Carolyn DeWitt

(She/Her)

Carolyn DeWitt is the President and Executive Director of Rock the Vote, the largest national organization focused on building long-term political power for this country’s most diverse youth generation. During her tenure, she has overseen Rock the Vote’s resurgence, developing new partnerships with authentic brands, such as VEVO and HBO, deepening its leadership in civic technology with new cutting-edge tools, such as ElectionFM and the Pennsylvania Canvasser app, intensifying its fight for voting rights, and moving the organization toward an issue-first approach with a targeted outreach to diverse and marginalized communities.

Carolyn is a nationally recognized advocate for young people, featured in publications and media outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Teen Vogue, and Billboard. Today, Rock the Vote is a powerhouse for mobilizing youth through effective and timely civic education resources, innovative programs that meet young people wherever they are, and authentic messaging through trusted partners to ensure young voters understand and use their political power.

Prior to leading Rock the Vote, Carolyn was the chief of staff for the political communications firm, Pivot. She also served as deputy director coordinating satellite media booking and training teams at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. On the local level, Carolyn worked as the chief of staff for the 25th Ward Public Service Office in Chicago, and as the deputy campaign manager and finance director for Chicago’s 25th Ward Regular Democratic Organization. In her work abroad, Carolyn researched the end of apartheid and subsequent building of a democratic state in South Africa, served as a senior international advisor collaborating with a youth political movement in Madagascar, and participated in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission.

Carolyn brings a cross-disciplinary and impact-oriented approach, with experience and background in consulting imperiled companies and leveraging technology to provide therapy to children with special needs in less developed countries. She is a strong believer in the blending of new and old tactics and the power of technology to break down barriers and accelerate widespread change.

Carolyn is a Michigander where she earned her BA in International and African Studies and Political Science from Kalamazoo College. She is also a triathlete, marathoner, and fierce advocate for her staff and young people across the globe. She also sits on the board of Coworker.org.

Lidia Delgado

(She/Her)

Lidia Delgado is Rock the Vote’s Intern Program Coordinator & Fellow. In this role, she collaborates with the Intern Program Manager to coordinate the intern program and supports Rock the Vote’s social media team by creating original content aimed at engaging and mobilizing young voters.

Prior to joining Rock the Vote, Lidia interned in communications, marketing, and graphic design with nonprofit organizations, advocacy campaigns, and broadcast media.

A first-generation graduate, Lidia received her B.S. in Digital Communications and Media with a concentration in Creative Writing from Florida International University. While there, she contributed to the student newspaper and was selected as an NBCU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow in Washington, D.C., where she conducted investigative reporting on youth voter outreach, immigration policy, and DEI efforts. Her work is driven by a commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices through media and community-centered storytelling.

David Pruter

(He/Him)

David is Rock the Vote’s senior full-stack developer. He manages our website AWS infrastructure, builds many of our web tools and loves learning new tech. During his tenure he has taken the digital technology and design experience to a new level. As technology evolves, David evolves the tools we use to engage young people in politics. He has spearheaded the development of our powerful voter registration tools, while serving as our database administrator and webmaster. Occasionally he gets to break out his Photoshop skills to help design graphics and marketing materials. Prior to Rock the Vote, David was a senior designer, front-end developer, a web/print designer and a technology instructor.

David lives in N. San Diego and enjoys spending time at the beach or in the mountains with his wife and family.

Chris Palumbo

(He/Him)

Chris Palumbo is Rock the Vote’s Director of Partnerships overseeing the Brands for Democracy program and assisting companies with engaging and empowering their employees and customers to take civic action.

Prior to joining RTV, Chris served as Director of Recruitment and Business Manager at a nonprofit university where he built relationships with students, communities and corporations to provide diverse academic pathways to success for students. During his time in higher education, Chris served on several committees to ensure funding and resources were available to allow every student an equal opportunity, especially students from low-income environments and members of the Black, Latino and LGBTQIA communities. He has been an organizer and activist focused on student empowerment, LGBTQIA rights, political engagement and social justice.

Chris lives in Washington, D.C. with his partner and their lab/husky mix “Toast”. During his free time he enjoys baking, kayaking and spending time with his family and friends.

Melissa Wyatt

(She/Her)

Melissa Wyatt is Rock the Vote’s Director of Civic Technology and Policy.

Melissa leads the organization’s efforts to register and mobilize young voters through cutting-edge civic technology, including its online voter registration platform that is utilized by hundreds of national, state, and local partners across the country. She directs Rock the Vote’s election policy work, spearheading efforts to protect and expand voting access for young people through digital advocacy campaigns, legislation, and participation in litigation efforts.

Melissa has roots in both Cleveland, Ohio and St. Petersburg, Florida, and she received her B.A. in Political Science and Art History from the University of Miami.

Katie Romero

(She/They)

Katie Romero is Rock the Vote’s Digital Content Associate. In this role, they lead Rock the Vote’s internship program and create original video content for social media. In this role, they facilitate collaboration between interns and staff and provide support to interns ensuring a rewarding and educational experience at one of the nation’s top voting rights nonprofits. Katie also coordinates, reviews, and creates original video content for social media that aims to educate and empower young eligible voters.

Prior to joining Rock the Vote, Katie worked as the Intern to the Outreach & Zero Waste Program Manager at Recycle Ann Arbor, where they optimized the website’s searchable A-Z Recycling Guide and created content for the organization’s social media and community outreach efforts.

Katie graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Women’s & Gender Studies and Psychology. While there, Katie served on the board of the LGBTQIA+ Spectrum Center, and worked as a research assistant in the Stigmatized Sexualities Research Lab. While living in Ann Arbor, Katie joined the cooperative housing movement, holding several leadership positions at Luther Buchele Cooperative House.

Born and raised in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, Katie enjoys baking, swimming, creating art, and playing board games and video games.

Deirdre Benavides

(She/Her)

Deirdre Benavides is Rock the Vote’s Associate Manager of Digital Engagement. She oversees the Elections Reminders Program as a member of the organization’s civic technology team.

Prior to joining RTV, Deirdre served as a community coordinator with The Justice Collaborative where she co-produced a streaming news show and podcast in collaboration with The Appeal and NowThis.

She is a certified technical writer and communications major living in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

Madison Henry

(She/Her)

Madison Henry is Rock the Vote’s Civic Technology & Policy Associate. In this role, Madison takes part in Rock the Vote’s efforts to register and mobilize young voters through the use of cutting-edge civic technology tools as well as works to expand Rock the Vote’s portfolio of digital resources for voters.

Prior to joining Rock the Vote, Madison worked with Clemson Votes, an on-campus voting rights and civic education coalition that focuses on engaging with faculty, staff, and students to advocate and raise awareness for voter registration and civic engagement at Clemson University. As a result of her work, Madison was recognized as part of the 2023 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll; an award that recognizes college students doing outstanding work in advancing nonpartisan student voter registration, education, and turnout efforts as well as ensuring equitable access to the polls. Additionally, Madison served as the Project Coordinator for the Civic Engagement and Voting Rights Teacher Scholars Program, a Mellon Grant funded program that focuses on bringing leaders in higher education together from across the nation to create civic education teaching materials as well as served as the Co-Director of the Clemson University chapter of The Period Project, a non-profit that focuses on combatting period poverty and menstrual inequities.

Madison received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Public Policy from Clemson University and currently resides in Kennesaw, GA.

Jeff Ayeroff

Mr. Ayeroff founded Rock the Vote in 1990 in response to a censorship campaign crusading against artists’ use of explicit language. Mr. Ayeroff’s 35-year career in the music industry provided a strong foundation for Rock the Vote’s signature fusion of politics and pop culture. As Senior VP of Marketing and Creative Services at A&M, he spearheaded campaigns for The Police, Quincy Jones, Janet Jackson, Supertramp, the Carpenters , Peter Frampton and many others. As Senior VP of Warner Bros in the 80s, Jeff oversaw marketing, design and videos for such iconic artists as Madonna, Don Henley, Dire Straits, Talking Heads, ZZ Top, Prince, Eric Clapton, The Cult, Echo & the Bunnymen and Steve Winwood, to name a few. After leaving Warner Bros., Ayeroff and his friend and partner, Jordan Harris, built Richard Branson’s Virgin US label from the ground up, signing and marketing many high profile artists. Then, Ayeroff and Harris founded The Work Group, a west coast boutique, Sony Music Label, signing and developing more artists before he went to work for Apple, overseeing the marketing of the Beatles 1, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. He and Jon Rubin also began ArtistsFirst, a creative and marketing consulting agency, which has launched international humanitarian activism with its music.

Lara Bergthold

Ms. Bergthold currently serves on the Board of Directors of Rock the Vote, as well as the Campaign for America’s Future and People for the American Way. She works as a Principal Partner at RALLY, offering valuable political campaign, pop culture, and communications experience for companies like GAP, Inc., Sandy Hook Promise, and the Lear Family Foundation, the latter of which she has been the Executive Director of since 1997. In this capacity, she works to provide grants to progressive organizations that push civil rights, the arts, and the like.

She also served as National Deputy Political Director for current Secretary of State John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid, as well as General Wesley Clark’s presidential campaign.

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo

Manager, Legal Mobilization & Strategic Campaigns Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Chris Melody leads the Lawyers’ Committee organizing team, focusing on alternative strategies to litigation such as advocacy, large-scale programs and other solutions to address critical civil rights issues. She joined the Lawyers’ Committee in December 2011, serving as the Election Protection campaign manager to ensure the successful execution of the 2012 program. She continues to work with the Voting Rights Project to combat efforts to curb access to the ballot box, expand and protect voting rights and create tools to educate and empower voters. Prior to joining the Lawyers’ Committee, she worked with federal agencies to develop global health and bio-security standards. Chris spent two years as the Outreach Director for Common Cause working to advance their democracy reform agenda and pass federal legislation that would create publicly financed campaigns for members of Congress. She got her start in community organizing and issue advocacy as a Program Specialist for DC ParentSmart, a nonprofit working to help DC parents navigate the education system. A seasoned campaign organizer, she has served in numerous roles for different political campaigns across the country including as the Iowa Deputy Political Director for a 2008 presidential campaign, campaign manager for an Iowa State Senate race in 2006, and a field organizer for a 2004 U.S. Senate campaign in South Carolina. Born in Venezuela and raised in Texas, she graduated from Austin College with a B.A. in English Literature and Anthropology. Follow Chris Melody on Twitter @Fieldsy.

Wayne Jordan

Mr. Jordan is a real estate investor and developer, working primarily in Northern California. He is very active in local, state and national politics. He has been involved in many high-profile campaigns and is an active volunteer in the community, serving on the Board of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, on the Investment Committee of the ACLU, Akonadi Foundation, and in the past on the Board of the Bentley School.

DeRay Mckesson

DeRay Mckesson is an activist, organizer, and educator who has dedicated his life to fighting against injustice and building political power for young people —two goals central to Rock the Vote’s mission.. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he graduated from Bowdoin College and holds an honorarydoctorate from The New School. DeRay has advocated for issues related to children, youth, and families since he was a teen. As a national leader in the Black Lives Matter Movement and the co-founder of Campaign Zero and OurStates.org, DeRay has worked to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policy makers with commonsense policies to ensure equity. Spurred by the death of Mike Brown and the subsequent protests in Ferguson, Missouri, DeRay has become a key voice in the effort to confront the systems and structures that have led to the mass incarceration and police killings of black and other minority populations. He is also the host of Pod Save The People, a weekly podcast focused on activism and social justice. DeRay was named as one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine in 2015 and as one of the 30 Most Important People On The Internet by Time Magazine in 2016.

He previously taught 6th grade math in New York City as a Teach For America Corps Member, worked for the Harlem Children’s Zone and TNTP and opened an academic enrichment center in West Baltimore. He has also worked with Baltimore City Public Schools and Minneapolis Public Schools leading systemic human capital change.

Photo Credit: Andre Chung for The Washington Post/Getty Images

Jessica Reeves

Jessica Reeves is an experienced social impact professional with a history of working at the intersection of media, politics, and social good.

She has consulted for various organizations and companies on civic engagement, social enterprise, and nonprofit programs through her consulting firm JL Reeves Strategies. Jessica has a history of working on high impact campaigns with a range of partners, from corporations like Google and Lyft to local nonprofits in all 50 states.

Before starting her consulting business early in 2019, Jessica was the Chief Operating Officer at Voto Latino, a pioneering civic media organization shaking up the political establishment to bring underserved youth voices into the democratic process. A millennial herself, she is a thought leader in civic engagement and youth electoral politics.

She has spoken at various national conferences and convenings on the intersection of youth, politics, media, and technology including the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva, the Aspen Institute’s Convening on Latino Civic Engagement, SXSW (South by Southwest), AFL-CIO’s Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Conference, and many more. Her interviews have appeared in Univision, Telemundo, CNN, NBC, American Prospect, Washington Post, USA Today, and others. Jessica has served on the distinguished boards of Priorities USA, NonProfit Votes, and Indivisible Austin.

Jessica earned a BA from Boston College and an MA from Georgetown University. A native of El Paso, TX, she currently lives in Austin with her husband, toddler, and two Boston Terriers.

Mũthoni Wambu Kraal

Mũthoni Wambu Kraal is a veteran political strategist, organizer, and trainer. She has served as a senior level advisor and trainer to seasoned and aspiring political leaders and parties, both in the U.S. and internationally. She is known for her diplomacy but also for speaking truth to politics.

Mũthoni has worked in progressive politics for over two decades and she’s played a pivotal role in historic campaigns. She most recently served as the National Political & Organizing Director for the Democratic National Committee, helping Democrats to win the White House in 2020 and critical races across the country with a record-breaking voter coalition.

Prior, she spent almost a decade at EMILY’s List, the largest political resource for women in the U.S., shaping women leaders at every level of the ballot. Mũthoni got her start in campaigns working 2 election cycles at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raising money for U.S. House candidates and Congressional incumbents in tough races. That’s when she saw up close that some of the most underrepresented groups in Congress weren’t keeping up with the growing budgets of campaigns.

This led Mũthoni to co-open and run a woman-owned fundraising firm servicing diverse clients, including Barack Obama’s winning U.S. Senate race. She’s worked for the labor movement and held senior level campaign roles.

Mũthoni grew up in New York City. She’s a graduate of Howard University with a B.A. in journalism. Mũthoni is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; a lifetime member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders; an active member of Global Progress and sits on the Board of Act Blue. She resides in Washington, DC with her husband John Peter, their young son Mirii.