Executive Committee

>> Click here for duties of the Executive Committee positions

CAITLIN KAWAGUCHI

President

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.

[email protected]

@caitkawaguchi

TEVIN WILLIAMS

Chief of Operations

Tevin is a newer Brooklynite and lives in South Slope. A native Southerner from Georgia, he’s happy to now be in a place that has so many opportunities to share your thoughts and voice. In his day job, he is a district staffer to State Senator Brad Hoylman, where he works with the community and also helps with legislation. Being on NKD ExCo is giving him a new opportunity to be more involved in his local level politics, and also join the fight for true representation in Brooklyn politics. He is a fitness enthusiast and also loves finding new restaurants in the neighborhood.

[email protected]

@thetevwilliams

BRANDON SMITH

VP of Policy

Brandon is an attorney and Downtown Brooklyn resident since 2005. While he manages the Americas Sanctions program of an international financial institution by day, Brandon loves all things related to politics, Jazz, voting rights, and his local Brooklyn Community. He is Chair of Community Board 2's Health, Environment, and Social Services Committee, and helps lead several other organizations. Brandon is excited to bring his experience with policy to NKD's Policy Committee and hopes you will get involved by joining one of the monthly meetings!

[email protected]

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 10 years and proudly serves as the Secretary of Community Board 2 in addition to serving on NKD's Executive Committee for the past several years. In addition to converting fellow political organizers into hockey fans, Jessica loves cooking, gentle park strolls, and any activity centered around crafts.

[email protected]

@jess_thurston

MIKAEL HAXBY

VP of Organizing

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 nine years and organized in his neighborhood for #RepYourBlock while helping manage data for the campaign. He's looking forward to organizing with the Brooklyn Can't Wait campaign.

[email protected]

VANESSA NUTTER

Director of Membership

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 three years. She is excited to increase her participation in the club this year in this new role. Vanessa is happiest when she is wandering around New York City..

[email protected]

TONY MELONE

Director of Communications

Tony Melone is a musician, Brooklyn resident since 2007, and NKD member since 2016. He helped organize the 44th Assembly District Committee of the Brooklyn Democratic Party in 2019, and produces concerts and online programming for the Stamford Symphony. He also teaches piano lessons and works on a variety of musical and theatrical projects around NYC.

[email protected]

JACOB GOLDFINGER

Treasurer

Bio coming soon.

[email protected]

LIZ STEVENSON

Secretary

Liz (she/her) moved to Brooklyn in 2004 and has lived all over. She enjoys trivia, knitting, and baking, although she's not very good at any of those things! In addition to her work with NKD, she's also active on the legislation committee for her union, PSC-CUNY. Liz works as an academic advisor in the ASAP program at City Tech. Prior to that, she worked at several different social services organizations in the city and earned her Master's in Social Work.

SARA HODGES

Data Director

Sara is a cartographer and data scientist. When she's not making maps she likes to explore the city -- usually on bicycle, always looking for delicious food. She has lived in Brooklyn since 1998 and has been an NKD member since 2016. She's excited to focus her skills on making the Brooklyn Democratic Party a more open and accessible institution.

2021

President: Mariana Alexander
Chief of Operations: Caitlin Kawaguchi
VP of Policy: Genevieve Vaida
VP of Political Affairs: Jessica Thurston
VP of Organizing: Akel Williams
Director of Membership: Morenike Lambert
Director of Communications: Tony Melone
Treasurer: Jacob Goldfinger
Secretary: Vanessa Nutter
Data Director: Mikael Haxby

2020

President: Mariana Alexander
Chief of Operations: Emily Hoffman
VP of Policy: Richard Semegram
VP of Political Affairs: Jessica Thurston
VP of Organizing: Sage Rockermann
Director of Membership: Morenike Lambert
Director of Communications: Caitlin Kawaguchi
Treasurer: Courtney Adrian
Secretary: Vanessa Nutter
Data Director: Mikael Haxby

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

Do you like this page?