FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Abney
(202) 670-7994; allison@emergeamerica.org
Washington, D.C.—Emerge America, the nation’s premier organization for recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office, announced today it has opened an office in Washington, D.C. and hired Allison Abney and A’shanti Gholar as its first D.C.-based staff. Abney will serve as the organization’s communications director and brings with her almost a decade of experience in communications, media and public relations and public policy. Gholar will join Emerge as its political director and lend her years of experience in community and stakeholder engagement and political activism to the organization.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Emerge America team and contributing to it’s goal of equal representation of Democratic women in our decision-making bodies,” said Abney. “Emerge America’s enthusiasm for increasing the number of women in political leadership and passion for training the women who go through their programs is contagious. I’m thrilled to join the team and look forward to bringing my skills and relationships to the table.”
Prior to joining Emerge America, Abney was media relations director for IR+Media, a public relations firm specializing in diversity and inclusion. Before that she worked in the communications shops of two U.S. congresswomen and served as press secretary for the former chairman of the D.C. Council. Abney was also media relations manager for Small Business Majority and managed communications for several local political campaigns. She will help Emerge America develop a national communications strategy to put the organization and its state affiliates at the forefront as experts on Democratic women running for office.
“It’s great to join the Emerge America team and work with a group of professionals who are committed to providing superior-quality training and support to Democratic women,” said Gholar. “I’m looking forward to contributing to their vision of equal representation for women in government and am confident my experience in politics and with developing strategic partnerships will compliment the vision and direction of the organization.”
Gholar, who will join Emerge America on April 4, previously worked for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as the national deputy director of community engagement and director of African American engagement. She was a founding board member of Emerge Nevada before she moved to DC in 2008, and has worked in a variety of roles with the DNC, as well as the U.S. Department of Labor. Gholar will be focusing on strengthening our national partnerships and will work closely with our state affiliates to strategically recruit for key seats in their states.
“We are lucky to have both Allison and A’shanti joining our team,” said Andrea Dew Steele, president and founder of Emerge America. “Allison’s work in communications, media relations and public policy will be invaluable as we seek to raise Emerge’s national profile, tell our alumnae’s’ stories and strengthen our state affiliates. A’shanti is in a league all by herself. The work she’s done as a community organizer, social activist and thought leader will be an invaluable asset for Emerge in building key relationships and communicating to target communities.”
To learn more about Emerge America and its team, please visit their website at http://www.emergeamerica.org.
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