Leadership & Staff - Jolt Action

Jackie Bastard

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Bio

A first-generation college graduate, Jackie earned her B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Houston-Downtown with a minor in Political Science and her M.A. in Criminology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Prior to joining Jolt, she gained eight years of experience in human resources, operations, and youth programming. Her educational achievements and hands-on experience at Jolt uniquely position her to guide our organization into its next decade with strength and purpose.

Jackie is excited to be part of Jolt, an organization that empowers, equips, and mobilizes individuals to speak up not only for themselves but for those who are afraid to do so for fear of reprisal.

Maria Tolentino

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Bio

Maria is a proud Texas native, Chicana, and first-generation Mexican-American. She is the granddaughter of migrant farmworkers and daughter to immigrant mother from Monterrey, Mexico. Maria has been in the non-profit sector for 16 years working with underserved communities, single-parent households and at-risk youth to remove barriers while developing employment and educational opportunities. She is a proud mother of five and a hobby sugar artist/baker for local and national charities.

Through her personal experiences of the injustices facing the Latinx communities and political issues that were near and dear to her heart, she was drawn to become involved with Jolt. She wants to be a voice of empowerment and become a force for positive change in the Latinx community.

She hopes to encourage, educate and mobilize the Latinx community to use their voting power for positive change in addition to advocating for those who cannot vote.

Israel Salazar

Operations and Human Resources Director

Bio

Israel “Izzy” Salazar Jr. is a dedicated leader in Human Resources and Operations Management, a first-generation college graduate, and the proud son of migrant farm workers. His academic journey includes a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Chicago, an Ed.M. in Human Resource Development from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Southern University. Currently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resource Management.

With over 18 years of experience, Izzy has held senior leadership roles in state government and higher education, where he has focused on Human Resources and Operations Management. In addition to his executive career, he is a part-time professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, where he teaches Business Law and Human Resource Management.

A proud native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Izzy has long been involved in advocacy and leadership organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Gulf Coast Council of La Raza, and the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Foundation. He is deeply committed to empowering the Latino community and strongly supports Jolt’s mission to equip Latinos with the tools to create meaningful change.

Beyond his professional and advocacy work, Izzy enjoys fishing, attending car shows, and exploring parks with his wife and two children.

Victoria Godinez

Marketing and Communications Director

Bio

Victoria Godínez is a proud Texas native and first-generation Mexican-American and is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. She brings over six years of diverse experience spanning higher education, federal and state government, political campaigns, and legislative affairs. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX.

Her career as a communications professional includes bilingual media relations, stakeholder engagement, and comprehensive communications strategy development across multiple sectors. Her experience includes managing press operations, crafting compelling narratives, and implementing successful media campaigns in English and Spanish for Austin Peay State University, the U.S. Department of Labor, Biden for President and members of the Texas Legislature.

Through her personal experiences and her deep commitment to social justice, Victoria was drawn to advocacy work. During her time in the Texas Legislature, she worked directly with law enforcement and stakeholders to prevent the passage of Senate Bill 4, the “”show me your papers”” law which discriminately targeted the undocumented Latino community. She was drawn to Jolt because she believes in being a voice of empowerment and becoming a force for positive change in the Latino community.

Victoria understands that decisions made in Austin and Washington D.C., have real-world impacts in our communities. She is dedicated to encouraging, educating, and mobilizing the Latino community to use their voting power for positive change, while also advocating for those who cannot vote.

Andrea Tamez

Field Manager

Bio

Andrea Tamez “With a strong background in civic engagement, organizing, and political advocacy, Andrea brings years of experience in mobilizing communities and leading voter outreach efforts. Prior to joining Jolt, Andrea worked extensively in grassroots organizing, campaign leadership, and field operations, focusing on empowering historically marginalized communities to exercise their political power.

Andrea has worked as a Field Director, Lead Organizer, and voter registration specialist, developing and implementing strategic outreach programs to increase voter participation. With expertise in training canvassers, managing teams, and fostering relationships with community stakeholders, Andrea has successfully led initiatives that drive civic engagement at scale.

Her commitment to advocacy stems from both personal and professional experiences, seeing firsthand the impact of underrepresentation in the political process. As the daughter of immigrants and a dedicated advocate for Latino civic engagement, Andrea is passionate about equipping young voters with the tools and knowledge to effect meaningful change.

A first-generation college graduate, Andrea holds a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Communication Studies from The University of North Texas and has extensive experience in field operations, data-driven outreach, and campaign strategy. She is excited to bring her expertise and passion to Jolt, working to uplift Latino voices and transform Texas politics through empowerment and activism.

Sarah Chavez

Development Director

Bio

Sarah (she/they) believes that now is the time to invest in Latino youth, knowing that when we empower and educate, Texas’ leadership will become more reflective of the communities in her dearly-loved home state. She proudly joined the organization in April 2023.

Sarah owned a bicycle shop, managed restaurants, and fundraised for campaigns and nonprofits for over a decade. She enjoys two-stepping with her spouse, petting their cats, listening to music, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys.

Who We Are

Jolt Action is lead by Latinos who have fought, marched & organized for our community. We’ve come together to build a movement in Texas that challenges the status quo & innovates civic participation.

Senior Staff