Connecting the Netroots with Policy Idea Factories to Move the Progressive Agenda
The Netroots has established a robust network of blogs and social web outposts that now rival the influence of the traditional policy “elite.” Policy proposals and research from progressive think tanks also play a crucial role in shaping policy. Generally, think tanks have focused on influencing the traditional influentials, but the new challenge is how these policy idea factories can effectively engage and collaborate with the Netroots to more effectively advance a progressive agenda in a way that creates both broad-based and elite support for progressive policy. From blogs to the social web, these new communication channels and webs of influence can reshape the way we make policy, if we work together.
Alan Rosenblatt is the Associate Director of Online Advocacy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He founded the Internet Advocacy Roundtable in 2005. Alan is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and American Universities; blogs at the Huffington Post, TechPresident.com, K Street Café, PoliticsMagazine.com, and DrDigiPol.com; a board member for E-Democracy.org; and a 2008 fellow at George Washington University’s Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet. He taught the world’s first internet politics course at George Mason University in 1995. Alan's Ph.D. is in Political Science from American University.
Matthew Yglesias is a Fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He holds a BA in Philosophy from Harvard University. His first book, Heads in the Sand, was published in May 2008 by Wiley.
Barry Kendall is the executive director of the Commonweal Institute, a think tank focused on building a more coordinated and effective progressive movement. He is also the Co-Chair of the Progressive Ideas Network, a nationwide alliance of multi-issue think tanks and activist organizations. Holding a doctorate from Stanford University, Barry is an expert on the role of religion in American culture and politics. He is a 2009 recipient of the "40 Under 40" Award from the New Leaders Council, and he is proud to serve as an adviser to Netroots Nation.
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is Executive Director and co-founder of MomsRising.org, an online and on-the-ground grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all families in the United States and to end discrimination against mothers.
With MomsRising co-founder and President, Joan Blades, Rowe-Finkbeiner co-authored The Motherhood Manifesto. Rowe-Finkbeiner also wrote the award-winning book The F-Word: Feminism in Jeopardy. In 2006, she was given an Excellence in Journalism award by the Society of Professional Journalists for magazine writing.
Rowe-Finkbeiner has been deeply involved in organizing, cutting edge politics, and policy analysis for nearly two decades.
Jill Miller Zimon has been blogging since 2005 at Writes Like She Talks. Women’s eNews recognized her as Journalist of the Month and WE Magazine named her to its 101 Women Bloggers to Watch list. She helped bring The White House Project's Go Run! to Ohio (2008). She has shared her thoughts with CNN, C-SPAN, BBC, The Washington Post, The Plain Dealer, Campaigns & Elections and The Jewish Weekly among other outlets. She is running for Pepper Pike City Council.
Zimon earned government and sociology degrees from Georgetown University and law and social work degrees from Case Western Reserve University.
Andrew Rasiej is a futurist, social entrepreneur, and Founder of the Personal Democracy Forum, an annual conference and website about the intersection of politics and technology. He is also the co-founder of techPresident.com, which covers how the Obama administration is using the web, and how technology is empowering citizen engagement. He has advised Senators, Congressmen and political leaders on the use of Internet since 1999. In 2004 he served as Chairman of the Howard Dean Technology Advisory Committee. He is also the founder of MOUSE.org, Co-Founder of Mideastwire.com, and serves as Senior Technology Advisor to the Sunlight Foundation.
