Andrea Batista Schlesinger
Executive Director (on leave)
abs@drummajorinstitute.org
Andrea Batista Schlesinger is currently on a leave of absence as the Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. During her tenure as Executive Director, Andrea Batista Schlesinger applied her background in public policy, politics and communications to lead the effort to turn the Drum Major Institute, originally founded by an advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement, into a progressive policy institute with national impact. Under Andrea's leadership, DMI has released several important policy papers to national audiences; produced the only progressive analysis of the immigration debate addressing the concerns of the squeezed middle-class; created its Marketplace of Ideas series, which highlights successful progressive policies from across the country; launched two policy blogs that reach several thousand readers each day; and, launched a national program to connect college students from under-represented communities to careers in policy. Andrea has doubled DMI's staff, capacity and budget, making it a leading source for progressive ideas.
Andrea recently completed a book called The of Death of Why?: The Decline of Questioning and the Future of Democracy, slated for release in spring 2009. She highlights individuals and institutions working to cultivate new forms of inquiry that can reinvigorate our democracy through enhanced curiosity and healthy skepticism. Inquiry is what drives democracy, she argues, because it enables citizens to ask what kind of society they want to live in and to demand thoughtfulness from the leaders they choose.
Andrea studied public policy at the University of Chicago. Before DMI, Andrea directed a national campaign to engage college students in the discussion on the future of Social Security for the Pew Charitable Trusts and served as the education advisor to Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. She has been profiled in publications including the New York Times, New Yorker magazine, Latina Magazine and in 'Hear us Now,' an award-winning documentary about her tenure as the student member of the New York City Board of Education. In media outlets from NPR to The Huffington Post, Andrea is turned to for her forward-thinking analysis on America's greatest challenges. She has appeared on television shows including CNN’s 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' and has been published in publications including The Nation, New York Newsday, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Mississippi Sun Herald, New York Daily News, Alternet.com, Tom Paine.com, New York Sun, Colorlines Magazine, The Chief-Leader, and City Limits magazine. She was named a '40 under 40 Rising Star' by Crain's New York Business in 2007, a “Next Generation of Political Leaders in New York' by City Hall Newspaper, and received a LatinaPAC Dolores Huerta Award for 'making great strides in promoting progress in our community.' She serves on the Editorial Board of The Nation, and the boards of the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, WireTap and the Applied Research Center. Andrea has presented at numerous conferences, including Take Back America, Institute for Women's Policy Research, YearlyKos, and Facing Race. She was recently appointed by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to the New York City Traffic Mitigation Congestion Commission. She grew up in Brooklyn.
Andrea Batista Schlesinger is currently on a leave of absence as the Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. During her tenure as Executive Director, Andrea Batista Schlesinger applied her background in public policy, politics and communications to lead the effort to turn the Drum Major Institute, originally founded by an advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement, into a progressive policy institute with national impact. Under Andrea's leadership, DMI has released several important policy papers to national audiences; produced the only progressive analysis of the immigration debate addressing the concerns of the squeezed middle-class; created its Marketplace of Ideas series, which highlights successful progressive policies from across the country; launched two policy blogs that reach several thousand readers each day; and, launched a national program to connect college students from under-represented communities to careers in policy. Andrea has doubled DMI's staff, capacity and budget, making it a leading source for progressive ideas.Andrea recently completed a book called The of Death of Why?: The Decline of Questioning and the Future of Democracy, slated for release in spring 2009. She highlights individuals and institutions working to cultivate new forms of inquiry that can reinvigorate our democracy through enhanced curiosity and healthy skepticism. Inquiry is what drives democracy, she argues, because it enables citizens to ask what kind of society they want to live in and to demand thoughtfulness from the leaders they choose.
Andrea studied public policy at the University of Chicago. Before DMI, Andrea directed a national campaign to engage college students in the discussion on the future of Social Security for the Pew Charitable Trusts and served as the education advisor to Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. She has been profiled in publications including the New York Times, New Yorker magazine, Latina Magazine and in 'Hear us Now,' an award-winning documentary about her tenure as the student member of the New York City Board of Education. In media outlets from NPR to The Huffington Post, Andrea is turned to for her forward-thinking analysis on America's greatest challenges. She has appeared on television shows including CNN’s 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' and has been published in publications including The Nation, New York Newsday, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Mississippi Sun Herald, New York Daily News, Alternet.com, Tom Paine.com, New York Sun, Colorlines Magazine, The Chief-Leader, and City Limits magazine. She was named a '40 under 40 Rising Star' by Crain's New York Business in 2007, a “Next Generation of Political Leaders in New York' by City Hall Newspaper, and received a LatinaPAC Dolores Huerta Award for 'making great strides in promoting progress in our community.' She serves on the Editorial Board of The Nation, and the boards of the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, WireTap and the Applied Research Center. Andrea has presented at numerous conferences, including Take Back America, Institute for Women's Policy Research, YearlyKos, and Facing Race. She was recently appointed by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to the New York City Traffic Mitigation Congestion Commission. She grew up in Brooklyn.
Click here to read more about Andrea.Afton Branche Op-eds Position Papers and DMI.com Articles
Program Coordinator, DMI Scholars
abranche@drummajorinstitute.org
Afton Branche is the Program Coordinator for the DMI Scholars program, which identifies progressive college students from underrepresented communities and trains them in the skills necessary to obtain and succeed in entry-level public policy positions. She joined DMI in February 2009 as a research assistant, where her work focused on federal, state and local immigration policy, particularly on the shared economic interests of immigrants and the American middle class. Prior to joining DMI, Afton worked with Cause & Affect, a Los Angeles-based media consulting firm, specializing in social action campaigns. Afton graduated from Georgetown University with a BS in foreign service in 2008. She majored in culture and politics with a focus on international development, and received a certificate in African studies.
More Than Spare Change: How NYC Scams City Street Vendors by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, May 26, 2011
City Cops to Obama: We Don't Want to Enforce Broken Immigration System by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, April 27, 2011
NYC Should Take a Second Chance on the Census by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, March 25, 2011
Mayor Emanuel's Next Move on Immigration Policy by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, March 3, 2011
(Re)calculating the Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, February 10, 2011
New Lawmakers Get to Work on Anti-Immigrant Agenda by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, February 1, 2011
DMI Testimony on Comprehensive Immigration Reform by Afton Branche, DMI, April 26, 2010
Immigration Reform in 2010: A Limited Time Offer by Afton Branche, Huffington Post, March 5, 2010
John Petro Op-eds Letter to the Editor Position Papers and DMI.com Articles
Policy Analyst, Urban Affairs
jpetro@drummajorinstitute.org
John Petro joined the Drum Major Institute in March 2008 as an urban policy analyst. He runs the Progressive Urban Model Policies (PUMP) Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative to organize and share best practices in policy design and implementation. The goal of PUMP is to enable model progressive polices in particular cities to be replicated in other cities with similar needs. John’s work encompasses the full range of urban policy—housing, transportation, land use, economic development, environmental sustainability, and beyond—with an emphasis on promoting the best interests of current and aspiring middle class people. His writing on urban issues has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and he has been a guest blogger for Next American City. He previously worked for the Research and Evaluation division of the Child Welfare League of America in Washington, D.C., where his research focused on child welfare and juvenile justice systems. He earned his BA in political science from the University of Central Florida and his MA in international relations from Seton Hall University.
Why We Can't Afford to Give New York's Richest a Tax Break by John Petro, Huffington Post, March 23, 2011
For Gov. Cuomo, the express train to more N.Y. jobs is in public transportation by John Petro, NY Daily News, March 13, 2011
Bloomberg and Cuomo: Two of a Kind? by John Petro, Huffington Post, February 9, 2011
DMI Testimony before the NYC Council: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town - The Effect on Small Businesses and Communities by John Petro, DMI, February 3, 2011
State of the City: Bloomberg Failing Ordinary New Yorkers, More Families in Poverty, in Shelters, and on Food Stamps by John Petro, Huffington Post, January 19, 2011
Economic Might Makes Right? NY City Council's Moral Choice by John Petro, Huffington Post, November 24, 2010
Paying mandatory sick leave helps make businesses stronger by John Petro, Staten Island Advance, September 22, 2009
DMI Testimony on Guaranteeing Workers Paid Sick Leave by John Petro, DMI, May 11, 2010
DMI Testimony on Prevailing Wage by John Petro, DMI, May 11, 2010
DMI Testimony on Economic Development Subsidies by John Petro, DMI, April 27, 2010
Prepared Remarks on the Empire Zone Program by John Petro, DMI, November 24, 2009
DMI Testimony on Economic Development Subsidies by John Petro, DMI, September 21, 2009
PJ Kim
Senior Advisor to the Board / Interim Board Secretary
pjkim@drummajorinstitute.org
PJ Kim is a first generation immigrant and naturalized US Citizen. He was a former Democratic candidate for New York City Council to represent District 1, Lower Manhattan. Although he was ultimately unsuccessful, he waged a spirited campaign that earned the endorsement of the New York Times, The Daily News, the New York Press, and thousands of voters and supporters. He was named to City Hall News' 'Rising Stars 2009, 40 Under 40' and was also a fellow of the Council of Urban Professionals.
He was previously Vice President for Programs and part of the start-up team at Single Stop USA (SSUSA). SSUSA is an innovative national campaign to provide 'one-stop shopping' for low income families to receive benefits screening and enrollment, free tax preparation, financial counseling, and legal services. SSUSA manages a network of anti-poverty sites in New York City and has also launched similar sites in San Francisco, Newark, and New Mexico. PJ was previously the Director of Income Policy at FoodChange, where he led the country's largest free tax preparation campaign to serve 43,000 low-income New Yorkers with $80 million in tax refunds and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Under his leadership, the FoodChange team opened hundreds of new bank accounts and enrolled thousands in subsidized health insurance.
His previous professional experience includes working as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company's New York City office.
He received both his MBA and Master's of Public Administration at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government. His graduate studies were supported by the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. PJ graduated from Princeton University in 2001 with a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs. He is a former Princeton Trustee and board member of the Korean American League for Civic Action.