Who We Are

Alex is the Director of Policy & Research at The Hub Project, where she supports the research and policy needs for The Hub’s advocacy campaigns, and helps to develop strategy for new and ongoing campaigns. Prior to joining The Hub Project, Alex was Policy Counsel on the Economic Justice team at the National Partnership for Women & Families, where she focused on state and federal policy on paid sick and safe days, pregnancy discrimination and accommodations, sexual harassment, and paid family and medical leave. Originally from Philadelphia, she has been in the District for 15 years and enjoys traveling, reading, and running on The National Mall. Alex is a proud graduate of Georgetown University and American University Washington College of Law.

Amber is the Senior Manager, Partnerships & External Affairs at The Hub. Amber has spent the majority of her career doing progressive advocacy work, having previously worked at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center and on numerous progressive campaigns. Amber is from Baltimore, MD and graduated from the George Washington University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. When she’s not working, Amber can be found singing, trying new DC restaurants, and hanging out with her rescue dog, Pepper!

Andrew is the Senior Paid Media Associate at the Hub and spends his time planning, editing, and producing paid media content for our various campaigns. Prior to joining the Hub, Andrew was a campaign staffer in New Hampshire, Mississippi, and Maryland. He loves exploring DC (on bike) and discovering new neighborhoods.

Arielle is the Associate Director of Policy and Research at The Hub where she manages the research supporting campaigns to ensure that people in America can fully and freely participate in our democracy.

Before joining The Hub, Arielle worked as a policy analyst at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights where she helped to manage the organization’s policy advocacy on education, health care, and anti-poverty issues. Arielle started her career at the Youth Service Opportunities Project where she coordinated community service programs for youth and school groups to volunteer with the unhoused and food insecure populations in New York City.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Arielle earned her Master of Public Policy degree from George Washington University and holds a bachelors degree in political science from Boston University. In her free time, Arielle enjoys traveling, and when she’s not doing that, you can catch her exploring DC’s awesome food scene.

Arielle is an associate director of communications at The Hub, where she leads communications strategy and media outreach for a number of campaigns. Prior to joining the team, Arielle worked as a director at Derris for nearly a decade, advising nonprofits, startups, global companies and public figures on brand and communications strategy. During her tenure at Derris, Arielle led several clients teams in messaging development, media relations and crisis management. She also ran the company’s internal media training practice, preparing spokespeople for broadcast appearances, off-screen interviews, and speaking engagements. A California native, Arielle began her career interning at FRONTLINE PBS in the Boston area, where she graduated from Tufts University with a double major in sociology and community health. During her free time, Arielle can be found dancing, hiking, or eating cheese.

Bryan is the Senior Director, Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project, where he oversees the design, management, and analysis of all qualitative and quantitative research projects to inform messaging for a variety of issue advocacy campaigns. Bryan also serves on the pollster team for Navigator Research, a public opinion research collective designed to better understand the American public’s views on issues of the day and provide messaging guidance to progressive advocates, elected officials, and other interested parties to make and win policy arguments. Prior to joining The Hub Project, Bryan previously served as a research manager at Illuminas, a boutique market research agency, and was responsible for conducting qualitative and quantitative studies for clients in the technology, non-profit, and education industries. He started his career at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, advising numerous Democratic political candidates, progressive issue advocacy groups, and non-profit organizations. Originally from central Texas, Bryan studied government at The University of Texas at Austin. He currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Lesley and his cat Alex.

Celine is the Manager, Digital Partners and is passionate about spotlighting impactful stories and developing effective digital campaigns in collaboration with key partner organizations and advocates.

With a background in research and policy, she previously served as a researcher for nonprofits to inform policy on black immigrant issues such as voting rights and economic empowerment. She has worked for organizations like the Ghana Diaspora Public Affairs Collective and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to uplift and showcase the nuanced narratives within the African diaspora.

Celine holds a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University where she served as the Vice President of the GW African Students Association to help create more inclusive spaces and programs. Outside of work, she enjoys watching psychological thrillers, writing poetry, and jamming out to Afrobeats.

Ebonie is the Associate Director of Creative at The Hub Project, where she designs and manages the production of compelling digital and print products for campaigns at The Hub.

Before The Hub, Ebonie worked as the Digital Director at Social Security Works, where she was the lead on digital strategy and created and curated content for various organizational campaigns related to healthcare policy, drug policy, and student debt policy. She also worked as deputy editor of Social Security Works’ publishing arm, Strong Arm press, for which she designed various book covers including Nancy Altman’s The Truth About Social Security.

She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and enjoys serving her community through public service. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, creating art (drawing, painting, designing), and watching tons of movies.

Emily is Associate Director, Communications at the Hub Project, where she develops and implements communications and media strategy for a number of campaigns. Prior to joining the Hub, Emily led communications for Generation Progress, the youth advocacy arm of the Center for American Progress, where she worked to uplift the voices of young people and center younger generations’ unique experiences in broader political conversations. Before moving to D.C. in 2019, Emily began her career at a PR firm in San Francisco working with a variety of clients in the tech sector. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies and is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Emily currently lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of D.C. with her cat, Maisie. Outside of work, she enjoys trying new restaurants with friends, reading in Lincoln Park, and fostering kittens with her roommate.

Emma is a Special Assistant at The Hub, where she supports the work of the executive and campaigns teams. A true New England native, Emma grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Brown University, where she studied Political Science with a focus on American Politics. Prior to joining The Hub, Emma worked in the field on two progressive campaigns in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Most recently, she worked as a Stop Disinformation Field Fellow at Common Cause, where she discovered her passion for working to strengthen our democracy. Outside of the office, Emma loves reading, being outside, and shamelessly watching reality tv.

Evan is a Senior Communications Associate at the Hub, where he works on our economic and Navigator campaigns. Evan attended the College of William & Mary and graduated with degrees in Political Science and Sociology. A passionate advocate for human rights, he previously volunteered with Peace Corps to promote sustainable agriculture in Benin and worked with NARAL to protect reproductive rights. Before working at the Hub, Evan worked with ASHLIN Management Group in support of the Department of Labor’s Job Corps program. Outside of the office, Evan loves reading, playing volleyball, and supporting terrible Premier League teams (go Newcastle!).

Frederick is a Campaign Associate at The Hub transforming his passion for organizing into action for the Democracy program. Prior to joining The Hub, Frederick worked as a field organizer for the historic Jaime Harrison U.S. Senate campaign and served as the youngest Louisiana delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

He is a graduate of Tulane University and a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Frederick appreciates discussing innovations in our culture, politics, and society. In his spare time, you’ll find him reading, writing, running, watching “Veep,” or spending time with those close to him. You can learn more about Frederick from his website at frederickbell.org.

Gabriela is the Senior Associate for Polling & Analytics at the Hub and assists with the Navigator Poll in drafting survey questions and analyzing the data. Outside of the office, Gabriela enjoys backing in different national parks and knitting.

Ian Smith is the Director of Polling and Analytics at The Hub project, he oversees polling operations for The Hub and Navigator Research. Ian has spent the majority of his career in electoral campaigns gaining experience in data, analytics, and coalition building. Prior to joining The Hub Ian was Polling and Analytics Director at American Bridge 21st Century, where he lead opinion research for the campaign’s program.

Outside of work Ian enjoys building PCs, boxing, and trying new foods.

Jack is a Research Associate in the Policy and Research Department. He conducts research to support multiple campaigns at the Hub in their efforts to make our government and economy work for everyone. Prior to joining the Hub, Jack interned in the Office of Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) and the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland. In 2018, he worked on a campaign for Baltimore County Executive.

Jack is from Baltimore, Maryland and is a graduate of Davidson College. Outside of the office, he enjoys cooking, watching the Ravens and the Orioles, and eating good bagels.

Jennifer Mandelblatt is an Associate Campaign Director at The Hub Project, where she works on strategic mobilization efforts to strengthen our democracy.

Prior to joining The Hub Project, Jen served as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Platform, a political training and lobbying organization dedicated to fostering young people’s political power and tearing down the barriers to entry. During this time, she developed resources for young people to understand their role in the legislative process; consulted peer organizations on their policy strategy; and coordinated high-impact advocacy days.

Originally from New Jersey, she received her B.S. in labor relations from Cornell University’s ILR School. In staying loyal to her Jersey roots, she is dedicated to remaining in Bruce Springsteen’s top 0.1 percent of Spotify listeners.

Jessica is the Finance Specialist at The Hub Project where she works on payments, contracts, and regranting. She recently graduated from the College of William and Mary with a BBA in Finance. Jessica has always been interested in non-profits and finding ways to serve her community. Prior to joining The Hub, Jessica was involved in training service dogs for people with differing abilities, ranging from PTSD to diabetes. She also volunteered and worked within the broader autism community in her hometown and Williamsburg. 

Jessica is originally from Pennsylvania and is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan (go birds!). Outside of work, she is an avid enthusiast of completing the NYT daily crossword, enjoys finding new restaurants in DC, and loves exploring any type of outdoor space.

Josh is the Chief Operating Officer at The Hub Project where he serves as an integral member of the senior leadership team with responsibilities for ensuring the integrity of financial and accounting information across the organization.

Prior to joining The Hub Project, he served as a senior member of the Main Campus Finance team of the Office of the Provost at Georgetown University. In his role, he provided senior-level financial and budgetary oversight of academic support units of the Main Campus; serving as a key financial partner to the unit heads of these academic units by facilitating financial, budgetary management, staffing operations, and resource planning & execution. Prior to this role, Josh held similar positions within Georgetown and at other non-profits in the Washington DC area.

Josh has a Bachelor of Accountancy from Mississippi State University and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He is currently studying to sit for the CPA exam. In his free time, Josh enjoys outdoor cycling, traveling, trying new restaurants, solving true-crime mysteries, and spoiling his dog Royal.

Kate is the Director of Development at The Hub Project where she oversees the fundraising program.

Prior to joining The Hub Project, she served as Deputy National Finance Director for the Democratic National Committee. During her tenure at the DNC, the major donor team had its most successful four-year cycle ever. In addition to her role as Deputy National Finance Director, she managed the major donor surrogate program for the Biden Victory Fund. Before the DNC, she spent nearly a decade in nonprofit fundraising specifically focused on K-12 education. She served as Managing Director of Development for City Year Washington, DC and Major Gifts Officer at Teaching Matters in New York City.

Kate is from Bucks County, PA and a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Kitty is the Financial Operations Manager at The Hub Project where she works on the month-end close process, program budgets, and procurement. She has always been interested in non-profit work and was drawn to The Hub after volunteering for local campaigns and organizations during the 2020 election cycle. Prior to joining The Hub, Kitty worked on intellectual property finance and R&D expense at Lenovo.

A native of Chicago, Kitty received her B.S. in Accountancy with a minor in French from the University of Illinois. Outside of the office she can be found trying local coffee shops, watching questionable reality TV, and buying books to add to her already large unread pile.

Kyle is the Special Assistant at The Hub, where he supports the Comms, Campaigns, and Research teams. A recent graduate of Western Kentucky University, Kyle studied Political Science and Economics while interning for a Senate Campaign in Kentucky as well as the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Kyle is passionate about rural organizing and creating safe and healthy environments for underrepresented minority youth. While advocating for LGBTQ+ students in college, Kyle spoke before the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education regarding the role gender identity plays in campuses across the state. Outside of advocacy work, Kyle spends his time hiking in nature, binging reality TV, and perfecting old family recipes.

Leor Tal (she/her) serves as the Associate Director of Campaigns at The Hub Project, working with national and state partners to integrate communications, research, and digital tactics on the important policy conversations of the day.

Leor is passionate about connecting with and mobilizing working people around the issues they care about most. She recently served as the Digital Director at Florida Watch, where she led and implemented the organization’s digital strategy across email, social, paid media, and graphic design. Before that, Leor served as the National Digital Organizer at the Democratic National Committee and later moved on to become the Digital Director at For Our Future Florida, a progressive statewide advocacy and electoral organization. 

Born and raised in Florida, Leor earned dual degrees in Political Science and History as an undergraduate at Florida State University and it was at FSU where Leor found her passion in advocacy and organizing. In her free time, she can be found spoiling her dog, Boobah, obsessively playing Sudoku, binging reality television, or walking around Washington, D.C.

Maria Barrera is a Comms Associate from Austin, TX. Prior to joining the Hub, Maria was a Staff Writer for The Daily Toreador (Texas Tech student newspaper). Maria graduated from Texas Tech University in May 2022 with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. 

Confronted with the realities of immigration and the power of politics from a very young age, Maria was drawn to work in the progressive space as a daughter and sister of Mexican immigrants. Her experiences with seeing how DACA changed her family’s lives as well as growing up in Texas where women and minorities are especially marginalized by politicians have both sparked her interest in politics. Maria hopes to help make our country realize its full potential in any way she can.

María is passionate about connecting with and mobilizing working people and underrepresented communities on the issues that matter most. As an immigrant, María understands what it takes to get communities of color involved and has built strong relationships throughout her grassroots organizing work.

Prior to joining the Hub Project, María served as the Digital Director at Blue Future, where she led their virtual youth organizing programs and implemented the organization’s digital strategy across social, graphic design, and online fundraising. Before joining Blue Future, María served as the Undocumented Student Resource Counselor at Longwood University, where she led new efforts to assist undocumented students obtain financial aid and grants, first-gen college resources and provide assistance on legal matters.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco and raised in Northern Virginia, María is a proud Mexican-American immigrant who was the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned her degree in Political Science and History as an undergraduate at Longwood University. In her free time, María can be found hiking and camping across the DMV, cooking the latest TikTok food trend, and hanging out with family and friends.

Nicholas is the Director of Digital Partnerships at The Hub Project, working with a wide range of partner organizations and stakeholders to develop and execute compelling digital campaigns.

Previously, Nicholas served on Hillary for America’s digital team in Ohio, where he led the campaign’s youth digital outreach program in the state. Prior to joining the campaign, he was the Senior Advocacy Associate at the Center for American Progress, where he oversaw Generation Progress’ gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform programs, helping amplify the voices of young people in the policy space. Nicholas has also worked as an Obama White House Advance Associate, as a field organizer on the 2014 U.S. Senate race in Iowa, and as an intern in President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Nicholas graduated with honors from UC Berkeley, where he co-founded the California Public Higher Education Caucus. He grew up on a farm in rural Northern California, and enjoys surfing, cycling, and exploring the great outdoors.

Rachael is the Polling and Analytics Manager at the Hub Project, where she manages the day-to-day execution of all public opinion research and analytics projects. Rachael works at the intersection of politics and data, striving to amplify progressive policies and elect bold leaders.

Prior to joining the Hub, Rachael worked in targeting and data analytics for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the Pivot Group, and the Mike Bloomberg campaign.

Outside of the Hub, Rachael can be found consuming local Pennsylvania politics, listening to NPR, and hiking with her dog, Winnie the Pooch.

Rob Lancon (he/him/his) is the Operations Manager at the Hub Project. He ensures resources, systems, and processes support team members while elevating their work. Rob joined the Hub Project following nearly a decade at the Louisiana State Capitol, where he worked for the Louisiana Senate, on gubernatorial campaigns, and in government relations.

Rob is a proud ‘Army Brat’, native of Cajun Country, and a Louisiana State University Tiger. He is the 2012 Civics in Action honoree of the Louisiana State Bar Association and a 2013 gubernatorial appointee to the Volunteer Louisiana Commission. During his time on the bayou, Rob championed causes around positive youth development, public arts, children’s health needs, and cultural preservation. The oldest of five siblings, Rob enjoys day tripping, visiting museums, and hiking with family and friends. Rob is driven to connect others with resources, to enhance experiences, and to seek solutions.

Ruiyong is the Senior Director of Paid Media at The Hub Project, overseeing the organization’s paid media strategy and ad program measurement efforts across campaigns.

Prior to joining The Hub Project, Ruiyong served as Managing Principal at Precision Strategies, leading the firm’s paid media practice. She worked with a wide range of political, advocacy, and corporate clients to develop and implement innovative paid media programs across the country.

Ruiyong is a proud alumna of Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, and can always be found planning her next food and travel adventure.

Sarah is the Campaign Director for Economy Campaigns at The Hub Project, where she runs campaigns to fight for an economy that works for everyone. Prior to joining The Hub, Sarah worked as the managing director of campaigns at Climate Power after dreaming big and fighting hard as deputy states director for Elizabeth Warren’s primary campaign. Before her stint in Boston, she was a national campaign strategist at the ACLU and the associate campaigns director at CAP Action, where she worked for 5 years.

When she’s not working, Sarah is playing with her dog Elmer.

Sari is a Senior Manager of Paid Media at the Hub Project, managing the development and execution of paid media campaigns.

Sari comes to The Hub Project from Jon Ossoff’s senate campaign, where she helped execute TV shoots. Prior to that, she worked at Wildfire Contact, where she helped develop, write, and execute direct mail programs for candidates across the country. A native Michigander, Sari is an alum of several Michigan campaigns, including Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign and Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s gubernatorial campaign.

Sari is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she started organizing on campaigns. In her free time, she enjoys running in the woods, listening to history podcasts, and eating chocolate in all its forms.

Saryn is Communications Manager at The Hub Project. Prior to joining the Hub, Saryn has worked in the non-profit spaces focusing on digital communications work. She has worked with organization such as YWCA USA, YP4, and Amputee Coalition focusing on social media, branding, and website management. Outside of the office, Saryn enjoys watching new TV shows, traveling and cooking. She has a B.A.in Broadcast Journalism from Howard University (’15), and a Master’s in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University (’19).

Shirien is the Design Manager at The Hub Project, where she designs and manages creative products to support campaigns at The Hub.

Before The Hub, Shirien worked as a freelance designer and illustrator. Shirien is passionate about design that is inclusive and socially impactful. Her clients range from small community organizations to big companies. Some recent clients include the Movement Strategy Center, NY Renews, Interrupting Criminalization, Trans Youth Justice Project, The Othering & Belonging Institute (UC Berkeley), Greater Good Studio, VANS, the Seattle Seahawks, Hedley & Bennett, and others. Shirien’s work has been featured by Refinery29, Adobe, ELLE, Bust Magazine, LA Times, TIME, CNN, Hypebeast, Mic, The Advocate, and more. Although Shirien specializes in digital and print, you can also find a mural Shirien designed with United We Dream in D.C.’s fourth ward for Immigrant Resilience Day.

Shirien is proud to be from Chicago, where she was born and raised. Chicago is the ancestral homeland of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations.

Outside the office, Shirien enjoys spending time with loved ones, spending time in nature, sipping on matcha, and watching comedy.

Sylvana Dussan is the Director of Digital Content at the Hub, where she focuses on reaching online audiences about issue-based campaigns through creative, digital content. Prior to joining the Hub, Sylvana has worked on federal and local campaigns, overseeing the overall digital strategy, with a focus on social media and email programs. Sylvana is very passionate about voting rights, oat milk chai lattes, and national parks, and is a proud New Yorker and Latina.

Theo is the Associate Director for Campaigns at The Hub Project. He’s played a key role over the years in various issue advocacy campaigns including Unrig Our Economy, Tax March, Health Care Voter, and Protect The Investigation. Whether he’s managing and cultivating strong relationships with external stakeholders, running and building state programs, or leading teams across the organization to produce hundreds of in-person or virtual events across the country, Theo delivers results.

Prior to joining The Hub Project, Theo worked at a private charitable foundation dedicated to social justice and protecting natural areas in the public trust where his portfolio of work included managing grants. Theo has also worked for Florida’s congressional delegation and on electoral campaigns in Maryland and Massachusetts.

A graduate of Boston University and a proud immigrant, Theo enjoys rooting for the French national soccer team, growing vegetables and herbs in his native plant garden, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.

As The Hub Project’s Senior Video Editor, Zach drives the development and execution of a diverse range of video projects. His portfolio includes music videos, short-form documentaries and a variety of branded content for commercial and non-profit organizations. He has also taught filmmaking in after school programs. In his free time he can be found cooking, watching old movies and hiking with his wife.