We spend a lot of time talking about stories. Here’s ours.
Our Mission
Spread access to a quality education in persuasion, argumentation, and advocacy, available to anybody with an internet connection.
It is when we are alone that we most realize the power of allies.
As quarantine orders scattered their classmates across the globe, five friends came together online to build a digital community of advocates that no travel ban could fracture.
Preparing for our “Advocating in the Face of Authority” workshop this fall with Tahanie Aboushi, candidate for Manhattan DA.
Our Story
AdPro was born of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the spring of 2020, some of Cornell’s top speech and debate competitors watched the world fracture into Zoom boxes on their computer screens. As it sunk in that social distancing often meant social isolation, they watched friends struggle with mental health, parents lose jobs, and communities shutter.
They wanted to act. But, as quarantine orders and safety concerns barricaded them in their homes, they knew they couldn’t always be physically present to assist those in need. That’s when it hit them: Their bodies might be stuck, but their voices weren’t. They decided to share the skills they learned from their time competing for the Cornell Speech and Debate Society with anyone who could use training in public speaking or persuasion. Their goal? To democratize an education in advocacy — and give everyone the ability to tell a good story, uplift someone else’s, and understand the power of their voice.
Only one year later, we’re proud to say we’ve:
Partnered with over 20 organizations from May, 2020 - May, 2021 to hold interactive workshops reaching over 1,300 attendees.
Became the first students to teach in a rostered Cornell class, leading guest-lectures and trainings for Cornell’s Spring 2021 Advocacy and Debate course.
Received Cornell’s Serve in Place grant for their work.
We’re excited to keep growing!
Meet the Team!
Executive Board
Bert Li (he/him)
Founder
[Cornell ‘22] Bert is from Golden, Colorado, he studied philosophy, psychology, and computer science at Cornell. He started the Advocacy Project because he believes in the power of spoken word. When we learn to communicate clearly, effectively, and persuasively, we have a boundless potential to advocate for ourselves and our community. Bert has now graduated, but is an incoming student at Harvard Law School and will graduate in 2026. Whenever Bert is not busy with advocacy work, he enjoys meditating, practicing Shaolin kung fu, writing music, and day dreaming about the Rocky Mountains.
Emelin Torres (she/her)
Director of Programming
[Cornell ‘27] Emelin is from Long Island, New York. She is majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations with a minor in Law & Society. She joined AdPro because of her passion for social justice and resonated with the idea of granting equal access to education in professionalism and advocacy for students.
Since joining AdPro, Emelin has transferred her involvement by joining Friends of Farmworkers, where she tutors English, and has volunteered in her local town’s Youth Court as an interpreter since high school. She is also a member of the Cornell Concert Commission, where she’s able to help put on amazing shows on campus. She hopes to one day pursue a career in immigration law and become a labor rights advocate for her community. Outside of AdPro, Emelin loves late-night drives while blasting to music, spending time with her friends and family, and exploring new places.
Charlotte Nelson (she/her)
CEO
[Cornell ‘27] Charlotte is a sophomore from Buffalo, NY, and studies Environment and Sustainability in CALS, with minors in Inequality Studies and Spanish. She is passionate about all forms of advocacy and more specifically in the realm of environmental justice and uplifting historically marginalized voices in the fight against climate change.
Charlotte collaborates with this incredible team to advance our mission of ensuring the skills of advocacy are accessible to all. Outside of AdPro, she is also involved in Sunrise Ithaca, the local chapter of a national, youth-led climate justice movement, and Cornell Music Production. You can usually find her making music, crafting, or spending time outdoors.
Ameera Aftab (she/her)
Director of Outreach
[Cornell ‘26] Ameera Aftab is from Albany, New York and was born in Pakistan. She is studying Communication and Global Development at the College of Agriculture. She serves on The Dean’s Community Leadership Council, the Cornell Student Assembly, and the Advocacy Project, where she is leading a capstone initiative to develop a college success toolkit for first-generation and immigrant students at Cornell University.
She is also engaged in global education policy through collaborative international research with Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecudor, where she will examine comparative sustainability education policies between the U.S. and Ecuador. Their passion for student government, alumni affairs, and advocacy drives their work at Cornell and beyond.
Emely Rodriguez (she/her)
COO
[Cornell ‘27] Emely Rodriguez is from Long Island, New York and was born in the Dominican Republic. She is a P3 scholar studying Industrial and Labor Relations at the ILR School with a minor in Law & Society. She has a passion for advocacy and social justice reform and hopes to continue promoting the importance of advocacy, especially in education.
During her New Member Education, she founded FirstGenEd, a successful initiative to help first generation college students navigate the application process. She is a member of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) as well as a member of Black Ivy Pre Law Society. She loves literature and composition, spending time with friends and family, and sunsets!
Megan Gmytrasiewicz (she/her)
Director of Curriculum
[Cornell ‘25] Megan is a sophomore from East Setauket, New York, majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations with minors in Business and Law & Society. Megan joined AdPro with a vision to foster greater awareness and action on crucial social justice issues, leveraging her passion for advocacy and nonprofit management. Believing firmly in the power of collective action and empowerment, Megan is committed to making a tangible difference in her community and beyond.
Outside of AdPro, she is involved with The Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, the Cornell International Affairs Review, and the Office of the Student Advocate. In her free time, you can find Megan playing tennis, journaling, or searching for Ithaca’s best ice cream spot.
Hannah Chung (she/her)
Director of Recruitment
[Cornell ‘26] Hannah is a junior from Los Angeles, California, studying Government and History with a minor in Business. She is passionate about social justice, collaborative advocacy, and making a meaningful impact in the local community and beyond. As the
Director of Recruitment, she especially enjoys connecting with new members, learning about the unique experiences they bring to Adpro, and hearing about their passion for advocacy and social justice. Outside of AdPro, Hannah works at Cornell’s Gender Equity Resource Center and is on the Speech and Debate team. In her free time, you can find her spending time with friends, reading, going to the gym, or enjoying a beverage at Gimme Coffee.
Elly Conrad (she/her)
Director of PR
[Cornell ‘27] Elly is a sophomore from Gilbert, Arizona majoring in Human Development with minors in Philosophy and American Indian + Indigenous Studies. She joined AdPro because of AdPro's real-world impact and commitment to storytelling. Elly is primarily interested in social justice through policy reform and art as a political medium.
Specifically, she is passionate about Indigenous, Queer, and disability rights and systemic equity. As a firm believer in collective organization and amplifying marginalized voices, they welcome community engagement and action. As Director of PR they promote a positive and active social media presence, highlighting the work AdPro members engage in and the impact they make. Outside of AdPro Elly is a part of Archery Club and is an undergraduate laboratory assistant in the Burton Lab where they look at small proteins in bacteria. In her free time Elly loves to crochet, play violin, and consume copious amounts of Green Dragon chai.
Ethan Gumataotao (he/him)
Director of Programming
[Cornell '25] Ethan is from Asan, Guam and is studying Chemistry with a minor in Crime, Prisons, Education, and Justice. Ethan joined AdPro in order to gain the knowledge and experience to better advocate for my community on Guam and other historically marginalized groups.
As Director of Programming, he aims to tackle projects that affect people in the community such as healthcare and cultural barriers. Outside of AdPro, Ethan works to improve healthcare workforce development in the Pacific region as a part of Chålan Åmte and works as a teaching assistant for chemistry classes at Cornell. In his free time he enjoys playing basketball, meditating, and going to the beaches back home.
Lucas Perdomo (he/him)
Director of Curriculum
[Cornell’27] Lucas Perdomo is from Westchester, NY and has a strong background in global perspectives, having lived in Mexico for five years. He is a student at the ILR School at Cornell University, concentrating in Organizational Behavior, with minors in Business and Law & Society. Lucas is also a Speaker Curator for TEDxCornell, helping speakers refine their messages to deliver impactful talks.
His professional experience spans legal translation at Cornell Law School, business operations support at Raising Resilient Kids, and compliance research at Keystone Restaurant Holdings LLC. During his New Member Education, he co-founded FirstGenEd, a successful initiative to help first generation college students navigate the application process.
Adriana Jimenez Bonilla (she/her)
Director of Finance
Adriana Jimenez Bonilla is a junior at Cornell University, studying Information Science with a Data Science concentration and a minor in American Sign Language (ASL)/Deaf Studies. As the Director of Finance for The Advocacy Project at Cornell, Adriana has led workshops on advocacy, public speaking, and professionalism.
She is currently (Spring '25) organizing a panel featuring Deaf individuals to educate the Cornell and Ithaca communities about Deaf culture, stereotypes, and accessibility. Adriana’s future goals are to make technology more inclusive. Through her studies and projects, she hopes to use technology to create positive change and support communities in need.
