Katharine is a graduate of the March 2021 Online Arena Academy on the Finance Track. To the Fellowship, she brings experience working on three campaigns, including Djuna Osborne for Delegate (2017), Jennifer Lewis for Congress (2018), and John Edwards for Virginia Senate (2019). In those positions, she organized events and recruited volunteers, in addition to canvassing, phone banking, and helping with fundraising.

Katharine has a BA in economics, an MBA with a concentration in economics, and a Ph.D. in Transformative Studies, focusing on feminist economics. Other roles she’s held include Project Administrator with The Outreach Team for the Everytown for Gun Safety; voter registration canvasses in PA, NC, and MI; and Family Friendly Action Fund voter contact canvasses in NC and MI. She has been an active member of the Roanoke Young Democrats.

As a black woman who lived in Virginia most of her life, Katharine has found that progressive spaces are where she can show up as her authentic self. She hopes to use her knowledge of economics, finance, and feminist theory to make change.

Tristan is a graduate of the May 2020 Online Arena Academy on the Finance Track. In 2020, Tristan was a finance Assistant with the Florida Democratic Party—a position funded by Arena. In this role, he worked for two different campaigns: Kayser Enneking for HD 29 and Tracey Kagan for HD 21. He also has a Masters Degree in International Relations from NYU as well as Dual-Certificate in US-Chinese Relations from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and Nanjing University in China.

Passionate for social justice, tolerance, and diversity since a young age, Tristan was inspired to get involved in state politics after an internship with a Future Now Fund giving circle. In this role, he learned the impact that relatively small amounts of money and targeted spending could have on critical races at a state level.

Tristan has experienced first-hand the importance of local politics and government in ordinary people’s day-to-day lives. He believes that state government in the United State is critical for ensuring the basic needs of every citizen are met.

Chartu is a graduate of the March 2021 Online Arena Academy on the Campaign Manager track. To the Fellowship, she brings experience as a Field Director for Marcus for North Carolina 36, as a Regional Organizing Director with Organizing Together 2020, and as an Organizer for Pete for America.

Chartu spent most of her life planning to be a chef. While working in a restaurant for an owner who was a huge proponent of the NC Bathroom Bill – HB2 – Chartu and half of the staff were fired for being LGBTQIA+. After this experience, and when HB2 began to get traction in North Carolina, she was spurred to step into the political arena. She is motivated to fight for a better, more progressive south by supporting a new generation of LGBTQIA+ and Black and Brown Politicians.

Will is a graduate of the 2021 Arena Academy 201 management training. As a dual citizen, speaking English as his second language, frequenting Mexico, and constantly moving to different parts of America, Will brings a unique perspective to all his work. He has nearly 15 years of experience working in politics and brings to the Fellowship experience as a Campaign Manager, Organizing Director, and Field Director on races including Jennifer Webb for Florida State House and Alex Tiktinsky for Connecticut State Senate.

Inspired by President Obama, Will joined the Obama campaign in Iowa in 2007 and continued to work in local politics after that. In 2015, when Donald Trump announced his candidacy by directly attacking Mexicans, his family, and Muslims, his partner’s family, with hateful dangerous lies, he decided to devote himself entirely to fight this threat to our democracy.

Cynthia is a graduate of the Online Florida Arena Academy in 2020 on the Campaign Manager track.

She brings 7+ years of campaign experience to the Fellowship, including roles on Wendy Davis’ campaign, Erin Zwiener’s for Texas House campaign, and Chris Green’s for SAISD School Board campaign. Born in the Rio Grande Valley as a Second Generation American from an early age Cynthia felt her whole existence was made political. As a child she would go canvassing, fundraisers and even some protests. Her real turning point was in 2013 during Senator Wendy Davis unforgettable filibuster. In 2014 barely a freshman in college she applied to be a fellow on her campaign and the rest was history. The little girl from a boarder town in the RGV couldn’t be happier at getting to be a part of change and helping get great folks elected.

Simone is a graduate of the March 2021 Arena Academy on the Campaign Management track.

She brings to the Fellowship experience on the Jon Ossoff for Senate runoff and at NextGen America, serving as a Deputy Operations Director for Community Mobilization and the New Hampshire Operations Director respectively. Simone is an advocate for engaging the youth vote in politics, having worked on university campuses in Iowa and New Hampshire. While in college, she successfully petitioned the administration of her college to continue their commitment to student political participation through the ALL IN Democracy challenge and the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE).

Simone was drawn to campaigns because of the importance and impact of 1:1 conversations with voters. Making a voter feel they are being heard and can effect positive change and is a powerful reinforcement of our democracy. She has stayed in campaigns because of the overarching hope that a candidate can restore to a community, and the net good that is the outcome of their victory.

Janie is a graduate of the March 2021 Online Arena Academy on the Digital Track. She spent a decade pursuing a career in opera and working in the restaurant industry. In 2020, she could no longer sit on the sidelines. She had been active as a volunteer organizer before this: In 2017 she completed a Community Organizing Fellowship with Organizing for America (OFA) and created and managed a fundraiser/music & arts project during the pandemic. She became a volunteer leader during GOTV with Vote Save America and the Ossoff for Senate campaign. This experience inspired her to apply to Arena Academy. After Arena Academy she landed an organizing role on a crucial NYC primary campaign. Janie is ready to put her analytical, digital, and organizing skills to work to keep Virginia blue.