Wellstone Action!

Adriana Barboza has been a trainer with Wellstone Action for almost 6 years, and is also our partnership manager. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico and grew up in the South Side of Chicago. Adriana began organizing while a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Fawn Bernhardt-Norvell brings 17 years of nonprofit and development experience to her work as Wellstone Action's Director of Development and Operations.

Jeff Blodgett has over 25 years experience in community organizing and political management.

Marge Boyle is one of Wellstone Action's most loyal and hardworking volunteers. Marge is responsible for processing checks for Wellstone Action and helping to maintain relationships with the organization's thousands of donors around the country.

Brian Cihacek can be described as a professional journeyman. Graduating from Saint John's University in 2008 with a degree in psychology, Brian figured his professional life would have been as a researcher in neuroscience, until he was deployed to Iraq with his National Guard unit for two years as a unit supply specialist.

Amy Conner is an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, pursuing degrees in Political Science, History, and Spanish Studies. Since 2008, she has worked as a Development Assistant at Wellstone Action.

Kim Couch brings extensive experience in nonprofit financial management to Wellstone Action, including work as finance manager for the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center and the Cedar Riverside People's Center in Minneapolis.

Peggy Flanagan is a dynamic teacher, trainer, and community and political organizer who is enrolled in the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and is a member of the Maiingan Dodem (Wolf Clan). Peggy is our Director of External Affairs, and she also directs the Native American Leadership Program at Wellstone Action.

Ben Goldfarb is Executive Director of Wellstone Action, the nation’s leading training center for progressive organizers, candidates and campaign workers.

As Wellstone Action's Director of Camp Wellstone and Advanced Campaign Management School, Jen Haut-Prokop puts to use her organizing skills to make these programs run. While at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, she worked as a peace and justice student organizer, notably creating publications to educate the campus community on issues of environmentalism, fair trade, and political advocacy.

Louis serves as Executive Administrator for Wellstone Action.

Naomi is one of our newest staffers and the Director of Campus Camp Wellstone!

One of the newest members of our crew, Sara Beth Mueller (and you say that "Miller" - she, too, would like to understand why) comes to Wellstone Action after more than 10 years with Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. Sara Beth served most recently as Planned Parenthood's Communications Director, where her work on opposition messaging and tactics was replicated nationwide.

Erik Peterson brings 30 years of experience as a community-based educator, trainer, and community and electoral organizer to his role as Wellstone Action's Director of Strategic Initiatives. He also directs our Labor Training Program.

Edith is our newest staff member, joining Wellstone Action in January 2012 as the Deputy Director of Strategic Capacity Development for our Labor Training Program!

Sarah comes to Wellstone Action after working at the Human Rights Campaign as a Regional Field Director for the Pacific NW and the South.

Sujata has two decades of experience with progressive and Democratic campaigns and organizations.  She has developed and directed electoral and issue advocacy campaigns and strategized with organizations and donors to lead them through critical junctures in development.

A native New Yorker, DawnMarie Vihrachoff was raised in Florida, where she got an early start in politics as an intern in the office of her local congresswoman. DawnMarie earned her bachelor's degree in political science at Florida State University, and served as an organizer for Planned Parenthood during her college years.

The child of political activists, Mattie has been doing direct action, community organizing and campaign work her entire life (including as an 11 year old doorknocker on Paul Wellstone's first Senate campaign). A 2001 graduate of Swarthmore College, she studied political science and organized students and staff around issues of global economic justice, local race politics, and a campus-based living wage campaign.