Founded in 2023, the Hamilton Families Mission Committee represents the next generation of Bay Area advocates for ending family homelessness. This diverse group of under-35 professionals works to support Hamilton Families across business functions. This includes but is not limited to: fundraising, organizational excellence, operations, volunteer efforts, brand strategy, marketing and communications, and advocacy efforts.
Join us! The Mission Committee offers a unique opportunity for young professionals in the Bay Area to work closely with a group of peers to advance Hamilton Families’ mission: to end family homelessness. We understand you’ll likely be balancing career, family, and other responsibilities, so we want to be upfront about what making a commitment to the Mission Committee looks like.
E.J. Fortenberry is a Vice President and Client Service Advisor in the Los Angeles office of Bernstein Private Wealth Management, creating holistic and customized analyses for high-net-worth families, individuals, trusts, foundations and endowments. He works closely with clients and their respective professionals to provide solutions to complex business, professional, and personal circumstances. He joined the firm in 2017 as an associate and transitioned to his current role in 2021.
Prior to working for Bernstein, E.J. graduated from Boston College, where he double majored in Finance, and Management and Leadership, while minoring in African American Diaspora Studies. He was also a student-athlete at Boston College, where he played Division 1 Football. Outside of work, he enjoys movies, outdoor activities, and traveling, and joined the Hamilton Families Mission Committee in 2024.
Ali Rae Hunt is the B2B Communications Lead at Canva, where she heads up PR, Comms, and Analyst Relations for Canva's fast-growing enterprise business. She previously led global communications for startups like Skyflow and Molekule, and started her career at PR agency LaunchSquad, where she helped drive media strategy and execution for generational companies like Uber and Netflix. Ali Rae holds a B.A. in Communication Theory from Boston College.
Ali Rae was first introduced to Hamilton Families in 2018, and has supported the organization in various capacities ever since – from babysitting at Mother's Day celebrations and bringing kids to the zoo, to event planning, fundraising, and building out what is now the organization's first Mission Committee.
Nicole LaPorte has spent her career working alongside organizations that champion housing justice, economic resilience, and community-led solutions to systemic challenges. Nicole’s passion for community engagement began during her undergraduate years at UC Berkeley, where she worked with displaced communities across several countries. Since returning to the Bay Area, she has worked at the San Francisco Foundation, focusing on strengthening the capacity of community-based organizations, including those advancing affordable housing initiatives. Originally from Santa Cruz, Nicole grew up witnessing the impacts of rising housing costs and displacement, which fueled her commitment to housing justice. She believes in Hamilton Families’ mission and is excited to support its work in making the Bay Area a more inclusive and equitable place for all.
Austen Peterson is a Director at Lift Partners, a full-service real estate investment company focused on the adaptive re-use and repositioning of industrial properties along the West Coast. Beyond real estate, Austen is deeply committed to community engagement, serving on the Mission Committee of Hamilton Families, an organization focused on combating family homelessness in San Francisco. She has also chaired her K-12 school’s alumni board for the past two years, giving back to an institution that played a pivotal role in her development. Austen remains passionate about mentorship and fostering connections that strengthen both the real estate industry and communities she resides in.
Austen holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and Architecture from Trinity College (Connecticut). Originally from Southern California, Austen enjoys long beach days with family and friends.
Catherine (Cat) MacLennan is an Account Manager at the independent creative advertising agency Erich and Kallman. She was introduced to Hamilton Families by fellow board members Austen and Ali Rae and first became involved by volunteering at after-school programming and holiday events.
Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cat earned a B.A. in American Studies and French from Trinity College (Connecticut). Having moved here from Boston in 2023, Cat is passionate about supporting the San Francisco community and is especially committed to helping children and families thrive by making them feel accepted and supported. She values the opportunity to build meaningful relationships within the Hamilton Families community and contribute to its mission. Outside of work and volunteering, Cat enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Patrick Magowan is a Portfolio Analyst at Albourne America, where he advises institutional investors on alternative assets. Raised in Vermont, Patrick grew up with parents who instilled in him a deep commitment to community service from an early age, a value that has guided his personal and professional life.
Since moving to San Francisco in 2021, Patrick has been struck by the city’s homelessness crisis. He was first introduced to Hamilton Families through an Albourne-sponsored volunteer event, where he witnessed the organization’s powerful work in supporting families experiencing homelessness, often the “hidden” face of the crisis. Inspired to contribute more, Patrick joined the Mission Committee to help further Hamilton Families’ mission of ending family homelessness in the Bay Area.
