Meet the Team
Tinisch
Hollins
Executive Director
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Tinisch Hollins
Executive Director
A crime survivor and a native of San Francisco, Tinisch is the Executive Director of Californians for Safety and Justice — the Alliance for Safety and Justice’s flagship state-based program in California.
Tinisch previously served for two years as CSJ’s Associate Director as well as the California State Director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), after starting with the organization as the Bay Area chapter coordinator of CSSJ. Her leadership helped to pass historic first-in-the-nation legislation that extended employment leave for all survivors of violence, as well as legislation permitting crime victims to terminate their leases if they no longer feel safe in their homes following a crime. Tinisch also played a pivotal leadership role in the defeat of Proposition 20, a regressive ballot measure on the 2020 California ballot that sought to repeal numerous successful criminal justice reforms.
She has been deeply engaged in the Bay Area social justice movement as the community organizer, policy advocate and systems navigator for nearly two decades. Tinisch has worked passionately to bring the voices of survivors to the center of community engagement and public policy and has advocated tirelessly for those voices to guide decisions, priorities, and resources. Prior to joining CSJ in 2019, Tinisch served in various leadership capacities in local government, including at the San Francisco Human Services Agency and in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.
Anthony
DiMartino
CA Government Affairs Director
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Anthony DiMartino
CA Government Affairs Director
Anthony pursued his Master’s in Social Welfare to work on social justice issues and reform the criminal justice system. As director of government affairs, Anthony is responsible for strategizing and advocating for Safe and Just’s legislative and budget agenda in the California Capitol.
Anthony began his career as an administrative analyst for the City of Long Beach working on violence prevention and intervention programs. After working at the City of Long Beach, Anthony became the grant writer for the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development. After working in local government for several years, he was selected to be a California State Assembly Fellow and placed in the office of Assemblywoman Shirley Weber. After completing his Fellowship, Anthony transitioned into the role of Legislative Assistant for Assemblywoman Weber and then was promoted to the role of Legislative Director for Assemblymember Weber. In his four years in Assemblywoman Weber’s Office, Anthony successfully worked on numerous bills signed into law on issues of police and criminal justice reform and education reform.
Anthony is a current professor in the Social Work Department at San Diego State University. Anthony is an alum of both the National Juvenile Justice Network’s Youth Justice Leadership Institute and the New Leaders Council Fellowship. In addition, Anthony is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Anthony received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Redlands and his MSW from UCLA. He resides in San Diego, California with his wife and dog.
Tesha
Laurente
Associate Director
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Tesha Laurente
Associate Director
Tesha Laurente is the Associate Director of Californians for Safety and Justice. With a proven track record of success, Tesha is one of the driving forces behind CSJ’s programmatic achievements, orchestrating impactful campaigns (Progress Not Prisons, We Are Survivors, Just Safe) and special events (Time Done Concert, Survivors Speak CA) with finesse. At the heart of her motivation lies a fundamental conviction: we are all accountable for nurturing a safer and healed society. Tesha’s journey from event production to program and project management has equipped her with a holistic perspective that amplifies her prowess in creating transformative experiences and lasting reform for Californians. She currently resides in her hometown of Los Angeles.
Ed
Little
CA Government Affairs Manager
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Ed Little
CA Government Affairs Manager
Ed Little represents Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ) in the State Capitol and among state policymakers and policy advocates across the state of California. Ed helps to lead CSJ’s development of an annual legislative policy agenda and legislative priorities and facilitate the organization’s analysis of policy developments and trends. Assists in leading and shepherding the organization’s legislative agenda.
Ed maintains effective relationships with the offices of state legislators, local community-based and elected leaders in key cities, counties, state corrections agencies, the California Governor, and others.
Ed is a leading policy professional in the justice movement with an extensive background in the areas of workforce development, reentry, and constitutional policing.
Ed has worked to pass transformative legislation regarding record clearance for those living with convictions and increasing support and resources for survivors of crime.
Ed helps to facilitate the development of the organization’s Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ) legislative agenda, train crime survivors in policy advocacy, and partner with the network to engage crime survivors in policy advocacy and legislative advocacy work. Ensure that CSSJ is visible in the State Capitol and instrumental in policy makers’ understanding of crime survivor issues.
Ed helps to facilitate the development of the organization’s TimeDone legislative agenda, train people living with convictions in legislative advocacy. Ensure that TimeDone is visible in the State Capitol and instrumental in policy makers’ understanding of justice issues.
Ed has also worked with Ohio’s General Assembly to develop comprehensive legislation addressing the legal system, reentry policy and collateral consequences.
Ed served as a consultant to Cuyahoga County, Department of Justice Affairs to assist with the creation, strategic planning, and establishment of the first Office of Reentry in the State of Ohio.
Ed is a founding member and Co-Chair of the Collaborative for a Safe, Fair and Just Cleveland (CSFJC). The Collaborative helped to develop the comprehensive reforms outlined in Cleveland’s Consent Decree with the US Department of Justice. Ed continued to work with Cleveland Police Commission (CPC) and the Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) to develop policies for Search & Seizure, Community Problem Oriented Policing, and the Community & Police Mediation Program.
Ed has also lobbied extensively in Washington, D.C. as a leading advocate for change in areas such as ending drug disparities and advocating for increased second chance funding for state and local governments and community-based organizations.
Ed is dedicated to being a strong advocate for change and serving as a powerful voice for justice and ending mass criminalization and victimization of marginalized people in California and across the country. Ed currently lives in Sacramento, California.
Kapri
Walker
CA Government Affairs Manager
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Kapri Walker
CA Government Affairs Manager
Kapri serves as a CA Government Affairs Manager supporting our CSJ program and brings a range of experience in government, coalition building, and public policy. With a passion for social justice and background in identity-based organizations, Kapri supports work in government relations, political advising, and public safety.
Saun
Hough
CA Partnerships Manager
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Saun Hough
CA Partnerships Manager
Saun serves as the CA Partnerships Manager. He coordinates public education campaigns and state and local coalitions to advance our policy and programs work and to promote shared safety initiatives that replace wasteful prison spending with more effective safety solutions.
Will
Matthews
Director of Communications
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Will Matthews
Director of Communications
Will Matthews began his career an award-winning investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, where he documented governmental corruption in San Bernardino County and investigated the financial dealings of prominent southern California medical school leaders, leading to an investigation by the state Attorney General.
He then served as a senior media relations associate for the American Civil Liberties Union in New York City, where he helped launch the organization’s national campaign to end over-incarceration. Will later served as the Senior Communications Officer for the ACLU of Northern California, where he directed the strategic communications component of a statewide campaign to reform California’s criminal justice system.
He is a graduate of Chapman University in Orange, California, and he received a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Marcelo
Vega
Digital Manager
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Marcelo Vega
Digital Manager
Marcelo serves as the Digital Manager for Californians for Safety and Justice by managing CSJ’s social media platforms, creating digital campaigns, and collaborating with contractors and team leadership on digital asset goals. With a background in graphic design and audio/video production, Marcelo applies his passion for social justice and community organizing into the work to help redefine what safety means in California.
Prior to his work with CSJ, he worked as a freelance branding consultant and creative director overseeing brand development projects, web design jobs, and social media marketing campaigns for community organizations throughout California.