Unions, Workers Advocates Urge Court to Reject Efforts to Weaken Protections for Workers Facing Layoffs

Skye L. Perryman is President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. Perryman took the helm at Democracy Forward a few months after January 6, 2021, in the midst of rising extremism in communities and courts across the country. She has built a visionary team of legal, policy, and communications experts to confront anti-democratic extremism head-on while also using the law to advance progress and a bold vision for the future. Under Perryman’s leadership, Democracy Forward has expanded the scope and reach of its work, emerging as a nationally recognized institution that is taking on the most significant issues affecting people, families, and communities– from defending civil rights and fair wages to seeking to expand access to reproductive health care post-Dobbs to confronting attacks on education to addressing the climate crisis and much more. Perryman often leverages the power of ordinary Americans, business, industries, and unlikely allies to create impact in this critical time. In 2024, Perryman was named one of the Most Influential People Shaping Policy by Washingtonian magazine, which noted her role as a resource for both moderates and progressives. 

Known for her strategic insight and impact-oriented leadership, Perryman has a track record of winning tough legal and policy battles, uniting diverse coalitions, and elevating voices that represent the fabric of our country to deliver results that improve the lives of millions. Over the course of her nearly two decade legal career, Perryman has provided legal and strategic counsel for a broad range of clients and institutions. She previously served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. There, she oversaw legal and policy strategies that resulted in historic advancements in access to health care for women, including developing strategies to support the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage for more than 500,000 people, overseeing litigation that enabled the distribution of mifepristone by mail for the first time in US history, launching an industry-wide effort to promote racial equity in medicine, and leading comprehensive legal and policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to ACOG, Perryman was a member of the founding litigation team at Democracy Forward, where, in the wake of the 2016 election, she sued to halt the voter suppression activities of the now-disbanded Pence-Kobach voting commission, developed challenges to the politically-motivated rollback of evidence-based program funding, and exposed corruption and wrongdoing through litigation. Perryman has also served in litigation roles at two global law firms where she gained the trust of clients in the health care, financial services, education, and consumer products industries while simultaneously maintaining an active pro bono practice, receiving numerous commendations and awards for her work. 

Perryman is a frequent guest lecturer and keynote speaker to national and international audiences on matters at the intersection of law and policy. Her legal work has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court as well as state supreme courts and her work and perspective are frequently covered by major media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, The Washington Post, TIME, Forbes Women, Insider, Ms. Magazine, and Teen Vogue, among many others.

Ms. Perryman grew up in Waco, Texas and is a proud product of K-12 public education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy magna cum laude from Baylor University where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and a Juris Doctor with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center where she served as an Editor for the American Criminal Law Review and was an Editor in Chief for the ACLR’s Annual Survey on White Collar Crime. Skye serves on the boards of the Atlas Performing Arts Center, the Interfaith Alliance, the Baylor Line Foundation, and the Texas Observer.

Armond Baboomian is Chief of Staff & Deputy General Counsel at Democracy Forward. 

Armond comes to Democracy Forward with a deep background in national security. Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Armond worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as an analyst and an Assistant General Counsel. Armond earned an LL.M. in National Security Law from Georgetown University Law Center and a J.D. with a concentration in International Law from the University of California Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Armond attended college at University of California, Berkeley, where he studied Political Science, Rhetoric, and Business Administration.

Armond is a member of the California Bar. Armond enjoys traveling.

Brooke Bartschat is an Administrative Associate at Democracy Forward. 

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Brooke completed an internship with the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, where she assisted in communications and policy work to foster and support the development of effective alcohol and other drug use prevention and treatment programs throughout the country. Brooke received her B.A. in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government from American University last fall, and hopes to pursue a J.D. sometime in the future.

Andrew Bookbinder is a Legal Fellow at Democracy Forward.

Andrew graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 2024, where he received the Edwin C. Baker award for most pro bono hours in the graduating class. While at Penn Law, Andrew served as the Co-President of the Democracy Law Project, an editor of the Journal of Law and Social Change, an inaugural Penn Law Equity & Inclusion Fellow, and the Public Interest Chair of Penn Law’s Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. Andrew also worked as a Certified Legal Intern with Penn Law’s Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic. During his summers, he worked on civil rights issues at the ACLU of Virginia and the Special Litigation Division of the Public Defender Service of D.C.

Prior to law school, Andrew spent two years working as a casework supervisor at the American Red Cross of Los Angeles engaging in housing advocacy and for a year as an intern investigator at the Public Defender Service of D.C., where he supported both the civil and trial divisions. Originally from the D.C. area, Andrew graduated with honors from the College of William & Mary with a B.A. in government. 

Will Bardwell is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

After graduating with honors from the University of Mississippi in 2003, he spent two years as a newspaper reporter at a small, daily newspaper in east Mississippi. In 2008, he returned to the University of Mississippi for law school and graduated with honors.

Will joined Democracy Forward in 2022 after working for six years at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where he developed and litigated cases concerning public education, voting rights, prison conditions, disproportionate sentencing, and other civil rights issues. Before SPLC, Will was in private practice for five years. Will also served as a law clerk at the Mississippi Supreme Court and for Judge Carlton W. Reeves at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. His experience spans every stage of litigation, and he has litigated in venues ranging from Mississippi justice courts to the United States Supreme Court.

Will is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association, the D.C. Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association. He is a Green Bay Packers fan and an avid golfer who has contributed to a handful of golf publications, including The Fried Egg and The Golfer’s Journal.

Brittany Bernardi is the Manager of Talent Acquisition and Training at Democracy Forward.

Brittany joins Democracy Forward with a strong background in advancing mission-driven and people-centric programs. Previously, she held the position of Manager of Talent Acquisition at Civic News Company, where she implemented hiring practices that fostered equity and inclusion. With a background in startup environments, Brittany has supported technical hiring, learning and development programming, and operational support. Her work is guided by a commitment to the Democracy Forward mission, and how our people enable our essential work.

Brittany received her B.A. in Communications from Hope College, and her M.A. In Museum Studies from CUNY. She currently resides in Queens, NY, where she can often be found at her sewing machine. 

Dr. Ananda Burra is a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward, litigating in support of at-risk communities, including to thwart abuses of power and to protect individual and collective rights.

Ananda’s practice at Democracy Forward builds on his experience in complex litigation in local, regional, national, and international fora. Before coming to Democracy Forward, Ananda was an associate at the civil rights boutique of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, where he was part of major wins against corporate and government bad actors in the fields of climate misinformation, the rights of incarcerated individuals, and the rights of poor and marginalized communities. He was recognized as a “Super Lawyer: Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters. Ananda developed his litigation skills as an associate in the international arbitration and litigation practice at Jones Day, where his pro bono practice focused on migrant rights, racial justice, and access to courts.

Most recently, Ananda served as Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean at BML Munjal University in New Delhi, India. He holds a PhD in legal history from the University of Michigan and obtained his JD magna cum laude from the same institution. His research focused on civil procedure, racial justice, and international law. Ananda clerked for Judge Joan Donoghue and Judge Giorgio Gaja at the International Court of Justice in The Hague and was a fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at Cambridge University and at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. He received his BA from Williams College. After growing up in India and living in a half-dozen countries, Ananda is now based in North Carolina. He is admitted to the New York, DC, and North Carolina bars, as well as to numerous federal courts.

Maria Fernanda Chanduvi is a Content Strategist at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, she worked as a policy fellow for Tech Policy.Press, focusing on technology policy and content moderation research. She contributed to several amicus brief reviews for legal cases before the Supreme Court.

She also served as a Strategic Communications Fellow at Seven Letter LLC, designing and executing communication strategies for various clients across healthcare, clean energy, education, and voting sectors.

Originally from Lima, Peru, Maria Fernanda holds a J.D. from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, specializing in litigation law. She recently graduated from Georgetown University with an M.A. in Communication, Culture, and Technology and aims to explore the intersection of communication, law, and social issues.

Sunu P. Chandy (she/her) is a Senior Advisor with Democracy Forward. Sunu has served as a civil rights lawyer for over 20 years including in the context of workers’ rights, gender justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. She is also a published poet, and the author of the award-winning collection, My Dear Comrades. 

Before joining Democracy Forward, Sunu served as Legal Director of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) for six years until August 2023. There, she oversaw the Center’s direct litigation efforts and amicus practice, including as counsel on several Supreme Court amicus briefs. Sunu also led the Center’s policy work on LGBTQI+ Rights including by providing Congressional testimony, and also gave strategic input for other policy work including around workplace justice.

Before NWLC, Sunu served as the Deputy Director for the Civil Rights Division with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she led civil rights enforcement including under Section 1557 of the ACA. Before that, Sunu and her family moved to DC in the Fall of 2014 when she was recruited into the General Counsel role at the DC Office of Human Rights (OHR), and there she oversaw the agency’s civil rights legal determinations, including matters of first impression under the Fair Criminal Record Screening Act.

Previously, Sunu was a federal attorney with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the New York District Office for 15 years and litigated cases based on race, sex, national origin, disability, age and religion-based discrimination. At EEOC, Sunu also led outreach initiatives including as a member of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAPPI) Regional Working Group. Before that, Sunu began her legal career as a law firm associate representing unions and individual workers in New York City at Gladstein, Reif and Megginniss, LLP.

Sunu earned her B.A. in Peace and Global Studies/Women’s Studies from Earlham College, her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law and her MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Queens College, CUNY. Sunu has served on the boards of directors of several organizations including the Audre Lorde Project, South Asian Women’s Creative Collective (SAWCC), LeGal (the LGBTQ attorneys’ organization in New York City), and Split This Rock, a national social justice poetry organization. Sunu currently serves on the board of the Transgender Law Center. Sunu is cited as a legal expert on a range of topics including workplace civil rights, gender justice, and LGBTQ+ rights including by The New York Times, The Washington Post, LA Times, and NPR. 

Natasha Chisholm is a Legal Assistant at Democracy Forward. 

Prior to joining, Natasha completed an internship at Data for Progress, where she administered national surveys on topics such as abortion and police reform. Natasha received her B.A. in Global Studies, Applied Linguistics, and Russian from Washington University in St. Louis, and hopes to pursue a J.D. in the future.

Katherine Clugg is a Research Assistant at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining DF, Katherine studied and tracked far right extremism and white supremacy at the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism and the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). She is interested in the mainstreaming of extremist ideologies and the effects on law and policy.

Katherine received a joint B.A. in Criminal Justice and Government and Politics, and a minor in Global Terrorism Studies from the University of Maryland.

Julie Couchman is the Director of Marketing & Special Projects at Democracy Forward. 

Julie  has an extensive background in events, client services and partnerships after 12 years at South By Southwest, a world-renowned conference and festival. She previously worked in Public Relations for a leading political consulting firm and in Marketing for the largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas. An avid traveler, she loves returning home to Texas where she was born and raised. Julie graduated from Texas State in San Marcos and has spent the last 17 years living in Austin. 

With a deep love for the arts, she proudly serves as the Special Projects Chair on the board for Women & Their Work, a nonprofit visual and performing arts organization that serves as a catalyst for new ideas in contemporary art created by women through exhibitions, performances, and educational workshops.

Orlando Economos is a Staff Attorney at Democracy Forward.

His work includes challenges designed to preserve civil rights remedies against attempted diminution, as well as affirmative actions to increase the access of citizens to democracy. 

Orlando received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he focused on election law and voting rights. He served as legal assistant to Civil Rights Commissioner David Kladney, and later presented oral argument to the D.C. Circuit as a student attorney with the Civil Rights Clinic at Georgetown. 

Orlando is native to northern New Jersey. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University and a diploma from St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s Greek Afternoon School. 

Carrie Flaxman is a Senior Legal Advisor at Democracy Forward. Carrie joined Democracy Forward after nearly two decades as a litigator and legal advisor for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) where she most recently was PPFA’s Senior Director of Public Policy, Litigation, and Law. Over the course of her career, Flaxman has served as lead counsel in a number of trial and appellate matters at the state and federal levels, winning victories that maintained and improved access to reproductive health care services against difficult odds.  At Democracy Forward, Flaxman supports the organization in crafting legal strategies to advance the rights of all people and to stop attempts by state and local governmental actors to undermine our democratic values.  

Flaxman began her legal career as a clerk for Judge Edward R. Becker of the US Court of Appeals of the Third Circuit, held positions at two national law firms where she handled complex litigation matters, and then joined PPFA.  She later served as a consulting attorney for reproductive rights organizations before rejoining PPFA’s national office. Flaxman is a graduate of Yale Law School, where she was executive editor of the Yale Law Journal, and Princeton University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Rachel was a Clinical Fellow and Staff Attorney with the Civil Litigation Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center, where she was lead counsel on APA, FOIA, and other public interest cases. Rachel has argued motions and appeals in state and federal courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Before joining the Clinic, she was an associate at Covington & Burling, LLP, where she practiced insurance litigation and maintained an active pro bono practice.

Rachel clerked for Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont and Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Rachel graduated from Yale Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities.

Rachel is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.

Shelley Friedland is a Senior Legal Assistant at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Shelley was a paralegal at Harmon, Curran, Spielberg, & Eisenberg, LLP, where she assisted attorneys in incorporating nonprofit organizations and guided nonprofit clients through the federal and state tax exemption application processes.

Shelley received her B.A in Political Science from The George Washington University. She is passionate about the intersection of the law, justice, and nonprofit landscape and hopes to pursue a J.D.

Emily Froude is a research assistant at Democracy Forward. She previously worked as a senior legal assistant. Prior to joining DF, Emily was a senior paralegal at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition. In that role, she screened unaccompanied immigrant children for visas and assisted attorneys in representing the kids in court and with US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science from Miami University, and is working towards a master of international affairs concentrating in democracy studies at George Washington University. She is fluent in Spanish.

Aman George is Senior Counsel & Legal Policy Director at Democracy Forward. His work has included challenges to environmental protection rollbacks, weakening of the Affordable Care Act, and inadequate transparency into the White House’s national security authorities.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Aman was a white collar investigations associate at Covington & Burling. His time at Covington also included pro bono work on capital defense and redistricting matters, as well as civil litigation related to insurance, trade, and patent disputes. Prior to law school, Aman was a business analyst at McKinsey & Company for three years.

Aman is a native of northern Virginia, who holds a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs and Economics from the University of Virginia.

Aleshadye (El-shuh-dye) Getachew is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Before joining Democracy Forward, Aleshadye practiced at Children’s Rights in New York, where she investigated and litigated federal class actions on behalf of youth seeking structural reform of state systems. Prior to joining Children’s Rights, Aleshadye litigated complex civil cases and jury trials across the country at Wilkinson Stekloff, a boutique trial firm.  

Aleshadye graduated from Georgetown University Law Center cum laude, where she received the Outstanding Student Advocate award for her clinic work on behalf of unhoused communities. She earned her B.S. from Cornell University, and served as a middle school English teacher in Louisiana before going to law school. 

Aleshadye is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.

Bradley Girard is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Throughout his career as an impact litigator, Bradley has focused on issues of constitutional law, civil rights, employment discrimination, qualified immunity, and consumer protection, among others. He has practiced in all levels of state and federal courts, with a focus on the federal courts of appeals and U.S. Supreme Court.  

After graduating from Georgetown Law, Bradley clerked for the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz on the D.C. Superior Court and on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey. Bradley also served for two years as the clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown Law’s Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, where he taught students public-interest impact litigation in the federal courts of appeals and the U.S Supreme Court and earned an LLM in advocacy. Bradley was a constitutional litigation fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, where he later returned as Litigation Counsel, litigating cutting-edge First Amendment cases across the country as well as founding and co-directing the Legal Academy. During law school, Bradley worked at Gupta Wessler, Public Justice, Mehri & Skalet, and in the civil-rights division of the Institute for Public Representation. He also interned on the D.C. district court, in the chambers of the Honorable Gladys Kessler.

Bradley served as a 2023-24 Georgetown Law Blume Public Interest Leader in Residence and is serving as a 2024-25 Harvard Law School Wasserstein Fellow. He is on the Advisory Board of the People’s Parity Project. And he is a college and career mentor to students in Baltimore City public high schools.

Bradley’s writing has appeared in a variety of legal publications, including the Georgetown Law Journal, the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, Law360, and SCOTUSblog. He enjoys arguing for hyphenation of phrasal adjectives and against two spaces after a period. Bradley’s non-law interests include woodworking, collecting vinyl (and DJing), crossword puzzles, the cosmos, and jumping off of things into water.

Bradley is a member of the District of Columbia and New York Bars.

Maddy Gitomer is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Before joining Democracy Forward, Maddy was a member of the Privacy and Cybersecurity practice at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., where she focused on health privacy law, including regulatory counseling. Maddy also maintained a robust pro bono practice focused on protecting reproductive rights, defending against LGBTQ+ discrimination, and expanding access to health care. Earlier in her career, Maddy served as one of Senator Dodd’s professional staff members on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s Subcommittee on Children and Families. There she helped pass the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and served as Chairman Dodd’s lead education policy staff member in the negotiation of The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.

Maddy holds a J.D. from The University of Pennsylvania Law School, a master’s degree in education policy from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. from American University. While in law school, Maddy received the Edward C. Baker Award for the student with the most pro bono hours in her graduating class and the Penn Law Pro Bono Award for her leadership of the Custody and Support Assistance Clinic. Maddy was also named one of the Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 by the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association.

Maddy is a member of the New Jersey, Maryland, and District of Columbia Bars.

Sarah Goetz is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Sarah was a Madison Legal Fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, where she litigated constitutional and other religion-based cases. At Americans United, Sarah authored numerous trial and appellate briefs in federal and state courts across the country. Before that, she was a legal fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project, where she litigated settlement enforcement actions concerning conditions of confinement.

Sarah clerked for Magistrate Judge Stephan M. Vidmar of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. She graduated summa cum laude from American University Washington College of Law, where she was a Public Interest/Public Service Scholar. During law school, Sarah was a member of law review and a student-attorney in the criminal defense clinic. She graduated with honors from Vassar College, where she earned a B.A. in English.

Sarah is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.

Kaitlyn Golden is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Before joining Democracy Forward, Kaitlyn was a litigator at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., where she handled complex civil matters at all stages of a litigation. For two years, Kaitlyn also served as the full-time senior associate in charge of U.S. Pro Bono, managing the firm’s pro bono practice and litigating gender justice and civil rights matters.

Prior to her legal career, Kaitlyn served as a Press Assistant to U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and as a Communications Coordinator at the Brooking Institution. Kaitlyn holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Ithaca College.

Kaitlyn is a member of the Washington and District of Columbia Bars.

Elena Goldstein is a Senior Legal Adviser at Democracy Forward. 

Elena served most recently as the Deputy Solicitor of Labor in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).  As the Deputy Solicitor of Labor, Elena helped to lead DOL’s 650-person legal office, overseeing numerous litigation, regulatory, and policy matters relating to the rights of workers, job-seekers, and retirees in the United States. 

Immediately prior to serving as the Deputy Solicitor of Labor, Goldstein served as Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the New York State Office of the Attorney General, where she was a lead counsel in numerous cases challenging federal executive and agency actions in the forty-fifth Presidential administration and supervised a wide range of civil rights matters. 

Elena’s career also includes nine years as a senior trial attorney in DOL’s Office of the Solicitor, litigating cases involving minimum wage and overtime laws, workplace safety, whistle-blower statutes, and a variety of other labor and employment laws. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Skadden Fellow and senior staff attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group, where she helped to start a workers’ rights project focusing on the rights of low-wage and immigrant workers, and as third grade teacher at Public School 152 in New York City.

Elena served as a law clerk for the Honorable Jed S. Rakoff in the Southern District of New York and the Honorable Robert A. Katzmann on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan and is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. Elena is currently licensed to practice in New York. Her license in Washington D.C. is pending.

David Graham-Caso is a Senior Communications Specialist for Democracy Forward.

David joins Democracy Forward after having been on the forefront of some exciting and important recent progressive efforts. He led the Sierra Club’s communications work in the Western US to stop new coal-fired power plants from being permitted and to replace those still running with clean energy; he served as the point-person for the LA City Councilmember leading the way toward a $15 minimum wage and the spokesperson for the Councilmember during contentious and crucial debates about how to end homelessness in Los Angeles. David has also led campaigns, including the multimillion dollar effort to defeat Proposition 23 on the 2010 California ballot, as well as the successful underdog campaign to elect the first openly LGBT candidate to citywide office in the history of Los Angeles. Immediately prior to joining Democracy Forward, David served as the Communications Director for the Senate campaign of progressive icon, Representative Barbara Lee.

David grew up in Southern California as the child of public school teachers and union advocates and is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles.

Rachel Hayden is a Senior Advisor to the President at Democracy Forward.

Rachel has more than two decades of experience supporting executives and organizations in their growth, evolution, and pursuit of excellence.  She has successfully led marketing and public relations teams across a range of industries, launching luxury brands, creating national and international events, partnerships and collaborations, and other strategic projects. Her experience includes nearly two decades as Director of Public Relations and Marketing at the world-class, Michelin Three Star Inn at Little Washington. As Director of Marketing at Linder Global Events, Rachel oversaw a broad portfolio of engagements and public relations for the company and its large nonprofit and Fortune 100 clients, while also supporting the organization’s CEO in business expansion, relationship management and public appearances.

She has crafted and supported fundraising efforts to benefit numerous nonprofits including YouthAIDS, Share Our Strength, HRC, Chefs for Equality, the Washington Ballet, and World Central Kitchen.

Jennifer Horowitz is a Research Analyst at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Jennifer worked as a paralegal in Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC’s Consumer Protection practice group for over four years. While there, she worked with attorneys to achieve justice for consumers in cases against large corporations committing corporate malfeasance. She has experience working on complex multi-state class actions involving data privacy, consumer fraud, and product liability.

After graduating cum laude from William & Mary with a bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Psychology, Jennifer spent the first year of her career working at a middle school in Washington D.C through AmeriCorps. She resides in Virginia with her girlfriend and in her free time, she enjoys playing board games, crafting, and cheering on the Washington Mystics and the Washington Spirit.  

Lydia Hubert-Peterson is the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of Democracy Forward.

Before joining Democracy Forward in 2023, Lydia served as the Executive Assistant to the CEO of the National Audubon Society. In this role she supported crucial conservation efforts across the hemisphere.

Originally from the state of Minnesota, Lydia worked for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar in multiple capacities. Originally interning in her Minneapolis office and on her 2018 reelection campaign. In February 2021, Lydia joined the Senator’s Presidential Campaign where she traveled the country as a National Advance Organizer. After the Senator’s campaign ended, Lydia joined the Senator’s official office in D.C. where she served as a Staff Assistant and as the Senator’s Special Assistant.

Lydia received her B.A. in Political Science and Global Studies from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Keonnie Igwe is an Education Research Analyst at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Keonnie worked at Griffin & Strong, P.C. managing disparity studies and supporting other research projects on actualizing racial and gender equity in school districts, counties, and states across the country. She has also worked for the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice and the Southern Education Foundation partnering with local stakeholders and using research to advocate for educational equity for marginalized children.

After earning her B.S. in psychology at Georgia Southern University, Keonnie spent the first years of her career teaching middle and high school English in Louisiana. She resides in Atlanta where she uses her free time to write about the intersection of race, faith and politics and play tabletop Magic the Gathering.

Cecilia Jacobsen is Director of People, Culture, and Operations at Democracy Forward.

Cecilia joined Democracy Forward in 2023 with more than 17 years experience in the public and private sector as a people and program leader.  She brings strategic and analytical thinking as well as a robust background in project management, resource allocation, and organizational development and training.  Most recently, Cecilia spent 5 years with a global technology company, serving as Chief of Staff & Senior Adviser for HR Strategy to the Chief of People and Culture, developing cross-functional programs to support the employee base and achieve business objectives. Prior to her corporate experience, she worked for more than a decade as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, providing critical national security insights to policymakers. During this time, she also worked at the White House serving President Barack Obama on the National Security Council. 

Priyanka John is a Senior Legal Assistant at Democracy Forward. Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Priyanka completed an internship with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under the Department of Transportation, where she helped to enforce federal regulations in consumer and business disputes and facilitated the revision of federal documents about consumer rights and protections. Priyanka received her B.A. in Community and Global Public Health from the University of Michigan, and hopes to pursue a J.D. sometime in the future.

Kalli Joslin is a Legal Analyst at Democracy Forward. 

Before this role, she was the Steven Gey Constitutional Litigation Fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, where she represented clients challenging state abortion restrictions and the approval of the nation’s first religious public charter school and submitted several amicus briefs addressing LGBTQ+ discrimination. While at Georgetown University Law Center, she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, a student-attorney in the Civil Rights Clinic, and an intern with Lambda Legal and ACLU National. She received her B.A. with honors in American Studies and Dramaturgy from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She generally spends her free time engaged in various forms of fiber art. She is a member of the D.C. Bar. 

Olivia King  is a Legal Assistant at Democracy Forward.

Prior to becoming a Legal Assistant, Olivia was a Data Analyst at Democracy Forward. She received her B.A. in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she also served on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council and conducted research on Solidarity Economic Reform for the Center for Economic Democracy.

Olivia has previously interned with the American Society of Association Executives to support tax and education equity bills and has also helped manage a county-wide election for her hometown. She is currently studying for the LSAT and looks forward to pursuing futures that intersect human rights and law.”

Jessica Lee is a Legal Assistant at Democracy Forward. 

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Jessica was an associate at a government consulting firm, assisting a federal agency in the strategic implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Jessica received her B.A. from Princeton University, where she majored in History and participated in student advocacy initiatives related to reproductive justice, expungement education, and drug policy reform. Jessica is incredibly passionate about the intersections of civil rights and public health, and intends on attending law school in the future. 

Emma Leibowitz is a Legal Fellow, co-sponsored by Harvard Law School, at Democracy Forward.

Emma graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2023. While at Harvard, Emma served as a Solicited Content Editor for the Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and was a member of the school’s chapter of People’s Parity Project. She worked as a student-attorney in the Veterans Law and Disability Benefits Clinic and as an extern in the office of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta at the Department of Justice. She also was a Teaching Fellow for Constitutional Law. During her summers, she worked on immigration direct services and in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. 

Before law school, Emma spent two years on the legal team at the Obama Foundation and a year as a paralegal at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, where she supported women and children seeking asylum. Originally from the DC-area, Emma graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in History.  

Max Levy is Deputy Director of Public Affairs & Director of Digital Strategy at Democracy Forward. He returned to the organization in early 2023, having previously served as Digital Communications Manager from 2018-2020. 

Most recently, Max helped set records as Digital Fundraising Director for Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign. He has also executed digital strategy and campaigns with Biden for President, Warren for President, and campaigns and organizations at the state, local, and national levels. Additionally, Max was a political appointee for the first year of the Biden Administration at the Environmental Protection Agency, in the Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education.

Max was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Communications and Public Service. He and his dog Alice (@alicetheeyebrows on Instagram!) live in Washington, D.C.

William Loman is General Counsel at Democracy Forward.

William Loman has served for over twenty years advising private and public sector companies on a broad range of corporate matters with extensive experience in matters regarding business transactions, nonprofit organizations, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance and securities.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Mr. Loman served as the General Counsel for Catalist, a data information, management and analytics company that provides voter data and information to political and nonprofit organizations within the progressive community. Mr. Loman has also served as Associate General Counsel for the industry-leading, information technology and management consulting company, BearingPoint, Inc., where he played a key role in the execution of multi-million-dollar, transactional agreements with the company’s largest commercial clients, as well as the development and implementation of risk mitigation strategies and dispute avoidance. Prior to BearingPoint, Mr. Loman held key positions in the General Counsel office at Acterna Corporation and DoubleClick and was a Corporate Finance and Securities Associate at the law firm of Bryan Cave in New York.

Mr. Loman served with high distinction in the United States Marine Corps Division of the Judge Advocate General Corps and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. degree in Sociology/Political Science from Howard University, with high honors. Mr. Loman is a member of the New York State Bar, New York State Bar Association and American Bar Association.

Brooke Menschel is a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Brooke joined Democracy Forward from Brooklyn Defender Services, where she served as the Director of Civil Rights and Law Reform. In that role, she worked to address systemic deficiencies in New York City’s Department of Correction and family, immigration, and criminal courts. Prior to joining BDS, Brooke litigated state and federal trial and appellate cases concerning children’s rights, juvenile justice, the criminal legal system, and mass incarceration in the Deep South at the Southern Poverty Law Center and in New York at the local affiliate of the ACLU.

Before going to law school, Brooke worked as a policy and legislative advocate on human and civil rights issues in Washington, D.C. for the American Jewish Committee, and as communications strategist at the Anti-Defamation League in Boston.

Brooke received her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her B.A. from Tufts University. She is a member of the bar in Washington, D.C. and New York.

Daniel Miller is the Senior Democracy and Social Progress Advisor at Democracy Forward.

Daniel has a range of experience advocating for civics education and democracy.  He founded and organized the Society for Constitutional Protection for this purpose in New York. Most recently, he served as the Director of Content and Strategy at the Renew Democracy Initiative. His writings have appeared in the Washington Post, CNN, the Daily Beast, and others.

Daniel is a lawyer by training, clerking for a federal judge after law school. He has also dedicated a significant amount of time to pro-bono immigration work. Daniel is a member of the New York Bar.

Originally from Washington, D.C., Daniel has a Bachelor of Arts in Astrophysics from Princeton University, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Kristen Miller is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

At Democracy Forward, Kristen has represented non-profits and individuals in litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act, other Federal statutes, and the U.S. Constitution. In particular, Kristen’s cases have involved civil rights, health care, consumer protections, and the environment, among other issues.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Kristen was a member of the Environment and Natural Resources practice at Vinson & Elkins in Washington, D.C. Kristen’s practice at Vinson & Elkins focused on administrative law, including litigation and regulatory counseling. She also maintained an active pro bono practice.

Kristen graduated from New York University Law School, where she was a member of the NYU Moot Court Board competitions team. During law school, she served as a legal clerk in the Department of Justice’s Environment & Natural Resources Division as well as in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Policy. She also holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Kristen is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars.

Kayla Minton Kaufman (she/they) is a Legal Fellow, co-sponsored by Georgetown University Law Center, at Democracy Forward.

Kayla graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2024, receiving the Lorri L. Jean Award for Excellence in LGBTQ Leadership & Advocacy, Associate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinic, and Special Pro Bono Pledge recognition. While at Georgetown, Kayla served as an Administrative Editor for the Georgetown Environmental Law Review and as Co-President for both OutLaw (LGBTQ+ Affinity Group) and Jewish Students for Justice. During her semesters, she worked as a student-attorney in Georgetown’s Appellate Litigation Clinic, a research assistant for Georgetown Climate Center and Professors Kevin Tobia and Brian Wolfman, an extern for Earthjustice and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and a Pilates instructor at the law school’s gym. During her summers, she worked at ACLU National and the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.

Before law school, Kayla worked professionally in theater as a director, producer, educator, and artistic administrator, including working at American Conservatory Theater and Santa Cruz Shakespeare in California, the National Women’s Theater Festival in North Carolina, and Portland Stage Company in Maine. Originally from California, Kayla graduated from Loyola Marymount University with B.A.s in both Theater Arts and Film and Television Production. She remains an enjoyer of many artistic hobbies as well as a nature enthusiast.

Gracia Mirindi is an Administrative Assistant, Operations at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Gracia was a Legal Assistant at Fellow LaBriola, LLP, in Atlanta GA where she assisted attorneys and legal staff members in criminal cases, civil litigation, and insurance recovery. She also worked as an Underwriting Assistant for Beazley Group in Atlanta GA.

Gracia received her B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law from Georgia State University. She also received her M.S. in Criminal Justice concentrating in Law and Public Policy at Walden University. She hopes to pursue a doctorate in the future.

Sterling Moore is a Senior Legal Fellow at Democracy Forward.

Sterling comes to Democracy Forward with a background in law, having received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. There, he served on the Virginia Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif. Following law school, he worked as a litigator in private practice and clerked for the Honorable Andrew J. Kleinfeld of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Originally from Texas, Sterling holds a B.B.A. in Economics and Business Fellows from Baylor University. Before attending law school, he served as a scholarship program coordinator at a community nonprofit in Waco, TX.

Sterling is a member of the District of Columbia and Texas Bars.

Jessica Morton is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward, where she has represented non-profits and individuals in both litigation and regulatory advocacy.  Her work has included challenges to abuses of executive power at the state level, advocacy for federal criminal legal system reform, environmental justice, and other issues.

Before joining Democracy Forward, she was a litigator at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where she practiced complex civil litigation at all three levels of the federal court system.  Jessica also maintained a significant pro bono practice focused on voting rights, civil rights, and criminal justice.  She has been honored as a co-recipient of the Young Lawyer of the Year Award from the Young Lawyers Section of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.  Jessica has also served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Jessica clerked for the Honorable John D. Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the Honorable Albert Diaz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  Jessica graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where she served as Executive Articles Editor of the Michigan Law Review.  She also holds an M.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame.

Jessica is a member of the District of Columbia and Illinois bars.

Hannah Niles is an Executive Coordinator at Democracy Forward.

Before joining Democracy Forward, Hannah served as the Executive Coordinator to the President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. During her time at CAP she supported cross-organizational efforts to build bold, progressive ideas to improve the lives of all Americans. She contributed to the operational management of the policy and advocacy departments and acted as project coordinator on collaborative efforts to promote institutional priorities. 

Hannah received her B.A in Business Administration with a concentration in management from Loyola University Maryland. She will graduate in the Fall of 2024 from Mount St. Mary’s University with an MBA and certificate in project management.

Victoria (Tory) Nugent is Legal Director at Democracy Forward. Prior to coming to Democracy Forward, Ms. Nugent was a Partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, one of the nation’s foremost class action firms. While there, she served as Co-Chair of the firm’s Consumer Practice Group (2021-2023) and Public Client Practice Group (2017-2020) and served on the firm’s Executive Committee (2020 – 2022). During her years at Cohen Milstein, she was a highly regarded consumer protection litigator and oversaw significant consumer fraud investigations and litigation on behalf of the state Attorneys General of Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, and Vermont, as well as class actions brought on behalf of consumers, borrowers, farmers, and small business owners under the laws of numerous states.

Prior to joining Cohen Milstein worked at Public Citizen for seven years and was a law fellow
sponsored by the National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL/Equal Justice Works) at
Public Justice.

Since 2018, Ms. Nugent has been a member of Public Justice Foundation’s Board of Directors. She served on the D.C. Bar Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct from 2012 to 2019 and since 2019, she has been a member of the Bar’s Legal Ethics Committee. In 2022, she was elected to the membership of the American Law Institute. Ms. Nugent received her B.A. from Wesleyan University and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Katie O’Connell is Democracy Forward’s Director of Partnerships. Katie is passionate about supporting change-making individuals and organizations and brings to her role at Democracy Forward more than 20 years experience leading partnerships, development, and fundraising teams.

Katie’s depth and breadth of experience includes supporting a number of membership associations, political campaigns, and issue advocacy organizations, including Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (EarthJustice), NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Greater Southeast Healthcare System, and U.S. Senate and gubernatorial campaigns. Katie grew up in Texas and bleeds burnt orange – Hook’em Horns.

Megha Patel is the Federal Policy Manager at Democracy Forward.

Megha joined Democracy Forward with over four years of legislative and political experience. Previously, she served as the Government Affairs Manager at the Forging Industry Association for two years. There, she was pivotal in developing and implementing the organization’s advocacy strategy across federal, state, and local levels, addressing key issues like energy, education, and workforce development. Megha’s professional background spans both public and private sectors, where she has held various positions.

She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Leadership in Organizations from Michigan State University and currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Adnan Perwez is a Legal Fellow, co-sponsored by Berkeley Law, at Democracy Forward. 

Adnan graduated from Berkeley Law in 2024. During law school, he was an Articles & Essays Editor for the California Law Review, worked at the Policy Advocacy Clinic doing juvenile bail reform work in Mississippi, and was part of the Police Review Project and the Palestine Advocacy Legal Assistance Project. He also was part of the Ninth Circuit Practicum, where he argued and won a unanimous verdict on an appellate immigration case in front of a Ninth Circuit panel.  

Adnan spent his 1L summer externing for the Chambers of the Hon. Chief Judge Miranda M. Du in the District of Nevada, and his 2L summer working for the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology (SPT) Project, where he did First Amendment work. 

Before law school, Adnan was a community organizer with the American Muslim community, where he helped strategize and build coalitions against Obama-era domestic surveillance programs like CVE, as well as Trump-era policies like the Muslim Ban. He received his Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 2021, and his B.A. with high honors in Political Science, History, and Religious Studies from U.C. Davis in 2019. He is originally from the Bay Area. 

Sarah M. Rich is Senior Strategic Oversight Attorney at Democracy Forward.

Sarah came to Democracy Forward in 2024 following a decade at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she represented mainly noncitizen clients in litigation on workers’ rights, asylum, detention, access to counsel, and the entanglement of local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. She also worked as a policy analyst and advocate on local, state, and federal immigration issues, and developed expertise on the far-right’s anti-immigrant narratives and networks. Prior to SPLC, Sarah spent two years at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in El Paso, where she represented farmworkers, trafficking victims, and other indigent clients in West Texas and southern New Mexico. Sarah also clerked for the Hon. Richard A. Paez on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sarah completed her law degree at U.C. Berkeley School of Law and received a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. She received her B.A. in International Relations and French from Scripps College. Between college and graduate school, Sarah served for two years in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa, working primarily on infant and maternal health projects.

Sarah is a member of the Georgia, Texas, and California bars.

Mark Samburg is Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Ben Seel is a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.  He recently returned to Democracy Forward after completing a clerkship with Judge James L. Robart of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.  Prior to clerking, Ben’s work at Democracy Forward included litigating cases against the Trump administration on immigration, social justice, and veterans issues, as well on matters of governmental transparency and accountability.  He has represented a wide array of clients, including governmental and non-profit organizations.  Before joining Democracy Forward, Ben was a member of the Litigation & Arbitration practice in Milbank LLP’s Washington, D.C. office where he maintained an active pro bono practice that included work on criminal justice, civil rights, and immigration issues.  

Ben was born and raised in Maine and holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. in History from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and in Washington State.

Leslie Smith is the Operations Manager at Democracy Forward where she supports the organization’s team of lawyers, communications strategists, policy experts, and leadership in achieving Democracy Forward’s mission. Leslie is committed to ensuring that all members of Democracy Forward’s staff and broader community are provided the tools needed to make an impact and to work in a welcoming and inclusive community.

Leslie has deep experience in supporting mission-based organizations and entities, having worked both in the federal government and non-profit institutions for more than 20 years. She is particularly passionate about finding new ways of building community in the workplace. Leslie enjoys spending time with family, traveling and reading. Leslie currently resides in Maryland with her son and daughter.

Jamie Solomon is a Research Analyst at Democracy Forward.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Jamie was a Housing Advocate and Paralegal at the Rhode Island Center for Justice, where she helped defend clients facing eviction and supported other impact litigation projects.

Jamie received her B.A. in History with honors from Brown University, where she also did research for the Political Theory Project and the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.

Kelsey Speers is Director of Oversight and Engagement at Democracy Forward.

Kelsey comes to Democracy Forward with more than a decade of experience working in government and non-profit spaces. She most recently worked as Research Director at American Oversight, an ethics watchdog dedicated to advancing government transparency and accountability. Before that, she served as a political analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and also worked in legislative affairs, bridging national security policy, mission operations, and congressional oversight.

Kelsey graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College in Government and Psychology, and she earned her master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. 

Robin Thurston is Legal Director at Democracy Forward.

Robin has been at Democracy Forward since 2017, during which time she has represented local governments, unions, and non-profit organizations in litigating against government misconduct and anti-democratic policies. She has also led Democracy Forward’s regulatory advocacy work, bringing a diverse range of perspectives and expertise into federal policymaking.

Prior to joining Democracy Forward, she served as a trial attorney in the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. In this position, she defended high profile challenges to government policies and programs. Earlier in her career, Robin enforced consumer protection laws at the Federal Trade Commission.

Robin clerked for the Honorable Paul L. Friedman of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. She holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in History with High Honors from Stanford University.

Somil Trivedi is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Democracy Forward, where he develops and executes multidisciplinary projects across litigation, policy, and public advocacy to ensure that democracy truly works for our communities. 

Somil was previously the Chief Legal & Advocacy Director at Maryland Legal Aid, leading a 200+ person legal and policy department covering all aspects of poverty reduction, including housing, consumer protection, and public benefits. Somil has also served as a Senior Staff Attorney at the National ACLU, focusing on criminal justice reform and voting rights; a Trial Attorney in the DOJ’s Fraud Section; and a Senior Associate at WilmerHale LLP. 

Somil has litigated cases at all levels of the justice system, including the U.S. Supreme Court and several state high courts, and contributed to bill passage at the federal, state, and local levels. He is a frequent contributor to public discourse via TV appearances, op-eds, podcasts, and policy briefings, with appearances on CNN and Bloomberg, and in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other outlets. 

Somil earned his BA from Georgetown University and his JD from Boston University School of Law. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children, and is always up for barbecue, tennis, or live music.

Megan Uzzell is the Director of Impact and External Affairs at Democracy Forward.

Megan joined Democracy Forward after having served eight years at the U.S. Department of Labor, where she most recently was the Associate Deputy Secretary for Policy. In this role Megan led Departmental efforts on regulatory, policy and agency matters such as wage standards, work and family policy, enforcement, immigration and worker safety. Prior to joining the Labor Department, Megan served in the U.S. House of Representatives, working as Legislative Director for a member from Southern California and handling energy, environment, appropriations and transportation matters. In 2005, Megan was named one of the Hill’s top 35 staffers under 35.

Originally from Kansas City, Kansas, Megan has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Political Science and International Affairs from Drake University, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from George Washington University.

Kerri Wade is the Interim Manager, External Engagement at Democracy Forward.

Kerri joined Democracy Forward with more than 20 years of advocacy and communications experience. Most recently, she served as the Chief Public Affairs Officer and Lead for Strategic Communications at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), where she led a team of experts working to improve health outcomes for all people who desire or experience pregnancy. Prior to SMFM, she was a registered lobbyist and the principal media affairs staff person at the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses.

Kerri earned B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an M.P.A at George Washington University. Together with her family, she lives in Washington, DC, where they cheer for Michigan Wolverines every football season.

Michael Widomski is the Acting Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Democracy Forward. He joined the organization after more than 30 years of federal service across various departments and agencies, specializing in external affairs.

Prior to his role at Democracy Forward, Michael served as the Chief of Workforce Engagement at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). During his tenure at CISA, he played a key role in establishing the Office of External Affairs as the agency transitioned to a component-level organization within the Department of Homeland Security.

Before joining CISA, Michael was the Director of Communication and Executive Affairs at the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS). He spent the majority of his federal career at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he advanced to the position of Deputy Director of Public Affairs.

Michael began his career at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as a senior public affairs specialist.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from Gannon University in Erie, PA, a master’s degree in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Maryland, and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Carlisle, PA

Audrey Wiggins is Legal Director at Democracy Forward.

Audrey is a career civil rights attorney with both career public sector and private sector experience. Audrey joins Democracy Forward after serving as the senior adviser to the general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Audrey also served as the deputy associate general counsel in the HHS Office of General Counsel (OGC) Civil Rights Division, the executive chair of the HHS OGC Training Committee and the executive chair of the HHS OGC Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Work Group, which she founded. While at HHS,  Audrey managed teams focused on issues related to civil rights, health information privacy, equity, DEIA, conscience and artificial intelligence. Audrey became well-known for her passion in following Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) jurisprudence. She created a consistent platform for training sessions dedicated to the review of decisions and how they apply to the work of HHS for colleagues and senior leadership. 

Audrey also served as a deputy chief in the Employment Litigation Section in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.  As a Deputy Chief, Audrey supervised both attorney and administrative staff in the Section’s litigation.  Audrey also served in leadership roles at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law where she supervised litigation and other advocacy efforts in the areas of employment discrimination, community development, fair housing, fair lending and environmental justice. While at the Lawyers’ Committee, Audrey served as the co-chair of the Employment Task Force of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Earlier in her career, she served as an attorney advisor for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and as a public defender. 

Audrey holds a Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. Audrey is a double HBCU (Historically Black College and University) graduate with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor degree from N.C. Central University.  Audrey is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, North Carolina and the U.S. Supreme Court.