Youth organizer

Sohali Vaddula

Sohali Vaddula is an American political activist, youth organizer, and former National President of the College Democrats of America. As a prominent Gen-Z voice within the Democratic Party, she represented college students nationwide on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Texas Democratic Party’s Executive Committee. During her presidency, she rebuilt a 50-state grassroots operation and raised nearly half a million dollars to revitalize Democratic youth organizing on college campuses.

Currently studying International and Public Affairs at Brown University, Sohali plans to attend law school and pursue a career at the intersection of law and emerging technology. She was selected as a 2025 Indian American Impact Fellow, reflecting her commitment as an Indian American to strengthening the group’s political representation in American politics. Her broader experience spans statewide political campaigns, legislative and legal work at the U.S. Senate and Rhode Island Judiciary, and national political communications, including work on Beto O’Rourke’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign, in the office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and with the 2024 Democratic National Convention. As a national voice for young people in politics, she has appeared on networks including CNN and C-SPAN to advocate for greater youth representation in the Democratic Party.

Political organizer

Sunjay Muralitharan

Sunjay Muralitharan is pursuing his JD at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and a Democratic political organizer with experience in political campaigns and youth organizing.

Most recently, he worked as the Deputy Organizing Director of the Becerra for Governor campaign, building a volunteer program 67,000 strong reaching over 850,000 voters. Additionally, he was the former National President of the College Democrats of America, expanding the organization into 13 new states and reinvigorating its fundraising from triple digits to six figures. Alongside this role, he sat on the executive committee of the DNC where he led the charge to expand youth representation in the party’s membership to record numbers.

In every role he takes on, Sunjay strives to speak truth to power. He’s committed to building a party that can win for generations even if it means challenging the conventional wisdom of those who came before him. His approach can be summed up by a simple quote during his days in College Democrats: “We’re realizing that our duty as College Democrats is to be representatives of college students to the party, rather than vice versa.”

Community organizer

Niyanth Kanakasabapathy

Niyanth Kanakasabapathy is a student at Virginia Tech studying National Security and Foreign Affairs, with hands-on experience in political organizing and grassroots campaign work.

His experience includes supporting a wide variety of federal, state, and local campaigns, including incumbents, challengers, PACs, and candidates in open seats, with responsibilities spanning campaign execution, field organizing, voter outreach, and strategic communications. He also has experience in campaign finance and operations, including donor engagement and event logistics for a congressional re-election and gubernatorial campaign.

Political & Organizing Fellow

Janhitha Veeramachaneni

Janhitha Veeramachaneni is a youth advocate and community organizer dedicated to strengthening democracy through youth leadership and civic engagement. She is a student at Barnard College of Columbia University and the Founding Chairwoman of the Hudson County High School and College Democrats, where she has helped build one of New Jersey’s most active youth political organizations.

She interned with the New Jersey State Senate where she wrote a bill on expanding civic education and voter participation among high school students. As Lead Youth Volunteer Coordinator for AAPIs/MENA for NJ Victory during one of New Jersey’s most divisive and important election cycles, she has mobilized young voters and engaged diverse communities. Janhitha is also the co-founder of Pluribase, which trains and supports emerging grassroots leaders and advocates for greater youth representation in local government. In Jersey City, she was appointed as the youngest member of a policy committee on the Mayor’s transition team. Her advocacy has been recognized through honors including the New Jersey Governor’s Volunteerism Award and ADL’s Cynthia Marks Student Legacy Award.

At the center of Janhitha’s work is the belief that young people are not simply future leaders, but present-day stakeholders who deserve a meaningful role in shaping public policy. She plans to attend law school and pursue a career in constitutional law.

Political Science Student & Pre-Law Advocate

Navaneet Jonnalagada

Navaneet Jonnalagada is a student at San José State University studying Political Science with a pre-law focus, driven by a deep interest in how policy and justice intersect in people’s everyday lives.

He’s worked as a campaign intern for a competitive congressional race in California, where he got hands-on experience in field operations and voter outreach, learning firsthand what it takes to mobilize a community around a cause. He also brings research and advocacy experience focused on justice reform, and has been shadowing a defense attorney to gain a closer look at the legal system in practice.

Born and raised in Fremont, California, Navaneet has long been drawn to public service and civic engagement. He is passionate about creating a government that is more inclusive, representative, and responsive to the communities it serves. He is excited to bring his experience in organizing, advocacy, and public service to Empower PAC.