About Us

 Evolve Staff

Michael Bornstein, Founder and CFO: Michael has 25 years' experience in Bay Area politics. He started managing political campaigns with the California League of Conservation Voters, before becoming the Executive Director of the San Francisco Democratic Party and most recently the Senior Chapter Director at the Sierra Club Bay Chapter. Throughout his career Michael has led or worked on several dozens of election campaigns, dispatched thousands of volunteers, and made too many phone calls to count.

Ben Grieff, Executive Director: After graduating from Boston University in 2006, Ben began his organizing career right away by working to unionize healthcare workers in Massachusetts. After that he fundraised for various non-profit organizations, directed canvass operations and ran electoral field organizing projects. In 2011 Ben co-founded Evolve California and for the last 9 years, he has led Evolve CA’s campaign to reform Proposition 13. His work has helped change the political narrative around a once untouchable issue that is the root cause of California’s drastically underfunded public education system. In 2020 Ben sat on the Executive Committee of the historic Schools and Communities First Initiative (Prop. 15) that sought to reform Proposition 13 for commercial properties and generate $12 billion a year for California’s schools and communities.

Gillian Garaci, Campaign Organizer, Intern Manager: Gillian graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and minor in Global Studies. Being a product of California’s public school system, she has seen and experienced the lack of resources low-income communities like her hometown of Pittsburg, CA continually face. Interning for Evolve made her realize that she loves working in a field that fights against corporate greed and stands up for our public schools and everyday people. Gillian enjoys reading, watching Formula 1, and walking around her neighborhood in San Francisco.  

Olivia McHaney, Campaign Organizer: Olivia recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare, and minors in Education and Public Policy. Growing up in rural Northern California, Olivia was troubled by the lack of funding for public education in her hometown as well as a lack of local discourse and advocacy surrounding it. Through working to respond directly to the needs of students, Olivia realized that they wanted to pursue avenues of policy advocacy and reform to better support both educators and students in terms of the resources and opportunities available to them, which are always determined by systems of power and oppression. For fun, they like roller skating, cooking ramen, and crafting with friends. 

Jules Pizano, Campaign Organizer: Jules is a senior at UC Berkeley studying Media Studies with a minor in Geography. Growing up in the Los Angeles area she has seen how poorly funded the Los Angeles Unified School District is despite being one of the largest school districts in the United States. Jules has also seen that poorly funded schools not only affect students but also workers such as teachers and supervision aids, joining her mom in union strikes for LAUSD workers as well as strikes in opposition of the building of charter schools around the area. Jules is interested in community organizing and advocacy as she believes that people have the power to drive change. In her free time they like to watch movies, go thrifting/antique shopping, and model. 

Rhys Hedges, Campaign Organizer: Rhys is currently a student at the University of San Francisco studying Politics with a minor in Peace & Justice Studies, and they are set to graduate Fall 2024. They attended public school in Thousand Oaks, CA for their K-12 schooling, then attended Santa Barbara City College from 2019-2022. In Santa Barbara County, they worked at a public school as a lacrosse coach due to their passion for both the sport & public education. Rhys experienced the state’s lack of public school funding throughout their life, but their family’s dedication to education allowed them to thrive despite numerous hurdles. Rhys hopes their time at Evolve will further their fervor for non-profit work, community organizing, and education. In their free time, Rhys enjoys reading, exploring San Francisco, and spending time with friends.