Our Adult Advisory Board
Meet the 2020-2021 CAHSD Adult Advisory Board
The Executive Board of the California High School Democrats is assisted by an Adult Advisory board. Together, they work to expand and promote the organization while ensuring that all CAHSD chapters and members are connected with opportunities to grow their political involvment.
CAHSD Adult Advisory Board
Shay Franco-Clausen
The honorable Shay Franco-Clausen ([email protected]) is a fierce and dynamic powerhouse, who advocates tirelessly to empower, educate and prepare women of color to take their rightful seat at the decision-making table. Overcoming many adversaries and barriers growing up in San Jose, Shay engages her community with empathy and diligence. Serving on many boards and commissions, she brings her “first-person” experience in creating stronger, comprehensive legislation benefiting the marginalized communities that she has proudly risen from. Just this last year, Shay was instrumental in three legislation wins; passing Senate Bill 273, Authored Senator Susan Rubio, “Expanding the Statute of Limitations on felony Domestic Violence”, protecting 1,000 acres of California's most threatened pieces of land in Coyote Valley, passing Proposition 17 to restore voting rights of those on parole and currently working to remove involuntary servitude from the State Constitution.Shay is elected to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, is the West Coast Regional Program Director for IGNITE National, elected Santa Clara County Democratic Delegate, former Director of Gender and Equity for the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee, former Chair of Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women, former Corresponding Secretary for the CDP Black Caucus and former Chair of the Justice and Advocacy Committee. Shay is also a loving mother of five children with her wife Yolanda and a Bay Area DJ. “I am just trying to be the Women I wished I would have met at 14,” Shay says is the impetus to her advocacy.
Juliet Suess
Juliet Suess ([email protected]) is an English and Communications teacher at The Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. She is an avid supporter of young people and strives to help them find their passions and use their voices. Her commitment to a more equitable and sustainable world led her to journalism, political activism and then teaching. She now advises clubs and organizations led by young people that focus on the environment, intersectional justice and activism. During her time at Occidental College, she covered sexual assault at the college for the newspaper, which led to national legislative change to Title IX. Following her graduation, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany. While studying for her Masters at Claremont Graduate University, she continued her scholarship on topics impacting women and the queer community. She is excited to continue her advocacy as a part of the Adult Advisory Board of the California High School Democrats.
Jordan Eldridge
Jordan Eldridge ([email protected]) has been in the political arena since serving on the Foothill De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees as the Student Trustee from De Anza College in 2007-2008. Jordan’s political career was launched with his involvement in the Silicon Valley Young Democrats and California Young Democrats, organizations that have been credited as being the launching pad for many Democratic elected officials and government affairs professionals across California. Jordan has worked on dozens of campaigns and has legislative experience having worked for two California State Assemblymembers and a State Representative in Massachusetts. After Jordan received his Master of Public Administration degree from Northeastern University in 2015, he worked for the Santa Clara Valley Water District in Local and Regional Government Relations; has worked as a labor organizer; represents the Santa Clara County Democratic Party on the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party; and is a Local Board Member of the United States Selective Service System. He served on the governing board of the Rancho Rinconada Recreation and Park District from 2010-2013 and was appointed to fill a vacancy on the same board in 2019. Jordan Eldridge founded Eldridge Political Partners LLC in December 2018 – a political consulting firm specializing in campaign finance; campaign management and general political consulting; and public policy and advocacy work. He is excited to be a member of the Adult Advisory Board of the California High School Democrats!
