501c4 Organizations

President

Commonweal Institute, Inc.

Portola Valley,  CA

http://www.commonwealinstitute.org

Leonard M. Salle, President and co-founder of the Commonweal Institute, brings a business and systems perspective to the promotion of moderate-progressive ideas. As a civil engineer in high level management positions, he worked extensively with the the public and the government in creation of major projects, including new towns. His experience with engineering systems, the public, and political bodies, as well as an active and ongoing interest in political and social issues, informed his thinking about the need for an infrastructure for advancing a progressive movement. It was with this need in mind that he co-founded the Commonweal Institute in 2001.

Communications Director

MoveOn.org

Seattle,  WA

http://www.MoveOn.org

I am an organizer who understands the importance of good communication. I was an organizer and campaign manager for progressive organizations for 9 years before focusing on communications specifically. After working for non-profits and campaigns, I worked for 3 years at a communications firm. And just before working for MoveOn, I had my own consulting business.

Progressive Legislative Action Network

http://www.progressivestates.org

Chair and Co-Founder

Democracy for New Hampshire

Lyme,  NH

http://www.democracyfornewhampshire.com

I am interested in how we take lessons from NH election success in 2004 to other purple, rural states. I also want to ask how we can invest in messengers & organizations (not politicians) who can increase the number of likely voters who support a socially progressive, fiscally responsible worldview. The project which aims to achieve these goals is known as the Progressive Venture Fund. I've been a university administrator and fundraiser for 17 years, working at Georgetown University, Harvard University, and Dartmouth College. I've also helped start and manage two startup companies, one of which produced the first-ever encyclopedia about the African diaspora in both print and CD- ROM. I'm a member of the Lyme School Board, the Chair of the Lyme Democratic Committee, and a Grafton County delegate to the Democratic State Committee. I was a co-captain for Howard Dean in the New Hampshire 2004 primary, and led the Upper Valley Meetup from September 2003 until May 2004. A snowboarder and occasional triathlete, I'm married to Elizabeth Glenshaw and together we have three children.

Executive Director

ProgressNow.org

Boulder,  CO

http://www.progressnowaction.org

Michael Huttner is the Executive Director of ProgressNow.org and ProgressNowAction.org. As a private political consultant Mr. Huttner helped spearhead Colorado’s legislative efforts in 2004. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver College of Law where he teaches Legislation and Lobbying. Mr. Huttner worked as Policy Advisor to Governor Roy Romer and before returning to Denver he clerked at the White House for the Office of the Counsel to the President. Mr. Huttner earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. He recently got married to Debbie Herz, a lawyer by training who now teaches Yoga; they live in Boulder with their dog Yoshi.

Communications Director

Campaign for America's Future

Arlington,  Va.

http://www.ourfuture.org

WEBSITE ACCESS ONLY; WILL NOT ATTEND CONVENING. Toby Chaudhuri directs communications at the Campaign for America’s Future’s Washington headquarters. He works with progressive non-profit organizations, political campaigns and people in public office to develop messages and strategies to communicate with the public and influence public policy. Chaudhuri has managed more than $25 million in state and federal campaigns and has worked at the helm of national media operations. He fought corruption and helped to enact historic reforms directing strategic communications at Common Cause; took on corporate polluters to provide safe drinking water as a political appointee to President Clinton; and worked to elect several principled state and federal candidates including serving as deputy press secretary to Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. Before joining America’s Future, Chaudhuri worked hard to protect sick and hungry children from the right wing as Marian Wright Edelman’s spokesman and media strategist at the Children’s Defense Fund.