Who We Are

Founders and currently active members of the Network represent California State University San Marcos, Point Loma Nazarene University, the League of Women Voters, the University of San Diego, and San Diego State University.

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Brian Adams joined San Diego State University’s political science department in 2003 after earning his Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine. Brian authored two books, which include Citizen Lobbyists: Local Efforts to Influence Public Policy and Campaign Finance in Local Elections: Buying the Grassroots. Currently, Brian is working on a research project exploring how citizens discuss policy issues to determine whether citizen deliberation—often promoted as a way to improve the health of American democracy—will create the desired benefits. In addition to research and teaching courses at SDSU, Brian has done two stints of teaching in Seoul, South Korea on a Faculty Fulbright grant, and in Nanjing, China.
Martha M. Cox serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of California.  She has held several offices for the local League as well, including President.  She retired from a career in education in 2006.  She holds a B.Ed. from Keene State College in Keene, NH.    
Lindsey Lupo is a professor of political science and the director of the Institute of Politics and Public Service at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA.  Her fields of research are urban politics, social movements, and political violence and she is the author of Flak-Catchers: One Hundred Years of Riot Commission Politics in America.  Lindsey received her Ph. D in political science from the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Kimber Quinney is Assistant Professor of History at California State University, San Marcos.  Kim received her Ph.D. in U.S. History with an emphasis on American Foreign Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  In addition to her faculty role, Kim serves as Campus Coordinator of the American Democracy Project, which is an integral part of the  Civic Learning Initiative in the division of Community Engagement at CSU San Marcos.   
Karen L. Shelby Ph.D. has been teaching at USD since the Spring of 2009, and is the Assistant Director of the Institute for Civil Civic Engagement. She teaches a range of courses including Sex, Power and Politics, Feminist Theory, Comparative Social Movements and Political Theory. Her current research examines the role of empathy and everyday ethics in politics. Karen received her Ph. D. in Political Science from Rutgers University.
Mary A. Thompson is a member of the League of Women Voters and researches and writes state ballot measure information for voters.  She served on the state League’s study group for initiative and referendum reform.  She retired as a director of program planning from ViaSat, a satellite telecommunications company, in 2005 and holds a B.S. in Business from Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Henry Williams is a member of the League of Women Voters of North County San Diego.  He is interested in civic engagement, informing voters, dialogue and deliberation.  He is retired from commercial real estate finance and is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

Other Founders
Leroy Brady is a business professor within the San Diego Community College District. In 2010, he was awarded Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Fellow of the Year and was also inducted into the Sam Walton Fellows Hall of Fame for his distinguished career as advisor to City College's program.
Nancy Fredericks is a consultant, trainer and college professor.  Through her firm, Sales Link, she works side-by-side with business owners on their strategic planning for sales and marketing and business planning. She also teaches business, entrepreneurship, marketing and internship programs at San Diego City College and Southwestern College.  Nancy has a M.A. in Organizational Management, earned several licenses in medical imaging, graduated from the prestigious Harrington Institute of Interior Design in Chicago and has a certificate in consultancy from San Diego State University.  She has been honored with consultant’s awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration as Home Based Business Advocate of the Year and Women’s Business Advocate of the Year.
Vi Nguyen is the Community Impact Manager at The San Diego Foundation. In her position, she primarily works with local governments, nonprofits, academic institutions and community groups to identify and support strategic partnerships on housing, transportation, cost of living, and arts and culture throughout the San Diego region. Vi earned her B.A. from University of California, Santa Barbara and her master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego.


Tiveeda Stovall is currently a student affairs Program Coordinator of Community Service at the University of California, San Diego. She also serves as an educational researcher for WestED. Tiveeda is former Executive Director/Founder of eXcel Youth Zone (XYZ), a California statewide nonprofit in service-learning opportunities for K-12 students. Tiveeda has presented at numerous local and national conferences and on local radio regarding youth development, service and psychosocial issues.  She received her M.S.W. from the University of California, Berkeley and has over 25 years of experience in social work and is a former adjunct professor in Sociology and Psychology. Tiveeda is the past recipient of a Colorado Black Women for Political Action award and was the recipient of the 2007 Congresswoman Susan Davis Award for an Adult Actively Engaging Students in Service.