NDAT Community Ambassador Program
About
The NDAT Community Ambassador program is a language justice program created to facilitate multicultural bridge building to create and maintain relationships with community partners, businesses, and residents who represent linguistically diverse populations and/or historically underrepresented communities.
By working with individuals known and trusted in the community, the City hopes to build trust and engagement with the broader community, in order to ensure that cultural or language barriers do not prevent access to information, resources, and opportunities. A community ambassador is an individual or organization who is already leading outreach and engagement efforts and is willing to partner with the City to assist in promoting City services and communications by sharing information with their networks and respective communities. City staff also wants to learn from community ambassadors on how best to serve these communities.
Community Ambassadors serve as a liaison between the City and community and will attend monthly meetings to discuss upcoming community engagement activities, events, and efforts of the City and share community events, needs, and concerns.
Meet the 2023 NDAT Community Ambassadors
Shaukat Ali
Cultural Ambassador for the Asian and South Asian/Indian Community
Languages: Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi
Shaukat Ali was born in Pakistan in 1961. After completion of high school, he attended University of Agriculture Pakistan and received a bachelor's degree in Agriculture Science and a master's in business administration from the University of Phoenix Sacramento. Shaukat has worked as a cotton inspector, a Twin Rivers Unified School district substitute teacher and is currently working for Platinum Security.
Omar Altamimi
Cultural Ambassador for the Black or African American, South Asian/Indian, Arabian, Middle Eastern, and North African Community
Language: Arabian
Omar Altamimi is the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at the Council of American Islamic Relations Sacramento Valley/Central California office (CAIR-SV/CC). Omar graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor's in Political Science and a minor in Religious Studies. In his free time, Omar likes to read and check out new coffee spots.
Veronne Clark
Cultural Ambassador for the Multicultural and Black/African American Community
Veronne Clark is a Social Impact Professional within the sports and entertainment industry. Veronne has worked with the NBA, NFL, NBC Universal, Entercom, and Legends with experience in social impact, programming, organizational structure, and public speaking. Veronne is a dynamic communicator within the entertainment community that has curated blueprints for high-end operations and social impact engagements, through operational strategies pertaining to partnerships and activations. She has an advanced understanding of objectives, strategies, and tactics within an organization to empower employees to find purpose in the workplace. She is a proud graduate of Central State University, an Historically Black College/ University and a graduate of Georgetown University.
Romer Cristobal – The Hamptons Community Foundation
Cultural Ambassador for the Filipino Community
Language: Tagalog
Romer Cristobal has lived in Sacramento for over 25 years. He is the Founder and President of the Hamptons Community Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to underserved high schools, organizes neighborhood events to bring the community together, and help the unhoused whenever he can. Romer worked for the State of California for 30 years and retired in 2022. He volunteers each week at Joey's Food Locker, a local food bank in Natomas. Romer currently serves as a board member for Hamptons Neighborhood Association, Joshua's House and Natomas Chamber of Commerce. He is also the Chair of the community outreach for the Hamptons Neighborhood Association .
Conrad Crump
Cultural Ambassador for the Black/African American Community
Conrad Crump is a native Sacramentan, a community organizer, and a justice and equity advocate. He has demonstrated his passion and commitment to social equity through his work in California politics and the Sacramento community for two decades. Conrad holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, a master’s degree from USC’s Price School of Public Policy, and a Ph.D. from the University of Adversity, also known as the School of Hard Knocks. He is a father, a budding thespian, and a passionate advocate for social justice. He is affectionately known as a weaver of social and political worlds, a speaker of truth to power, and the Karaoke King.
Dmitri Godamunne – Perspectives by Capsity
Cultural Ambassador for the Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino and Asian Community
Language: Spanish
Dmitri Godamunne spent his early life growing up in Elk Grove and Land Park. He has lived in Sacramento his entire life except for four years. Dmitri has seen Sacramento's massive growth and all the changes that come with it. He currently helps run a couple small businesses and a non-profit in the area.
Marianne Gonzales Sims
Cultural Ambassador for the Hispanic/Latino, Multicultural, Native American, and Alaska Native Community
Marianne Gonzales Sims has lived and owned a home in the Colonial Village Neighborhood in South East Sacramento for almost 13 years. Her organizing efforts in her neighborhood include two successful and well attended park appreciation/clean-ups and tree planting events at Earl Warren Park. She is the creator and administrator for the two Colonial Village Neighborhood social media platforms with the goal of sharing information, resources and outreach among neighbors. She is also active in hosting events and advocating for the neighborhood elementary school, Earl Warren. Marianne currently is a member of the Stockton Blvd. Resident Planning Team and the Community Organizer and Director for CREAtE District 6. CREAtE District 6 encourages, supports and promotes art and artists in Sacramento's District 6 and South Sacramento. Last summer she was one of the local artists chosen to paint a mural at Tahoe Elementary School for their mural and cultural festival.
Franklin Henry
Cultural Ambassador for the Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Black or African American and Multicultural Community
Language: Marshallese
Born on October 23rd of 1973 and raised in the Marshall Islands, Franklin Henry graduated from the College of the Marshall Islands with majors in Information Technology and Accounting. He worked for 15 years in the Finance Ministry of the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands as a System administrator that led a team that planned, built, and implemented a multi-million dollar fiscal and procurement system that is still being used to this day. He moved to Sacramento with his wife in 2007 & has worked at Apple Inc this entire time in the Information Technology and Customer Service Industries. Married for 22yrs and the father of 6 first-generation Marshalllese-Americans, Franklin is a descendant of the people of Bikini Atoll, one of the sites of 67 nuclear tests conducted by the U.S Nuclear Testing Program during the Cold War. For the past 5 years, what little free time he has, he dedicates it to advocating for the 3,000 + Marshallese population in and around the State's Capital region that has migrated to the U.S. to seek medical attention and better opportunities. Through a partnership with other Marshallese Community leaders around the country, along with dignitaries and key personnel from all levels of government departments and agencies, they were able to help in the restoration of Federal Medical coverage for the COFA nationals. His people look to Franklin as a leader, but he is just a Ri-Jerbal (a worker).
Oshay Johnson – I Am ManPower Academy Inc.
Cultural Ambassador for the Black/African American, Hispanic/ Latino, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Arabian, Middle Eastern, North African, Filipino, and Asian Community
Mr. Oshay Johnson was raised in Sacramento Del Paso Heights/Strawberry Manors community. He has a very big family in this area His grandparents, mother, and father where all involved in the community. Mr. Oshay went to 3 different elementary schools and Norte Jr. High and Grant High School where played sports. He went to prison at 20 years old and served 27 years on a life sentence. Upon his release in 2019 he has started a landscaping/janitorial/handyman company name SunShinezCleaning. On October 2021, he started a non-for-profit, I Am ManPower Academy a youth and community development program. He is also a member of the Strawberry Manor Neighborhood Association. Mr. Oshay has worked as the BCLC CIW for the North, and RFDC transportation.
Terry Moore
Cultural Ambassador for the Multicultural and Black/African American Community
Terry Moore is the current Director of Adult Services at the Center for Fathers and Families, the CEO of T-Mo Entertainment, a father of two awesome daughters, and an award-winning poet.
Linda Ng
Cultural Ambassador for the Asian Community
Language: Cantonese
- OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates National President, headquarters in Washington DC with over 50 chapters and affiliates around the country, dedicated to the social, political, and economic well-being of AAPI.
- Ethics Commissioner, City of Sacramento, second term, provides oversight to elected and appointed official to ensure compliance of ethical rules and regulations.
- NDAT Community Ambassador, second term
- Enrolled Agent, certified tax professional and able to represent individuals and entities before IRS.
Mai Nguyen
Cultural Ambassador for the Asian and South Asian/Indian Community
Language: Vietnamese
Mai has been a community advocate for the Little Saigon cultural business district since 2009. Her passion is helping the API community, particularly the Vietnamese American community where language and cultural barriers makes it challenging to access to capital and resources to help the residential and business community during the pandemic. Mai works directly with the business owners in Little Saigon as a resource and also help them with technical support when they need help. She also is a huge advocate when it comes to protecting the underserved community that lack resources. She also help protect and preserve the Little Saigon cultural business district as this is one of the unique destination of Sacramento.
Theresa Riviera
Cultural Ambassador for the Black/African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, South Asian/Indian, Filipino, Arabian, Middle Eastern, North African, Native American, Alaska Native, Multicultural, and Russian Community
Language: Spanish
Theresa Riviera values trustworthiness, loyalty, transparency, and fairness. She promotes these values by ensuring not only quality but also equitable services and opportunities to individuals, communities, and businesses in their efforts to create lasting positive change and advancement.
To achieve her values in the community, Theresa identifies needs, barriers, and deficiencies while considering economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. She then establishes constructive working relationships and facilitates, refers, and advocates for opportunities and solutions. Theresa has found that, given the opportunities, individuals, communities, and businesses will join her in making a difference - they will engage and make change possible.
Serving on City and County Boards and Commissions have not only made her a trusted community member but has also empowered her to seek and obtain information and insights, which she uses and shares in developing constructive solutions.
Theresa is proud to connect and mentor others in their civic learning and democratic engagement.
Juan Carlos Ruiz Guajardo
Cultural Ambassador for the Hispanic/Latino Community
Language: Spanish
Dr. Juan Carlos Ruiz has a PhD in Evolutionary Ecology and for more than 10 years he worked as a researcher, lecturer and mentor in Mexican, UK and US institutions. Over the past 6 years he received extensive training to promote diversity and antiracism from the Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Center of Attitudinal Healing in Oakland, Sacramento ACT, and Crossroads Antiracism, and has participated and led multiple community dialogues about equity, inclusion, and antiracism. He works as a Consular Attaché at the Consulate of Mexico in Sacramento, where he helps promoting cultural and educational events geared towards empowering the Hispanic/Latinx/Chicanx communities in Northern California. Juan Carlos works hard to promote health and mental health awareness, access to higher education and resources that support some of the most vulnerable in our society.
Stephen Walton
Cultural Ambassador for the Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino Community
With over fifteen years of experience in the real estate industry, Stephen Walton is a seasoned professional who is passionate about helping people. In addition to his real estate expertise, Stephen is dedicated to giving back to his community. He has taught financial literacy to over 250 students and is actively engaged in a number of projects aimed at uplifting the District 2 community where he was raised. As a native Sacramentan, he has a deep understanding of the area and is committed to using his skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on those around him.
Krystal Wu, ACC – Senior Services
Cultural Ambassador for the Asian Community
Languages: Mandarin and Cantonese
Krystal Wu works at ACC Senior Services as a program coordinator. She speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin. This is her second year of being part of the Community Ambassador program. Krystal enjoyed being part of this community through and throug
h and is very glad that she could be part of this program again this year. She serves the under-served populations in the Greater Sacramento area such as the elderly and limited English speakers.
Questions
Please email Jessica Davalos-Prieto at jdavalosprieto@cityofsacramento.org or call (916) 808-5640 with any additional questions.