Staff

• Ilir Zherka - Executive Director
• Eugene Dewitt Kinlow - Public Affairs Director
• Antonette E. Russell - Operations Director
• James Jones - Communications Director
• Jennifer Matson - Public Affairs Manager
• Robin Taylor - Administrative Assistant

Ilir Zherka - Executive Director

Ilir Zherka is a life-long activist for civil and human rights, and a leader in the advocacy community.

Ilir joined DC Vote as Executive Director in 2002. As Executive Director, Ilir leads DC Vote's national efforts to raise public awareness about DC's lack of voting representation in Congress, serves as the principal spokesperson for the organization, and manages the day-to-day operations.

Under his leadership, DC Vote has quadrupled in size, brought together a strong coalition of local and national organizations, and advanced DC voting rights legislation in the Congress for the first time in 30 years.

Ilir has served as a Visiting Practitioner at Georgetown University's Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership, is an associate with Human Systems Dynamics, and the author of the upcoming advocacy strategy book, Winning the Inside Game. Ilir has served as an advisor to the last four Democratic presidential campaigns and is an elected member of the Democratic National Committee.

Ilir brings award-winning leadership to DC Vote. In 2007, the Meyer Foundation recognized Ilir with an Exponent Award. He has also received the Urban League's Whitney M. Young Jr. Leadership Award, and Human Rights Community Award, among others. Ilir was featured in a full-length documentary, Un-Natural State, and as case study in Dynamical Leadership: Building Adaptive Capacity for Uncertain Times, by Kristine Quade and Royce Holladay. He is also a member of the 2011 Class of Leadership Greater Washington.

Before joining DC Vote, Ilir was Co-founder and the first Executive Director of the National Albanian American Council (NAAC). Ilir also promoted worker rights issues while at the US Department of Labor, where he served as a Senior Legislative Officer to Secretary Alexis Herman. Prior to that stint, he was the Legislative Counsel to Congressman George Miller (D-CA) for labor, judiciary, and foreign policy issues. Between 1992 and 1993, Ilir was an IREX Fellow in Albania.

Ilir Zherka graduated with distinction from Cornell University and received his law degree from the University of Virginia.

Eugene Dewitt Kinlow - Public Affairs Director

As Public Affairs Director for DC Vote, Eugene Dewitt Kinlow is principally responsible for managing the more than 85 organizations that are part of the DC Vote Coalition and recruiting new organizations and individuals to our cause. Eugene also oversees DC Vote’s efforts to engage residents in the greater DC area and is our principal liaison to local officials.

Immediately prior to joining DC Vote, Eugene served as principal of Kinlow & Associates, a community relations company, and was a Management Fellow at the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization. In 2004, Eugene was a Field Coordinator for Florida Victory 2004 and for 10 years served as the Legal Information Specialist for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In 2002, he ran for an at-large seat on the DC City Council.

Eugene is a native Washingtonian. He is a graduate of Ballou High School and received his BA from the University of the District of Columbia in Business Administration in 1987.

Eugene is deeply committed to improving the quality of life in his home town and is deeply involved in many local organizations. He serves as a Trustee and is Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia. Eugene is also a Board member and Vice Chairperson of the Washington East Foundation; an advisor to the Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Program; and is President Emeritus of the Ward 8 Democrats. He is a columnist, photographer and editorial advisory member for the East of the River Community Newspaper and a member of the Mayor’s Environmental Council.

Antonette E. Russell - Operations Director

As Operations Director, Antonette provides day-to-day leadership and management to the organization. She improves the systems and operations of the organization while developing and enforcing policies. Her duties also include providing reports on the operating condition of the organization and spearheading long and short range objectives for the organization's finance and human resource priorities.

Previously, Antonette was an intern for DC Vote and later worked as the organization's part-time Financial Consultant. She has interned for Washington, DC elected officials, The Hill newspaper and for the Assistant Corporation Counsel of Washington, DC. She is also an active community participant in her neighborhood, having served as a two-term ANC Commissioner, Vice-Chair of the Advisor Neighborhood 6B, the Vice-Chair of ANC 6B Planning and Zoning Committee, and as the President of the Barney Circle Watch Association.

Antonette is a native Washingtonian and she attended H.D. Woodson Senior High school. She has a B.A. in English Arts from Hampton University and a joint Masters Degree from Regent University in Public Administration and Finance. The topic of her graduate thesis focused on the history and continuing struggle for representation in Congress for the District of Colombia.

James Jones - Communications Director

James Jones has more than 20 years of experience in communications, journalism and government service.

As Communications Director, James is responsible for all aspects of DC Vote's public message and press relations.

Previously, James worked as a communications consultant, and spent three years with DC Appleseed, a non-profit advocacy group focused on addressing a broad range of public policy challenges facing the District of Columbia.

James was a reporter for 15 years, including stints as the Loose Lips political columnist for the Washington City Paper, and City Hall correspondent for WAMU radio. He also worked as a freelance print and radio reporter in Southeast Asia, and covered Congress and the federal regulatory process for Inside EPA, a well-respected environmental policy newsletter. Earlier in his career, James worked for six years as a field representative and legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Donald. W. Riegle, Jr. of Michigan.

James lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife and two sons. He has been a proud District of Columbia resident for 22 years.

Jennifer Matson - Public Affairs Manager

As Public Affairs Manager, Jen supports the Public Affairs Director in managing the DC Voting Rights Coalition, reaching out to elected officials and additional advocacy efforts. She is also the main point of contact for volunteer opportunities and student outreach. In 2010, she spoke to over 700 students of all ages about DC voting rights. Jen started at DC Vote in January of 2009 as an administrative assistant and moved over to the Public Affairs department in August of 2009.

Originally from Massachusetts, Jen moved to DC for an internship with Community Family Life Services, a nonprofit that provides emergency services and temporary housing for the homeless population of the District of Columbia.

Interested in volunteering for DC Vote? Contact Jen at jmatson@dcvote.org.

Robin Taylor - Administrative Assistant

As Administrative Assistant, Robin provides daily support to DC Vote's development, administrative, and outreach activities. She began working with DC Vote as an intern before joining the staff full-time in April 2011.

Robin graduated from Northland College with a BA in Writing and History and received her Masters degree in International Affairs from American University. She brings a wide range of professional experience to DC Vote, including graphic design, governance support and journalism.

Raised in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland, Robin is excited to be a part of the fight for full democracy in the District. Outside of DC Vote, she shares her lifelong love of gymnastics by teaching trampoline classes.

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