Rev. jo Murphy (She)

Rev. Jo worked as a chaplain at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston for the past two years, in addition to being a case manager supporting people living with brain injuries. She is a volunteer organizer with the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network and with the Boston chapter of Standing up for Racial Justice.   She has volunteered with 350.org, participated in the #StandupCharlie effort (a campaign to pressure Governor Baker to stop the construction of the pipeline in West Roxbury), as well as the current 'Stop Line 3' movement.

Rev. Jo’s email: jmurphy@uumassaction.org

Cassandra Bensahih (she)

Cassandra’s work focuses on our End Mass Incarceration and Economic Justice Campaigns. She will also be our development coordinator working closely with our UU congregation partners. Cassandra will be continuing her role as the MASC coordinator (Massachusetts Against Solitary Confinement Coalition).  In 2009, she began organizing as a dedicated volunteer at EPOCA and worked to develop her skills as an intern, a member of the Board of Directors, and as apprentice and then rose to the position of Executive Director. Cassandra is a respected leader and frequent speaker on criminal justice reform.  She brings her insight as a woman and mother affected by the criminal justice system. The relationships she has built in doing this work to improve the devastating effects the current system has on countless people. She is passionate about fighting for social justice and leadership development.

Cassandra’s Email: cbensahih@uumassaction.org or MASCCoordinator@gmail.com

Tali Smookler (she)

Tali’s work with UU Mass Action began with a focus on our Climate and Economic Justice campaigns. As of Fall 2022, she is now focusing on supporting our Immigrant Justice, Housing Justice, and youth engagement work. As part of all her work, she builds relationships with congregational leaders and works to develop their leadership and engage them in our statewide campaigns.

Before joining UU Mass Action, Tali has dedicated her professional work to strengthening the capacity of the Jewish community to work for a more just world.  Tali’s passion for organizing began during the summer of 2010, when she participated on a program where she traveled across Massachusetts by bicycle with four other students to support communities working with the climate movement. After graduation, Tali worked with the Repair the World Fellowship creating the Philly Farm Crew, a program which creates volunteer and educational opportunities on urban farms. Before coming to UU Mass Action, Tali worked at JOIN for Justice which trains the Jewish community in social justice and organizing skills.

Tali’s Email: tsmookler@uumassaction.org

Claire-Karl B.W. Müller (they)

Claire-Karl is a force of nature. They are a 5th generation Germanic settler to Eastern Massachusetts and identify as a white, middle-class, non-binary, small-fat, queer organizer. Their values are curiosity, compassion, truth and people power. They feel called to work with other white middle class folks on racial, economic and climate justice and joined the team at UU Mass Action in 2020.

They have organized at the local, state and federal level on climate and environmental justice since 2007, winning victories to stop pipelines, transition coal fired power plants to solar, and build community. Claire-Karl is coordinator of the statewide climate justice coalition Mass Power Forward, which they co-founded in 2015, as well as the UU Mass Action staff lead for Indigenous Solidarity.

Claire’s email: claire@uumassaction.org

Eust Eustis (they)

Eust has extensive experience supporting organizations with direct organizing, as well as development and systems management work. Since 2018, they have helped coordinate various campaigns at the state, federal, and international levels, engaging in climate justice, anti-racism, and anti-war work.

Eust joined the UU Mass Action team in the spring of 2023, and enjoys helping to make our systems work efficiently, so that we can help create a more peaceful and just world for all.