Economics to pursue a MSc in Comparative Politics, with a focus on how the economy affects politics. He’s passionate about fighting inequality and making Denver a better place for all its residents to live.
When Sina is not working, he loves to travel, spend time with family, listen to comedy & history podcasts, and try food from all around the world. His goal in life is to visit 100 countries and attend a World Cup final!
Zarah was my Legislative Aide when I was the State Representative for Colorado House District 4. Before working for me, Zarah was the Policy & Advocacy Manager for the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization (CLLARO). Her time at CLLARO was spent advocating alongside community members to improve the lives of Latinos in Colorado through direct services, federal and state policy advocacy, and local changes. Highlights included supporting the Agricultural Bill of Rights and Wage Theft bills at the state; and with the federal Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition on Public Charge, Title 42, and Lift the Bar. She also created and supported a promotora-led public outreach campaign for ITIN filers to access EITC. In her work at Clayton Early Learning, she helped launch Raise Colorado, a coalition of organizations, parents, advocates, businesses, service providers, and government representatives that support the growth of Colorado’s youngest children and their families through public awareness, policy development and advocacy efforts.
She also founded the Parent Ambassador program at Clayton, which is now in its seventh year and highlights the importance of parent leadership with opportunities to practice advocacy in state and federal policy. She has spent the last several years working in policy and advocacy to address the root causes of human trafficking in Colorado. Prior to her time in public policy, she supervised the Colorado Network to End Human Trafficking hotline and worked with The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking. She served as a member of the Denver Women’s Commission for six years, first as the Legislative Committee Chair and later as Chair of the DWC. Her degree is in Political Science with a focus on Mitigating Structural Violence. Originally from Denver, Zarah is particularly concerned with the outsized effects that gentrification has had on the city over the last 20 years. When she is not in the office, you can find her reading a book in the sun, hiking with her husband and two children, painting, kayaking, or eating baked goods.
Emily Ochoa is a proud first-generation American with Guatemalan roots. Growing up in Mexico, she was immersed in Guatemalan culture at home and Mexican culture in her everyday life. Living as an immigrant in Mexico shaped her perspective and fueled her passion for social equity.
Emily earned her BA in International Relations from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City in 2019 before moving to Denver to work at the Guatemalan Consulate. She has extensive experience with the Office of Refugee Resettlement since she worked as a Case Manager for the Unaccompanied Children’s program. This inspired her next step to advocate with and for Immigrant and Refugee Communities at the State Legislature. In May 2024, she graduated from the University of Colorado Denver with a Master’s in Public Administration.
Emily is passionate about promoting social equity and has over seven years of experience working and volunteering with immigrant and refugee communities in Mexico and Colorado. When she's not working, you can usually find her at community events with her dog Kahlu, camping during the summer, hiking, taking photos, and reading at a local coffee shop.