Melanie Campbell is an expert and passionate advocate on issues impacting African Americans, women, immigrants and youth and the intersection of how politics, public policy, race, gender, class and age impacts quality life for all Americans. Campbell has a strong knowledge base in Black voter participation, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, election reform, Katrina-Rita Gulf Coast recovery and rebuilding, Census Count, youth leadership development, non-profit management and cross-cultural coalition building. Media includes: Washington Journal, The Washington Post, Black Enterprise, New York Times, Philadelphia Tribune, CNN, BET.
Cynthia Richie Terrell is the founder and executive director of RepresentWomen and a founding board member of the ReflectUS coalition of non-partisan women’s representation organizations. Terrell is an outspoken advocate for innovative rules & systems reforms to advance women’s representation and leadership in the United States. Terrell and her husband Rob Richie helped to found FairVote - a nonpartisan champion of electoral reforms that give voters greater choice, a stronger voice, and a truly representative democracy. Terrell has worked on projects related to women's representation, voting system reform, and democracy in the United States. Media includes: The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Hill, Refinery29, The Nation.
Aimee Allison is the Founder of She the People, the national network elevating the political voice and power of women of color. By bringing together the most promising women of color candidates, strategists, and movement leaders, Ms. Allison is one of the primary architects for the electoral successes in 2018 that made it the “year of women of color in politics.” In September 2018, she convened the first summit to focus on women of color in politics to show that social justice can, in fact, become the law of the land. A democratic innovator and visionary, Ms. Allison has led forums and initiatives on race and gender at the Democratic National Convention and Politicon, among others. Media includes: The New York Times, The Hill, ESSENCE Magazine.
Cecile Richards is cofounder of Supermajority, a membership-based organization that affirms and builds women’s power and serves as a one-stop shop for advocacy, community building, and electoral participation aimed at transforming our country and building an intergenerational, multiracial movement for women’s equity. Richards also served as the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund from 2006 to 2018. Media includes: The Rachel Maddow Show, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Glamour, Marie Claire.
Na'ilah Amaru has leveraged her nearly two decades serving as a public interest advocate and Democratic operative towards advancing progressive policies across five U.S. states and at every level of government. Starting her career as a grassroots organizer in Georgia, Amaru became a policy advisor to former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, legislative aide to U.S. Congressman John Lewis, and executive director of the New York City Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus. Building Democratic governing power in a national capacity, Amaru now collaborates with state legislators and grassroots organizations across the country to advance progressive democracy reforms and fight voter suppression. Media includes: Forbes Magazine, NBC, NY1, WNYC.
Glynda Carr is a Principal at Liberty Street Capital, Inc., a New York based boutique public affairs, community relations and political strategy consulting firm that provides strategic services to corporations, non-profits and candidates running for public office. In 2011, Carr co-founded Higher Heights for America, a national organization focused on inspiring Black women to be change agents by harnessing their collective power and influence to eliminate the inequities in public education, health and economic opportunities for black women, their families and communities across the United States. Extensive media experience.
Nichole Bauer is an Assistant Professor of Political Communication in the Department of Political Science & the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University. She studies the challenges facing women in politics as candidates, lawmakers, and voters. Her current research investigates how and when voters rely on gender stereotypes to evaluate female candidates. She uses an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the dynamics of gender stereotypes in political campaigns by incorporating theories from psychology, mass communication, and political science. By examining the advertising strategies and news coverage of female candidates, Bauer’s research shows that gender stereotypes can, but do not always, limit the ability of women to win elections. Media includes: NPR.
Khalilah L. Brown-Dean, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Political Science at Quinnipiac University. With a keen eye toward the practical implications of democratic conflict, her research interests center on voting rights, criminal justice, election administration, and public policy. She is the author of Identity Politics in the United States (Polity Press). The book moves beyond the headlines to show how conflicts over group identity are an inescapable feature of American political development. There’s no question that the United States is incredibly divided. Brown-Dean shows us how we got here, and more importantly, how we move forward. Media includes: The New York Times, Democracy Now, Al-Jazeera, The Hill, Fox News Radio, NPR.
Brenda Choresi Carter directs The Reflective Democracy Campaign, which analyzes and disrupts the demographics of power in the United States. An initiative of the Women Donors Network, the Campaign conducts groundbreaking research that shines a light on the exclusion of women and people of color from political leadership, and catalyzes activism and scholarship aimed at achieving a democracy where everyone has a seat at the table. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Huffington Post, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The New Yorker, Slate, Time, NPR.
Edda Collins Coleman is co-founder of the All In Together Campaign, a non-partisan women’s organization committed to closing the gender gaps in politics, delivering cross-sector, innovative solutions to advance the progress of women’s political, civic and professional leadership in the United States. As Co-Founder, Coleman fosters relationships with elected officials, community leaders and creates and implements strategy to achieve the organization’s partnership and third party outreach goals. She has extensive political and strategic communications backgrounds, having worked on presidential campaigns, within state and local government. Media includes: Forbes, Refinery29, The Hill, The DailyWorth.
Dr. Rebecca Deen is Chair and Associate Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. An expert in US politics, she has published research findings on women in the political process, the U.S. presidency, and effective pedagogy. Her current projects include an exploration of the relationship among civic engagement, local policy and political recruitment, as well as an examination of the politics of school-related volunteer organizations and their role in educational policy. Media includes: The Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Detroit Free Press, Toronto Star.
Kelly Dittmar is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University–Camden and Scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. She is the author of Navigating Gendered Terrain: Stereotypes and Strategy in Political Campaigns (Temple University Press, 2015), as well as multiple book chapters on gender and American politics. Dittmar’s research focuses on gender and American political institutions, including Congress, with a particular focus on how gender informs campaigns and the impact of gender diversity among elites in policy and political decisions, priorities, and processes. Media includes: Huffington Post, The Washington Post, MSNBC, NPR.
Page Gardner is the founder and president of the Women’s Voices Women Vote Action Fund (WVWVAF) and its sister group, the Voter Participation Center (VPC). Together, VPC and WVWVAF have developed new ways to enfranchise and empower the historically under-represented groups that now comprise the Rising American Electorate (RAE), including unmarried women, African Americans, Hispanics and other people of color, and millennials. Under Gardner’s leadership, the VPC and WVWVAF have emerged as leaders in metrics-based voter registration, turnout, and advocacy. Media incudes: CNN, MSNBC, NBC, PBS, NPR.
Lori Cox Han is Professor of Political Science at Chapman University in Orange, California. With research and teaching interests in the presidency, media and politics, women and politics, and political leadership, Dr. Han is the author of several books, including Presidents and the American Presidency, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2018); Women, Power, and Politics: The Fight for Gender Equality in the United States (Oxford University Press, 2018); In It to Win: Electing Madam President (Bloomsbury, 2015); and Governing From Center Stage: White House Communication Strategies During the Television Age of Politics (Hampton Press, 2001). She is also editor of Hatred of America’s Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump (ABC-CLIO, 2018); New Directions in the American Presidency, 2nd ed. (Routledge, 2018); and co-editor of Rethinking Madam President: Are We Ready for a Woman in the White House? (Lynne Rienner, 2007). Media includes: USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register.
Brittany Oliver is the founder of Thirty-Two Creative, a contemporary design, social media and content strategy agency for groups, non-profits and small businesses. She’s also the founder of Not Without Black Women where she works to advance local, state and national policies as well as promote Black women in activism, politics, society and culture. Oliver has worked on countless issue-advocacy campaigns related to civil and human rights for the ACLU, Hollaback! Baltimore, Amnesty International, National Women’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood to name a few. Media includes: Bitch Media, Think Progress, Baltimore Sun, BBC News.
Atima Omara is President Emeritus of the Young Democrats of America and Democratic National Commitee (DNC) member from Virginia. She is also an award winning leader in politics and the progressive movement. With over a decade of experience working in politics and progressive non-profits engaging youth, women, and people of color in the political process and related progressive causes, Omara writes and speaks about national politics, candidates, and policy and culture issues including the Millennial vote and activism, feminism, women in politics, reproductive rights & justice, domestic violence, and race & gender inequality. Media includes: The Washington Post, American Prospect, BBC, NPR, CNN.
Janine A. Parry is Professor of Political Science at the University of Arkansas and has directed the Diane D. Blair Center’s annual Arkansas Poll since its inception in 1999. She is the coauthor of Women’s Rights in the USA and nearly 50 other published works on subjects relating to women in politics, gender policy, state politics, and voter behavior. Parry teaches courses at the introductory through graduate level on topics including American Government, Women and Politics in the Contemporary South, Politics on Film, Arkansas Politics, Gender and Politics, and more. Media includes: The New York Times, NPR, CNN, BBC.
Debbie Walsh is the director of the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics. As director, Walsh manages and oversees CAWP’s multi-faceted programs that include national forums for political women and provide vital information and facilitate creative strategy-building. She also manages leadership and campaign training programs designed to empower women of all ages to participate fully in politics and public life. Finally, she tracks and oversees research focused on women as candidates, public officials and voters. Media includes: The Washington Post, The Guardian, MTV.
Yvonne Gutierrez is Head of Community Engagement at Supermajority. Prior to that, she was the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (PPTV), the statewide electoral and advocacy organization working to engage and organize Texans throughout the state, committed to supporting candidates who are willing to fight and protect women's access to health care. Media includes: Spectrum News, Chron.
Andrea Dew Steele is the Founder of Emerge America. She is also a co-founder of the first Emerge affiliate, Emerge California. Andrea is passionate about electing Democratic women to office at every level and is motivated by a life-long commitment to progressive politics and change. She believes strongly that electing more women is a critical part of the progressive solution. Media includes: Huffington Post, ABC News.
María Teresa Kumar is the founding President and CEO of Voto Latino and an Emmy-nominated contributor with MSNBC. Under her leadership, Voto Latino has become a key factor in national elections by directly registering over a quarter million new voters and influencing millions more through viral, celebrity-driven campaigns. Voto Latino has become a key factor in national elections by directly registering a quarter million new voters and influencing millions more through viral, celebrity-driven campaigns. Media includes: Washingtonian, Huffington Post, Univision, MSNBC.
Former Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards represented Maryland’s 4th Congressional District, comprising portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. She was sworn in after a special election to become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 110th Congress in June 2008, becoming the first African American woman to represent Maryland in Congress. She began her first full-term in the 111th Congress in 2009. Media includes: NBC’s Nightline, CNN's Crossfire, McLaughlin One on One, NBC’s Today Show.
Rahna Epting is the Executive Director at Moveon.org. Before joining Moveon.org she served as Every Voice's Chief of Staff. At Every Voice, she oversaw the strategic implementation of the program to win, helped support the supervision and development of staff, and served as an ambassador to the money in politics efforts across the country. Media includes: Roll Call, Huffington Post, KPFA Radio.
IIlyse Hogue is a nationally-recognized social change practitioner and expert in online engagement with a passion for progressive work. lyse Hogue has been President of NARAL Pro-Choice America since 2013. Hogue is an expert in both electoral and advocacy campaigns who has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Friends of Democracy, Media Matters for America and MoveOn.org. She has worked to organize constituencies in service of social-justice outcomes from environmental sustainability to human rights to media reform and representation. Media includes: The Guardian, The Nation, MSNBC, PBS, CNN, Fox News.
Robin Leeds is the founder and managing director of Winning Strategies LLC, a public affairs and political consulting firm based in Washington, DC. Winning Strategies provides a wide range of services including multi-cultural and crisis communications, public policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, coalition building, issues management, and corporate social responsibility. As a Clinton appointee, Leeds shaped public policy on fair pay, Title IX, affirmative action, voter protection, reproductive rights, health, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. Media includes: Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Politico, France 24.
Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, non-profit, civic and business leader – is best known nationally for her passion at the intersect of women’s leadership and social justice. The second longest serving CEO of the first national organization to financially support women when they run for office, Washington D.C.’s bi-partisan Women’s Campaign Fund and She Should Run, Bennett is now honored to be the Chief Strategic Officer and Senior Vice-President of Legal Momentum, the nation’s first and foremost advocate of women’s and girl’s legal rights, founding and ongoing champions of the culturally transformative “Violence Against Women Act” and “Title IX”. Media includes: Politico, MSNBC, Fox, PBS.
Zerlina Maxwell is the Director of Progressive Programming at SiriusXM and a Political Analyst for MSNBC. She was formerly the Director of Progressive Media for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. She worked in the campaign’s press shop pitching coverage to progressive media outlets and curating daily messaging for online influencers. She also acted as a campaign spokesperson for the Presidential Debates. Media includes: The New York TImes, The New York Daily News, The Washington Post, JET Magazine, Marie Claire Magazine, The Grio, Feministing, BET, CNN.















