Alex Alvarez
He/Him
Executive Director
Progress Arizona
Session: 2024: What Just Happened?
Alex Alvarez is the oldest son of Mexican immigrants. He is the proud product of public education at Mesa Public Schools and graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science.
Alex got his start in politics as a district staffer for both Congressman Gallego in Phoenix and Congresswoman Kirkpatrick in Tucson. He helped Arizonans across the state navigate complex federal policies to secure their benefits – sharpening communication and advocacy skills to bridge the divide between government agencies and community needs. Since then, Alex has held leadership roles on candidate, ballot measure, and independent expenditure campaigns at the statewide, state legislative, and federal levels. He currently serves as the Executive Director for Progress Arizona, the progressive communications hub in the state, coordinating messaging for a diverse coalition on the C3 and C4 side.
Alex lives in Tempe, Arizona with his wife, Kendra, and their two children.
Alex Pond
He/Him
Digital Organizing Director
A Better Wisconsin Together
Session: New Platforms, New Plays
Alex Pond is the Digital Organizing Director at A Better Wisconsin Together. He began his involvement with campaigns in 2012 as a fellow with President Obama’s campaign in his hometown of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Before joining ABWT in September of 2023, Alex worked as an Organizer and Regional with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, then as Field Director and Campaign Manager with the Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Committee. In his current position, he has identified the critical need to adapt traditional field organizing tactics to be effective in the digital space, and leverages these strategies to amplify progressive messages and voices on social media through the Megaphone program.
Alissa Barnes
She/Her
Executive Director
ProgressNow New Mexico
Session: AI for Creatives who Give a Damn
Alissa Barnes is Executive Director at ProgressNow New Mexico where she leads a team that works on message development, issue and voter education, digital amplification of progressive messages and values, and partner communications support across the state of New Mexico. She leads the organization in strategy development, fundraising, and organizational growth and sustainability. Alissa started with ProgressNow New Mexico in March 2020.
Alissa’s background includes nearly 20 years in the non-profit sector. That includes 12 years at Roadrunner Food Bank where Alissa led the development and creation of multiple programs that are now national models, invested in community building and collaborations, and worked closely with elected officials, educating about hunger policies. She has a BA from the University of New Mexico and various non-profit certifications.
In the event of a zombie apocalypse Alissa would grab her coffee and her arch supports. You can’t outrun zombies if you’re tired or have achy feet!
Amy Adams
She/Her
Partnerships Director
Progress Iowa
Sessions: Saving Healthcare, Taxing Billionaires
Amy Adams is the Partnerships Director for Progress Iowa, a board member of Indivisible Iowa, and an organizer dedicated to building power from the ground up. A former educator and proud rural Iowan, Amy has worn multiple hats in County party leadership and strives to make sure the voices of rural Iowans are heard. Whether working in coalition, training volunteers, or knocking on doors, Amy believes real change starts with listening to the stories of others.
Angela Chavez
She/Her
Communications and Public Affairs Director
Courage California
Sessions: Own the Message: Our Channels, Our Power
Angela Chavez is the Communications and Public Affairs Director at Courage California, where she leads statewide and regional C3 and C4 communications as well as legislative, electoral, and issue-based campaigns.
Appointed by Gov. Brown, Angela served as the external affairs and media relations communications specialist for California’s 2020 Census Count. Prior to that role, she was a director of public affairs at a Sacramento-based firm, concentrating on statewide media relations for nonprofits, change narratives, and equity campaigns. She also worked as a multimedia reporter for a Central Valley newspaper.
Angela Chavez holds a B.A. in journalism from CSUS and is the founding director of a Sacramento nonprofit.
Anna Scholl
She/Her
President
ProgressNow
Sessions: Welcome Remarks and Opening Remarks on Day Two
Anna Scholl is the executive director of ProgressNow, a national network of 26 state-based digital and communications hubs providing vital progressive infrastructure. Since taking the reins at ProgressNow in 2021, Anna has grown the state network, expanded partnerships, and launched groundbreaking new programs to keep the organization on the leading edge of communications and digital innovation.
Previously, Anna founded and led Progress Virginia, ProgressNow’s Virginia affiliate, through a decade of growth and success. Her message strategy was instrumental to winning Medicaid expansion, voting rights, student loan borrower protections, and the only Democratic trifecta in the South. In 2020, she oversaw over $50M in digital investments that delivered state victories for President Joe Biden. Anna has worked and consulted on numerous campaigns and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her family where she can be found cheering for the UVA basketball team (Go Hoos!)
Annie Wu Henry
She/Her
Way to Win
Session: Own the Message: Our Channels, Our Power
Annie Wu Henry is a pioneering digital strategist and creative director transforming modern political communications at the intersection of digital strategy, culture, and movement building. She has led digital efforts for figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ro Khanna, and the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race, as well as organizations including Way2Win, Working Families Party, and AAPI Victory Fund. Her rapid-response systems and strategic content frameworks have generated billions of impressions, mobilized key communities, and helped raise millions in grassroots donations. Annie is also a trusted advisor to both Fortune 500 companies and progressive organizations, known for her deep expertise in digital architecture, creator engagement, and political storytelling. Her work and insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, and more. Grounded in her roots as a digital organizer, she continues to shape how campaigns and movements leverage authenticity and digital tools to drive impact and cultural change.
Aram Fischer
He/Him
CEO and Co-Founder
Change Agent AI
Session: AI for Creatives Who Give A Damn
Aram Fischer is CEO and Co-Founder of Change Agent AI. Aram’s career has spanned political organizing and communications consulting, implementing enterprise applications, managing a media company, raising funds for grassroots group through the Movement Voter Project, promoting open source election technology, and documentary filmmaking. Aram is an expert at operationalizing AI within an organization from integrating AI into organizational workflows to optimizing AI solutions to maximize impact.
Aram’s LinkedIn URL:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aramfischer/
Arun Chaudhary
He/Him
Director
Committee
Sessions: Remarks from Arun Chaudhary; Messaging to Resist Authoritarians
Arun Chaudhary is a filmmaker working in politics. After being a key member of Barack Obama’s New Media team during the 2008 campaign, he became the first Official White House Videographer, a position created for him at the beginning of the Obama administration. Chaudhary traveled extensively with the President, capturing public events and behind-the-scenes moments as well as producing and packaging presidential tapings for the Internet and broadcast television. He and his team set a new standard in documenting history, delivering crucial images to the public from the road in real-time. Arun is the creator and architect of “West Wing Week”, the first-ever online video diary of the White House. You can read about Arun’s time with Obama in this New York Times profile.
After departing from the White House, Chaudhary joined Revolution Messaging as a partner, where he went on to help craft Senator Bernie Sanders’ game changing 2016 Presidential campaign as Creative Director. Arun’s work received extensive media coverage and praise, including this Ozy profile, “The Creative Genius Behind Bernie’s Revolution”, and this New Yorker piece, “How the Sanders’ Campaign got a Punk Sensibility”.
in 2020, Arun moved to Berlin with his family to focus on counter-programming the far-right globally and to work more closely in international elections/campaigns.
Aubrey Wieber
He/Him
Executive Director
907 Initiative
Session: Own the Message: Our Channels, Our Power
Aubrey Wieber is the director of the 907 Initiative, Alaska’s progressive communications hub. Aubrey lives in Anchorage, Alaska and has been working for the 907 Initiative since 2022. Prior to that, he worked as a reporter for newspapers throughout the west.
Bobby Clark
He/Him
Founder and Senior Advisor
Winning Jobs Narrative
Session: The Heroes of Our Story: Centering Working People Across Raace, Geography and Issues
Bobby Clark is a communications strategist and independent consultant focused on projects that build winning majorities for elections and policy change. He is the founder and senior advisor to the Winning Jobs Narrative project – the most expansive project undertaken to rebuild connection with working class voters across race and geography. As an early member of Howard Dean’s presidential campaign, Bobby helped pioneer digital communications in campaigns. He returned to Colorado to help found and build ProgressNow Colorado and the ProgressNow national network. As Vice President for Communications and Programs at the Gill Foundation, the nation’s largest funder of LGBTQ equality, Bobby helped develop persuasive messaging and campaigns for the successful effort to win broad majority support for the freedom to marry. Bobby also serves currently as a senior advisor to the BuildUS collaborative fund.
Brianna Koerth
She/Her
Creative Director
Wisco Project
Session: Influencers Power: Beyond the Likes
Brianna Koerth is a Wisconsin-based political strategist known for her dedication to youth organizing and Democratic campaigns. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Political Science, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to engaging young voters and promoting civic participation.
She served as the Youth Organizing Director for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, where she played a pivotal role in mobilizing young voters.
In 2023, Koerth led The Wisco Project as Creative Director, focusing on innovative strategies to engage young voters. Her team addressed issues resonating with youth, such as gun culture, economic policies, and housing affordability. Notably, their “Gun Culture” ad targeted young men outside urban areas, emphasizing Democratic candidates’ responsible gun ownership records. The project also produced content on topics like Xbox prices and tariffs, as well as rent and housing concerns. Koerth emphasized the importance of substance over style in connecting with young voters, stating that addressing their issues authentically is crucial for maintaining their support. She continued with the program for the 2025 election where the org was essential in electing Judge Susan Crawford to the State Supreme Court.
Through her various roles, Brianna Koerth has significantly influenced Wisconsin’s political landscape, particularly in fostering youth engagement and advocating for policies addressing young people’s concerns. She now focuses on how to innovate in reaching young voters in paid media, through merchandise, and on social media.
Carly Hawkins
She/Her
Chief of Staff
Strategic Victory Fund
Session: What Funders Learned (and What They’re Betting On)
Carly Hawkins is the Strategic Victory Fund Chief of Staff. Previously, she was a research consultant for more than a decade, working with campaigns up and down the ballot and across the country, as well as other progressive committees and groups. Born and raised in the Land of Lincoln, she graduated in the inaugural class of Capital Scholars from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Casey Clowes
She/Her
Policy and Research Director
Progress Arizona
Session: Influencers Power: Behind the Likes
Casey Clowes is a loving dog mom whose nine professional lives have led her to her current adventure as a communicator for the past two years with Progress Arizona.
Casey earned her stripes (and degrees) at Arizona State University with a BS in Public Service and Public Policy and a JD from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. She served as Symposium Editor for the Arizona State Law Journal and was active in the environmental and sustainability program, publishing on western water law and drought solutions, researching tribal water rights and natural resource damages, and leading the environmental law moot court team.
Casey has worked in a variety of fields from Section 8 property management, business immigration law, electricity rate-setting, hydro dam licensing, and tribal water rights, and voter protection at the DCCC. Over a decade of climate justice organizing led her to being elected to the Salt River Project’s board in April 2024, where she helps govern the nation’s largest public utility.
At Progress Arizona, she manages our anti-disinformation, research and testing, legislative advocacy, election protection and democracy defense (ESRN), and micro-influencer programs. She is proud to have created an ad series praised by Fast Company including concept, scripts, and even serving as talent and led on every step of creating our successful ad campaign with Planned Parenthood Votes organizing the video shoot, scriptwriting, producing, and editing an ad that moved our targeted persuasion audience by a remarkable 16 points.
In all aspects of her life, Casey works for a future where everyone—even cat people—can thrive.
Craig Johnson
He/Him
CTO and Co-Founder
Change Agent AI
Session: AI for Creatives Who Give a Damn
Craig Johnson is the Chief Technical Officer and a Co-Founder of Change Agent AI. Craig combines his extensive experience in political and issue-based digital communications with his recognized thought leadership and practical experience in AI and technology. Over his decade-long career, he has strategized and executed digital campaigns for notable members of Congress, Community Change Action, State Voices, the Feminist Majority, and Americans for Tax Fairness. Craig’s unique blend of strategic acumen and technical expertise, particularly his leadership in AI and full-stack web development, empowers Unfiltered.Media and Change Agent to transform complex strategies into tangible digital innovations. He spearheads the development of Change Agent AI’s LLM chatbot, leveraging his expertise to drive innovation and progress in the field of artificial intelligence.
Craig’s LinkedIn URL:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-johnson-4bb33195/
Eddy Morales
He/Him
Principal
Morales Public Relations (MPR)
Session: What Funders Learned (And What They’re Betting On)
Eddy Morales is a seasoned strategist, trusted advisor, and lifelong organizer committed to building relationships that drive impact — and impact that builds legacy. As Principal of Morales Public Relations (MPR), Eddy leads a boutique, cross-sector advisory firm designed for a new era of donor leadership: one that blends philanthropy, politics, advocacy, and impact investment into a single, values-aligned vision for change.
A proud son of Mexican immigrants, Eddy brings over two decades of experience across movement building, political strategy, and narrative development. At MPR, he helps clients move resources with intention, elevate underestimated leaders, and craft the story of the change they are creating — all while navigating complex terrain with discretion, clarity, and heart.
Before launching MPR, Eddy served as a Fund Director at the Democracy Alliance, where he mobilized over $50 millions in support of BIPOC-, women-, and LGBTQIA+-led political infrastructure. His 24-year career spans advising elected officials, celebrities, donors, and nonprofits on how to lead with both authenticity and impact. His work has been featured on CNN and MSNBC, and he’s co-authored public pieces with changemakers like the late Howard Zinn and produced national media events with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell.
Eddy is currently serving his second term as a Gresham City Councilor in East Multnomah County, Oregon, where he champions housing justice, public safety, and participatory democracy. He’s earned national recognition for his values-driven leadership and coalition-building, including being named to Washington Life’s “40 Under 40” list.
His board service includes roles with New Media Ventures, Local Progress, Midwest Academy, Oregon Participatory Budgeting, Planned Parenthood of Columbia Willamette, and the Democratic Party of Oregon. A University of Oregon alum, Eddy co-founded the school’s first Latino Alumni Association and currently serves on the University of Oregon Alumni Board.
At the core of Eddy’s work is a belief that strategy must be personal, political, and principled. Whether supporting a new donor or helping build a cross-movement collaborative, he approaches every engagement as a narrative strategist, impact architect, and discreet thought partner.
Eddy lives in East County with his husband Hugh, his mother-in-law Rochelle, and their rescue pup, Besitos.
Elizabeth H. Shuler
She/Her
President
AFL-CIO
Session: Remarks from Elizabeth H. Shuler
Elizabeth H. Shuler is president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 63 unions representing nearly 15 million working people across all sectors of the U.S. economy. She is the first woman to hold the office of president in the history of the labor federation. A visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, Shuler believes the labor movement is a powerful vehicle for progress and that unions are a central force in leading lasting societal transformations. Her leadership has focused on the future of work, clean energy economy, workforce development, and empowering women and young workers. She is committed to leveraging the labor movement’s diversity and power to advance social and economic justice, and to making the benefits of a union voice on the job available to working people everywhere.
Ellie Artone
She/Her
Chief Creative Officer
Social Currant
Session: Influencer Power: Beyond the Likes
Ellie Artone is the Chief Creator Officer at Social Currant, where she leads groundbreaking strategies that connect mission-driven organizations with Gen Z audiences through authentic, impactful creator partnerships. Recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2025 for her leadership in marketing and social impact, Ellie has become a trusted voice in bridging the gap between content creation and cause-driven campaigns.
At the heart of her work is a passion for amplifying voices that matter—especially within the nonprofit and social good sectors. Whether helping organizations scale their digital storytelling or guiding them through the evolving creator economy, Ellie brings a unique blend of creativity, data-driven insight, and purpose-led strategy.
At the 2025 Commference in St. Louis, Ellie is excited to connect with nonprofits and impact organizations looking to elevate their message in partnership with creators and engage the next generation of changemakers.
Emily Banks
They/Them
Senior Digital Services Specialist
Target Smart
Session: New Platforms, New Plays
Emily Banks (they/them) has been volunteering and working in the Democratic ecosystem since college. Starting as a volunteer for Clinton for President in 2016, they have held many jobs throughout the political sphere: field organizer, executive assistant for a state agency commissioner, competitive tracking analyst, and they currently serve as a Senior Digital Services Specialist at TargetSmart. When not working, Emily enjoys traveling and is spending 2025 road tripping the country.
Emmanuelle Leal-Santillan
He/Him
National Communications and Media Director
Somos Votantes
Session: The Job Messaging That Delivers
Emmanuelle is the National Communications and Media Director for Somos Votantes, and sister organization Somos PAC, together we run the largest independent Latino civic and voter engagement programs in the country. Somos Votantes works to empower hardworking Latinos in shaping the future of our democracy, primarily through non-partisan programs, by increasing our participation in elections and advocating for progressive policies. Somos PAC works to elect progressive candidates. Together, our work to inform, engage, and empower hardworking Latinos focuses on three central pillars; large scale, year-round field programs (door-to-door and site based canvassing); bilingual paid media outreach (TV, radio, digital, mail and creator programs); and state-focused research and message testing.
Emmanuelle was born in Durango, Mexico and raised in Las Vegas, NV where he currently resides. After more than 30 years of being undocumented, a DACA recipient and a legal permanent resident, he finally was able to become a U.S. citizen and voted for the first time last November. He comes from a mixed status immigrant family made up of hardworking people who help fuel his desire to ensure members of his community have the tools and opportunities we need to build a good life.
Erin Lodes
She/Her
Research and Communications Manager
Progress Michigan
Session: Disinfo in 2025 and Beyond
Erin Lodes has more than a decade of communications experience. She got her start in this work as a campaign organizer and has been with Progress Michigan doing research and communications since 2020. Fun Fact: She has lived in Ireland on and off for most of her adult life.
Ernie Britt
He/Him
National Narrative Officer
We Make The Future
Session: Race-Class Messaging: Say It So It Sticks
Ernie Britt is committed to the fight for Black and queer liberation, economic justice, and a multiracial democracy — particularly in the South. He has worked on several high-profile Democratic campaigns as a writer, creative, and digital organizer, including Elizabeth Warren for President and Stacey Abrams for Governor, as well as races in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and his home state of Florida. In the midst of the COVID pandemic and the 2020 uprisings for racial justice, Ernie led campaigns for the Criminal Justice & Democracy Team at Color Of Change. As a Campaign Director, he managed base-building strategies and narrative research to divest from policing and invest in Black futures, hold corporations accountable for their role in mass incarceration, and push for meaningful criminal justice reform at a critical moment. Now, Ernie serves as the National Narrative Officer at We Make The Future (WMTF), helping organizers build narrative power so that all of us — regardless of race, place, gender, or status — can thrive.
Heeyoung Leem
He/Him
Director of Digital Strategy
Hub Project
Session: Influence for Impact: Building a Creator Strategy
Heeyoung is a digital and campaign strategist with an award winning background in digital production, advertisement, rapid response, and mail campaigns. Heeyoung has managed public affairs campaigns for corporate clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to professional sports teams, to building communication and fundraising programs for high profile campaigns such as Gov. Beshear, Gov. Mills, Gov. Evers, AG Campbell, and Sara Gideon. Heeyoung currently works in the non-profit space and runs Trending Up, an annual creator conference.
Irene Kao
She/Her
Executive Director
Courage California
Session: 2024: What Just Happened?
Irene joined Courage California, in 2020, as the first woman of color to lead the organization. She brings more than twenty years of experience working with and advocating for low-income communities of color, including in immigrant and refugee support services, public housing, early childhood education, media, philanthropy and politics. Prior to joining Courage California, Irene was a strategic advisor to nonprofit and philanthropic leaders and organizations.
Jake Sinderbrand
He/Him
Partnership and Outreach Manager
Public News Service
Session: Own the Message: Our Channels, Our Power
Jake Sinderbrand has been the Partnership and Outreach Manager at Public News Service for the past five years, with a focus on engaging nonprofits in local journalism that lifts up their expertise. Prior to joining PNS, Jake worked in electoral organizing with the labor movement in the Midwest and managed client relations at a retail startup. He is a Macalester College alum and lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Jen Ferris
She/They
Senior Strategy Director
ProgressNow
Session: Direct Democracy for the Win — Ballot Measures and Constitutional Amendments
Jen Ferris is the Senior Strategy Director at ProgressNow. Jen has spent nearly two decades working in the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement, and has been with the ProgressNow network for eight years. Jen lives in Chapel Hill, NC.
Kalina Newman
She/Her
Senior Communications Coordinator
AFSCME
Session: AFSCME Strong: Effectively Uplifting Our Union Members’ Stories in the Face of Anti-Worker Attacks
Kalina Newman is the Senior Digital Communications Coordinator for AFSCME, a labor union representing more than 1.4 million workers across hundreds of different public sector occupations. Previously, she worked at the AFL-CIO where she drove new strategies on how to educate and foster youth engagement around workers’ rights and economic justice, particularly on social media and in the press. Her career began in journalism and is known to pop up on someone’s feed from time to time with an article about the Washington, D.C. restaurant scene.
Kalina lives in DC with her husband and their two cats.
Kassandra Alvarez
She/Her
Communications Director
Rural Arizona Engagement and Rural Arizona Action
Session: Rethinking Rural: Messaging that Connects
Kassandra Alvarez is a multimedia storyteller, filmmaker, and communications strategist specializing in multicultural media. A Mexican immigrant from Sonora raised in Phoenix, Arizona, she is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and advocating for immigrant rights, education access, and climate justice.
With over nine years working across media, advocacy, and community organizing, Kassandra has collaborated with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, developing communications strategies, media campaigns, and storytelling projects that support both grassroots movements and national initiatives. Her work spans local political campaigns, city-wide public programs, planning committees, and movement-building efforts with organizations like the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, Movimiento Cosecha, and One Arizona.
In addition to her communications work, Kassandra is an experienced photographer and producer, with a background in documentary filmmaking and visual storytelling that centers the lived experiences of marginalized communities.
She currently serves as Communications Director for Rural Arizona Engagement and Rural Arizona Action, where she leads statewide efforts to advance civic engagement and equity in Arizona’s rural communities.
Laura Barrett, MSW
She/Her
Campaign Director
SEIU HCIIMK
Session: Saving Healthcare, Taxing Billionaires
Laura Barrett, MSW, fought for justice as a labor and community organizer with Housing Comes First, MoPIRG, the Transportation Equity Network, Gamaliel, Interfaith Worker Justice, the Center for Community Change and others for more than 30 years. She is now the Campaign Director for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) HCIIMK, heading up the local’s electoral and legislative work in Missouri.
Laura Chapin
She/Her
Media Communications Director
Cobalt Strategies
Session: Winning on Abortion Rights Without Gestational Limits
Laura Chapin serves as Media Communications Director for Cobalt Advocates, a Colorado based abortion rights advocacy organization that also runs the state’s largest independent abortion fund. Cobalt co-chaired Colorado’s 2024 Amendment 79 ballot measure campaign, which put abortion rights into the state constitution and overturned a ban on public insurance coverage for abortion care. It won with 62% of the vote statewide.
Lex Beckom
She/Her
Digital Content Creator
ProgressNow
Session: AI for Creatives Who Give a Damn
Lex Beckom is a content creator and designer with 5+ years of experience driving engagement through storytelling, activism, and trend-savvy strategies. Passionate about social impact, she crafts authentic content that resonates and empowers communities.
Lexi Thompson
She/Her
Advocacy Coordinator
ProgressNow
Session: Rethinking Rural: Messaging that Connects
Lexi Thompson is the Advocacy Coordinator at ProgressNow where she works to connect state affiliates with tools and resources that enhance their work advancing the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement in their communities. Lexi also brings her experience organizing on a statewide campaign and working at a communications consulting firm to the nonprofit world she currently works in. Lexi was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where she resides today, and is an Arizona State University alum.
Margarida Jorge
She/Her
Founder and Executive Director
Health Care for America Now (HCAN)
Session: Saving Healthcare, Taxing Billionaires
Margarida Jorge is a 30-year veteran of union, political and issue advocacy campaigns. She is a founder and Executive Director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the landmark 47-state campaign to pass, implement and defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She also served as Campaign Director for Lower Drug Prices Now (LDPN), a coalition campaign that won historic Medicare reforms to lower prescription drug prices in the 117th Congress.
As a nationally recognized expert on coalitions, leadership development, grassroots organizing and campaign strategy, Margarida has worked with many organizations on a wide variety of issues including reproductive rights, bipartisan criminal justice reforms, progressive taxes and economic justice and workplace policies. She has held leadership roles at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Women’s Equality Center (WEC), the bipartisan Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), and Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF). In addition, Margarida has been a consultant, strategist and board member for many groups including Faith in Public Life, Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted People & Families Movement (FICPFM), Shelly and Felton White (SFW) Institute, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Working America, Faith in Action, Main Street Alliance, Family Values@Work, Early Learning and Childcare Hub, and Ms. Foundation for Women.
Before moving to Washington, DC, to lead national campaigns, Margarida spent 13 years as a community and union organizer working in states like Florida, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and many others. Margarida is a first-generation immigrant from a farming family. She holds two degrees from Columbia University.
Mariah Prowoznik
She/Her
Creative Manager
ProgressNow
Session: AI for Creatives Who Give a Damn
Mariah Prowoznik is the Creative Manager at Progress Now, bringing over a decade of experience in design, branding and political communication to the fight for progressive change. She’s passionate about using AI tools to enhance creative strategy – while keeping the message clear, human, and persuasive.
MaryEllen Veliz
She/Her
Team Lead of Political Sales
DSPolitical
Session: COMMSTalks: Lost in Translation: Fixing Progressive Latino Communication
MaryEllen is a seasoned political strategist and Team Lead of Political Sales at DSPolitical, here she supports a national team in delivering cutting-edge programmatic digital advertising strategies for campaigns and causes across the country. With deep expertise in advocacy and lobbying campaigns targeting state and federal legislators, she ensures ad campaigns are culturally competent and precisely targeted—so all voices are represented at the ballot box and in the policies that shape our lives.
Her career spans grassroots organizing, electoral campaigns, and congressional leadership, including her previous role as Deputy Chief of StaG and District Director to U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas). MaryEllen brings a strategic, equity-driven lens to every initiative and serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes and Planned Parenthood South Texas.
Maya Castillo
She/Her
Managing Director
ProgressNow
Session: 2024: What Just Happened?
Maya Castillo is the Managing Director at ProgressNow and ProgressNow Education. She joined the ProgressNow team after more two decades of experience in various roles throughout the progressive infrastructure, including organized labor, leading large scale field campaigns, in voter protection and as an advocate for public libraries. She is based in Fairfax, VA.
Michael Frias
He/Him
Chief Executive Officer
Catalist
Sessions: 2024: What Just Happened?
Michael Frias has over twenty years combined experience in politics, state government, and the federal government. Prior to joining Catalist, Michael was at the Department of Homeland Security. While there, he served as Deputy Chair of the Common Vetting Task Force and led the interagency development of a Big Data environment to improve
information sharing across the DHS Enterprise and the Intelligence Community. Michael was awarded the Secretary’s Award for Excellence by Secretary Jeh Johnson for his outstanding work.
Previously, Michael served as Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick’s Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill. He also served in Governor Janet Napolitano’s administration and has worked on national, statewide, congressional, and municipal campaigns across the country, including California, Florida, and Ohio. Notably, he was the Arizona Coordinated Campaign Director in 2006 and the State Director for America Coming Together (ACT) in 2004.
Michael currently leads Catalist, a progressive data and analytics firm where he serves as the company’s first Latino CEO. He also serves on the advisory boards of Higher Ground Labs, Equis Research Advisory Board, the Better Internet Initiative (BII), and a board member of Poder Latinx. Michael is a native Arizonan. He currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Carmen, and their four children.
Miriam Erickson
She/Her
Research Manager
Blue Rose Research
Session: AI for Persuasion: Real-World Impacts in the 2024 Elections
Miriam Erickson is a Research Manager at Blue Rose Research and has been with the team since 2022. She works with a wide range of progressive clients to understand how to most effectively persuade voters to support the good guys. Before Blue Rose, Miriam earned a PhD in Social Psychology from CU Boulder. Outside of work you can find her at a local coffee shop or pilates studio, or maybe walking one of her cats.
Nick Ahamed
He/Him
Deputy Executive Director
Priorities USA
Session: New Platforms, New Plays
Nick Ahamed is a Deputy Executive Director at Priorities USA, covering political partnerships, analytics and opinion research. In that role, he leads Priorities’ political operation by supporting and working with progressive allies. He also oversees the organization’s analytics and opinion research strategy, ensuring our messages are developed, tested, and delivered rigorously. Previously, he served in analytics roles at Priorities and Civis analytics. Priorities is a leading Democratic organization built to engage, persuade, and mobilize millions of voters online.
Pia Nargundkar
She/Her
Messaging Director
Progress North Carolina
Session: Using Race Class Narrative IRL
Pia Nargundkar is the Messaging Director at Progress North Carolina Action, where she spearheads the team’s public opinion research and delivers messaging guidance to partners throughout the state. Prior to joining Progress, Pia spent time as a women’s rights advocate and a community organizer, as well as nearly a decade as a political pollster, where she advised presidential campaigns, issue advocates, and down ballot campaigns across the country. Pia has a Bachelor’s degree in Government from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University.
Rasheen Aldridge
He/Him
Alderman
14th Ward
Session: Remarks From St. Louis Alderman, Rasheen Aldridge
Rasheen Aldridge is the Alderman for the Mighty 14th Ward, which represents the neighborhoods of Old North, Downtown, Carr Square, St. Louis Place, Hyde Park, College Hill, and JVL.
Born in North St. Louis, Aldridge is a proud product of the public institutions around him. He graduated from Parkway West High School and South Technical High School in 2012. Aldridge earned an Associate’s Degree In Heating and Cooling while at South Technical High School.
Aldridge was born with a disability at birth, giving him a unique understanding of the world not many have. He has two brothers, on his mother’s side and 9 siblings on his father’s side.
Aldridge has been involved in politics and community organizing since he was a young man. He was a leader in the local Fight For 15 movement known as Show Me 15. Aldridge was an activist during the Ferguson Uprising, and was later appointed by former Gov. Nixon to serve on the Ferguson Commission. He met with President Obama in 2014 to discuss community & policing relationships.
Aldridge ran for 5th Ward Committeeman during the 2016 Primary Election & won in a Special Election after a court ruling for a new election making him the youngest African American Committeeman in St. Louis City history.
Alderman Aldridge was elected in a special election in November 2019 to become the 78th District State Representative. He was elected by the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus to serve as the Caucus Secretary and by his Freshman Representatives to serve as Chairman of the Freshman Democratic Caucus.
Roberta Braga
She/Her
Founder and Executive Director
Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas (DDIA)
Session: Disinfo in the 2.0 MAGAverse
Roberta Braga is founder and executive director of the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas (DDIA), a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening a healthier Internet for Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America through research, capacity-building, and policy.
Roberta brings years of expertise working in democracy-building, and campaigns and communications. She was director for counter-disinformation strategies at Equis, a set of organizations working to better understand the Latino electorate in the United States, and served as deputy director for programs and outreach at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, where she led programming on Brazil and projects on countering disinformation and misinformation in elections across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, as well as in Venezuela.
Roberta earned her MA in Global Communication with a focus on Public Diplomacy from The George Washington University and her BA in Journalism and International Security from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Originally from Brazil, she is a native Portuguese- and English-speaker, and fluent in Spanish.
Stephan Page
He/Him
Development Manager
ProgressNow
Session: What Funders Learned (And What They’re Betting On)
Stephan is the Development Manager at ProgressNow, where he works with partners and funders to resource progressive communications strategies. With experience in organizing, policy, and fundraising, he previously worked for local candidates in Northern Nevada, NARAL, and the Human Rights Campaign. He has also worked in social services and within the HIV modernization movement. Born and raised in California, Stephan is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno and now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Tim Molina
He/Him
Deputy Director
Committee on States
Session: What Funders Learned (And What They’re Betting On)
Tim Molina serves as the Deputy Director of the Committee on States (COS), where he leads strategic planning, their conference, and national partnerships to propel the organization’s mission forward. At COS, Tim’s commitment is to shift donor culture to center transformative justice and invest in multiracial infrastructure across states that empowers communities with the governing power they deserve.
Before COS, Tim was Sr. Political Strategist at the California Donor Table (CDT), an affiliate of COS. There, he helped build regional and state infrastructure and aligned resources to elect progressive champions at every level of the ballot. Before joining CDT, Tim was the Political Director with Courage California, a ProgressNow affiliate! There he led their electoral organizing and accountability program. Tim has also worked with MoveOn.org, Brave New films, and began his career with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organizing healthcare and nonprofit workers in Northern California.
Originally from Los Angeles (Go Dodgers), Tim now lives in Bloomfield, NJ, with his wife Alexandra and their wild and amazing baby toddler Lucia.
Treasure Mackley
She/Her
Executive Director
Invest in Washington Now
Session: The Road to Revenue: How we Built a Fairer Tax Code and Won on the Ballot!
Treasure Mackley is an executive leader, strategist, and certified leadership coach with decades of experience driving high-impact work across advocacy and the nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as Executive Director of Invest in Washington Now, where she leads bold campaigns to advance progressive tax policy and economic justice.
Previously, Treasure served as Vice President and Interim CEO of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest & Hawaii and has been a trusted strategic advisor on numerous ballot initiatives, legislative campaigns, and community-driven efforts. Known for building strong teams and delivering lasting results, she helps organizations and leaders align purpose with impact.
Treasure lives in Edmonds, Washington with her husband, son, and dogs. She curates joy by dancing, and exploring the forests of the Puget Sound.
Vanessa Rolon
She/Her
Account Executive
Pivot
Session: Rethinking Rural: Messaging that Connects
Vanessa Rolon has over a decade of on-the-ground campaign experience in several battleground states. Between managing state legislative races, building statewide universes, and raising money for candidates, Vanessa is a jack-of-all trade campaign strategist. Prior to joining Pivot, Vanessa was working with different campaigns to manage their paid communication strategies on different mediums including mail, streaming platforms, and social media.
Born and raised in Miami, Vanessa’s is a proud first generation American who’s passion for democracy was instilled at a young age. Vanessa got her first crack at politics registering voters while attending Florida International University. Campaigns have taken Vanessa to different parts of the country, including parts of sunny Florida to Chicago during a polar vortex.
Vanessa currently lives in Washington D.C. with her spouse and their cats, Vaquita la del Barrio and Lion. During her free time, she can be found sorting her baseball card collection, tinkering with her fantasy team lineup, or planning her next trip to watch the New York Yankees play.
Victoria Gordon
She/Her
Senior Digital Manager
ProgressNow
Session: Disinfo in the 2.0 MAGAverse
Victoria is the Senior Digital Manager at ProgressNow, where she works on ads, social listening, and provides digital and technical guidance to the 28 state affiliate network. She also has a strong background in opposition research and combatting disinformation.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Victoria has spent a fair amount of her career working in the North Carolina movement. And as a University of North Carolina graduate, you can always find her cheering on the Tar Heels.
