About Us
Our Mission
Navigator is a trusted resource for developing and distributing winning progressive messages and polling on the most pressing issues of the moment.
Our rapid response surveys and vast data ecosystem allow us to share real-time perspectives on rapidly evolving topics, while also maintaining long-term tracking on the nation’s top issues.
Navigator Pollsters
Navigator is a project led by pollsters Margie Omero, principal at GBAO Strategies, Nick Gourevitch, partner at Global Strategy Group, and The Hub Project team including Ian Smith, Director of Polling & Analytics; Rachael Russell, Director of Polling & Analytics; Maryann Cousens, Polling & Analytics Manager; and Camille Keene, Polling & Analytics Associate. They also receive additional assistance in the design and analysis of the research from Bryan Bennett, former Senior Director of Navigator Research.
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Margie Omero
Margie Omero is a Principal at GBAO Strategies, with over 20 years of experience working for Democratic candidates, progressive causes, and corporations. Omero is a frequent writer, commentator, and speaker, and is the creator and co-host of the bipartisan podcast The Pollsters.
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Nick Gourevitch
Nick Gourevitch leads Global Strategy Group’s Research practice and serves as one of the firm’s top pollsters and communications strategists. He is responsible for business strategy and growth, overseeing research innovation and methodology, and leads a nationwide team of professionals with diverse experience and clients.
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Ian Smith
Ian Smith is Director of Polling and Analytics at The Hub Project, he oversees polling operations for Navigator Research. Ian has spent the majority of his career in electoral campaigns gaining experience in data, analytics, and coalition building. Prior to joining The Hub Project, Ian was Polling and Analytics Director at American Bridge 21st Century, where he led opinion research for the campaign’s program.
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Rachael Russell
Rachael Russell is Director of Polling and Analytics at the Hub Project. Prior to joining the Hub, Rachael worked in targeting and data analytics for the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Pivot Group, as well as on the Mike Bloomberg and Kamala Harris presidential campaigns.
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Maryann Cousens
Maryann Cousens is Polling & Analytics Manager at The Hub Project and assists with the design, analysis, and presentation of Navigator findings from surveys and focus groups.
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Camille Keene
Camille Keene is the Associate of Polling & Analytics for Navigator. She is a recent Howard University graduate from Houston, Texas who has prior experience at various special interest non profits, committee work on the Hill, and in political consulting.
Navigator Advisory Committee
An advisory committee of progressive leaders on the front-lines of surrogating or advising surrogates who defend progressive policy priorities, provide strategic direction, and lend their expertise.
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Christina Reynolds
Christina Reynolds was most recently the Vice President of Communications at EMILY’s List. Before that, she was a Senior Vice President at Global Strategy Group and served as Deputy Communications Director at Hillary for America. Previously, she served as the White House Director of Media Affairs, Director of Rapid Response at Obama for America, and held senior roles in numerous campaigns at the state and national levels.
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Jesse Ferguson
Jesse Ferguson is a veteran Democratic Strategist. Most recently, he served as Deputy National Press Secretary and Senior Spokesperson at Hillary for America. Previously, Ferguson worked as Deputy Executive Director and Director of the Independent Expenditure at the at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). He got his start working in Virginia politics and running state-based non-profits.
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Jessica Floyd
Jessica Floyd is the Executive Director of The Hub Project. Prior to that, she was most recently President of American Bridge 21st Century. Following several successful campaigns in New York and New Jersey, she managed Congressman Ron Barber’s winning congressional campaign and served as Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ political director. During the 2014 and 2016 cycles, she worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Independent Expenditure, in 2016 as its Deputy Director, where she helped to manage paid media programs in targeted districts around the country.
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Joel Payne
Joel Payne is the Chief Communications Officer at MoveOn. Previously Joel served as the Managing Director, Communications at The Hub Project, was the Director of African-American Paid Media & Advertising for the 2016 Hillary for America campaign, and before that was a Deputy Press Secretary for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Joel has over 15 years media & communications experience in the public and private sector. He is currently a political contributor for CBS News and a contributing columnist for The Hill newspaper.
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Melanie Roussell Newman
Melanie Roussell Newman is the Senior Vice President of Communications and Culture at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Previously, she was the Chief Communications Officer at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) and led Communications and Public Affairs at the Department of Justice under Attorney General Loretta Lynch. In prior roles, Melanie worked in the communications and press shops of the White House Office of Budget and Management, Democratic National Committee, Obama for America, and the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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Mike Podhorzer
Mike Podhorzer is the Political Director of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 55 labor unions representing 12.5 million members. He is also the co-chair of Catalist, founding chair of the Analyst Institute and on the boards of numerous progressive organizations, including America Votes and the Committee on States.
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Navin Nayak
Navin Nayak serves as a Senior Vice President of the Center for American Progress and the Executive Director of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Most recently, Nayak served as the Director of Opinion Research for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, where he oversaw all the campaign’s message research. Prior to that, he worked for eight years at the League of Conservation Voters, where among several roles, he served as Senior Vice President for Campaigns.
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Stephanie Valencia
Stephanie Valencia is the President and Co-Founder of EquisLabs. Previously a partner at Investing in US, she also worked in Google’s public policy office and serves on boards for Civic Nation, Latino Victory Fund, and Center for Community Change Action. Working on various national and state campaigns since 2004, she also previously served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary Penny Pritzker and as Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Director of Public Engagement at the White House.
