Maya Rupert
Maya is a political strategist, writer, and Executive Vice President at Blue State, the creative and strategy agency working with progressive organizations and campaigns. She is the third Black woman in history to manage a major presidential campaign, having run Julián Castro’s 2020 campaign before joining Elizabeth Warren’s campaign as a senior advisor and then managing Maya Wiley’s 2021 NYC mayoral run. Earlier in her career she served as senior policy advisor to Secretary Castro at HUD, policy director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and senior policy director at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she led external relations and government affairs after the Dobbs decision.
She hosts the podcast When We Win, an NAACP Image Award nominee, and her first book, The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic, is out from Dutton in 2026. She also serves on the board of the National Women’s Law Center. Maya is a Berkeley Law graduate and a frequent commentator on MSNBC, CNN, and NPR.
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Alencia Johnson
Alencia Johnson is a nationally recognized cultural strategist, bestselling author, and advisor working at the intersection of purpose, culture, and social change. As Founder and Chief Impact Officer of 1063 West Broad — a social impact consultancy and media company — she connects organizations and leaders to purpose-driven solutions, with clients ranging from Warner Music Group to major advocacy organizations and Forbes 100 tech companies.
Her debut book, Flip the Tables: The Everyday Disruptor’s Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change, was an instant national bestseller. A regular voice on CNN and MSNow, she has advised the presidential campaigns of President Obama, Senator Warren, President Biden, and Vice President Harris. She also spent six years at Planned Parenthood’s national office, where she built the Stand With Black Women framework and managed cultural partnerships with the WNBA, Sundance, SXSW, and ESSENCE Festival.
Alencia has spoken at Google, the NBA, and Sundance Film Festival, and has been recognized on EBONY’s Power 100, The Root 100, and PRWeek’s 40 Under 40. She currently serves on the boards of Human Rights First and Demos.
She resides in the Washington, DC, area and will begin her Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School in Fall 2026.
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Lucy Mayo
Lucy Mayo has over 25 years of experience as a leader in the non-profit, public policy, and government sectors. Lucy is currently an independent consultant providing leadership and management support to executives and other senior leaders at nonprofits. Prior to consulting, Lucy was Deputy Executive Director of Sierra Club, where she was responsible for the health and well-being of the people and culture of the organization. Her primary areas of focus with the 850 staff, 7,500 volunteer leaders and 64 chapters were managing organizational change, helping to professionalize the organization, and supporting its equity transformation.
Prior to Sierra Club, Lucy was Senior Vice President for Organizational Development at Dēmos, a national policy and advocacy organization working at the intersection of political, economic and racial inequality. In this role, Lucy partnered closely with the President and Executive Team on overall organizational leadership, led significant organizational growth, managed the implementation of a new and innovative organizational structure, and professionalized organizational systems, policies and practices. She also led two executive transitions and oversaw their racial equity transformation.
Earlier in her career Lucy served as Policy Director for New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Vice President of Development for Teach For America—New York City, and Associate Director of the Democracy Program at Demos, where she led national work to strengthen compliance with the National Voter Registration Act. She also recently joined the board of the Scherman Foundation. Lucy brings exactly the kind of organizational and operational depth that supports an institution growing into its next stage.
