Profile
Allonna Nordhavn is a third-year at Columbia College studying Political Science and Human Rights. She is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area. In high school, Allonna built her advocacy skills as a member of the West Contra Costa Unified School Board, the Richmond Youth Leadership Committee, and a peer mentorship program through her school’s health center. She was introduced to the Holder Initiative when she was given the opportunity to intern at the Office of the Alameda County Public Defender’s with the support of the Holder Initiative Internship Fund. There, she assisted in the preparation of court materials for indigent clients, including a class action habeas corpus writ for mentally ill clients being held illegally in jail. This past summer, Allonna interned with a legal services nonprofit in Oakland, CA, as well as in the Office of California State Senator Nancy Skinner. These experiences engendered her interest in empowering underserved communities through education and advocacy as well as through the law. This year, Allonna is completing an internship at DoSomething.org, where she will work to provide young people the tools to vote and participate meaningfully in other types of civic action. On campus, Allonna is involved as a Senior Health Educator with Peer Health Exchange and as Vice President of Columbia University Women in Law and Politics. She is also a member of Multicultural Affairs’ Student of Color Advisory Board. Allonna is excited to use her passion and event planning experience to engage her peers with social justice topics as a member of the Holder Initiative Student Advisory Board.