The Democratic Marketplace for Women: How Women are Leading the Way for More Women to be Elected
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Saturday, Jul. 16 2:30 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Saturday, Jul. 16 3:45 PM (Eastern)
Amazing organizations like Emerge, Close the Gap, Ready to Run and VoteRunLead are recruiting and training women to be great candidates, but the start-to-finish campaign marketplace remains fractured. This panel will look at the state of the democratic “farm team,” especially for women; where we are today; and what can be done to make sure we not only train women but get them elected to office with the resources they need. This panel of women run the gamut in experience getting women to run for office and what it takes to win.
Moderator
Liz Jaff
Liz Jaff is the President of Be A Hero PAC, an organization she co-founded with Activist Ady Barkan. Be A Hero ran the $4 million small dollar donation campaign against Susan Collins, and ran the top performing health care ads in the country for the 2018 cycle. Jaff is Obama ‘07, ‘08, and 12 – worked on the Hill, and was the VP for Business Development at Crowdpac. Jaff worked at the White House, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Commerce. She ran a congressional race in 2014, and has worked with hundreds of local electeds across the country raise money online. In 2017 Jaff ran for DNC Vice Chair on a platform of opening up democratic tech and data. She helped recruit the 2017 DNC Tech team, now one of the biggest and most diverse in the history of the DNC, and works with new tech products that aim to break up monopolies and old school tactics. Jaff started a small consulting firm, Leopard Strategies, (formerly 44Renegades) and loves rapid response, branding, and launching crazy campaigns, and does a lot of weird shit. That’s about it. Oh and she’s on the board of Netroots and some other things.
Panelists
Kimberly Ellis
Kimberly Ellis has been the executive director of Emerge California since 2010. Under her leadership, the organization has greatly expanded its reach, effectiveness, and visibility.
Prior to joining Emerge California, Kimberly worked at the national headquarters, Emerge America, as the National Affiliate Director. In this capacity, Kimberly was responsible for launching new state programs and working with existing affiliates to increase and strengthen program quality, sustainability and growth.
A 2007 Emerge California graduate, Kimberly has personal experience with the program and is passionate about the organization’s mission of inspiring and empowering women to step into political power.
The majority of Kimberly’s background and experience is in operations management and organizational infrastructure. She has worked in private industry, state government, and for non-profits.
Kimberly has two children, one husband, a dog, a turtle, three goldfish, and holds a B.A. in English and a J.D. from JFK School of Law.
Kate Maeder
Kate Maeder has been a political strategist at Storefront Political Media since 2009, where she designs and implements multi-channel digital and traditional media campaigns. Kate has been the lead consultant for political campaigns, nonprofits and labor unions nationwide.
Kate has experience building and organizing communities online and on the ground. She’s the lead architect behind a number of digital engagement platforms, including I Agree To See, which is building an audience of people who like watching political campaign ads.
Kate is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley. She volunteered for Obama in three states in 2008. She was a lead organizer of Ready for Hillary (2013-2015) and served as the SF Chapter Director of New Leaders Council (2012-2015). Kate is also the Co-Founder/President of Women Get It Done, which is organizing and empowering a network of professional women in cities around the country.
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