MEET THE TEAM
AMY-MARIE MERRELL
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (PROGRAMS & DEVELOPMENT)
Amy-Marie Merrell (she/her/hers) is the Co-Executive Director (Programs & Development) of The Cupcake Girls.
Since 2006, Amy has been working with domestic violence survivors, as well as in the prevention and aftercare of domestic sex trafficking. Amy truly believes linking arms with others as they work to achieve their goals in their timing is the most beautiful form of advocacy she’s ever found, and considers her role with The Cupcake Girls her life’s work.
When she isn’t in the office, you can find Amy exploring the outdoors with her kiddo Lux, and pup Luna.
GRACE AASEN
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER: OREGON + SW WASHINGTON
Grace (they/she) first joined The Cupcake Girls as an events intern at the end of 2019. After graduating from Portland State University in 2020, they began their role as Volunteer Care Lead. In 2021 they joined the staff as Branch Coordinator, and in May 2023 they began their current role as Community Engagement Manager.
Grace has always resonated with and valued the mission of the organization. She has aspired since day one to provide the best and most useful resources and support to our hardworking volunteers and courageous program participants. She believes the folks we serve as well as everyone who works alongside the organization deserves to flourish.
When not in the office, Grace is usually listening to music and finding outlets for her creativity and ever-flowing thoughts. They enjoy spending time with people they love, singing their heart out, makeup artistry, and all the amazing PDX food!
BRIRONNI ALEX
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (PEOPLE OPERATIONS & EQUITY)
Bri’s (she/her) passion for encouraging, uplifting, and affirming members of marginalized communities is what drew her to The Cupcake Girls in May 2019. Her background is in Psychology, Human Services, and Educational Psychology, and she brings over a decade of mentoring, training, and leadership experience to their team.
Bri is a lifelong student who has engaged in anti-oppression efforts for over 15 years. In all she does, she takes an intersectional approach with the understanding that all liberation struggles are connected. She firmly believes everyone deserves respect, kindness, and a chance at wholeness. In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”
As The Cupcake Girls' Co-Executive Director of People Operations & Equity, she works with our staff, board, and volunteers by providing support in several areas, including operational support, leadership training, and onboarding/offboarding, with equity-based practices at the center. As TCG’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee Chair, she guides the organization’s constant efforts toward improvement and evolution. She also serves the Young Nonprofit Professional Network’s (YNPN) Southern Nevada branch as the Vice Chair of their Board of Directors.
You can catch Bri volunteering with other community organizations, eating a good meal, choreographing and dancing, gaming, and most importantly, kickin’ it with loved ones.
ASIA DUNCAN
LOCAL FOR ALL DIRECTOR
Asia Denise Duncan (She/Her/Hers) is the Director for the Local For All (LFA) Event Space & Resource Center, which is a project of The Cupcake Girls coming to the Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas!
Asia has 5 years of experience in community and nonprofit work as well as over 10 years of experience in real estate investing and business. She is the mom of two adorable, intelligent boys and a proud aunt, daughter, sister, and community advocate/organizer. Asia is passionate about the work and mission of The Cupcake Girls organization and the LFA Event Space Project. She believes in leading with love and doing things that make you happy because life is too short for anything less. The opportunity to add value to The Cupcake Girls by fundraising is right in alignment with her personal goals and mission: a real full-circle moment. When she’s not fundraising for the org she is intentional about creating generational wealth, traveling, spending time with her boys, volunteering locally, and hanging out with her friends.
MARICRUZ GOMEZ
NATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Maricruz (she/her) first joined The Cupcake Girls as a volunteer client advocate in early 2019 to empower our program participants to achieve their goals. She knew she wanted to be a part of an organization that was making a difference, and with their commitment to uplifting marginalized groups, Cruz knew The Cupcake Girls was that place.
She officially joined staff in the summer of 2020 as the Program Director for Oregon + SW Washington, where she dedicates her time to ensure all program participants receive the highest levels of respect and support.
Outside of The Cupcake Girls, Cruz likes to spend her time out in nature, trying new foods, and practicing aerial arts.
CHLOE K
OPERATIONS MANAGER: NEVADA
Chloe (she/her) is the Nevada Operations Manager at The Cupcake Girls, where she oversees day-to-day operations with precision and compassion. Her journey with the organization began in September of 2022 as a volunteer, where she quickly immersed herself in the mission of providing holistic support to individuals in the sex industry.
Chloe’s multifaceted background spans across various industries, from entrepreneurship and education to high-tech ventures in machine learning and AI. This diverse experience enriches her role, infusing it with a depth of insight and expertise in project management and community outreach. She is deeply committed to cultivating a culture of empowerment and inclusivity, ensuring that every individual who walks through the doors of The Cupcake Girls receives the care and assistance they deserve.
Outside of her work, Chloe indulges her creative side through knitting, paper crafting, and singing in a local choir. She loves spending her downtime exploring the vibrant arts and culture scene in Las Vegas and is particularly fond of the lively speakeasy scene.
VICTORIA KINCaid
NATIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER
Victoria (she/they) is an aspiring lawyer based out of the Oregon + SW Washington branch. She first joined The Cupcake Girls as a Client Advocate Intern in 2022 and continued volunteering with TCG’s Resource team until early 2023. Upon graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in psychology, she returned to the Cupcake Girls as a staff member.
They care deeply about culturally competent care, decriminalization, and The Cupcake Girl’s mission to love without agenda. Outside of the office, Victoria enjoys rock climbing (and convincing everybody in their life to give it a try), curating chaotic playlists, and spending time with their cat.
GERI SANTINI
JUNIOR PROGRAM COORDINATOR: NEVADA
Geri (she/her) is a native New Yorker, mother, artist, and breast cancer survivor who has been living in Las Vegas since 1996. Her passion for people and volunteering has ignited the spark for her interest in the field of mental health, as she is now in the pursuit of earning a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Grand Canyon University. As one of the newest members of the Cupcake Girls team, she hopes to put her knowledge, creativity, and empathetic abilities to use to help support marginalized populations.
In her free time, you can catch Geri in search of live music, Netflix shows she hasn’t already seen and spending time with her three daughters.
SAMMY SPONER
PROGRAM COORDINATOR: NEVADA
Samantha Sponer (they/them/theirs) is a Program Coordinator for the Nevada branch of The Cupcake Girls. Samantha, also known as Sammy, was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and has always dreamed of helping their community. As a recent graduate of Tufts University with a Bachelor in Civic Studies and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, they aim to apply their skills and knowledge of the arts and civics to make this goal a reality. After initially volunteering with this organization in 2020 and joining again in September of 2023, Sammy joined The Cupcake Girls’ team to fully dedicate their time to its mission and aspires to become an asset to this organization and the community it serves.
In conversation with their beliefs in intersectionality and liberationism, they are committed to adding to the efforts of activists past and present. Outside of work, Sammy can be found hanging out with their dog and creating art and poetry in the hopes they can inspire, empower, and uplift others.
ANGENETT THOMPSON
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR: NEVADA
Angenett Thompson (she/her), originally from Louisville, KY, energizes her role as Community Engagement Coordinator with a vibrant blend of media and community advocacy experience. Since moving to Vegas in 2017, where she hosted an FM morning show, she has excelled as an event host and speaker for over seven years.
Angenett is passionate about her work with The Cupcake Girls, cherishing the opportunity to collaborate with a driven team dedicated to making a significant impact in the community. Her commitment to providing essential resources and improving lives motivates her daily.
Off the clock, Angenett enjoys unwinding, traveling, tending to her plants, experimenting with new recipes, staying active, or catching up with friends. Her favorite quote, “Learning is your greatest power!” captures her continuous desire to learn and grow.
ALYSSA TOLVA
BRANCH MANAGER: OREGON + SW WASHINGTON
Alyssa (she|her|hers) is the Branch Manager of Oregon + SW Washington and oversees the Volunteer Care, Networking, Partners, Hospitality, and Office teams.
She joined staff in April of 2018 as the Events + Community Engagement Manager and in 2021 became the Branch Manager. Alyssa brings with her over fifteen years of leadership experience, a love for event planning, and a strong desire to fight for equitable rights.
Her passions include spending time with her husband and stepdaughter, dancing to Bollywood, wholeheartedly showing her love for Feminism, gardening, and picnicking in cemeteries. Laugh out loud as much as possible!
ALI VESEY
HOUSING SUPPORT MANAGER: NEVADA
Ali Vesey (she/her) is an actor, minimalist, plant-based eater, with an adoration for the outdoors. Driven by her compassion and humility, Ali holds a strong connection to The Cupcake Girls’ value of “engaging with humility”, in addition to the remaining core values the organization stands by.
Ali’s extensive background in various types of stage performance provided early insight into sex work, and the stigmas around these professions. Educating others and helping redirect their focus into taking action in support of the sex industry on a larger scale is something Ali is deeply passionate about. When she came across The Cupcake Girls, she needed to get involved. Ali joined the team in August 2023 as Housing Navigator Coordinator, in efforts to bring safety and reassurance to participants in need of housing support.
In her free time, expect Ali to be camping with her dog Indi, spending time with family and friends, in acting or dance class, watching tv & films, pursuing photography, or enjoying live music. Ali is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. You can check out her photography & acting on Instagram @aliveseymedia and @aliselftapes .
JUSTIN WHITE
PROGRAM COORDINATOR: OREGON + SW WASHINGTON
Since returning to school in 2018, Justin (They/Them/Theirs) has found a career shift from the SW industry into advocacy/Social Justice work. They began with working in food insecurity advocacy at PCC, partnering and working alongside Hunger-Free Oregon.
Justin joined the Cupcake Girls team in the Spring of 2023. They are currently attending Portland State towards a finance degree, hoping to use these skills to help as many unseen and underrepresented communities navigate their future goals. As somebody who has enjoyed their time in the sex work industry, this work is a place of personal joy for them. Getting the opportunity to help bridge gaps and improve connections for people looking for the right tools or relationships motivates Justin. It leaves them looking forward to the future and their daily work—an open, honest, and cheerful soul.
Outside the Cupcake Girls, Justin enjoys socializing, movies, and other volunteer experiences and still occasionally moonlights as a dancer. A peaceful place you can find them is near any water and forever and always dancing and moving their body to music.