Our Team Leadership
Paul A. Friedman, JD
Founder/Board President/Executive Director
Paul Friedman is the founder and Executive Director of Safer Country, a gun violence prevention non-profit focused on keeping guns out of unsafe hands. He is inspired by the memory of his great aunt, Elizabeth Shulkin, who was shot and killed in her hotel room on December 1, 1981 while on vacation in Florida.
Prior to Safer Country, Paul served as Executive Director of the Virginia Tech Victims (VTV) Family Outreach Foundation, during which time he worked with the City of Alexandria and Virginia Tech’s local graduate schools to create a tree grove in Chinquapin Park to honor the victims and survivors of the April 16, 2007 massacre.
Paul graduated with a B.A. in Politics from Brandeis University and a J.D. from New York Law School. In 1987, Paul moved to Washington, DC, worked on Capitol Hill. In 1988, he was a Field Organizer in Iowa for Paul Simon for President (where he had the privilege of informing Sen. Simon that he had received the Des Moines Register endorsement for the Democratic nomination) and an Advance Man for the Dukakis/Bentsen campaign.
In 1990, upon returning to Washington, DC, he was elected Chair of the Ward 6 Democrats and became the PAC Director for Environmental Action, where he wrote that year’s Dirty Dozen. On August 25, 1991, Paul married his brilliant and lovely wife, Lori, a CPA, and moved to Alexandria, Virginia.
In 1992, Paul successfully managed a state representative campaign in Orlando, Florida and, later, a City Council race in Alexandria. Paul went on to work as a liaison to the Legal and Financial Community in the DMV for the Development Corporation for Israel and the Director of Development for Save A Child’s Heart, Neediest Kids and Every Child Matters. While with Every Child Matters, he led the Voe Kids Action Fund, a federal PAC that supported candidates in close races that supported expanded funding for the needs of children.
Alexandria Activities
Paul has served for over 20 years as a member of the Alexandria Democratic Committee and a large portion of that time as a Precinct Captain. He served six years on Alexandria’s Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee and six years on the board of Agenda: Alexandria, a nonpartisan group that holds forums about local issues. Paul also served as Mark Levine’s political consultant in his first victorious Democratic primary campaign for Delegate in Virginia’s 45th District.
More recently, in 2020, Paul was elected to serve as the Alternate Delegate from Virginia’s 8th Congressional District for Joe Biden for President to the Democratic National Convention, which would have been held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but for the covid crisis.
Further, in January 2022, Paul became the Vice President of WEBA, the West End Business Association. In February 2022, Paul became the political adviser to the TFAA, the Torpedo Factory Artists Association. In January of 2023, Paul shifted from Vice President to Director of Government Relations for WEBA.
Laura Mandala
Board Vice President
As head of Mandala Research, one the world’s leading travel and tourism research firms, Laura evaluates emerging developments in the industry and her firm has pioneered policy changes in the industry, including minority inclusion.
Named one of the 14 Most Influential Women in Group Travel, Laura’s firm has pioneered the “firsts” of many niche studies in the industry.
As well, she has served as an appointee to the State Council on Women by Governor’s Warner and Kaine and as a Board member to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board under Secretary Penny Pritzker.
Additionally, Laura is founder of Women in Travel and Tourism International, an organization committed to the promotion, support, and advocacy for women’s leadership in the travel industry. Laura is also a former candidate for State Delegate in Virginia’s 45th District and has served two Virginia Governor’s on the State Council on Women.
Lori Friedman
Board Secretary/Treasurer
Lori is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive experience in public and private accounting. From 2009 – 2023, she operated her own firm in Alexandria, Virginia.
When Lori isn’t grappling with accounting principles or the Internal Revenue Code, she enjoys life with her husband, Paul, the Executive Director of Safer Country, and is a regular dog and cat sitter for the neighbors.
Andrew Goddard
Board Member
Andrew Goddard is the Legislative Director for Virginia Center for Public Safety. Andrew’s son, Colin, was seriously wounded during the Virginia Tech mass shooting on April 16, 2007 and had to undergo multiple operations. Colin is doing well today and has a beautiful family. Andrew was moved by that incident to become one of Virginia’s leading gun safety advocates and is an invaluable source of information to everyone interested in legislation impacting the subject.
Hala Ayala
Board Member
Hala Ayala, a cybersecurity specialist with over 25 years of experience in National Security, is a dedicated public servant. Her commitment to serving the community is evident in her numerous political milestones, such as being the first Afro-Latina woman elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2017 and becoming the first Black woman and Latina to be nominated for statewide office by the Democratic Party in over 400 years in 2021.
As a Delegate and Chief Deputy Whip, Hala worked tirelessly to pass legislation that benefits millions of Virginians. Her efforts have led to significant changes, including expanding background checks to keep guns out of dangerous hands, a measure that has undoubtedly saved lives and made communities safer.
Hala’s personal experience with gun violence has deeply influenced her political career. She understands the pain and trauma it causes, having felt its toll firsthand when her father was killed when she was just two years old. This profound empathy, born from her own experience, has driven her to champion common-sense gun safety reform.
Hala Ayala’s political career is marked by her unwavering determination to advocate for progress in Virginia. Even though she is no longer a legislator, her work to end gun violence continues. She is committed to building on the progress made in Virginia, not only to honor her father but to honor all of the victims of gun violence through tangible action. Her hope is that her dedication will inspire hope for a safer future, which begins with ending the epidemic of gun violence in our country.
Advisory Committee
Yetide Badaki
Honorary Chairperson, Safer Country Advisory Committee
Actress, Writer, Producer
A theater actress in Chicago, Badaki won acclaim for her performances at the Victory Gardens Theater and Steppenwolf. Badaki’s film credits include the Disney film RISE, Precipice, A Chance of Rain, What We Found, and Run Fast.
Richard Aborn
President, Crime Commission of NYC; Managing Partner, Constantine Cannon; Former President, Brady Campaign
Ara Bagdasarian
Founder, Zero Now,
Member, Leesburg Town Council,
Former CEO and Co-Founder, Omnilert
Pete Brodnitz
President,
Expedition Strategies
Leslie Byrne
Former Congresswoman (VA)
John Capozzi
Former U.S. Statehood Representative (WDC)
Sean Casey
Sheriff, City of Alexandria
Charlotte Cohn
Theatre,
Actor, Director, Producer
Ken Cummins
President Emeritus,
Capitol Inquiry
Steve Descano
Commonwealth’s Attorney, Fairfax County
Mark D. Friedman
Global Real Estate Advisor and Actor
Mike Gelb
Former White House Correspondent,
Reuters News Agency
Michael “Misha” Gill
Attorney
Chris Harris
President,
Alexandria Branch,
NAACP
Mike Jason
U.S. Army Colonel (retired), Defense Consultant, Pentagon
Mark Jones
Former ATF Supervisory Special Agent, Firearms Policy and Regulatory Expert
Rod Kuckro
President, Agenda: Alexandria, Former President, Del Ray Citizens’ Association
Dana Lawhorne
Former Sheriff, City of Alexandria
Mark Levine
Former Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Carmen Lodato
Gun Violence Prevention Advocate
Norm Lodato
Gun Violence Widower
David Lord
Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, City of Alexandria
Ericka Miller
President and CEO, Isaacson, Miller
McArthur Myers
Civil Rights History Activist, Alexandria Living Legend
Rob Nagle
Actor, Teacher, Director
Allison Silberberg
Former Mayor, City of Alexandria
Greg Parks
Clerk of the Circuit Court, City of Alexandria
Bryan Porter
Commonwealth’s Attorney, City of Alexandria
Kate Ranta
Gun Violence Survivor/Author/Activist
Brian Siebel
Siebel Homes at Compass
Former Senior Attorney, The Brady Center
Donnie Simpson
President,
Simpson Development Company
Terron Sims II
CEO,
Doug Pollard, LLC
Gordon Sumner, PhD
Retired Army Colonel
Shannon Taylor
Commonwealth’s Attorney, Henrico County
Mary Wadland
Publisher,
The Zebra Press
Amanda Wilcox
Legislative & Policy Chair, California Chapters, Brady United Against Gun Violence
Jason Odell Williams
Playwright/Television Producer