relations, and information assurance. He is also a U.S. Army combat veteran.

of the state’s value-added agricultural industry, illustrating the expansive impact generated by this sector, which includes wineries, creameries, meat processing, agritourism, equine and dozens of other industry segments. Atticks was also the Executive Director of the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland and the Maryland Distillers Guild, and served as the President of the Maryland Agricultural Resource Council. Originally from Bowie, Maryland, Atticks graduated with a journalism degree from Loyola University Maryland. Shortly thereafter, Atticks received a master's degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. He later earned his doctorate in communications design from University of Baltimore. He holds a faculty position at Loyola University Maryland.​

effective teams and bringing people together to have a positive impact on communities. As the secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Augustus leads the state’s mission to create more homes and lower housing costs for Massachusetts residents. The executive office also distributes funding for community development initiatives, oversees the state’s public housing, and operates homelessness prevention and housing stabilization programs. Augustus has also served as city manager of Worcester, where he led the state's second-largest city through a revitalization that became known as the Worcester Renaissance. Before joining the city of Worcester, Augustus served as director of Government and Community Relations for the College of Holy Cross, state senator for the 2nd Worcester District, chief of staff for Congressman Jim McGovern, and chief of staff to the assistant secretary for Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education under President Clinton’s administration.

for children, Canada has made it his life’s mission to help young people from under-resourced communities succeed through education. To realize his vision, Mr. Canada launched HCZ, a comprehensive, cradle-to-career network of programs that The New York Times called “one of the most ambitious social-policy experiments of our time.” Starting as a one-block pilot project in the 1990s, HCZ today serves more than 34,000 students and families living in a 97-block area of Central Harlem in New York City.

served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 16 years, working on transportation throughout his time in public office. Mike was Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee from 2018 to 2022. Mike formerly worked as a state representative’s chief of staff, as the legislative liaison for PennDOT under then-Governor Robert Casey, and as the district office director for the former U.S.  Congressman Paul Kanjorski.

in 1995 after 17 years of service. Sharon has an A.S. degree from Mount Wachussett Community College, as well as a B.A, M.A., and A.B.D from the University of New Hampshire. Sharon is an adjunct professor at Nashua Community College. She has also taught at the University of New Hampshire and at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester as an adjunct professor after completing her postgraduate studies. She also served on the Rockingham County delegation’s executive committee for two terms and was the chair of the Registry of Deeds. Sharon and her husband, Greg, have been married for 37 years and have two daughters, Alicia and Deirdre. They have lived in Londonderry and the State of New Hampshire since 1989. Greg is a New Hampshire native. Senator Carson has a deep passion for the state that she serves. She loves New Hampshire and its rich history; she shares her knowledge of the early settlers and the stories of Nutfield and Portsmouth, and has a deep respect for the people she serves.

for state legislation and budget investments for affordable housing, services, and care for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Before that, she was the director of policy at the Chicago Jobs Council. Mari started her career working at the Economic Security and Opportunity Clinic at the East Bay Community Law Center. She received her Master's in Public Affairs from Princeton University and her B.A. in Politics and Latin American Studies from Oberlin College.

criminal justice reform, pedestrian safety, and a sustainable food system. In addition to her role as Delegate, Lorig is executive director of Community Mediation Maryland. Lorig received her Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University and has been honored three times as Maryland’s Top 100 Women by the Maryland Daily Record. She lives in Takoma Park with one of her two children, Raffi, and runs ultra-marathons.

performance-based incentives, agricultural land valuation, and solid plus agricultural waste management. He has been the principal or co-investigator on 38 grants or contracts and published over 140 research papers, including co-authoring a recent study entitled, “The Impact of State Policies on Electric Vehicle Adoption - A Panel Data Analysis.” Collins holds a Ph.D. in agricultural and resource economics from Oregon State University, an M.S. in range resource economics from Utah State University, and a B.S. in agriculture from the University of Arizona.

an executive councilor and two terms as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. In addition to his career in public service, Senator D’Allesandro enjoyed professional success in education. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from Franklin Pierce University, Daniel Webster College, and the New Hampshire Institute of Art. He also holds degrees from the University of New Hampshire, Rivier University, New England College, and the New Hampshire Institute of Art. Senator D’Allesandro served as the CSG 2019 National Chair. He and his wife, Patricia, currently reside in Manchester.

President. His tenure as Mayor was marked by a resurgent downtown, including nearly $650 million in new construction, the establishment of two youth community centers, and the creation of a permanent supportive housing program to address chronic homelessness. Secretary Day also previously worked for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy as Director of the Center for Towns, utilizing design, planning, and development assistance to establish vibrant, sustainable small cities and towns. He served as national president of the American Institute of Architecture Students, and as editor-in-chief of CRIT, a journal of architecture. Secretary Day earned a M.S. in Nature, Society and Environmental Policy from Oxford University. He also earned a Master of Urban Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Maryland. He is the proud father to two beautiful daughters, Lilly and Olivia.

phase-out of the personal income tax on Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), passed a Workforce Disability Pipeline bill, and a Veterans Municipal Property Tax Credit bill.  Eleni is a graduate of James Madison University and The Campaign School at Yale (formerly the Women’s Campaign School at Yale) as well as Emerge Connecticut and the State Legislative Leadership Foundation program. Kavros Degraw is Chair of the Planning and Development Committee and serves as a member of the Public Health and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees. A resident of the Farmington Valley for nearly 25 years, Eleni lives in Avon with her three children and husband who is the founder and CEO of a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

position, he took a proactive approach to election administration in campaign finance, making Maryland a model state for the use of new technologies by campaigns, campaign disclosure, and enforcement. Jared has served as an election observer in various countries such as Estonia, North Macedonia, and Armenia. He has been published in New York Times for a piece on texting campaign contributions, written a book on the history of the Electoral College in Maryland, and presented at national conferences on important election issues including deep fakes, regulating online campaign ads, and enforcement of campaign finance laws. DeMarinis has a law degree from Rutgers School of Law - Newark and a B.A. from Villanova University.

public. He does this through state legislative oversight workshops for a national audience, short podcasts on a specific oversight topics called FAST Classes, and state-specific content including workshops at state capitols across the country. Ben helps equip legislators with the tools and best practices needed for bipartisan fact-finding and to empower legislators to see differences in perspective as an advantage when seeking facts together. Whether it is how to ask better questions in a hearing, how to leverage a department budget to secure a reporting requirement for a government program or service, or how to build an oversight plan when approaching a long-term investigation, Ben is always ready to assist legislators through the State Oversight Academy to help fulfill the legislature’s role as the “eyes and ears” of the people.

She is also designated as the state’s lead point of contact on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program to guide investments in electrification across the Commonwealth. Prior to taking on this role, she served as PennDOT’s Policy Director and has over 26 years of experience in the Commonwealth.

and graduated from Davidson College with a bachelor’s in economics before joining Teach for America teaching in Baltimore schools from 2005 to 2007, which inspired him to run for office. In 2013, Senator Ferguson sponsored the 21st Century Schools Act to invest $1 billion in school construction for Baltimore City Public Schools. ​Since 2020, Ferguson has led the Senate in passing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, historic police reform legislation, an unprecedented investment in Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and over $1 billion in state economic stimulus to support vulnerable Marylanders through the COVID-19 crisis. Ferguson is married to follow Teach for America alum, Lea Ferguson. They live in Patterson Park with their son, Caleb, and daughter, Cora.

the Howard County Office of Transportation. Gartner led Howard County’s efforts to develop long-term transportation plans and served as the County Executive’s empowered representative on the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB). Previously, he served as the Maryland Transportation client account manager at Jacobs Engineering Group in Baltimore.

and reform. In 2014, she graduated with a degree in Green Design from the Boston Architectural College. She has served as chair of her city's Comprehensive Planning Commission, served two 3-year terms on City Council and 1 year as Mayor. Geiger designed and lives in a 1100 square foot net zero house using 25 solar panels for all heat and electrical needs. 

Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University, where his dissertation explored the political and cultural origins of the American business corporation.

been recognized through his many public speaking engagements at national and local conferences and meetings. His firm’s work is focused on community and policy and includes developments that comprise over 22,000 units of housing, much of it designated low-income and affordable. Mark has a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.

has helped lead the Center’s flagship annual report—The State of the Nation’s Housing—for the past six years. Prior to joining the Center, he worked as a grant writer at a Detroit nonprofit providing housing and treatment services to homeless populations. Alex received a Master’s in Public Policy and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.

international development with governments, businesses, communities, non-profits, and international agencies around the world to build partnerships and implement strategies that are good for business, good for the environment, and good for communities.

of AARP’s housing core team and a tactic lead for AARP’s housing enterprise strategy. Samar represents AARP before local and state governing bodies and manages relationships with elected and appointed officials with advocacy on housing and livability policies that support AARP members. Prior to AARP, Samar served as the director of government and public affairs at the Greater Philadelphia Association of REALTORS®, where he represented the association’s interest at the local and state level. In addition to government affairs work, Samar also has over six years of legal experience working as a corporate lawyer in India working on aircraft leasing and financing, mergers and acquisition, and banking and finance. Samar has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government and a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Samar also has a B.A. and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad, India.

Jones also held the distinction of being the first African American woman to serve as Speaker Pro Tem in the Maryland House of Delegates, serving in that capacity under Speaker Mike Busch for 16 years. Speaker Jones served on the House Appropriations Committee, and was Chair of the Capital Budget and Education, and Economic Development Subcommittees. She has been a delegate since 1997. Speaker Jones has long been known by her colleagues for her steadfast leadership and no-nonsense approach to legislating. She has focused on education policy and funding issues, most notably school construction, during her tenure in the legislature. She has also made significant advances in ensuring diversity and fair treatment of state employees. Speaker Jones was born in Cowdensville, Maryland, a historic African-American community located near Arbutus in Southwest Baltimore County. She attended Baltimore County Public Schools, graduating from Lansdowne High School and is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. She attended The National Security Seminar, U.S. Army War College in 2007. In 2008, she received an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. She is the mother of two adult sons and proud grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren, Jalen and Janelle Jones.

for six years as the Director of Financing for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.

focused on affordable housing, environmental sustainability, democracy and open government. As chair of the Seante Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development, Brian has led key housing initiatives, including the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA), passed in 2019; multi-billion dollar investments in housing services, construction, and renovation; COVID-related emergency housing assistance; and a 2022 law to facilitate conversion of under-used hotels to permanent affordable housing.

the Environmental Program Coordinator for the Army’s Northern Regional Environmental and Energy office at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. In his role as an Army REC, Kennedy monitors state environmental and energy related legislation and regulations for potential impacts to installation readiness. He has over twenty-five years of military, state government, and private sector consulting experience and received his B.S. in biology from Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.

She is also the lead writer for Technology Counts, Education Week’s annual report about the state of educational technology.

Leadership Education at Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina.

fell in love with the affordable housing field over 20 years ago with her first job out of college as assistant manager at an affordable property. After years working in the housing field as a property manager, asset manager, and developer, she feels fortunate to have learned the business of affordable housing from multiple perspectives and has seen firsthand the difference that quality affordable housing makes in the lives of families. She earned her M.A. in public policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs and has also worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program.

Majority Leader Rob Wagner, and a Climate Law Fellow for Our Children's Trust. Levitt earned his J.D. and M.S. in Conflict and Dispute Resolution from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Delaware. Lockman entered community service in 2004 through Public Allies Delaware, where she served as program manager for Serviam Media’s Hearts & Minds Film Initiative. Lockman was elected to the Delaware Senate in 2018, becoming just the second African American woman elected to the General Assembly’s upper chamber. Sen. Lockman has served as Majority Whip since 2020 and currently serves as chair of the Senate Housing and Land Use Committee. Sen. Lockman lives in Wilmington with her husband John, her infant son Jack and her daughter Sophie.

the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, he was asked to serve on the Planning Commission for Higher Education and help develop a strategic plan for higher education in Connecticut. Sen. Maroney previously served as president and founding member of the Milford Education Foundation and also served on the Milford Board of Education. A proud and active participant in the community, he is a member and past president of the Devon Rotary, where he is the co-chair of the scholarship committee. Maroney graduated from Yale in 1996, where he was a 3-time varsity letter winner in both track and field and cross-country. Senator Maroney lives in Milford with his wife Jennifer and his son Jay.

scale freight electrification by identifying and aggregating industry best practices, sources of government funding, and incentive opportunities. Before joining the Electrification Coalition, Will was the senior legislative assistant at KDCR Partners, a D.C.-based bipartisan lobbying firm, supporting a portfolio of clients in the energy and transportation sectors. Will graduated from George Washington University with an M.A. in Environmental Resource Policy, where his research focused on medium and heavy-duty vehicle fleet electrification. He also holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland.

industry. At Equinor, Mike works to continue to strengthen its position as a leader in the US offshore wind industry as it develops more than 3 GW of projects on both coasts, implementing the transmission policy solutions needed for the long-term success of offshore wind as a pivotal energy industry. Mike also holds an M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Academic Programs.

facility. She then became active with a group of residents meeting to discuss the disruptions to their community. They soon formed Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL). CRCQL started as a community advocacy organization driven by the ultimate goal to shut down the nation's largest incinerator. In 1993, Zulene became the Chairperson of CRCQL. Since that time, CRCQL, under Zulene's leadership, has defended its community against everything from three proposed plants to burn tires to the siting of the largest pet crematory in the country. Under Zulene's leadership, CRCQL’s work has been covered nationally and internationally by NPR, The Guardian, The Associated Press, and the Washington Post. Zulene is recognized as a fierce leader and advisor to many communities. She has served on the Environmental Protection Agency National Environmental Justice Advisory (NEJAC), member of the New Jersey Environmental Alliance, founder/advisor to The Campus Coalition Concerning Chester (C4), National Black Environmental Justice Network. Zulene is a highly sought after speaker on many college campuses teaching about environmental racism and terrorism in Chester and similar communities.

sought-after expert on rural communities. Becky created the influential Survey of Rural Challenges, published biennially since 2015 and used by agencies, educators, and businesses to better understand and serve rural people. McCray holds a B.S. in Business Administration and earned certificates in Facilitating for Results and Workforce Quality Leadership. She makes her home in Hopeton, Oklahoma, a community of 30 people.

sat for and passed the Master Electrician’s examination in both Maryland and West Virginia. He has held multiple positions in Union elected offices and on jobsites. These include General Foreman, Project Manager, and VP of Operations. Along the way, Mike taught evening classes at the training center for 12 years and is now part of the team that oversees all training programs. As the Business Manager, he represents roughly 2,400 members from Frederick County to Ocean City.

Ian helps state legislators, their staff, and the public understand the important role of bipartisan, fact-based oversight in our system of government. A native of West Michigan, Ian earned his B.A. in political science and American studies from Kalamazoo College. Before joining the Levin Center, he worked for a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and conducted software implementations and training for state legislatures across the country. Ian enjoys state capitol tours and train travel. He is a third-generation election worker and licensed tour guide in New York City, where he lives.

and equity. Before coming to the FTA, McClean-McCoy served for 15 years in the non-profit and public health field and with the City of Rochester’s planning and zoning department. McLean-McCoy holds a B.A. and M.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in urban planning.

and 2008, he was Executive Director of Health Care For All, Massachusetts’ consumer health organization where he helped to pass 2006 Massachusetts health reform. From 1985 to 1997, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He holds a doctorate in public health from the University of Michigan and a master’s in public administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard.

by service. Before entering elected office, he was the CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, built and ran a small business that helped underserved students navigate college, and led soldiers in combat in Afghanistan as a Captain in the U.S. Army. ​​In 2010, Moore wrote “The Other Wes Moore,” a story about the fragile nature of opportunity in America, which became a New York Times bestseller. He went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity, and opportunity. ​​Moore is a graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Johns Hopkins University, and Wolfson College, Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Moore and his wife Dawn have two children: Mia and James.​​

visualization to support the organization’s planning and advocacy efforts at both the regional and neighborhood levels. His work includes a broad range of projects and campaigns at the intersections of land use, infrastructure, and health.  Most recently, Marcel was the principal author of the RPA’s Transit Oriented Development report, “Homes on Track: Building Thriving Communities Around Transit.”  Marcel has an M.S. in Urban Environmental Systems from the Pratt Institute Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment (GCPE) and holds a B.S. from the School of Architecture and Design, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy; Founding Chair and current member of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change; and member of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Senator Pacheco has been appointed by the Council of State Governments (CSG) as Co-Chair of the Eastern Regional Conference (ERC) Energy & Environment Committee and to the National ‘Future of Work’ Task Force serving as Chair of the Subcommittee on Smart Government. He has also been appointed to the CSG/ERC Territorial Relations Committee and the National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) Task Force on Energy Supply. Senator Pacheco has been a longtime environmental advocate and an Al Gore Climate Messenger with the Climate Reality Project who has fought hard to implement climate change solutions in the Commonwealth. He was lead sponsor the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008, which was enacted into law to establish an economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions and implement comprehensive sustainable solutions in Massachusetts. Senator Pacheco has received numerous awards from various organizations throughout his career including honors from Environment Massachusetts and the Sustainable Future Campaign - an initiative of the United Nations Youth and Student Association. He has received the Commander of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator, the highest civilian award given by the Portuguese government; the Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold with Star from the Republic of Austria, the fourth highest decoration of merit the country can confer on the federal level; and the Medalha da Ordem de Timor Leste, for his contributions to the U.N. Referendum for East Timor independence. Before his service in the Massachusetts Legislature, Senator Pacheco served for 10 years as an elected member of the Taunton School Committee serving as its chair and as the chief of staff and budget director to the Mayor of the City of Taunton for seven years.

for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). She also managed grant programs that supported and brought greater visibility to faculty research at HBCUs. Partridge earned her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University (NYU) in September 2020, where she studied the history of social justice movements in early American literature. As a graduate instructor and postdoctoral teaching fellow at NYU, she gained firsthand experience with pedagogy, student success, and inclusion in higher education. Partridge has additional professional experience in book publishing and at humanitarian organizations, and she earned her bachelor’s degree in English, magna cum laude, from Columbia University.

poor. Later she joined Eric Holder’s U.S. Attorney’s Office and prosecuted criminals, building cases by working closely with police officers, witnesses, and victims in the community. Her committee in the House deals with public health and she has made great strides to improve the healthcare system by making it more efficient and in line with the needs of everyday Marylanders. Her legislation to digitize medical records is improving health care delivery and lowering costs. She has also moved many bills into law dealing with women’s and children’s health, including bills on family planning, mammograms, childhood obesity and suicide prevention.

legislative team by highlighting priority education issues for Tribes and local Native communities and providing policy analysis and research. Waquin resides in Phoenix, Arizona, and travels home to the Navajo Nation often. Waquin holds a B.S. & M.S. in American Indian Studies from Arizona State University.

Education and Urban Studies at Morgan State.

of state and federal government relations. Before joining UMGC, Principe served as chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, where he represented the governor's and secretary's interests with external stakeholders. Earlier, he served as government affairs director at the Baltimore County Executive Office for seven years and, before that, as executive director for government relations in the Office of the President at Towson University. Principe began his career more than 25 years ago in the Office of Maryland Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller Jr. There, he rose to serve as special assistant to the president, a position he held for more than five years. Principe holds an M.A. in political management from George Washington University and a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, College Park.

new financing models, establishes best practices, and cultivates an ecosystem of experimentation and consumer protection. Before joining JFF, he worked at the Aspen Institute, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Economic Policy Institute. He received his B.A. from UCLA and holds an M.A. in public policy from George Washington University.

Times in 2011, he was recruited to teach at Temple University's Richard J. Fox School of Business and Management where he was the Social Impact Fellow at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute and taught social entrepreneurship and organizational innovation. In his fourth year of teaching at Temple, Rep. Rabb helped to successfully unionize 1,500 fellow adjunct professors in a landslide victory for worker rights. He is currently a board member of Friends of the Wissahickon and Race Forward and has been on the faculty of the Institute for Strategic Leadership at Drexel University's Bennett S. LeBow College of Business. A former U.S. Senate legislative aide and writer, researcher and trainer at the White House Conference on Small Business in the Clinton administration, Rep. Rabb is a thought leader at the intersection of politics, media entrepreneurship and social identity. A graduate of Yale College and the University of Pennsylvania, Rep. Rabb is an avid family historian and genealogist. He lives in East Mt. Airy with his two sons.

from 2021-2022. Reyes serves on the Appropriations, Environment, and Transportation Committees as well as the Joint Committee on Legislative Management. He also serves as Co-Chair for the Waterbury Rail Line Caucus and on the Manufacturing Caucus, as he's a Manufacturing Engineer, spending 36 years in the industry.

is one of only 10 players in history to amass over 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. In 1995, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s Major League record for consecutive games played (2,130) and voluntarily ended his streak on September 20, 1998, after playing 2,632 consecutive games. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ripken is a successful business leader and philanthropist. He co-founded Ripken Baseball, the company that runs four youth baseball and softball complexes that hosts thousands of young ballplayers each year and has since sold majority interest to the Harris/Blitzer group. He also owns the Aberdeen IronBirds, a Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliate that plays in his hometown in Maryland. In April 2024, Cal was invited to join the new Orioles ownership group led by David Rubenstein. In 2001, Cal and his family established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in memory of the family’s patriarch. Since its inception the Foundation has impacted over 11 million kids in underserved communities. They have constructed and gifted over 120 Youth Development Parks in 27 states. These are multi-purpose fields that provide kids with safe places to play and learn. The Foundation has also completed over 550 STEM Centers in 24 states, as well as 22 district-wide elementary and middle school STEM programs. Since 2007, Cal has served as a Special Public Diplomacy Envoy to the U.S. State Department and has traveled internationally on goodwill trips using baseball to bring people together. And since 2015, Ripken has been a Special Adviser to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on youth programs and outreach. Cal resides in Annapolis with his wife, the Honorable Laura Ripken.

residents to develop healthy behaviors and shape policies to reduce institutional barriers to adopting healthier lifestyles. Rivera’s passion to improve health and healthcare led to his appointment as chair of the Senate’s Health Committee. As chair, Senator Rivera collaborates with colleagues, stakeholders, and constituents to improve health outcomes, increase access to coverage, and ensure a financially viable system for the 20 million New Yorkers he serves. As a member of the Senate Health Committee, he passed laws to ban smoking around schools, afterschools, and libraries. As ranking member of the Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, he championed legislation to allow charitable organizations to post bail bonds for individuals who cannot afford to do so and facilitated development of a comprehensive reentry center. Senator Rivera champions and empowers Latino communities across the state and nation in a variety of ways, including service as a board member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and mentor for the Model State Senate program, “Somos El Futuro,” sponsored by CUNY, SUNY, the New York State Assembly, and the Puerto Rican Hispanic Task Force. Prior to becoming an elected representative, Senator Rivera worked as a community organizer for local, state, and national candidates. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, he moved to New York to pursue an advanced political science degree at the City University of New York.

Rep. Roberts earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Virginia Union University in 2014 and a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Local and State Government from Fairfield University in 2018.

the Board for the Oikos Foundation for Social Impact.

Housing. Since taking office in 2006, Rosenthal has passed more than 180 laws across many issue areas, including increasing access to statewide substance use disorder programs, expanding reproductive and LGBTQIA+ rights, regulating e-cigarettes, advancing animal welfare, and enhancing consumer protection laws.

recently Artificial Intelligence deep-fakes. During his tenure as Secretary of State, he has engaged in initiatives to improve voter confidence by improving transparency in the election process and educating voters on the mechanics of running elections. Having served 8 terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, David has a great deal of legislative experience, including terms as Majority Leader and Majority Whip. He is a CSG Toll Fellow, Class of 1996, and has served on the CSG Executive Committee representing New Hampshire. He is a graduate of the West Virginia University School of Agriculture and Forestry and originally moved to New Hampshire in 1978 to work as a licensed forester in the private sector.

with federal, regional, and state agencies through the DoD and Air Force RECs. Emphasis is placed on identification and technical review of new environmental regulations and initiatives, development of strategies to resolve compliance and restoration issues, along with outreach and partnering. Sherman has eight years of civil service and fourteen years of private sector experience in academia, research, and environmental and geotechnical consulting. She holds B.A. degrees in marine science, chemistry, and German as well as a M.S. in geological science.

New York, Virginia, and Ohio. Prior to her campaign work, Iyla spent three years at an agricultural nonprofit in New York's Hudson Valley. Iyla holds an M.A. in environmental policy from Bard College, where she received the Rachel Carson award for her research quantifying influence of fossil fuel campaign contributions on congressional voting behavior. Originally from the Catskills, Iyla currently lives in Portland, Maine where she spends her free time exploring the rocky coast and tending to her collection of 75+ houseplants.

battery storage. Katie is responsible for market engagement across each of these verticals, helping to expand clean energy deployment across Connecticut. Katie graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. degree in Business Management, a B.A. in Justice Studies, and a M.A. in Justice Studies.

and trends. In addition to her work on state and local funding, Carolyn also manages ARTBA's Transportation Officials Division, the Workforce Development Council, the Transportation Investment Advocates Council, and the Industry Leader Development Program. Carolyn graduated from Rutgers College in May 2009 with a B.A. in Middle Eastern studies and political science. She obtained a Public Relations Certificate from the Rutgers Professional Development Studies at School of Communication and Information in July 2014. Prior to ARTBA Carolyn worked with other advocacy nonprofits and interned in media. A New Jersey native, she currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband and two sons.

the 7th Legislative District. Senator Singleton was elected to the New Jersey State Senate in November 2017 and currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee and as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also serves as the Senate Majority Whip. Senator Singleton is currently employed as a Senior Vice President for Anywhere Integrated. Along with his busy career, Senator Singleton has long included personal involvement in his community as an essential component of his life.

providing technical assistance and strategic direction to achieve policy change. Additionally, she has worked with nonprofit partners to develop and implement grant programs for prevention, policy, and advocacy. She specializes in strategy development, policy solutions, partnerships, and stakeholder engagement. Smith received her master of public health degree from Morehouse School of Medicine and her bachelor’s from South Carolina State University.

day, Stephanie serves as an Assistant Director for Equity, Engagement and Communications in the City of Baltimore’s Department of Planning. Prior to joining the General Assembly, Stephanie worked in the federal policy arena as a staffer and lobbyist advancing public health, voting rights, affordable housing, and environmental justice for the most vulnerable communities. Stephanie is a proud graduate of Hampton University (BA), University of Delaware (MA), and Howard University School of Law (JD). She is a Member of the Maryland bar. Stephanie lives with her husband, two young sons, and mother in East Baltimore.

Rhode Island. She is a professor at Roger Williams University, where she teaches American politics, state and local government, and public policy. Representative Speakman holds a bachelor's degree in economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst; a master's degree in economics from the New School for Social Research, and a Ph.D. in political science from City University of New York. Born in Boston, she, her two brothers, ​and her sister grew up in West Roxbury, MA. She graduated from Girls' Latin School in Dorchester, MA.

of Portland’s Director of Equal Opportunity and Multicultural Affairs for more than two decades, she led the NAACP in Maine and founded several nonprofit organizations, including Maine Black Community Development, Maine Freedom Trails and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellows. Speaker Talbot Ross is currently serving her fourth term in the Maine House, representing the Portland neighborhoods of Parkside, Bayside, East Bayside, Oakdale and the University of Southern Maine campus.  

Bipartisan Policy Center Voter Registration Task Force, Advisory Board Member of the MIT, Election Data and Science Lab, Working Group Member of the Council of State Governments Overseas Voter Initiative, and a Member of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections. In 2020, she was named as one of 50 Top Women of Law by the Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly. Ms. Tassinari served as President of the National Association of State Election Directors from 2021-2022.

won election to her first full term in 2022. Toles was born in Prince George's County, Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland, earning a B.S. degree in public health. She has also earned a J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore Law School. Toles has worked as a political and legislative consultant in various organizations, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) labor unions and for Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy. She has also operated her own policy consulting business, Paramount Policy Partners, since 2019. Toles entered politics in 2008, working as a regional field coordinator for the Democratic National Committee until 2010. She was elected to represent District 7 of the Prince George's County Council in 2010, a position she held until 2018.

of media relations for the American Wind Energy Association for nearly five years and, before that, held various internship positions working on clean energy and climate change issues at the International Emissions Trading Association and the World Wildlife Fund. Evan holds a M.A. in global environmental policy from American University in Washington, D.C. and a B.A. in government and world affairs from the University of Tampa.

in economic and community development. Since joining the Town of Berlin in 2014, Ivy has continued her dedication to fostering vibrant communities. In her current capacity, she oversees the town's downtown business revitalization efforts, manages the Berlin Arts and Entertainment District, and leads the Berlin Main Street program. Under her leadership, the town has secured over $2 million in grant funding and facilitated the successful launch of nearly 300 new businesses.

House Ways and Means Committee, where she also chairs the Subcommittee on Election Law. Delegate Wilkins is the Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, the largest Black Caucus in the nation. Professionally, she works full-time as the Director of State and Local Government Affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalition. Wilkins earned her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Delaware and a Master of Public Administration in Social Policy from the American University. Delegate Wilkins is an active member of Theta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

aide in the Maine House of Representatives. She is a military spouse and officer in the Air National Guard.

real estate professional, David’s 22-year career has focused on transit-oriented development, public-private partnerships, and community development. He spent 12 years with the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington DC, followed by a tenure at Amtrak, where he led the Washington Union Station expansion project. He holds a B.S. in Urban Studies, a Master of Community Planning from the University of Cincinnati, and an M.S. in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and the chief deputy director of LARA. Zimmer also served as the director of the Office of Regulatory Reform under former Governor John Engler and worked for the Senate Majority Floor Leader. Zimmer earned a B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from George Washington University.

two pieces of federal legislation to address the nation’s maternal mental health crisis. Her grassroots advocacy efforts helped establish the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline and garnered funding for federal grants to create state programs addressing maternal mental health. Jamie was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature in December 2021 in a special election, representing the 4th Essex District. Jamie previously served as a Trustee of Salem State University, as a Commissioner on the  Ellen Story Special Commission on Postpartum Depression, and as a Board member of the  Massachusetts March of Dimes.