Board

Vinoda is one of Washington, DC’s top business entrepreneurs, specializing in the nightlife, hospitality, and lifestyle industries. Vinoda has established himself as a sought-after retail guru whose mission is to open authentic concepts and invest in bold personalities. His hospitality group, Versus, includes such venues as 2018 Nightclub of the Year Heist, nationally renowned cocktail bar Morris American Bar and hotspot Castas Rum Bar.

Vinoda was appointed to be the first Chairman of Nightlife and Culture of DC by Mayor Muriel Bowser.  He has received numerous media honors and recognitions including being named as one of DC’s Most Influential Under 40 by Washington Life Magazine for the past seven years, identified as one of the Top 40 Entrepreneurs Under 40 by Washington Business Journal and profiled for “journeying from party promoter to powerbroker” by the Washington Post.

Vinoda is also the youngest partner at Nelson Mullins LLP, the fastest growing law firm in America. He is ranked in the Legal 500, has been named one of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists and was recognized as Top Lobbyist of 2020 by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics.

Vinoda is an honors graduate from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business where he was a double major and double minor. At graduation he received the Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to the Campus, received the Outstanding Student Leader Award and was selected student graduation speaker by his classmates.  He also received a joint degree from the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School of Business in 2008.

Vinoda was previously appointed Commissioner of the Small and Local Business Opportunity Commission for DC by former Mayor Adrian Fenty, served on Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Transition Team for Economic Development, was named to Mayor Bowser’s ReOpen DC Advisory Committee for safe reopening during the pandemic. He was formerly the Chairman of the Board of DC Vote and sits on the boards of the Washington Institute, the Asian American Pacific Islander Victory Fund and the National Children’s Museum.

Vanessa Batters-Thompson joined DC Appleseed as its executive director in May 2022. Vanessa brings to her role more than twenty years of litigation, policy, and advocacy experience, as well as a passion for serving the District community.

Prior to joining DC Appleseed, Vanessa worked at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center as their Associate Director of Legal Services for Individuals and Families. In this role, Vanessa spearheaded the launch and directed the Family Law Assistance Network, a joint endeavor of several legal service providers to offer parents and caregivers family law services through a single, accessible, intake point. As co-manager of the Pro Bono Center’s Advocacy & Justice Clinic, Vanessa oversaw the intake and matching of up to 300 clients per year with pro bono attorneys from private law firms and the public sector. Vanessa additionally directed the Pro Bono Center’s individual representation training program, which won the D.C. Bar’s 2022 Frederick B. Abramson Award.

Before joining the Pro Bono Center, Vanessa worked for an anti-poverty organization, Bread for the City, providing direct representation to clients and engaging in systematic advocacy regarding child support issues. From 2009 through 2011, Vanessa served as a Friedman Fellow for the George Washington University Law School, teaching and supervising students handling domestic violence and family law cases through the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics. While in law school, Vanessa clerked for the Mental Health Division of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, as well as the Humane Society of the United States.

Vanessa obtained her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and her B.A. from American University with a specialty in Women, Policy, and Political Leadership.  She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and dog.  During her downtime, Vanessa likes camping, reading, and growing flowers.

Kali Bracey is a former partner at Jenner & Block, where she advised clients in litigation, government enforcement and investigations, and regulatory matters with particular expertise in financial services and privacy. Her practice included trial and appellate representation in complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense, and insurance coverage. She also served as the Interim General Counsel of the Washington Football Team, managing the team’s legal department through major investigations and enterprise risk issues.

Kali brings deep government insight from a decade of federal service, including as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Torts Branch at the Department of Justice, where she managed a 135-lawyer branch and oversaw the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and as Senior Counsel to the Director at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during its formative years. She has been recognized as an American Lawyer Trailblazer South and National Law Journal Fintech Trailblazer, and earned her J.D. from Yale Law School and Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College.

B.A., cum laude, The American University, 1973; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1978; M.A.T., Antioch School of Law.

Katherine S. Broderick served as interim and then Dean of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law from August 1998 until June 2018, having previously served as Clinical Director, Associate Dean and faculty member since 1979. In 2011, she was named the Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. Chair of Social Justice.

Professor Broderick began her academic career as a clinical faculty member. She directed the Criminal Defense Clinic at the Antioch School of Law for ten years representing more than 2,000 individuals charged with crimes in the Superior and District Courts of the District of Columbia. She also co-directed the Legislation Clinic for four years, supervising students working primarily on health and safety, environmental justice and criminal justice legislation with the D.C. Council. She has taught Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, State and Local Government Law, First Amendment Demonstration Law, and a seminar, “Perspectives on Social Justice.” She taught in Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop, in the Fall Semester, for many years.

Under her leadership during twenty years as dean, major accomplishments included securing the highest level of American Bar Association Accreditation, establishing part-time and LL.M. programs, serving the legal needs of thousands of low-income District residents through the School’s nine legal clinics, moving into a beautifully renovated 100,000 square foot law school building, completing a handsome $1.6 million library expansion project and raising over $15 million for endowed chairs, endowed and annual scholarships, summer public interest fellowships, and clinical programs. In 2015, she forged the first Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Havana and a U.S. law school. Students and faculty members participate in an intensive International Law seminar in Cuba annually when travel to Cuba is permitted.

Professor Broderick chairs the D.C. Task Force on Jails and Justice. This blue ribbon task force is charged with redefining and reinventing the District of Columbia criminal justice system and ensuring that the jail is one part of a just and equitable system. She serves on the Boards of D.C. Appleseed and D.C. Vote. She was appointed in 2008 by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to serve on the District of Columbia’s Access to Justice Commission. She completed four terms serving until 2020. Professor Broderick was named to the Norton Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission in 2009 and continues to serve. She also hosts Sound Advice, a UDC cable television show available in 200,000 D.C. households, providing information about legal issues affecting the District’s most vulnerable residents, including predatory lending, domestic violence, AIDS and the District’s abuse and neglect system. She has hosted more than 300 shows over the last 22 years. A committed civil libertarian, Professor Broderick is a past president and served on the Board of the American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation’s Capital for many years. She continues to serve on the Nominations Committee. Professor Broderick was a founder of and ardent participant in the D.C. Consortium of Legal Services Providers, an organization committed to increasing the quantity, improving the quality, and coordinating the delivery of legal services to low-income D.C. residents.

Professor Broderick received the 2020 “Thurgood Marshall Award,” “in recognition of her exemplary legal career dedicated to service in the public interest, in the pursuit of equal justice and opportunity for all Americans,” from the D.C. Bar; the 2018 ”Potter Stewart Award” from the Council for Court Excellence; the 2017 “Heman Sweatt Award” from the National Bar Association; and the 2016 “Education and Leadership Award,” from the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. She has also received the 2015 “Effective Force in Service of the People Award” from the D.C. Chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild “in recognition of outstanding leadership” and the 2009 “Deborah L. Rhode Award” from the Association of American Law Schools ‘in recognition of her work to increase pro bono and public service opportunities in law schools.” She was honored with the “Servant of Justice Award” by the Legal Aid Society in 2005. Professor Broderick received the “National Equal Justice Works Outstanding Law School Dean Award” in 2002, and the “William Pincus Award” for “Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Legal Education” given by the Association of American Law Schools in 1999. She was named a Fellow of the American Bar Association in 2000.

Professor Broderick and her late husband John Clegg’s daughter, Isabella, is a 2010 graduate of Wilson Senior High, a D.C. public school and a 2016 graduate of the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Rev. Wendy Hamilton is an Ordained minister, social justice advocate and mother of one, currently residing in Washington, DC. Originally from small town southern Ohio (Portsmouth), Rev. Wendy proudly received her Bachelor’s Rev. Wendy Hamilton is an Attendance Counselor at District of Columbia Public Schools and an ordained minister committed to manifesting justice for all Washington D.C. residents. A former ANC Commissioner for 8D06 and former candidate for U.S. Senate (Shadow) in 2023, she has worked in communications on Capitol Hill and as an adjunct professor of Communications. She has participated in criminal justice reform, civic engagement, economic inequality, and environmental justice initiatives through roles including Executive Assistant to former NAACP President Benjamin Jealous and Director of Spiritual and Cultural Outreach for 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang. Her ministry experience includes serving as pastor of Open Door Metropolitan Community Church and as Chaplain at Georgetown University. Rev. Hamilton earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Master’s Degree in Religious Studies from Howard University, and was ordained through the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 2018.

Ximena Hartsock is the Co-Founder of Phone2Action, the leading public affairs technology company in the US.

Prior to founding Phone2Action she was a member of the executive cabinet of former Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, serving as Deputy Chief of Teaching and Learning and Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation.

During her tenure as parks director, she oversaw renovations of several D.C. public facilities including the completion of D.C.’s state-of-the-art Olympic facility, Wilson Pool, the construction of numerous athletic fields and parks, and the implementation of wellness programs for seniors, youth and families.

Before serving as Parks Director, Dr. Hartsock was Deputy Chief for Teaching and Learning for D.C. Public Schools under the education overhaul led by Michelle Rhee and Adrian Fenty. In that role, she led key reform including the implementation of a comprehensive “Out of School Time” curriculum that served students after school, on weekends, and in the summer. She also led the implementation of a credit recovery program for students at risk of dropping out. These efforts were key in improving D,C.’s historically low graduation rates. She came to that position after working in D.C. Government as an educator and school principal.

Dr. Hartsock’s company Phone2Action is the leading software platform for civic engagement in the United States. The high levels of engagement organizations like Nurses Association, American Emergency Physicians, Restaurants Association have achieved using Phone2Action tools have been instrumental in the passage of legislation especially during the 2020 Pandemic.

Dr. Hartsock has received multiple awards for leadership and public service and has been featured, among others, in Fortune, Forbes The Washington Post, and the New York Times. She has also been listed in “The New guard of DC Business Leaders” by the Washington Business Journal. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Economic Club, The Board of Industry Leaders of the Consumer Technology Association, and DC Vote.

A native of Chile, she holds a Doctorate in Administration and Policy from The George Washington University.

Jack joined DC Vote following 13 years as an elected official in the District, including five as an ANC Commissioner in Dupont Circle and eight as Ward 2’s State Board of Education Representative, where he served as President and Vice President.

Jack moved to the District over two decades ago to begin his career as a federal lobbyist. His federal policy practice spans a wide range of issue areas including education, voter enfranchisement, climate change, and telecommunications.

Jack and his husband, Kevin, believe in giving back to their communities and in the importance of public service. They support various philanthropic organizations and are patrons of the arts. They enjoy cooking, travel, and hosting dinner parties with friends. They live in Dupont Circle with their pets, Ghost and Seven.

Washington, DC based filmmaker Aviva Kempner makes award winning documentaries about under known Jewish heroes for over 40 years. The Spy Behind Home Plate, a film on baseball player and OSS spy Moe Berg,  was released in May, 2019. She wrote, directed and produced Rosenwald, a documentary about how philanthropist Julius Rosenwald partnered with Booker T. Washington in establishing over 5,000 schools for African Americans in the Jim Crow South. She also made Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg, about Gertrude Berg who created the first television sitcom and the Emmy nominated and Peabody awarded The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, about the Hall Famer who faced anti-Semitism during the 30s. She also produced the award-winning Partisans of Vilna, about Jews fighting the Nazis. She made Today I Vote for My Joey at the AFi directing workshop for women in 2002.

She is presently making a film on screenwriter, playwright, journalist, and novelist Ben Hecht, who was a dedicated activist for the cause of exposing the horrors of the Holocaust to the American public and in the quest for survivors to find a permanent home in Palestine.  She is co-directing Imagining the Indians, a documentary on  the movement to remove Native American names, logos, and mascots from the world of sports and beyond.

Kempner is also making Pissed Off, a documentary short exploring the underpublicized struggles faced by female lawmakers in Congress who advocated for equal access to restroom facilities in the United States Capitol. From its inception, Congress excluded women, both in participation and plumbing.

A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Kempner is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, the DC Mayor’s Art Award, WIFV Women of Vision Award and Media Arts Award from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. She founded the Washington Jewish Film Festival Washington, DC.

She is a voting rights and statehood advocate for Washington, D.C. and proudly serves on the board of DC Vote.

John was born and raised in New York City and came to Washington DC in 1967 to attend Catholic University of America where he earned his BA and MA degrees in American History.

A long time supporter of DC Vote, he is now serving his second stint on its Board of Directors. He proudly has been arrested for civil disobedience while participating in a rally for the rights of his fellow citizens here in the District of Columbia. Besides DC Vote, he also is a long time member of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Campaign Board and the Gertrude Stein Club.

John is a longtime Ward Two resident and in his spare time enjoys travel, the Shakespeare Theatre and cheering for both the Nats and the Caps.

Doug Lindner is a lawyer, democracy advocate, and political strategist in Washington, DC. As Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy at the League of Conservation Voters, he leads LCV’s nationwide efforts in support of fair courts, voting rights, DC statehood, and other federal democracy priorities, and has been quoted in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Axios, and Vanity Fair, among others. He previously served as National Voter Protection Director at Voter Protection Corps, Campaign Counsel and National Voter Protection Director for Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign, and in other roles with Democratic and progressive organizations. Doug is a graduate of New York University School of Law, New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and Northeastern University.

Shapri LoMaglio is a coalition builder and policy strategist who believes in the power of bridge building to create lasting change. As a principal in Raben’s Issue Campaigns and Government Affairs practices, she leads the firm’s Faith Strategies Group, helping clients engage faith-rooted communities in bold, values-driven advocacy.

With more than 15 years of experience in public policy, nonprofit leadership, and media and communications, Shapri is known for bringing unlikely allies together around a shared purpose. She specializes in crafting nuanced messaging, building broad-based coalitions, and advancing bipartisan strategies on some of today’s most pressing issues.

Before Raben, Shapri served as senior vice president of a global association of faith-based colleges and universities, where she advocated for LGBTQ rights, racial equity, educational access, climate action, and support for undocumented students and immigration reform. A trusted thought partner and compelling communicator, Shapri has served as a national media spokesperson, crisis communications advisor, and campaign co-chair. In addition to her service on the board of DC Vote she has held leadership roles with the Fairness for All campaign, Not Our Faith, and other organizations focused on democracy, pluralism, compassion, and justice.

A Tucson native with degrees from Gordon College and the University of Arizona College of Law (J.D.), Shapri has been DC resident and taxpayer without representation for 17 years. On the weekend, she can be found honing her serve on the Takoma tennis and pickleball courts, hiking Rock Creek Park with her wife and dog, or behind the drum kit at The Table Church.

Driven by his love for Washington, DC, Tim joined the board of DC Vote to contribute to the community he cherishes. Residing in DC’s Shaw neighborhood, he has called the city home since 2012 and is dedicated to ensuring that DC residents receive the representation they deserve.

With a robust 10-year background in nonprofit marketing, Tim has championed causes such as cannabis legalization, harm reduction, and First Amendment rights. With DC Vote, Tim focuses on leveraging digital channels to mobilize support for statehood. He is currently optimizing the organization’s technology stack to enhance outreach and advocacy efforts.
Beyond his professional and board commitments, Tim is an avid learner and enthusiast of philosophy, gardening, technology, and movies — with a particular fondness for Denis Villeneuve’s films.

His professional journey includes managing teams and building marketing departments from the ground up.

George Derek Musgrove, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is the author of Rumor, Repression, and Racial Politics: How the Harassment of Black Elected Officials Shaped Post-Civil Rights America. With Chris Myers Asch, he is the co-author of Chocolate City, A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital, a Kirkus Best Book of 2017. Most recently, he released blackpowerindc.umbc.edu a web-based map of Black Power activism in the nation’s capital between 1961 and 1998. His commentary and opinions have appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, National Public Radio and theRoot. He lives with his wife and sons in Washington, D.C.

Mark is an attorney in DC and longtime advocate for DC statehood.  He is an active member of the DC Bar and served as steering committee member (and chair) of the DC Bar’s Litigation Community.  He has produced CLE and other programs for the DC Bar and American Bar Association on DC statehood.

His law practice centers on consumer finance regulation and litigation.  He is a frequent writer and speaker on consumer litigation issues and served as co-chair of the ABA Consumer Litigation Committee from 2021-2025.

Mark graduated from Syracuse University and the University of Miami School of Law where he served as senior articles editor of the University of Miami Law Review.  Before law school, he was deputy press secretary to then-Senator Joe Biden.

A DC resident for the past 18 years, he lives with his family in Chevy Chase.

Daniel is a trustee of the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation and a board member of the University of the District of Columbia School of Law Foundation, and is a co-founder and board member of DC Vote. His funding focuses on civil, human, and political rights and social justice. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. He lives in Northwest Washington, DC, wife his wife Jane and their two sons.

Bruce V. Spiva is a prominent attorney and community leader. Over the past three decades, he has tried cases and argued appeals in courtrooms across the country, including arguing against vote suppression in the United States Supreme Court in 2021. His practice has spanned a wide range of substantive areas, including voting rights and Congressional redistricting, civil rights, antitrust, First Amendment, and commercial litigation. In 2022, in his first run for public office, Bruce came in second in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Washington, D.C.

In addition to founding his own law firm where he practiced for eleven years, Bruce has held several leadership positions as a partner at two national law firms. Bruce served as the Managing Partner of the D.C. Office and on the Executive Committee of Perkins Coie LLP, a firm with more than 1200 lawyers and $1.1 billion in revenues.

For decades, in the courtroom, in the Congress, and in the streets, Bruce has fought for statehood and local autonomy for the people of Washington, D.C. He has served as the chair and is a current board member of DC Vote, an organization dedicated to securing statehood for the people of the District of Columbia. Bruce was honored as a DC Vote Champion of Democracy in 2012. He is also on the board of the D.C. Statehood Pac and former chair of Statehood Yes! In 2007, he testified before the U.S. Congress in favor of the proposed D.C. Voting Rights Act.

Bruce has published, spoken, and testified on antitrust, voting rights and many other important legal and public interest issues. He has long been active in civic and professional service organizations. In addition to his statehood advocacy, Bruce serves on the board of Civic Influencers, an organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of voting by young people nationwide, and on the advisory boards of the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies and the American Antitrust Institute. He has served on the board of the DC Bar Foundation, and as co-chair of the Litigation Section of the DC Bar.

Bruce graduated from Harvard Law School in 1992, where he served as an editor and the Treasurer (now called Vice President) of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated with a BA in history from Yale University in 1988. After law school, he clerked for the late Honorable Jerome Farris on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

Since then, Bruce has been trying to heed his parents’ example and call to use the training and skills he learned in school and the values he learned at home to help those in need. He lives in the Crestwood neighborhood of Washington, D.C. with his wife and two sons, who are in college.

Joe Sternlieb came to Washington, DC in 1986 and worked as an organizer and lobbyist for a nuclear arm control PAC and civil rights organizations.  In 1989, after being elected to his local ANC, made a career pivot to focus on local issues – earning a masters degree in city planning from MIT – and returning to DC as the staff director to the DC Council Committee on Economic Development.   Joe was involved in some of the major economic development initiatives of the city’s financial recovery during the fiscal crisis of the 1990’s including the DC Business Improvement District, Convention Center and Downtown Arena legislation.  Over the last 28 years he has been involved in launching, leading, or assisting initiatives to make the District a more livable, sustainable, successful, and equitable city with a focus on transportation, economic development, voting rights, housing and public education.  He led the planning and development of the DC Circulator system, creation of Georgetown Heritage, and a number of other visible public projects in the city.  He has served on multiple Mayoral task forces, Boards and Commissions, on a wide range of topics including affordable housing preservation, green building regulation, special education, and library renewal.  He is currently the CEO of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, and chairs the Board of DC Sustainable Transportation.  Joe co-founded DC Vote with Daniel Solomon in 1998.

Donald Walker is the chief operating officer at Raben, a dynamic leader dedicated to opening doors for minority groups, particularly empowering the Black community. With a strategic focus on leadership, inclusion, and transformative change, he is the driving force behind the firm’s national recognition in public affairs and strategic communications.

Donald spearheads the growth and scalability of business acumen, profitability, and operational systems in his role. Leading a team of over 100 consultants, he provides expert guidance across all of the practice areas and other critical functions such as accounting, finance, human resources, information technology, business development, facilities, contracts, and general administration, clearing the way for the team to focus on shifting power and creating impact.

Before joining Raben, Donald’s impactful journey included serving as the chief operating officer for DC Green Bank. There, he crafted and executed operational and organizational effectiveness plans, shaping the bank’s structure and staffing for long-term success. He managed a budget exceeding $125 million and directed strategic planning, human resources, marketing, DEI initiatives, and administrative programs with finesse.

As a managing partner at the Lucas Group, Donald pioneered the company’s HR contract staffing and consulting practice for the Northeast region, leaving an indelible mark on the firm’s trajectory. His leadership roles at boutique staffing firms and Kelly Services, Inc., showcased his ability to build and lead teams, emphasizing creativity and technology staffing nationwide.

Donald’s commitment to education is evident through his role as an adjunct professor at Towson University’s College of Business and Economics. He earned a master of business administration focused on Leadership and Organizational Learning from the University of Baltimore, a master’s degree in Counseling in Higher Education from the University of Delaware, and a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media & Film from Towson University. Donald also holds Financing and Deploying Clean Energy certificates from Yale University and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida.

Outside of his impactful professional endeavors, Donald is an avid traveler, a culinary explorer, and a devoted family and friends enthusiast. His commitment to fostering inclusive environments and driving positive change makes Donald Walker a standout leader, creating a legacy of empowerment and growth.

Robinson Woodward-Burns is a native Washingtonian and an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Howard University. He is an expert on statehood and state constitutionalism and is the author of Hidden Laws: How State Constitutions Stabilize American Politics, published in 2021 by Yale University Press. He is writing a second book, on voting rights under the American state constitutions, with support from a Library of Congress Kluge Fellowship. He has written on statehood and civil rights in a variety of academic journals and in The Atlanticand The Washington Post. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and M.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and a B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary.