Executive Committee

>> Click here for duties of the Executive Committee positions

MARIANA ALEXANDER

President

Mariana is a public policy and New York City enthusiast. Prior to serving as NKD president, she was VP of Policy for two years where she helped develop the club's positions on County Committee reform, rent protections, and election reform. Mariana was born and raised in Brooklyn and currently resides in Sunset Park.

president@newkingsdemocrats.com

EMILY HOFFMAN

Chief of Operations

After spending two years as NKD's VP of Political Affairs, Emily is excited to step into the Chief of Operations role, helping to make sure the club runs smoothly behind the scenes, and members old and new are able to easily plug into NKD's various projects and campaigns. A labor and employment attorney by trade, Emily enjoys traveling, doing crossword puzzles, and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. She has lived in Brooklyn since 2010.

operations@newkingsdemocrats.com

@ehoff_in_bk

RICHARD SEMEGRAM

VP of Policy

Richard is a housing lawyer in Manhattan, where he primarily defends people in eviction proceedings. He has been a member of NKD since 2012. He prefers you to send short emails and prefers short replies: https://vsre.info/

policy@newkingsdemocrats.com

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

MORENIKE LAMBERT

Director of Membership

Morenike Lambert has been a member of NKD for over a year, and she’s very active in the central Brooklyn community. She’s developed many meaningful political connections through her position on the Uncommon Schools’ External Affairs team, where she serves as a community and political liaison. She’s built connections and community throughout central Brooklyn, as she hopes to do with NKD. She’s also a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, PLGNA (Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association) and it’s Race and Culture subcommittee, the 43rd Assembly District’s ADC, and serves as a member of the Bedford Union Armory Advisory Committee.

membership@newkingsdemocrats.com

COURTNEY ADRIAN

Treasurer

Courtney Adrian has been a member of NKD for two and a half years and has loved organizing for Rep Your Block and being a County Committee member. At her current job she works for the NYC Office of Management and Budget in the Tax Policy Unit analyzing the impacts of proposed tax policies and forecasting annual Personal Income Tax Revenues. In her free time she likes to read and get enough sleep. She aspires to own one of those green eyeshade visors all numbers people have in movies.

treasurer@newkingsdemocrats.com

JESSICA THURSTON

VP of Political Affairs

Jessica wears a lot of hats: she is a sustainability professional, fine artist, and expert cat-petter. Born and raised in Virginia, she has called Brooklyn home for the past seven 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.

politics@newkingsdemocrats.com

@jess_thurston

CAITLIN KAWAGUCHI

Communications Director

Caitlin is an impact and communications strategist working with startups, nonprofits, and campaigns to drive change. She believes that politics should be accessible and inclusive, and has loved organizing with Rep Your Block to help everyday Brooklynites run for County Committee. She currently leads marketing and partnerships at Bird + Stone, and has also worked on digital communications for campaigns around youth justice reform and opportunity youth.

communications@newkingsdemocrats.com

@caitkawaguchi

VANESSA NUTTER

Secretary

Vanessa is a librarian by both training and by nature and loves to learn. She has lived in Brooklyn since 2005 and has been a member of NKD for the past year and a half. She is excited to increase her participation in the club this year by serving as secretary. Vanessa is happiest when she is wandering around New York City.

MIKAEL HAXBY

Data Director

Mikael is a soccer analytics writer and stay-at-home dad, and he wrote a dissertation about gender and political violence in ancient Christian apocalyptic literature. Those are all things that go together. He has lived in North Brooklyn for eight years and organized in his neighborhood for #RepYourBlock while helping manage data for the campaign. He's looking forward to working with the data team to build tools that empower progressive reform politics throughout the borough.

2019

President: Brandon West
Chief of Operations: Jessica Baker Vodoor/Maria Barva
VP of Policy: Mariana Alexander
VP of Political Affairs: Emily Hoffman
VP of Organizing: Sage Rockermann
Director of Membership: Becky Steinberg
Director of Communications: Jessica Thurston
Treasurer: Fred LaPolla
Secretary: Maria Barva

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

New_Exco_(small).jpg

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

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