Our Mission
In a world where the news cycle is the length of a tweet, the messaging challenge progressives face today is more acute than ever. Our leaders often lack the real-time public-sentiment analysis to shape the best approaches to talking about the issues that matter the most.
Navigator is designed to act as a consistent, flexible, responsive tool to inform policy debates. By conducting research and reliable guidance to inform allies, elected leaders, and the press, Navigator helps top leaders in Washington and grassroots leaders around the country shape the debate on the issues that matter most.
Navigator Pollsters
Navigator is a project led by pollsters Jefrey Pollock, founding partner and president of Global Strategy Group, Margie Omero, principal at GBAO Strategies, and Nick Gourevitch, partner at Global Strategy Group, with additional assistance in the design and analysis of the survey from Bryan Bennett, Director of Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project, and J. Isaiah Bailey, Associate Director of Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project.
Jefrey Pollock is Founding Partner and President of Global Strategy Group (GSG) where he works with politicians, leading advocacy organizations, and Fortune 100 companies. He is on the national board of the American Association of Political Consultants and was recently named a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.
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.
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.
Bryan Bennett
Bryan Bennett is the Director of Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project, overseeing research to strategically inform progressive campaigns. Previously, he managed quantitative and qualitative research projects for Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and Illuminas, a market research consultancy.
J. Isaiah Bailey
J. Isaiah Bailey is the Associate Director, Polling & Analytics at The Hub Project, supporting public opinion research, quantitative/qualitative analysis, and strategic data use. Previously, he managed the survey research program at the Tennessee Department of Education.
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.
Navigator’s advisory committee includes:
Andrea Purse
Andrea Purse currently leads the communications team at The Hub Project, where she works to amplify progressive campaigns. Previously, Andrea headed up communications for NextGen Climate and the Center for American Progress and led broadcast communications at the White House, the Democratic Caucus of the House of Representatives, and the John Edwards for President campaign.
Arkadi Gerney
Arkadi Gerney is the Executive Director of The Hub Project. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President of for Campaigns and Strategy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He previously served as Senior Director for Policy, Partnerships, and Public Affairs at Opower a fast-growing software company, and as a Special Adviser and First Deputy Criminal Justice Coordinator to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
Christina Reynolds
Christina Reynolds is the Vice President of Communications at EMILY’s List. She was most recently the 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.
Delvone Michael
Delvone Michael is a Senior Political Strategist for the National Working Families Party. He was the Founding Director of D.C. Working Families where he was architect of the D.C. for $15 initiative and headed groundbreaking civic engagement programs like Friends and Families and Talking Transition. Previously, Delvone worked for national labor, political, and nonprofit organizations, including SEIU.
Felicia Wong
Felicia Wong is the President and CEO of Roosevelt Forward. Previously, she worked at the Democracy Alliance after running operations and product development at a venture-funded education services company. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and is co-author of The Hidden Rules of Race: Barriers to an Inclusive Economy (Cambridge University Press, 2017).
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.
Joel Payne
Joel Payne joined the Hub Project as Managing Director, Communications in October 2019. Previously Joel served as 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.
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.
Michael 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.
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.
Stephanie Valencia
Stephanie Valencia is a tech policy and political strategist. Currently a partner at Investing in US she recently worked at Google’s public policy office. She also 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.
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.
Navigator’s advisory committee includes:
Andrea Purse
Andrea Purse currently leads the communications team at The Hub Project, where she works to amplify progressive campaigns. Previously, Andrea headed up communications for NextGen Climate and the Center for American Progress and led broadcast communications at the White House, the Democratic Caucus of the House of Representatives, and the John Edwards for President campaign.
Arkadi Gerney
Arkadi Gerney is the Executive Director of The Hub Project. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President of for Campaigns and Strategy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. He previously served as Senior Director for Policy, Partnerships, and Public Affairs at Opower a fast-growing software company, and as a Special Adviser and First Deputy Criminal Justice Coordinator to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
Christina Reynolds
Christina Reynolds is the Vice President of Communications at EMILY’s List. She was most recently the 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.
Delvone Michael
Delvone Michael is a Senior Political Strategist for the National Working Families Party. He was the Founding Director of D.C. Working Families where he was architect of the D.C. for $15 initiative and headed groundbreaking civic engagement programs like Friends and Families and Talking Transition. Previously, Delvone worked for national labor, political, and nonprofit organizations, including SEIU.
Felicia Wong
Felicia Wong is the President and CEO of Roosevelt Forward. Previously, she worked at the Democracy Alliance after running operations and product development at a venture-funded education services company. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and is co-author of The Hidden Rules of Race: Barriers to an Inclusive Economy (Cambridge University Press, 2017).
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.
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.
Michael 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.
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.
Ron Klain
Ron Klain has extensive public service experience, including as White House Ebola Response Coordinator and Chief of Staff to Vice President Joe Biden, and a senior aide to President Obama. He is formerly a Partner and National Practice Group Chair at O’Melveny and Myers LLP.
Stephanie Valencia
Stephanie Valencia is a tech policy and political strategist. Currently a partner at Investing in US she recently worked at Google’s public policy office. She also 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.
Symone D. Sanders
Symone D. Sanders is a strategist, communications consultant, and CNN Political Commentator. Symone is currently Principal of the 360 Group, LLC. where she helps clients find sound solutions to tough political and social problems. After serving as the National Press Secretary for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, she was also a Resident Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School.