The Movement Building Hub Story

Marcela Barrientos and Melody Lopez previously served as Co-Executive Directors of the New York Civic Engagement Table, where they supported a network of over 70 nonprofit organizations with resources and strategic guidance on organizing and civic engagement. After eight years of working together, they learned that no challenge should be faced alone and that strong partnerships are essential to achieving lasting success.

  • Co-Founder

    Marcela Barrientos (she/her/ella) brings nearly 20 years of experience in labor organizing, civic engagement, leadership development, and movement infrastructure to her work. She is the co-founder of the Movement Building Hub. Previously, Marcela served as Co-Executive Director of the New York Civic Engagement Table, where she led strategy, development, and programming for a statewide network of grassroots organizations focused on voter engagement, civic participation, and building power with communities of color, immigrants, and working people across New York.

    Earlier in her tenure at NYCET, Marcela served as Director of Training, where she designed and launched statewide leadership development programs including the Youth Organizing Institute and the Data and Organizing Integration Fellowship, training more than 140 organizers from across the state in campaign strategy, field organizing, and data integration. She also created accessible, multilingual curricula on civic education, field strategy, and organizing fundamentals, making resources available in English, Spanish, and Korean.

    Drawing on her background in Applied Theatre, Marcela integrates storytelling and political education into her facilitation and leadership development work. She began her career in the labor movement, where she held organizing, research, and training roles across multiple national unions. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and an M.A. in Applied Theatre from CUNY. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, cultural strategy, and grassroots leadership, with a strong interest in the intersections between global liberation movements and local organizing efforts.

  • Co-Founder

    Melody Lopez (she/her) brings nearly 20 years of experience in community organizing, nonprofit leadership, electoral campaigns, coalition building, and government to her work. She is the co-founder of the Movement Building Hub. Previously, Melody served as Co-Executive Director of the New York Civic Engagement Table, where she led a network of base-building and service organizations focused on strengthening civic infrastructure through voter registration, mobilization, and issue advocacy. She has held leadership roles in both public and nonprofit sectors, including as Queens Director at the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

    Melody also brings a strong foundation in electoral organizing. She began her career at the Working Families Party, where she helped lead issue and electoral campaigns across New York. Over the years, she has managed successful city council, district attorney, and state legislative races, contributing expertise in grassroots field strategy, coalition alignment, and candidate development. Melody’s work is rooted in a long-standing commitment to equity and community power. While living in the Bay Area, she organized around housing justice and led regional advocacy efforts at the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from New York University.

Our team brings two decades of experience in program design, facilitated peer learning, and organization development. We take a holistic approach that centers our clients’ lived experiences to help leaders reflect, assess, and lead more effectively.

Collective and strategic change.

Strengthen your impact.

Through MBH, we offer a space for organizations to engage in thought partnership while learning new skills and developing strategic approaches to strengthen their impact. We approach our work as organizers, recognizing that relationship-building is at the heart of meaningful change, where trust serves as the foundation for long-term success.

Meet the Team

At MBH, we collaborate with a network of expert consultants to deliver a dynamic, multidisciplinary approach tailored to each client’s needs.

  • Campaign Strategist

    With over 15 years of experience in labor and political organizing, Eric (he/him) brings expertise in building power and winning campaigns. His work spans union organizing, ballot initiatives, legislative advocacy, and elections at every level—from local school boards to statewide efforts. He has a strong track record in campaign compliance, messaging, mail production, coalition building, and candidate recruitment. Grounded in strategy and relationships, he helps organizations and candidates move from vision to victory.

  • Public Speaking and Facilitation Coach

    Jade (she/her) is a communication coach with a unique background in both social work and acting. Her experience in social work offers a deep understanding of how individuals express themselves and connect with others, while her training as an actor brings valuable insight into presence, vocal delivery, and storytelling.

    She supports clients in speaking with clarity, confidence, and authenticity—whether in the workplace, on stage, or in everyday interactions. By combining emotional intelligence with practical performance tools, she helps individuals refine their message, strengthen their presence, and communicate with impact.

  • Digital Strategy

    Victor (he/him/él) is the Founder of Cultúra Marketing, a dynamic digital marketing agency dedicated to empowering purpose-driven brands and nonprofits to cultivate meaningful connections with their clients. With a solid academic background in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing and Human Resources, Victor brings over a decade of experience in both marketing and grassroots organizing to the table.

    At Cultúra Marketing, Victor and the team leverage the power of data and compelling narratives to cultivate community engagement with target audiences, driving action that aligns with their core values and aspirations. They believe in creating impactful campaigns that transcend beyond transactions to build a more just, sustainable, and healthier future.

  • Data Strategist

    Natasha Ladhani (she/her) is a data strategist and consultant who helps mission-driven organizations harness the power of data and technology to build power and measure impact. With a background spanning data management, analysis, visualization, system integration, evaluation, and organizational learning, she supports individuals and organizations to translate complex information into meaningful insights and action.

    Natasha brings several years of experience leading data transformation initiatives across local, statewide and national nonprofits. Her work blends technical expertise with a deep commitment to ethical and inclusive data governance. Grounded in curiosity and collaboration, Natasha helps teams move beyond compliance to cultivate a data culture that is reflective, responsive, and values-driven.