Board of Directors

Kathleen Unger
Founder, President and CEO

Kathleen Unger is Of Counsel at Freeman, Freeman & Smiley.  Previously she was in-house counsel and Vice President at MCA/Universal Studios (now NBCUniversal) for 15 years.   From October 2002 to the present, Kathleen has devoted herself to Election Protection.  In 2007-2008 she co-founded and edited ElectionPreparedness.com. Kathleen’s professional and volunteer non-profit experience includes the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership since 1994; previously she served as Managing Director/CEO of the Starbright Foundation (with Steven Spielberg as Chairman) and as a member of the Board of Directors of 1) both the Scott Newman Foundation and Center, including as President (with Paul Newman as Chairman); 2) the KCRW Foundation; and 3) the Valley Community Clinic, including as Vice Chairman. Kathleen holds a BS degree, a JD, an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management, and a Mediation Certification from a program at Harvard Law School.

Tim Hoy
Treasurer and Secretary

Tim Hoy is an attorney in Los Angeles.  He is a Vice President of Team Sports at Wasserman Media Group.  Tim got his undergraduate degree from Oberlin College, his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a Masters of Fine Arts in Independent Producing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.   Tim lives in Santa Monica, California.

Mona Strassburger

Mona Strassburger’s career began as an IBM IT Consultant and Project Manager and has involved technology projects for decades. Her extensive experience in international and governmental affairs includes the World Bank, the US-Vietnam Trade Council in Washington, DC and Fox Entertainment Group. Mona’s volunteer efforts include her service as a Vice President and Treasurer for the Thai Association of Southern California. In 2007-2008, she co-founded and co-developed ElectionPreparedness.com and has served as the Digital Media Manager of VoteRiders since its inception. After creating and executive-producing TV Mandalay for the Myanmar community, Mona was a multi-faceted producer at the Thai Food Network. She is currently developing several ventures for a Myanmar company.  Mona has a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from American University, an M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a certificate in French Language Studies from the Centre d'Études Linguistiques d'Avignon.

Board of Advisors

Dr. Olivia Raynor

Olivia Raynor, Ph.D., is the Director of the Tarjan Center, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the Semel Institute, UCLA. Her career spans over 30 years of experience in management, analysis, evaluation, training and public policy at the individual and system levels that support individuals with disabilities participation in inclusive postsecondary education, the arts, volunteerism, civic engagement and integrated competitve employment. Olivia is the Principal Investigator and Director of the California Employment Consortium for Youth and Young Adults with Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities. Among numerous California activities, she consults on developmental disabilities and autism for the community college system and the Department of Rehabilitation’s College-to-Career Program. Olivia holds degrees from Boston University and USC in Occupational Therapy and a doctorate from UCLA in Educational Psychology.

Dr. Dawna Markova

Inspirational speaker, writer and researcher, Dr. Dawna Markova is internationally known for her groundbreaking thinking in the identification of core cognitive competencies. She has authored many books including I Will Not Die an Unlived Life and has co-edited Random Acts Of Kindness and Kids’ Random Acts Of Kindness. Dawna founded the Institute for Human Ecology and has served as faculty member at the Union Institute, Antioch Graduate Schools; Senior Affiliate for the Organizational Learning Center at MIT; and board member of the Visions Of A Better World Foundation. She was given the Vision in Action award for her life work including the Foster Grandparenting and Peer Counseling programs, the Women's WorldWide Web, and the online SmartWired Program. Dawna has served as a Thinking Partner to senior executives in organizations such as Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Bolthouse Farms, Royal Dutch Shell, NATO, the Government of Nigeria and the Canadian healthcare system.

Staff

Nicole Vazquez
Program Manager

Nicole Vazquez is passionate about ensuring that typically underserved groups are civically aware and engaged and has focused her professional career to this end.  Her 15 years of experience both in the public and nonprofit sectors has included work with elected officials, in government agencies and in grassroots organizations, and her direct practice experience includes crisis counseling, in-home counseling, and case management.  In addition to her work with VoteRiders, Nicole is also an adjunct faculty member at California State University, Dominguez Hills in the Master of Social Work and Human Services Programs.  She holds dual Masters degrees in Social Welfare and Public Policy from UCLA.

Key Contributors

VoteRiders has been aided tremendously by the VoteRiders Team, a group of talented, passionate and accomplished individuals. Without their help, VoteRiders would not be possible.

Anne Bloom, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship and Professor of Law at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. She holds both a J.D. and a Ph.D. in Political Science. From 1988-2001, she practiced as a public interest lawyer in Washington, D.C., working first as a lobbyist, and then, for nearly ten years, as a litigator. Although Anne now teaches full-time, she remains active in the national public interest legal arena as a pro bono advisor to nonprofit legal organizations. Anne has written several articles on litigation and public policy that have been published in law reviews, books and interdisciplinary journals on the legal profession. She also speaks frequently at conferences on litigation and public policy-related issues.

Pepper Edmiston was the founder of Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times for boys and girls with cancer and of Happy Trails for kids with disabilities and in foster care. Pepper was born into a political family. Her grandpa, Mike Salter, was a gofer for Tammany Hall, while her dad, Max Salter, rose to become mayor of Beverly Hills. Pepper’s husband, Joe Edmiston, head of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, has sufficient political savvy that he remains the longest surviving director of a state agency. Pepper has seven children. While her own household would be described as a benevolent dictatorship, she believes in each citizen’s right to vote. Pepper supports the work of VoteRiders and thinks onerous roadblocks to voting will destroy our democracy.

Vicky Goldberg is a Principal with KSMU, LLC, a boutique executive search firm.  With over 20 years of experience in recruitment, she has placed key executives throughout the media, film, television, cable, sports, music, gaming and digital sectors.  She has specific expertise in advising clients regarding hiring strategies, succession planning, retention and diversity.  Prior to joining KSMU, Vicky was a Partner at Hodge Partners.  Previously, she served as the Vice President of Worldwide Recruitment at Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. with responsibility for providing strategic vision to the internal recruiting teams supporting the studio and its business entities domestically and internationally.   Vicky spent six years in the Media & Entertainment Practice of Heidrick & Struggles and seven years with Spencer Stuart.  She began her career at Korn/Ferry International.   Vicky graduated with a degree in Psychology from UCLA and resides in Pacific Palisades, California, with her husband and two children.

Laurie Holz received her B.A. from UC Berkeley in English and is a writer and editor, having edited four published books.  She has been civically engaged since college and has actively volunteered and successfully fundraised for city council, school board and presidential campaigns.  In addition, Laurie has a long history of philanthropic activity, serving on the Boards of Camp Good Times and the City of Angels Ballet as Vice President (where she also wrote grants), along with past membership in the Women's Political Committee.  Laurie has also served as a member of the Beverly Hills Education Foundation and actively served in the PTA while her children were in school, co-chairing successful fundraising events for her school district.  Laurie’s experiences in civic engagement and volunteering in underserved areas strengthened her passion in social justice and civil rights.  Laurie is a proud mother of three and a grandmother of two.

Steven M. Kamp, Esq., is a Senior Tax Counsel in the California State Board of Equalization Legal Department, California’s elected state tax commission. When not working on Board of Equalization business, he is also a regular contributor to Election Watch efforts and Promote and Protect the Vote operations. He has prepared a California Election Law Manual since 1988, and prepared Nevada and Kentucky election law manuals in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Mr. Kamp is a 1978 graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, and a 1981 graduate of Yale Law School.  He is a member of the State Bar of California (116817), The Florida Bar (341010), and The District of Columbia Bar (389492), and can be reached at [email protected].

Angie McArthur has developed an international practice in guiding Thinking excellence.  Specializing in visual strategy work and graphic facilitation, and an expert in the new presentation software called Prezi, Angie has co-facilitated global conferences, leadership retreats, and ongoing supervision in organizations from non-profits to Fortune 500s. She is also one of the creators of the Women’s WorldWide Web, a network formed to develop and retain women in corporate leadership roles. Angie has worked extensively with youth via the company SmartWired, delivering programs worldwide in multiple languages to help children and the adults who support them to bring out their best.  She has a passion for adapting emerging technology to maximize communication effectiveness and synergy. Angie’s clients include Bolthouse Farms, Pepsico, Royal Dutch Shell, Xerox, Chrysler, Green Mountain Energy Resources, the Institute for Storytelling, and the Society for Organizational Learning.  She received her B.A. in Communication Theory from McGill University.

Professor Mary-Beth Moylan teaches at University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She is the director of the Global Lawyering Skills program and teaches classes on California’s initiative process and election law. Before entering academia, Mary-Beth clerked for a federal district court judge, worked in a large law firm as a civil litigator, and spent two years in a small Sacramento law firm practicing political law. She has been a poll inspector for Sacramento County. Mary-Beth’s students present a forum on all California statewide ballot measures each election cycle. Those interested in reading analyses of the ballot measures can find the student-written California Initiative Review at this weblink.

David Peck is the managing partner of Professional Thinking Partners, a management and leadership consulting firm based in Park City, Utah.  He also leads PTP’s technology and multimedia initiatives.  David has designed and produced software and web applications including Pitch, The Smart Navigator and The Mind Museum; produced and directed training films including Bridging Our Differences; and co-developed PTP’s many print and physical products that support its training initiatives. He is also co-founder and Managing Partner at SmartWired, a web-based educational and family support initiative.  David’s clients include PepsiCo, Bolthouse Farms, Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development (SEED), Frito-Lay, Hewitt Associates, Royal Dutch Shell, Xerox, Daimler Chrysler, and GE Capital Global Banking.  A former Junior Olympic skier and frequent contributor to outdoor sports magazines, he continues to search for new ways to incorporate the lessons of peak physical performance into the workplace.

Grant Perry is a digital media entrepreneur and new media consultant based in Austin, Texas. He recently founded mPatient Solutions LLC. The company is developing PatientPilot, a mobile app that coaches patients, enabling them to be better self-advocates.  Grant is an experienced digital media executive, journalist and lecturer, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. He was an award-winning journalist at CNN, first as a New York-based business correspondent and then as anchor of CNN International's London-based program, World Business Today.  In recent years, Grant headed multimedia and partnerships at a leading online publisher of geopolitical and security news and analysis, and he founded Evolution Strategies, a new media consulting firm.  Grant also taught graduate courses, including “Journalism in the Digital Age,” at Johns Hopkins University.  Previously, he was Vice President for New Media Initiatives at Olivetti Telemedia in Milan, Italy.

B.J. Phillips was the Coordinator of the Philadelphia League of Women Voter's Photo ID campaign and the originator of its Voter Advocates program.  A retired journalist of over 35 years, she started her career as a reporter and columnist at the Atlanta Constitution.  At the Washington Post, B.J. wrote the lead story of the first issue of the Post's groundbreaking Style Section and covered major national stories, including Woodstock and Apollo 13.  She then became a contributing editor writing for the Nation Section at Time Magazine, followed by Chief Correspondent of Ms. Magazine.  B.J. returned to Time as an associate editor and sportswriter.  After serving as a correspondent for the Time-Life News Service in Paris, she covered economics for Institutional Investor from London. B.J. then became a columnist covering economics for the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Since retiring, she has served as a consultant for a charter high school in Washington, DC.

Don Ringe is a California-based media strategist with an eclectic portfolio. He is an Emmy Award-winning writer-producer-director and has been a media consultant to AARP, the Humane Society of the United States, the national Business Roundtable and the AMA, among other organizations. Don has been the media consultant to several US Senate, gubernatorial and House campaigns as well as to successful pro-gun control initiatives in Colorado and Oregon along with the Save Our Sealife constitutional amendment in Florida, which banned commercial gill-net fishing. He has created national award-winning programs on alcohol and drug abuse for young children and teens as well as a PBS documentary on glass master, Dale Chihuly. Don’s pro bono clients include Planned Parenthood, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and VoteRiders. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism (MS) and Hofstra University (BA).

Ellen Sloan consults with non-profits and philanthropists to package, develop and implement projects that promote social innovation. She is particularly interested in models and systems that can be replicated and/or scaled up to achieve maximum impact. Ellen provides assessments, plans, and implementation consultation for a wide range of projects. She earned an MBA degree from the University of Southern California.  Ellen is also a CPA.

Stephen A. Unger is Managing Director of KSMU, LLC. He is a leading executive recruiter who has served as Managing Partner of the media and entertainment divisions at the three largest executive search firms in the world (Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart and Korn/Ferry International). Prior positions Stephen has held include: Vice President, International Sales and Acquisitions of Universal Studios; Vice President, International Distribution of CBS Theatrical Films (a division of CBS Inc.); Senior Vice President, International Sales of Filmways Pictures (later absorbed into MGM). He has served on various non-profit Boards including the American Cinematheque for nearly ten years. Stephen is a graduate of Syracuse University and attended New York University's Graduate Institute of Film and Television (Tisch). He is an expert in the field of leadership, having written a weekly column on that subject in 2004-2005 for Daily Variety.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_A._Unger

Camilo Wilson is a software author known for VolksWriter, Correct Grammar, a PC edition of the American Heritage Dictionary, Crossword Wizard and ViewsFlash. He is also a founder of Bayview Academy, a public Charter School in Monterey, California.

Peter Wright has served as Director of Emergency Planning and Preparedness for the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges since July 2008.  In this position, his responsibilities include leading the Disaster Resistant California Community Colleges Project, which supports California’s 112 community colleges in complying with Federal and State emergency management guidelines.  Prior to joining the Chancellor’s Office, he was an Executive Fellow for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and a Teach For America corps member in Eastern North Carolina.  Peter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics from Occidental College and serves as the Vice President of the Occidental College Alumni Board of Governors.  He earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Bill Zimmerman, Ph.D., is a partner in Zimmerman & Markman, Inc., a national political consulting firm based in Santa Monica.  The firm has won dozens of ballot initiative campaigns, including historic first victories in Oregon for physician-assisted suicide, in Arizona for state-funded elections, and in California for medical marijuana, drug treatment instead of incarceration, and a tax on million dollar earners to fund community mental health programs.  The firm was instrumental in building the online powerhouse, MoveOn.org.  Bill produced advertising for Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, Colorado Senators Gary Hart and Tim Wirth, New Mexico Governor Toney Anaya, and many others.  He has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, and is the author of Troublemaker: A Memoir from the Front Lines of the Sixties, two other books and numerous articles and op-ed pieces.  He founded and was the long-time chairman of Medical Aid for El Salvador.