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.
As Director, Chanel Sherrod channels her legal training and deep commitment to democracy into DC Vote’s fight for full representation for District residents. A graduate of Howard University School of Law, she has built a career advancing civil rights and public policy, developing strategies and building coalitions that amplify underrepresented voices.
Prior to joining DC Vote, Chanel was Senior Manager of Government Affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. There she drove legislative strategies on voting rights, the census, federal data collection, and civil rights protections—crafting policy solutions and coordinating congressional briefings and coalition efforts that shaped national conversations. Her earlier experience spans legal and policy roles with Intuit, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and Street Law, Inc., giving her a broad perspective on how law, policy, and advocacy intersect to strengthen democracy.
Chanel believes democracy works best when every community’s voice is heard. At DC Vote she furthers advocacy to secure statehood and full democratic equality for the District, continuing to build coalitions and tell the stories that make the case for change. Having built her career and community in the nation’s capital, she is deeply committed to ensuring all District residents enjoy the same rights and representation as every other American.
Kelsye Adams is the Director of Organizing at DC Vote, where she leads the organization’s local and national advocacy campaigns to secure full equality and self-governance for the 700,000+ residents of Washington, DC. A lifelong organizer, she has built a career at the intersection of culture and politics, using artistic activism, coalition building, and grassroots mobilization to elevate the fight for DC statehood and protect home rule. Kelsye is a co-founder of Free DC, a people-powered campaign confronting congressional overreach, and also serves as Chair of the U Street Neighborhood Association and U Street Main Street Manager, where she works to preserve the cultural legacy and economic vitality of DC’s historic U Street corridor. As Executive Director of Long Live GoGo, she has transformed DC’s official music into a national advocacy tool, producing peaceful demonstrations and visibility campaigns that highlight the urgent demand for democracy and racial justice. Recognized as a 2021 DMV 35 Under 35 honoree and a Black Justice Fellow, Kelsye continues to merge culture, advocacy, and movement-building to amplify DC’s voice on the national stage. She believes the time is now for DC to become the 51st state—because Washingtonians deserve to be treated like the rest of Americans, with the same rights, representation, and respect.
Karen Paul is the principal of Catalyzing Philanthropy, a boutique development consultancy where she works with organizations to strengthen their fundraising efforts and raise money for social change. She has been working with advocacy organizations in the DMV, including DC Vote, for over 25 years.
Karen has managed every aspect of development operations large and small, and has a particular expertise in major gift programs, grant writing and management and overall strategic development planning. A believer in the intersection of strong organizational communications and successful fundraising, Karen also brings a wealth of experience with message development and implementation.
In addition to her consulting work, Karen is a memoir writer published in a range of literary journals, newspapers and magazines including the New York Times, Washington Post and Boston Globe. Her first book, a collection of essays, will be published in 2026.
Sam Caughron serves as a Program Fellow at DC Vote, where he supports public education, advocacy, and other programs advancing DC statehood. He brings significant experience in public administration and political science from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently pursuing an MPA at the George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. His background includes policy analysis, legal studies, spearheading inaugural cohorts of organizations, and combating redlining in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. Building a career dedicated to public policy, Sam is committed to expanding and protecting democracy. He has volunteered on political campaigns, served as a county delegate, and lobbied the Iowa state legislature for public school and higher education funding.