About

Our Team

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Cynthia Bowab

Cynthia Bowab

Senior Director of Digital
"As a proud descendant of immigrants, the mission of OPA inspires me to be my very best everyday. It is extremely satisfying knowing the work I do helps immigrants complete their citizenship journey."

Cynthia is responsible for the One Percent for America (OPA) digital marketing program and digital platform. The OPA digital platform empowers every American, current and future, either as a supporter, investor or borrower to remove the financial barriers to citizenship.

Cynthia is a product management and digital marketing professional with over 25 years of experience. Throughout her career her work has been anchored in performance metrics and value creation. Her experience with organizations ranges from start-ups to well-established. Most recently, as an Agency Managing Director, she oversaw the inbound and content marketing digital consulting services for some of the most well-known world-class brands.

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Natalie Clouser

Natalie Clouser

DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
"We find ourselves in America today because someone in our family’s past embarked on the immigration journey. It's both an honor and a privilege to support someone else's journey towards citizenship today."

Natalie is part of the OPA Digital team and is responsible for website page creation, quality assurance, and development, including implementing new functionality and redesigns. She helps ensure that OPA applies best practices and that the user experience for each visit and transaction on the platform meets or exceeds expectations.
Natalie is a seasoned marketing professional who is passionate about making a positive impact on the community. Since 2020, she has owned a video production business that collaborates with nonprofit organizations to share their work and mission. Prior to that, she was Digital Communications Manager at BAMSI, a large human service nonprofit in Massachusetts.
Natalie holds a BA in advertising from Southern New Hampshire University.

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Anne Cushing Photo

Anne Cushing

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT
"By supporting immigrant families, we are not just changing the course of one person's life, we are enriching the tapestry of our society. Immigrant families bring unique stories, cultures, and perspectives that enhance the strength and resilience of our communities."

Anne leads marketing, engagement, and partnership strategy for One Percent for America (OPA). She is responsible for strategic planning and initiatives, expanding awareness, membership and relationships with organizations advancing and benefiting from OPA’s mission.
Anne is a marketing leader who creates community and connections for mission-focused organizations cultivating societal change. She has led marketing and strategic partnerships for organizations, including Harvard University, FIRST Robotics, Stonyfield Organic, LEGO Education and Disney.
Anne holds a BA in English from the University of Massachusetts. Her passion for community-building and social impact is informed by her Cuban roots, a strong belief in the American Dream and a commitment to public service.

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Saralyn Marquis Photo

Saralyn Marquis

Digital Content & Campaigns Manager
"Supporting immigrants in achieving their dreams honors our shared belief in equal opportunity and underscores our commitment to compassion, diversity, and building a more inclusive society."

 Saralyn is responsible for advancing One Percent America’s (OPA) growth and engagement goals through managing and developing digital content and campaigns. She plays a key role in attracting, engaging and converting both prospective borrowers for OPA’s 1% interest loan and individual donors.

Saralyn has more than a decade of digital marketing experience at diverse organizations. Most recently, she led paid media campaigns in Latin America for Philips, as well as their brand initiatives.

Saralyn is a graduate of Babson College where she studied community engagement and entrepreneurship in both South Africa and Ghana, learning first-hand how diverse, evolving communities push society forward.
 

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Photo of Santiago Nuñez

Santiago Nuñez

Client Relations and Lending Manager
"Coming to the U.S. as an immigrant at five years old and now working at OPA is full circle for me. My role is so rewarding as I get to meet and help other immigrants become U.S. Citizens."

Santiago is responsible for facilitating the lending process and managing client-facing interactions. He works with internal and external entities to build partnerships that address community needs and further impact. Originally from Colombia, Santiago also serves as an in-house resource for insight on the immigration process and the positive impact citizenship can provide.

Santiago comes to One Percent for America from BlueHub’s foreclosure relief program, where he led a lending team in processing mortgages.

Santiago holds a BS in Business Administration with minors in Economics and Finance from American International College. Although he immigrated from Colombia around the age of five, he considers himself proud to be a naturalized son of the United States of America.

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Nicole Sharpe Photo

Nicole Sharpe

Director of Corporate Partnerships & Development
America’s strength lies in its rich cultural diversity. As the daughter of immigrants, I feel particularly drawn to OPA’s mission to create accessible pathways to citizenship, ensuring the continued cultural vibrancy and economic resilience of our nation.

Nicole leads philanthropic fundraising efforts for One Percent for America (OPA). She is responsible for building a robust pipeline of corporate and foundation partners interested in supporting accessible pathways to US citizenship.

Nicole is an experienced leader in the field of nonprofit development. Before OPA, she served as Director of Advancement at Lowell Catholic where she oversaw all fundraising, marketing, and alumni relations for the school. Prior to that, Nicole spent a decade in fundraising at several large nonprofit organizations in New York City, including University Settlement and the Boys & Girls Club. Nicole is a graduate of Dartmouth College.  Having witnessed the struggle her immigrant parents faced, Nicole is inspired by OPA's mission to remove barriers to US citizenship.
 

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Photo of Deeba Zivari

Deeba Zivari

Strategic Partnerships Manager
“In my heritage, there's a traditional idea of taarof - a ritual respect that is meant to level the playing field and promote equality. As the daughter of Iranian refugees, I feel personally connected to this concept in my work here at OPA, where partnership takes priority over segregation."

Deeba is responsible for supporting and developing initiatives that advance strategic goals, amplify impact, and introduce innovation. She works with internal and external stakeholders to build partnerships that solve community needs. She also serves as the in-house subject matter expert on immigration and manages business research efforts.

Deeba has 10 years of experience building and scaling businesses within the healthcare, housing and financial industries. She comes to BlueHub from RiseBoro Community Partnership, where she managed the development of $400M+ in affordable housing projects.

Deeba holds a master’s in narrative medicine from Columbia University and a BA from Wellesley College. She is a first-generation American, raised by Iranian and Honduran immigrants.

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Elyse Cherry

Elyse Cherry is the finance entrepreneur behind One Percent for America. One Percent for America was designed to address one of the biggest problems immigrants face—finding money to pay the application fees to become US citizens. Read more from Elyse on the origin of the idea and why investing in America and immigration is one of the smartest things you can do

Elyse has served as the CEO of BlueHub Capital since 1997. Under her leadership, BlueHub has invested over $2.4 billion, and leveraged an additional $12 billion, to help build healthy communities across the US. One Percent for America is BlueHub’s newest nonprofit initiative. She is an active civic and business leader and a member of several boards. Read Elyse's Full Bio