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BRANDON WEST
President
Brandon West is a longtime reformer and policy advocate from the good government world. He has experience directing an election oversight program and working to make government more transparent and responsible from inside and outside City Hall. After spending years analyzing the city's budgeting process in the Mayor's Office and in City Council, Brandon now works in advocating and organizing nationally around voting rights and democracy issues with historically disadvantaged communities. He has been a resident of the Park Slope area since 2009 and, yes, he is a member of the food coop.
JESSICA BAKER VODOOR (JBV)
Chief of Operations
Jessica has lived in NYC since 1998 and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. She joined NKD after the election of 2016 has since worked on several NKD initiatives including #RepYourBlock, The Vision Project, and advocating for a Constitutional Convention in New York State. Professionally, Jessica works as the VP, Operations at The New 42nd Street, and has also held a wide range of global experiences leading facility operations of cultural organizations, including 10 years as the Blue Man Group’s Sr. Director of Operations, overseeing theatrical and entertainment related construction projects in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto and Orlando. She holds a BA from the University of South Florida and is currently pursuing an MPA at Baruch College. Jessica is married and has a tuxedo cat named Foxy.
EMILY HOFFMAN
VP of Political Affairs
A labor and employment attorney by trade, Emily manages NKD's relationships with elected officials and other clubs and facilitates our candidate recruitment and endorsement efforts. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, doing crossword puzzles, and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. She has lived in Brooklyn since 2010.
politics@newkingsdemocrats.com
MARIANA ALEXANDER
VP of Policy
Mariana is a budget and policy analyst whose work focuses on New York City’s financial transparency and well-being. Prior to working in the thrilling field of public budgeting, she was a foster care case planner in Jamaica, Queens, and ran a micro-finance program in Uganda. Mariana was born and raised in Brooklyn but unfortunately doesn’t have the accent to prove it.
K. SAGE ROCKERMANN
VP of Organizing
Sage is a non-fiction TV producer most recently on cooking competition shows. She believes Brooklyn should be setting an example of what progressive local government could be and is excited to be organizing with NKD to help it get there. She enjoys the beach in the winter, shade in the summer, and her houseplants.
organizing@newkingsdemocrats.com
BECKY STEINBERG
Director of Membership
Becky spends her days in the private sector, thinking of ways to engage and empower her firm’s employees. She’s thrilled to work closer with the community and help foster a more transparent and progressive Democratic Party.
membership@newkingsdemocrats.com
FRED LAPOLLA
Treasurer
Fred LaPolla is a medical librarian who is thrilled to work managing financial filings and fundraising this year. He is an avid reader of political news and has lived in Brooklyn since 2011. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and drawing.
treasurer@newkingsdemocrats.com
JESSICA THURSTON
Director of Communications
Jessica wears a lot of hats: she is a sustainability communications consultant, fine artist, and expert cat-petter. Born and raised in Virginia, she has called Brooklyn home for the past six years and proudly serves as the Secretary of Community Board 2. In addition to converting fellow political organizers into hockey fans, Jessica loves cooking, gentle park strolls, and any activity centered around crafts.
communications@newkingsdemocrats.com
MARIA BARVA
Secretary
Maria spends her days convincing people that radio is still the best and never minds working on a good spreadsheet. She has always been passionate about accountability in politics and has been thrilled to find a political outlet through NKD since she joined in early 2017. She’s originally from New Mexico, but has lived in Brooklyn for 11 years. As long as she is able to bring home a suitcase full of Hatch green chile every year, she plans to stay put. Her other passions include seeing live music, watching all the movies, and using up the storage on her phone with pictures of her cats.
MIKAEL HAXBY
Data Director
2018
President: Brandon West
Chief of Operations: Jesse Pierce
VP of Policy: Mariana Alexander
VP of Political Affairs: Emily Hoffman
VP of Organizing: Angela LaScala-Gruenewald
Director of Membership: Becky Steinberg
Director of Communications: Jessica Thurston
Treasurer: Fred LaPolla
Secretary: Maria Barva
2017
President: Anusha Venkataraman (until November 2017)
Chief of Operations: Sara Shoener
VP of Policy: Brandon West
VP of Political Affairs: Matt Stern
VP of Organizing: Yaneth Lombana
Director of Membership: Jasmine Fernandez
Director of Communications: Ryan Shanley
Treasurer: Essence Franklin, Anna Scaife
Secretary: Cindy Tran
2016
President: Anusha Venkataraman
Chief of Operations: Sara Shoener
VP of Political Affairs & Policy: Brandon West
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Secretary: Rodrigo Camarena
Digital Director: Ryan Shanley
2015
President: Andrew Sloat
VP of Political Affairs & Policy: Anusha Venkataraman
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Secretary: Sara Shoener
Digital Director: Ryan Shanley
2014
President: Andrew Sloat
VP of Political Affairs & Policy: Esteban Duran
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Treasurer: Rachel Lauter
Secretary: Lacey Tauber
Digital Director: Annie Werner
2013
President: Alex Low
VP of Political Affairs: Esteban Duran
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Treasurer: Catherine Butler
Secretary: Andrew Sloat
Director of Communications: Greg Wasserstrom
2012
President: Alex Low
VP of Political Affairs: Morgan Pehme (partial term), Chris Barron (partial term)
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Treasurer: Catherine Butler
Secretary: Antonio Reynoso
Director of Communications: Andrew Sloat
2011
President: Matt Cowherd
VP of Political Affairs: Sarah Baker
VP of Organizing: Theo Moore
Treasurer: Alex Low
Corresponding Secretary: Connie Rourke
Recording Secretary: Maisha Morales
2009–10
President: Matt Cowherd
Vice President: Lincoln Restler
Corresponding Secretary: Chris Henderson
Recording Secretary: Will Florentino
Treasurer: Alex Low
Parliamentarian: Sarah Baker
2008–09
Co-Chair: Matt Cowherd
Co-Chair: Rachel Lauter
Treasurer: Andrew Stengel
Secretary: Laura Stein
Communications: Morgan Pehme