Over the course of three days, attendees will hear from thought leaders from across the country and around the world.
The Gathering 2018: Speakers
Jane O’Meara Sanders is Co-Founder of the Sanders Institute and now serves as a Fellow. A political scientist, Jane has served as a president of two colleges, a political consultant, and held appointed and elected office.
Jane and her husband, Senator Bernie Sanders, have four children and seven grandchildren. She has volunteered in Senator Sanders Congressional office as Chief of Staff and Policy/Press Advisor, and was a top advisor in the Bernie 2016 presidential campaign.
Jane earned her Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies from Union Institute & University and subsequently completed the Harvard Institute for Educational Management and Presidents Seminar.
Jane and her husband, Senator Bernie Sanders, have four children and seven grandchildren. She has volunteered in Senator Sanders Congressional office as Chief of Staff and Policy/Press Advisor, and was a top advisor in the Bernie 2016 presidential campaign.
Jane earned her Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies from Union Institute & University and subsequently completed the Harvard Institute for Educational Management and Presidents Seminar.
Jane O’Meara Sanders
Co-Founder, Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Senator Bernie Sanders will offer the Keynote Address touching on many of the important issues The Sanders Institute Gathering will be covering. From Medicare-for-All to housing to climate change and international policy, Senator Sanders has worked tirelessly to bring these issues to the forefront of discussion across the country.
The longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history, Senator Sanders was re-elected this November with 69% of the vote. He previously served as the lone Congressman from Vermont and Mayor of Burlington. He has been married to his wife, Jane, for thirty years and has four children and seven grandchildren.
Throughout his career, he has focused on the shrinking American middle class and the growing income and wealth gaps in the United States. In 2014, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Sanders passed legislation reforming the VA health care system.
In 2016 Senator Sanders ran for the Democratic nomination for the presidency, galvanizing young voters, and bringing progressive issues to the forefront of political discussions.
The longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history, Senator Sanders was re-elected this November with 69% of the vote. He previously served as the lone Congressman from Vermont and Mayor of Burlington. He has been married to his wife, Jane, for thirty years and has four children and seven grandchildren.
Throughout his career, he has focused on the shrinking American middle class and the growing income and wealth gaps in the United States. In 2014, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Sanders passed legislation reforming the VA health care system.
In 2016 Senator Sanders ran for the Democratic nomination for the presidency, galvanizing young voters, and bringing progressive issues to the forefront of political discussions.
Senator Bernie Sanders
US Senator (I) VT
Cornel West is a prominent and provocative democratic intellectual. He is a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute and a Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University.
He has also taught at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton. He has written over 20 books and has edited 13. In 1993, Dr. West was the winner of The American Book Award. Dr. West has also made three spoken word albums and made his film debut in the Matrix.
He has also taught at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton. He has written over 20 books and has edited 13. In 1993, Dr. West was the winner of The American Book Award. Dr. West has also made three spoken word albums and made his film debut in the Matrix.
Dr. Cornel West
Professor, Author & Activist
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Hon. Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto is the Mayor of San Juan City.
Cruz was born and attended elementary and high school in Puerto Rico. Cruz completed her Bachelor's degree at Boston University and her Master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University.
Cruz worked as a Manager and Human Resources Director for various companies after graduating. Following 12 years in the US, Cruz returned to Puerto Rico and worked as an advisor for the San Juan City Major and for the President of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.
Cruz is a member of the Political Education Institute of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and was elected National President of the PPD Women Organization. In 2005 the Governor of Puerto Rico named her a member of the San Juan Reorganization Commission. Cruz was also part of the PPD Government Platform Program Committee and in 2008 was elected Representative by Accumulation. In 2012 Cruz was elected Mayor of San Juan City.
Cruz was born and attended elementary and high school in Puerto Rico. Cruz completed her Bachelor's degree at Boston University and her Master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University.
Cruz worked as a Manager and Human Resources Director for various companies after graduating. Following 12 years in the US, Cruz returned to Puerto Rico and worked as an advisor for the San Juan City Major and for the President of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.
Cruz is a member of the Political Education Institute of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and was elected National President of the PPD Women Organization. In 2005 the Governor of Puerto Rico named her a member of the San Juan Reorganization Commission. Cruz was also part of the PPD Government Platform Program Committee and in 2008 was elected Representative by Accumulation. In 2012 Cruz was elected Mayor of San Juan City.
Carmen Yulin Cruz
Mayor, San Juan Puerto Rico; Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Earlier this year, El-Sayed ran for Governor of Michigan on a progressive platform, advocating for universal healthcare, clean water for all, debt-free and tuition-free higher education, and a pathway to 100% renewable energy.
Before running for Governor, El-Sayed served as Health Commissioner in Detroit where he rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department after it had been privatized during the City’s municipal bankruptcy. Under his leadership, the Department created a program to provide every child in Detroit a free pair of glasses, stood up to corporate polluters like Marathon Petroleum to force them to reduce emissions and invest in parks; and had every school, daycare and Head Start building tested for lead in the Water after Flint.
Before running for Governor, El-Sayed served as Health Commissioner in Detroit where he rebuilt Detroit’s Health Department after it had been privatized during the City’s municipal bankruptcy. Under his leadership, the Department created a program to provide every child in Detroit a free pair of glasses, stood up to corporate polluters like Marathon Petroleum to force them to reduce emissions and invest in parks; and had every school, daycare and Head Start building tested for lead in the Water after Flint.
Abdul El-Sayed
Physician, Public Health Expert & Activist
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. With a bold goal to help build a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single day feeling inspired, feel safe at work, and feel fulfilled at the end of the day, he is leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books and may be best known for popularizing the concept of Why in his first TED Talk in 2009 which rose to become the third most-watched talk of all time, with over 41 million views and subtitled in 48 languages.
Simon Sinek
Motivational Speaker, Author, and Activist
Yanis Varoufakis served as Minister of Finance of Greece in 2015.
Varoufakis has taught economics at a number of universities around the world including the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia, the University of Sydney and the University of Athens, and the University of Texas at Austin. Varoufakis also spent a year as a Fellow at the University of Cambridge and was the Economist-in-Residence at Valve Corporation.
Varoufakis also served as economic advisor to George Papandreou, then Leader of the Opposition from 2004-06. In January 2015, Yanis Varoufakis was appointed finance minister by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Varoufakis resigned as Finance Minister on 6 July 2015.
Yanis Varoufakis studied economics in the UK, at the University of Essex and mathematical statistics at the University of Birmingham. He has a PhD in economics. Varoufakis has written several books on game theory, microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Varoufakis has taught economics at a number of universities around the world including the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia, the University of Sydney and the University of Athens, and the University of Texas at Austin. Varoufakis also spent a year as a Fellow at the University of Cambridge and was the Economist-in-Residence at Valve Corporation.
Varoufakis also served as economic advisor to George Papandreou, then Leader of the Opposition from 2004-06. In January 2015, Yanis Varoufakis was appointed finance minister by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Varoufakis resigned as Finance Minister on 6 July 2015.
Yanis Varoufakis studied economics in the UK, at the University of Essex and mathematical statistics at the University of Birmingham. He has a PhD in economics. Varoufakis has written several books on game theory, microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Yanis Varoufakis
Economist & Former Greek Minister of Finance; Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the international bestsellers, No Logo, The Shock Doctrine, This Changes Everything, No is Not Enough and The Battle for Paradise. Her books have been translated in over 30 languages. She is Senior Correspondent for The Intercept and a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow at The Nation Institute. She is on the board of directors for 350.org, and is a force behind Canada’s Leap Manifesto, a blueprint for rapid justice-based transition off fossil fuels. She is the inaugural Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies at Rutgers University.
Naomi Klein
Journalist, Author
Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned professor of economics, leader in sustainable development, senior UN advisor, bestselling author, and syndicated columnist. He is also a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute.
Professor Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He is University Professor at Columbia University, the university’s highest academic rank. Sachs is also currently Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the Sustainable Development Goals and Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and previously advised UN Secretary-Generals on both the Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria.
Sachs is a Commissioner of the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Development. He is Chair and Founder of SDG USA. Sachs is also co-founder and Chief Strategist of Millennium Promise Alliance and was director of the Millennium Villages Project (2005-2015).
Prior to joining Columbia, Sachs spent over twenty years as a professor at Harvard University, most recently as the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Sachs received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard.
Professor Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He is University Professor at Columbia University, the university’s highest academic rank. Sachs is also currently Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the Sustainable Development Goals and Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and previously advised UN Secretary-Generals on both the Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria.
Sachs is a Commissioner of the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Development. He is Chair and Founder of SDG USA. Sachs is also co-founder and Chief Strategist of Millennium Promise Alliance and was director of the Millennium Villages Project (2005-2015).
Prior to joining Columbia, Sachs spent over twenty years as a professor at Harvard University, most recently as the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Sachs received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard.
Jeffrey Sachs
Economist, Public Policy Analyst & Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University
Founding Fellow, Sanders Institute
Nixon is an award winning actress and political activist. Earlier this year, Nixon announced her campaign for Governor of New York as a challenger to Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo. Her platform focused on income inequality, renewable energy, establishing universal health care, stopping mass incarceration in the United States, and protecting undocumented children from deportation. Nixon is an advocate for LGBT rights in the United States, particularly the right of same-sex marriage. She received the Yale University Artist for Equality award in 2013 and a Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign in 2018.
Cynthia Nixon
Actress, Activist & Politician
Ada Colau Ballano (Barcelona, 1974) was elected in 2015 as Barcelona's first-ever woman mayor. Her professional life has been devoted to researching and championing human rights, with special emphasis on the right to housing. Under her leadership, Barcelona has increased social spending to historic levels, spearheaded initiatives to prevent gentrification by increasing public and social housing, created a municipal energy company and mainstreamed a gender perspective across all city policy.
Ada Colau
Mayor, Barcelona
RoseAnn DeMoro is the former executive director of National Nurses United, the largest U.S. organization of nurses, and a national vice president of the AFL-CIO.
DeMoro’s ability to effectively organize and negotiate for workers has garnered her national respect and recognition. She has been profiled in publications such as The New York Times and Business Week and has consistently been named one of the “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” by Modern Health Care Magazine largely for her work on Medicare for All.
DeMoro’s ability to effectively organize and negotiate for workers has garnered her national respect and recognition. She has been profiled in publications such as The New York Times and Business Week and has consistently been named one of the “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” by Modern Health Care Magazine largely for her work on Medicare for All.
RoseAnn DeMoro
Former Executive Director, National Nurses United (AFL-CIO) and California Nurses Association
Robert Pollin is Distinguished Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
He is also the founder and President of PEAR (Pollin Energy and Retrofits), an Amherst, MA-based green energy company operating throughout the United States.
He has worked recently as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Energy, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and numerous non-governmental organizations in several countries on building high-employment green economies.
He has also directed projects on employment creation and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa for the United Nations Development Program, and has worked with many U.S. organizations on creating living wage statutes at both the statewide and municipal levels. He is presently a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Commission project on Financialization, Economy, Society, and Sustainable Development (FESSUD).
He is also the founder and President of PEAR (Pollin Energy and Retrofits), an Amherst, MA-based green energy company operating throughout the United States.
He has worked recently as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Energy, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and numerous non-governmental organizations in several countries on building high-employment green economies.
He has also directed projects on employment creation and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa for the United Nations Development Program, and has worked with many U.S. organizations on creating living wage statutes at both the statewide and municipal levels. He is presently a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Commission project on Financialization, Economy, Society, and Sustainable Development (FESSUD).
Robert Pollin
Co-Director, Political Economic Research Institute; Professor of Economics, UMASS Amherst; Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Bill McKibben is an author and environmentalist. He is a founder of 350.org, the first planet-wide, grassroots climate change movement and a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute.
In 2014 McKibben was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, and was the 2013 winner of the Gandhi Prize and the Thomas Merton Prize. His book The End of Nature is regarded as the first book for a general audience about climate change; he’s gone on to write a dozen more books.
He is currently the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 2014 McKibben was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, and was the 2013 winner of the Gandhi Prize and the Thomas Merton Prize. His book The End of Nature is regarded as the first book for a general audience about climate change; he’s gone on to write a dozen more books.
He is currently the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Bill McKibben
Author & Founder, 350.org
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Haddad began his career as a professor of contemporary political theory at the University of São Paulo, before becoming undersecretary of finance and economic development for the municipality of São Paulo (2001-2003). In 2005, he became minister of education, serving until 2012. During his tenure as minister of education, Haddad's main initiative was the ProUni, or the "university for all" program, which aimed to increase the number of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in higher education. In 2012, Haddad was elected the 51st mayor of São Paulo, a position which he held until 2017. Haddad was named as former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's running mate for the 2018 presidential elections. However, he was later named PT's new presidential nominee, when Lula was declared ineligible.
Fernando Haddad
Former Mayor of Sao Paulo & Brazilian Presidential Candidate
Nina Turner is a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute and the president of Our Revolution, which was founded in August 2016 to perpetuate and organize the political coalition that formed during the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. Previously, she served in the Ohio State Senate, where she advocated for progressive causes such as education and healthcare reform, and was the Democratic nominee for Ohio Secretary of State and a strategic leader of the Ohio Democratic Party. Politico included her in their Playbook Power List of 18 people to watch in 2018. Outside of the political arena, Turner has decades of experience as a college professor and motivational speaker.
Nina Turner
President, Our Revolution
Former Ohio State Senator
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Bill de Blasio is the Democratic mayor of New York in New York. First elected in 2013, de Blasio won a new term in the general election on November 7, 2017. De Blasio also ran on the Working Families ballot line.
From 2010 to 2013, de Blasio served as New York City Public Advocate. He represented the District 39 on the New York City Council from 2002 to 2009. In 1999, he was elected to District 15's school board in Brooklyn. De Blasio also served as regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1997 to 1998 and managed Hillary Clinton's 2000 New York Senate campaign.
From 2010 to 2013, de Blasio served as New York City Public Advocate. He represented the District 39 on the New York City Council from 2002 to 2009. In 1999, he was elected to District 15's school board in Brooklyn. De Blasio also served as regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1997 to 1998 and managed Hillary Clinton's 2000 New York Senate campaign.
Bill de Blasio
Mayor of New York City
MP Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) is one of Canada’s longest serving New Democratic (NDP) Members of Parliament. Niki has been a key member of the NDP Caucus, having served as NDP critic for Aboriginal Affairs, Status of Women, Post-Secondary Education and Youth, and is currently the critic for Jobs, Employment and Workforce Development and the deputy critic for Reconciliation between Canada and Indigenous Peoples.
Niki believes in democratic socialist principles. Throughout her career, she’s brought people together based on a commitment to social, environmental, and economic justice. She's worked with national and community leaders and advocates on key issues including the fight for justice for First Nations, in the struggle against precarious work, and the fight for gender justice and equality.
Most recently, she ran for leader of the NDP where she championed bold ideas like free post-secondary tuition, expanding Canada’s socialized healthcare system to include dental, pharmaceutical and mental healthcare, support for public ownership, opposing environmentally destructive pipelines and a foreign policy rooted in justice and human rights.
Niki lives in Thompson, Manitoba, in northern Canada where she was born and raised.
Niki believes in democratic socialist principles. Throughout her career, she’s brought people together based on a commitment to social, environmental, and economic justice. She's worked with national and community leaders and advocates on key issues including the fight for justice for First Nations, in the struggle against precarious work, and the fight for gender justice and equality.
Most recently, she ran for leader of the NDP where she championed bold ideas like free post-secondary tuition, expanding Canada’s socialized healthcare system to include dental, pharmaceutical and mental healthcare, support for public ownership, opposing environmentally destructive pipelines and a foreign policy rooted in justice and human rights.
Niki lives in Thompson, Manitoba, in northern Canada where she was born and raised.
Niki Ashton
Member of the Canadian House of Commons
Randy Bryce
Former Candidate for House of Representatives
Michael Tubbs was elected to serve as the mayor of the City of Stockton, California. Upon taking office in January 2017, Michael Tubbs became both Stockton’s youngest mayor and the city’s first African-American mayor. Michael Tubbs is also the youngest mayor in the history of the country representing a city with a population of over 100,000 residents.
Before becoming mayor, Michael Tubbs served as Stockton's District 6 City Councilmember. Elected at age 22 in 2013, he became one of the youngest City Councilmembers in the country. As a councilmember, Tubbs created the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition, championed the creation of the City’s Office of Violence Prevention and was part of the council that led the city out of bankruptcy as Chair of the Audit and Legislative Committee.
Before becoming mayor, Michael Tubbs served as Stockton's District 6 City Councilmember. Elected at age 22 in 2013, he became one of the youngest City Councilmembers in the country. As a councilmember, Tubbs created the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition, championed the creation of the City’s Office of Violence Prevention and was part of the council that led the city out of bankruptcy as Chair of the Audit and Legislative Committee.
Michael Tubbs
Mayor, Stockton CA
Mark Dimondstein is President of the American Postal Workers Union, Dimondstein has transformed the APWU into a fighting, activist organization. He helped establish A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service, strengthened the unity among the four postal unions, helped forge the Campaign for Postal Banking, and led the successful fight against a privatization scheme.
Prior to taking office as president, Dimondstein held a variety of positions in the APWU. He was elected to six consecutive terms as President of the Greater Greensboro Area Local. He served as National Lead Field Organizer. He received the AFL-CIO Southern Organizer of the Year Award in 2001.
He was appointed by the Greensboro City Council to serve on the Greensboro Human Relations Commission. He also served as the coordinator of North Carolina Labor Against the War, co-founded the Greensboro Chapter of Jobs with Justice, and helped initiate a local coalition, Postal Customers and Workers United to Save the Public Postal Service.
Prior to taking office as president, Dimondstein held a variety of positions in the APWU. He was elected to six consecutive terms as President of the Greater Greensboro Area Local. He served as National Lead Field Organizer. He received the AFL-CIO Southern Organizer of the Year Award in 2001.
He was appointed by the Greensboro City Council to serve on the Greensboro Human Relations Commission. He also served as the coordinator of North Carolina Labor Against the War, co-founded the Greensboro Chapter of Jobs with Justice, and helped initiate a local coalition, Postal Customers and Workers United to Save the Public Postal Service.
Mark Dimondstein
President, American Postal Workers Union
Radhika Balakrishnan is faculty director at the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and professor in Women's and Gender Studies at Rutgers University. She has a Ph.D. in Economics from Rutgers University. She is Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equity for the City of New York and the Co-Chair of the Civil Society Advisory Committee for the United Nations Development Program, on the Global Advisory Council for the United Nations Population Fund. Her most recent co-authored book of Rethinking Economic Policy for Social Justice: The Radical Potential of Human Rights with James Heintz and Diane Elson. Routledge
Dr. Radhika Balakrishnan
UN Development Program & Global Advisory Council
Michael Lighty is considered a preeminent spokesperson and expert on Medicare for All. For over 25 years, Lighty has organized, written and spoken on the subject. He is currently a lead policy analyst for a single-payer bill, SB 562, the Healthy California Act. From 1994 until 2018, Michael worked for the California Nurses Association/NNU where he coordinated campaigns for an HMO patients’ bill of rights, clean money elections, and nationally for a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street. Lighty was the first openly LGBTQ Commissioner for the Port of Oakland. He was Jerry Brown’s first mayoral appointee to the Oakland Planning Commission in 1999, and was appointed by Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums to the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners, in 2010. He serves on the Board of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, CA, where he lives with his spouse.
Michael Lighty
Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Jane Kim is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative body for the City and County of San Francisco, and former President of the San Francisco Board of Education. As Supervisor, she led the successful fight to make San Francisco the only city in the nation to make community college tuition-free, authored the ordinance to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour, negotiated the most affordable housing of any city legislator in the last 8 years, and passed the strongest tenant protections in the nation. This year, she led the single largest investment any US city has made towards childcare: a tax on multimillion-dollar commercial real estate sales to raise $130M+ per year make universal childcare a reality. Her track record of fighting for progressive values earned her the endorsements of Senator Bernie Sanders in 2016, and Our Revolution in 2018. Prior to elected office, Jane served as a Community Organizer and Civil Rights Attorney. She is the first Korean American elected to office in San Francisco.
Jane Kim
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
John Cusack is a writer, filmmaker, producer, and Founding member of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. John is also a co-author of Things that Can and Cannot Be Said with Arundahti Roy. He frequently writes for the Huffington Post on political issues. Cusack’s film credits range from blockbusters to independent films, many of which he has written and produced.
John Cusack
Writer, Filmmaker, Producer, Founding member, Freedom of the Press Foundation
Stephanie Kelton is a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Stony Brook University. Before joining Stony Brook, she chaired the Economics Department at the University of Missouri—Kansas City, where she taught for seventeen years. She served as chief economist on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee (Democratic staff) in 2015 and as an economic adviser to Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign. She is a former editor-in-chief of the top-ranked blog New Economic Perspectives and member of the TopWonks network of the nation’s best thinkers. In 2016, POLITICO named her one of the 50 people most influencing the public public debate in America. She is a contributing writer at Bloomberg View and a Founding Fellow of the Sanders’Institute. She is Chair of the Board at Economists for Peace & Security. Her forthcoming book, But How Will We Pay For It? Making Public Money Work For Us will be published by Public Affairs in 2020. Kelton is a regular commentator on national radio and broadcast television, and she is a contributing writer at Bloomberg. She consults with policymakers, investment banks, and portfolio managers across the globe. Her research expertise is in Federal Reserve operations, fiscal policy, social security, international finance, and employment policy. She received her Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research and holds an M.Phil. in economics from Cambridge University.
Dr. Stephanie Kelton
Professor of Public Policy & Economics, Stony Brook University
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Ben Cohen and childhood friend Jerry Greenfield opened Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream Parlor in Burlington, Vermont, in 1978, and over the years the pair turned Ben & Jerry’s into a worldwide phenomenon.
A tireless activist, Cohen has put his wealth to use in founding such groups as TrueMajority and Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, both of which are active in advancing various social and political causes.
A tireless activist, Cohen has put his wealth to use in founding such groups as TrueMajority and Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, both of which are active in advancing various social and political causes.
Ben Cohen
Activist, Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Gabbard serves in the United States House of Representatives, representing Hawaii’s 2nd District. She is one of the first two female combat veterans to serve in the U.S. Congress, and its first Hindu member. She is also a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute.
She was previously elected to the Hawai‘i State Legislature and the Honolulu City Council and worked as a legislative aide to Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI).
In 2004 Gabbard volunteered to deploy with her fellow soldiers, becoming the first state official to voluntarily step down from public office to serve in a war zone. She served two tours of duty in the Middle East, and continues her service as a Major in the Army National Guard.
Gabbard graduated from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy.
She was previously elected to the Hawai‘i State Legislature and the Honolulu City Council and worked as a legislative aide to Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI).
In 2004 Gabbard volunteered to deploy with her fellow soldiers, becoming the first state official to voluntarily step down from public office to serve in a war zone. She served two tours of duty in the Middle East, and continues her service as a Major in the Army National Guard.
Gabbard graduated from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
US Representative (D) HI,
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Matt Nelson is the Colombian-born, Midwestern-raised Executive Director of Presente.org—the nation’s largest digital Latinx organizing group; advancing social justice with technology, media, and culture. Previously, Matt was the Organizing Director at ColorOfChange and also co-founded several worker-owned cooperatives in multiple midwestern cities. He's a seasoned campaign strategist who's won dozens of campaigns and trained thousands of activists. Matt was featured in the first major book on the Ferguson Uprising, "Ferguson is America: Roots of Rebellion", contributed to the book, “Welcome to the Revolution: Universalizing Resistance for Social Justice and Democracy in Perilous Times“, and is co-authoring a book on Latinx power building to be released in the summer of 2019.
Matt Nelson
Executive Director, Presente.org
Benjamin Todd Jealous is a former candidate for Governor for the state of Maryland and a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute. Jealous is also the former president and CEO of the NAACP, where he led successful state and local movements to ban the death penalty, outlaw racial profiling, defend voting rights, secure marriage equality, and free multiple wrongfully incarcerated people.
Prior to leading the NAACP, he spent 15 years serving as a journalist and community organizer.
A Rhodes Scholar, he has been named to the 40 under 40 lists of both Forbes and Time magazines.
He also serves as an advisor for multiple tech startups that work to close gaps, particularly in the areas of financial inclusion, justice tech, and low wage work.
Prior to leading the NAACP, he spent 15 years serving as a journalist and community organizer.
A Rhodes Scholar, he has been named to the 40 under 40 lists of both Forbes and Time magazines.
He also serves as an advisor for multiple tech startups that work to close gaps, particularly in the areas of financial inclusion, justice tech, and low wage work.
Ben Jealous
Former President and CEO, NAACP
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Peter Knowlton has been a member of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) for over 30 years. He has served in various capacities as Field Organizer, President of the Northeast Region, and was elected UE General President in 2015. A lifelong political activist and resident of Massachusetts he was active in the anti-war and student movement, anti-nuclear and environmental movement, and the Native American solidarity movement and joined the labor movement beginning in the late 1970’s as a cab driver and organizer. He is a lifelong resident of Massachusetts and lives in New Bedford, MA.
Peter Knowlton
General President, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)
Danny Glover is an actor, producer and humanitarian. He is a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute and serves as UNICEF Ambassador and Ambassador for the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent and has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program.
Glover has also been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 30 years. Glover’s film credits range from noted movie roles in Dreamgirls, Color Purple, Witness, the blockbuster Lethal Weapon franchise and the recent film Sorry to Bother You to smaller independent features, some of which Glover also produced. In 2005 Glover co-founded Louverture Films with writer/producer Joslyn Barnes, and later partnered with Susan Rockefeller and Bertha Foundation.
Glover has also been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 30 years. Glover’s film credits range from noted movie roles in Dreamgirls, Color Purple, Witness, the blockbuster Lethal Weapon franchise and the recent film Sorry to Bother You to smaller independent features, some of which Glover also produced. In 2005 Glover co-founded Louverture Films with writer/producer Joslyn Barnes, and later partnered with Susan Rockefeller and Bertha Foundation.
Danny Glover
Actor, Producer & Humanitarian
Founding Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Ryan works with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Mrs. Rosalynn Carter on a range of issues, including assisting their efforts on behalf of victims of human rights violations through personal interventions with heads of state.
She has represented the Center in many international negotiations, including the International Criminal Court, the human rights of women, the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and most recently on the establishment of a U.N. Human Rights Council and has worked closely with the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organize expert consultations designed to strengthen the role of the OHCHR within the United Nations system.
Ryan earned bachelor's degrees in political science from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and in contemporary writing and production from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
She has participated in the Center's election observation missions to Haiti, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria. She has also coordinated the Human Rights Defenders Policy Forum from 2003-2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013.
She has represented the Center in many international negotiations, including the International Criminal Court, the human rights of women, the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and most recently on the establishment of a U.N. Human Rights Council and has worked closely with the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organize expert consultations designed to strengthen the role of the OHCHR within the United Nations system.
Ryan earned bachelor's degrees in political science from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and in contemporary writing and production from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
She has participated in the Center's election observation missions to Haiti, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria. She has also coordinated the Human Rights Defenders Policy Forum from 2003-2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013.
Karin Ryan
Senior Policy Advisor, The Carter Center
Gunnar Lovelace is a 4X serial entrepreneur and investor focused on social enterprise at scale. He is the Founder and CEO of Good Money, a mobile-first banking platform empowering consumers to own the bank and be part of a more equitable and transparent world. Lovelace is also the Founder of Thrive Market – a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand providing organic groceries at wholesale prices through a membership model. In 2010, he founded Love Heals – a social impact fashion brand that has funded the planting of over 1,500,000 trees and sponsored over 50,000 malnourished children globally. Previously, Gunnar started two technology companies in software education and natural language processing. In addition to his for-profit companies he has started two non-profits in education and environmental sustainability.
Gunnar Lovelace
Founder and CEO of Good Money
Founder of Thrive Market & Co-Founder of Alliance For Good
As First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray has redefined the role of First Lady, managing a robust portfolio to advance an ambitious agenda in support of all New Yorkers.
Ms. McCray created ThriveNYC, the most comprehensive mental health plan of any city or state in the nation and she is recognized nationally as a powerful champion for mental health reform.
Additionally, Ms. McCray spearheads the Cities Thrive Coalition of mayors, with representation from 200 cities from all 50 states, advocating for a more integrated and better-funded behavioral health system.
As Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Ms. McCray brings together government, philanthropy and the private sector to work on some of the most pressing issues of our time, including mental health, youth employment and immigration.
She also launched and leads the NYC Unity Project, an unprecedented citywide effort to make sure LGBTQ young people in New York City are safe, supported and healthy.
Ms. McCray’s other responsibilities are extensive: As co-chair of the Commission on Gender Equity, she is a persistent voice for creating a 50-50 city and world. In partnership with NYC’s Police Chief, she leads the Domestic Violence Task Force. And in 2015, with her signature, New York City became the first city in the country to join the United Nations Women’s Safe Cities Global Initiative.
The First Lady is a graduate of Wellesley College. She and Mayor Bill de Blasio live in Gracie Mansion, the official residence, and are proud parents of Chiara and Dante.
Ms. McCray created ThriveNYC, the most comprehensive mental health plan of any city or state in the nation and she is recognized nationally as a powerful champion for mental health reform.
Additionally, Ms. McCray spearheads the Cities Thrive Coalition of mayors, with representation from 200 cities from all 50 states, advocating for a more integrated and better-funded behavioral health system.
As Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Ms. McCray brings together government, philanthropy and the private sector to work on some of the most pressing issues of our time, including mental health, youth employment and immigration.
She also launched and leads the NYC Unity Project, an unprecedented citywide effort to make sure LGBTQ young people in New York City are safe, supported and healthy.
Ms. McCray’s other responsibilities are extensive: As co-chair of the Commission on Gender Equity, she is a persistent voice for creating a 50-50 city and world. In partnership with NYC’s Police Chief, she leads the Domestic Violence Task Force. And in 2015, with her signature, New York City became the first city in the country to join the United Nations Women’s Safe Cities Global Initiative.
The First Lady is a graduate of Wellesley College. She and Mayor Bill de Blasio live in Gracie Mansion, the official residence, and are proud parents of Chiara and Dante.
Chirlane McCray
First Lady of New York City, Writer, and Activist
Cenk Uygur is the host and founder of The Young Turks, the largest online news show in the world, and CEO of TYT Network. Before founding The Young Turks, Uygur graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. With a passion for policy, he moved directly into Columbia University Law School. Upon fulfilling a degree in law, he made great strides in the entertainment industry, landing a position as host on MSNBC Live and heading The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur on Current TV. Uygur is still a vital part to TYT Network, which has a verified global audience of more than 150 million views a month and three billion total video views, making it one of the most-watched online news networks in the world. Leading the teleprompter-free show every weekday, thousands of people stream live to listen to his opinion on topics within news and politics. Outside of his own show, he has also appeared numerous times on CNN, Headline News,E!,Al Jazeera, ABC News, Voice of America, NPR and FOX News Channel. Uygur is among the top five most popular bloggers on The Huffington Post and is heading the era of politics on YouTube.
Cenk Uygur
Journalist and Political Commentator
Joseph Geevarghese is the founder and Executive Director of Good Jobs Nation. Since 2013, Good Jobs Nation has utilized mass worker strikes and strategic litigation to win 3 presidential executive orders to raise wages, crack-down on labor law abuses, and extend paid leave for over 20 million workers employed by federal contractors. Good Jobs Nation has also been at the forefront of the federal fight to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and to safeguard the freedom of workers to organize alongside US Sen. Bernie Sanders. Joseph is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center
Joseph Geevarghese
Executive Director, Good Jobs Nation
Michael Weinstein co-founded Aids Healthcare Foundation and serves as its President. Since 1986, Mr. Weinstein has been a leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Before becoming involved in HIV/AIDS related issues in the 1980s, he was a Businessman and Graphic Designer. He serves as a Director of bioLytical Laboratories Inc. Mr. Weinstein served as the Co-Ordinator of the Stop the AIDS Quarantine Committee and then as an Executive Director of the Los Angeles AIDS Hospice Committee. In 2001, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Whittier College for his career achievements.
Michael Weinstein
President & Co-Founder, AIDS Healthcare Foundation
President & Founder, Healthy Housing Foundation
Dr. Zogby co-founded the Arab American Institute in 1985 and continues to serve as its president. He is also Managing Director of Zogby Research Services.
In addition to holding positions in the Jackson '84 and '88, Gore 2000, Obama 2008, and Sanders 2016 campaigns, Zogby has served on the Democratic National Committee since 1992 and was a member of the DNC's Executive Committee for 16 years. He is Chair of the party's Ethnic Council and served on the Unity and Reform Commission.
Dr. Zogby was appointed by President Obama to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in 2013 and 2015 and twice served as the Commission's Vice-Chair. Zogby writes a weekly column published in 12 countries, was the creator and host of an award-winning call-in political television show, is frequently featured on national and international media as an expert on Middle East affairs, and is a highly-acclaimed author.
In addition to holding positions in the Jackson '84 and '88, Gore 2000, Obama 2008, and Sanders 2016 campaigns, Zogby has served on the Democratic National Committee since 1992 and was a member of the DNC's Executive Committee for 16 years. He is Chair of the party's Ethnic Council and served on the Unity and Reform Commission.
Dr. Zogby was appointed by President Obama to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in 2013 and 2015 and twice served as the Commission's Vice-Chair. Zogby writes a weekly column published in 12 countries, was the creator and host of an award-winning call-in political television show, is frequently featured on national and international media as an expert on Middle East affairs, and is a highly-acclaimed author.
James Zogby
Founder & President, Arab American Institute; Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Roger Wolfson has risen to positions of prominence in the fields of entertainment, politics, news, and law. He is a professional television and film writer who has written for five network TV series. He currently runs a TV series on Crackle about the U.S. Embassy in Rome, and has sold eight original television series of his own, to studios including Sony, ABC, CBS, Universal Cable Productions, and A&E, and to networks including CBS, Bravo, and Lifetime. He has been staff for four U.S. Senators, written speeches for presidential candidates, been Vice President of Channel One News, founded his own strategic consulting firm, and worked as a civil rights attorney.
Roger Wolfson
Screenwriter, Lawyer, Activist
Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini is a Labour City Councillor, ethnic minority officer for her Constituency Labour Party, and a trade union branch Political Officer. Hosnieh campaigns on the NHS, inequalities and refugee rights. Hosnieh’s fifteen-year career in the NHS, and low-income countries has been heavily focused on communication, partnership-working and education. This has included initiating and organizing education series for many institutions including University of Oxford and Malawi School of Anaesthesia, and strategic planning with the Oxford University Global Surgery group and Asylum Welcome.
The ward Hosnieh represents is one of the most deprived in her city of Oxford. This together with her own background of having arrived in the UK aged thirteen with almost no English as the daughter of a refugee, have driven her to help deliver social justice and a greater platform for effective change by marginalized groups in UK society.
The ward Hosnieh represents is one of the most deprived in her city of Oxford. This together with her own background of having arrived in the UK aged thirteen with almost no English as the daughter of a refugee, have driven her to help deliver social justice and a greater platform for effective change by marginalized groups in UK society.
Dr. Hosnieh Djafari Marbini
Anaesthetist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Susan Sarandon, has made a career of choosing diverse and challenging projects in film and
television. From her Oscar-nominated performance in Thelma & Louise to her Academy
Award-winning and SAG® Award-winning role in Dead Man Walking, Susan uses her
talent to shine a light on important issues in a thought-provoking way.
Susan is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, works with multiple homeless organizations,
fiercely opposes the death penalty and is an outspoken LGBT & HIV/AIDS advocate. She
supports Together 1 Heart, formed to eradicate human trafficking, sexual exploitation and
modern-day slavery in Cambodia; Hope North, a school in Uganda that educates and heals
the young victims, orphans and former child soldiers of Uganda’s civil war; and Artists for
Peace and Justice, supporting communities in Haiti through programs in education,
healthcare and the arts.
television. From her Oscar-nominated performance in Thelma & Louise to her Academy
Award-winning and SAG® Award-winning role in Dead Man Walking, Susan uses her
talent to shine a light on important issues in a thought-provoking way.
Susan is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, works with multiple homeless organizations,
fiercely opposes the death penalty and is an outspoken LGBT & HIV/AIDS advocate. She
supports Together 1 Heart, formed to eradicate human trafficking, sexual exploitation and
modern-day slavery in Cambodia; Hope North, a school in Uganda that educates and heals
the young victims, orphans and former child soldiers of Uganda’s civil war; and Artists for
Peace and Justice, supporting communities in Haiti through programs in education,
healthcare and the arts.
Susan Sarandon
Actress, Activist
David McWilliams is one of Ireland’s leading economic commentators. He is a writer, journalist, lecturer, broadcaster and documentary maker and has written four bestsellers, presented award-winning documentaries and performed an economics stand-up show.
He writes columns in Irish newspapers, is a regular contributor to the Financial Times and the co-founder of the world’s only economics festival www.kilkenomics.com. He is recognized as one of the world’s Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum, Davos and is a regulator contributor to Google’s Zeitgeist conference.
David has launched his new online economics course – “Economics without Boundaries” and a series of animated economics videos – Punk Economics. He also writes a daily financial markets newsletter, Global Macro 360.
David previously worked as an economist in the Irish Central Bank and later in the financial markets with UBS and Banque Nationale de Paris. He studied economics at Trinity College and the College of Europe.
He writes columns in Irish newspapers, is a regular contributor to the Financial Times and the co-founder of the world’s only economics festival www.kilkenomics.com. He is recognized as one of the world’s Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum, Davos and is a regulator contributor to Google’s Zeitgeist conference.
David has launched his new online economics course – “Economics without Boundaries” and a series of animated economics videos – Punk Economics. He also writes a daily financial markets newsletter, Global Macro 360.
David previously worked as an economist in the Irish Central Bank and later in the financial markets with UBS and Banque Nationale de Paris. He studied economics at Trinity College and the College of Europe.
David McWilliams
Economist, Broadcaster & Journalist; Fellow, The Sanders Institute
Diane Archer is president of Just Care USA, an independent digital hub covering health and financial issues facing boomers and their families and promoting policy solutions. She is the past board chair of Consumer Reports and serves on the Brown University School of Public Health Advisory Board. Ms. Archer began her career in health advocacy in 1989 as founder and president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national organization dedicated to ensuring that older and disabled Americans get the health care they need. She served as director, Health Care for All Project, Institute for America’s Future, between 2005 and 2010.
Diane Archer
President, Just Care USA
Brenda Torpy, Champlain Housing Trust’s CEO, has 40 years of experience in affordable housing starting with community organizing and rural community development in Vermont. As housing director under Mayor Bernie Sanders, Brenda led the development of the Burlington Community Land Trust, served as its first board president, and joined the staff in 1991. Brenda is past chair and board member of Grounded Solutions Network; member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and past member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Advisory Councils, and the Vermont Governor’s Housing Council. Brenda’s leadership in the field of CLTs and permanent affordability was recognized with a Ford Leadership Award, and under her stewardship, CHT received the United Nations World Habitat Award. Brenda is a frequent speaker at national and international forums and has provided technical assistance to community groups and government entities on CLT development throughout the US and abroad.
Brenda Torpy
CEO, Champlain Housing Trust
John Emmeus Davis is a founding partner of Burlington Associates in Community Development, a consulting cooperative that assists city governments and nonprofit organizations in developing homes that remain permanently affordable. He is co-director of the nonprofit Center for Community Land Trust Innovation at the Global Land Alliance.
Community land trusts have been a prominent part of his practice, teaching, and writing. His publications include The City-CLT Partnership (2008), The Community Land Trust Reader (2010), and Manuel d'antispéculation immobilière (2014). His film credits include Arc of Justice, a documentary about the first CLT, an outgrowth of the southern Civil Rights Movement.
Community land trusts have been a prominent part of his practice, teaching, and writing. His publications include The City-CLT Partnership (2008), The Community Land Trust Reader (2010), and Manuel d'antispéculation immobilière (2014). His film credits include Arc of Justice, a documentary about the first CLT, an outgrowth of the southern Civil Rights Movement.
John Davis
Partner, Burlington Associates
Libby Devlin is the Southern Region Director of National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United which has been active in Texas since 2004 and Florida since 2008, building organization among direct care RNs to achieve respect for nurses, safe patient care, justice in the workplace and Medicare for All.
Libby has been an organizer for over 30 years working with nurses and other health care professionals in the unending struggle for social and economic justice. Representing 150,000 Registered Nurses in all 50 states, NNOC/NNU is the largest and fastest growing union of direct care nurses in the nation.
Libby has been an organizer for over 30 years working with nurses and other health care professionals in the unending struggle for social and economic justice. Representing 150,000 Registered Nurses in all 50 states, NNOC/NNU is the largest and fastest growing union of direct care nurses in the nation.
Libby Devlin
Southern Director, NNU
Kelly is the Assistant Director of Public and Community Advocacy at National Nurses United. She served as an Educator and as Education Director for NNU, as the Director of the Washington State Labor Center, and as a Labor Representative for health care workers. Kelly helps operationalize NNU’s national Medicare for All Campaign.
Kelly Coogan-Gehr
Assistant Director, Public and Community Advocacy, National Nurses United
David Driscoll is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Sanders Institute.
As a son of Jane and Bernie Sanders, Driscoll has been involved in politics and government from a young age. Most recently, Driscoll led the Bernie 2016 "Art of the Political Revolution" effort, which incorporated the creative community into the campaign.
Driscoll, a global brand marketing expert, built his career in the private sector, at Vermont-based Burton, Inc., and in Oregon at Nike. His leadership role in developing these global brands and consumer loyalty had Driscoll traveling the world, recruiting and managing talent/athletes, and producing content and world-stage sports industry events.
He received a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Vermont.
As a son of Jane and Bernie Sanders, Driscoll has been involved in politics and government from a young age. Most recently, Driscoll led the Bernie 2016 "Art of the Political Revolution" effort, which incorporated the creative community into the campaign.
Driscoll, a global brand marketing expert, built his career in the private sector, at Vermont-based Burton, Inc., and in Oregon at Nike. His leadership role in developing these global brands and consumer loyalty had Driscoll traveling the world, recruiting and managing talent/athletes, and producing content and world-stage sports industry events.
He received a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Vermont.
David Driscoll
Co-Founder, Executive Director, The Sanders Institute
Gus Newport, the former Mayor of Berkeley, is a social justice activist and independent consultant. Gus was the program director of the Vanguard Foundation, consultant and Sr. Fellow to the Ford Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Jacobs Family Foundation, and the Mabel Louise Riley Foundation. He served as the Vice-President from the US to the World Peace Council from1980-1986 and served on two United Nations committees. More recently he worked to help the Gulfport, Mississippi, community rebuild in the wake of damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Eugene “Gus” Newport
Social Justice Activist & Former Mayor of Berkeley, CA
Jo Beardsmore is a Senior Advisor at the Social Practice, facilitating collaboration between organizers in the U.K. and U.S. that are working to transform society in the interests of the many, and not the few. His work on the campaign for Medicare for All with National Nurses United draws on a decade of experience building people-powered movements in the U.K. Jo is a co-founder of UK Uncut, which used distributed organizing techniques and direct action to disrupt government narratives around austerity. As an advisor to Momentum, he provided support in establishing its organizing model, and helped to plan Momentum’s inaugural conference, ‘Building to Win’.
Jo Beardsmore
Co-Founder, UK Uncut; Senior Advisor at the Social Practice