Ilir Zherka is currently supporting DC Vote as a consultant and serving as its Interim Executive Director (ED). He previously served as the ED between 2002 and 2012. During his tenure, DC Vote was successful in advancing a DC representation bill in Congress for the first time in 30 years. Working with the Board, he significantly expanded the DC Voting Rights Coalition and increased the organization’s size and reach. He was recognized for his work with a resolution pronouncing “Ilir Zherka Day” in the District of Columbia. Ilir has led three other organizations, worked in the U.S. Congress, on presidential campaigns, and as a political appointee. He is the author of Winning the Inside Game: The Handbook of Advocacy Strategies. He is the Founder and CEO of Civica, a consulting firm.
Stasha M. Rhodes is a veteran movement strategist, organizer, the Founder and President of Antaeus, and the Founder of United for Democracy. With over 20 years of experience leading state and national campaigns, Stasha has shaped pivotal conversations around issues such as rebuilding democracy, gun violence prevention, and Supreme Court reform. As the Managing Director of Democracy Campaigns at The Hub Project and the leader of 51 for 51, Stasha helped redefine the conversation around D.C. statehood, driving national awareness and mobilizing action to promote statehood as central to strengthening American democracy. Stasha is a trained organizer through the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) and a recognized leader. Her insights were featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vox, Elle, and more. She is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and an adjunct professor at Smith College and a proud graduate of Southern University and Southern University Law Center.
Lindsey Michaud serves as a Program Fellow at DC Vote, where she supports public education, advocacy, and other programs advancing DC statehood. She brings significant experience in policy research and advocacy from her work as a Program Assistant at Civica Consultants and her congressional internship with Congresswoman Dina Titus. She recently completed her MSc in International Relations at the London School of Economics, where her research focused on transnational feminist movements, and holds a BA in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies from the University of Rochester. Lindsey is committed to expanding and protecting democracy, with a particular focus on human rights and voting rights. Her background includes coalition management, legislative research, and policy communications for civic engagement initiatives. She has demonstrated leadership through her role as Justice on the All-Campus Judicial Council and as a team captain of UR Mock Trial.