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

Yetide Badaki is a Nigerian-American actress known for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, American Gods, Lost, Touch, Criminal Minds, and This Is Us. She will be starring as Queen Nzinga in the Starz/Lionsgate tv series on which she is also executive producer. She has narrated award winning audio books for such authors as Desmond Tutu, Teju Cole, Nnedi Okorafor, Natasha Bowen and Akwaeke Emezi.

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