About Us

Our Programs

Advancing Wisconsin Partners

Past Programs

Advancing Wisconsin uses aggressive, innovative and sophisticated plans to advance a progressive public policy agenda with three distinct components:

1) Grassroots Advocacy
Introduce and lay the groundwork for our progressive public policy agenda on the environment, reproductive rights, the economy, education, health care, civil rights, and other social justice issues. By utilizing data collected from conversations with citizens, we can mobilize citizens to engage their public officials on the progressive issues they care about most.

2) Voter Mobilization & Education
Educate and assist disconnected populations with historically low voter turnout (in a nonpartisan manner) on voter registration and voting in order to increase civic engagement.

3) Independent Expenditures
Expressly advocate for or against specific candidates by sponsoring
communications through our qualified non-profit status.

Advancing Wisconsin Staff

Meagan Mahaffey, Executive Director

Meagan has been with Advancing Wisconsin since its creation in 2008 and originally served as the 2008 Campaign and Program Director. Before coming to Advancing Wisconsin, Meagan was the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and has several years of experience working with political and issue organizations including Citizen Action of Wisconsin and America Coming Together. Meagan has also had the privilege to work for many progressive candidates including Governor Jim Doyle, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.

Dave Kreisman, State Field Director

Dave has been with Advancing Wisconsin since its inception in 2008, where he served as a Regional Field Director. Prior to joining Advancing Wisconsin, Dave had the great pleasure of working for Senator Russ Feingold, focusing on election law compliance and serving as Senator Feingold’s Online Communications Director. Dave has also run field operations for a range of progressive campaigns and candidates at the local, state, and national level across Wisconsin. Dave graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Political Science.

Amanda Cone, Compliance Director

Amanda Cone began her work in politics as a volunteer on the 2004 campaign of State Rep. Gordon Hintz and working with the New Voters Project. A former President of the UW-Oshkosh Student Association, Cone majored in Accounting and Finance - working with several businesses and organizations on accounting and tax issues. During the 2008 election, she served as the Compliance Director and Comptroller for both the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and the Obama Campaign for Change. Cone joined the Advancing Wisconsin team in March 2009 as Compliance Director.

Brittani Garner Worringer, Finance Director

Prior to joining Advancing Wisconsin, Brittani served as the Deputy Finance Director for Tammy Baldwin’s re-election campaign. While managing the fundraising operation for Baldwin, Brittani also aided in organizing a field program in the 2^nd Congressional District and coordinating field activities with State Assembly candidates during the 2008 cycle. Brittani also has experience in fundraising for the non-partisan races of Linda Clifford and Louis Butler for Supreme Court. Brittani is a graduate from UW-Madison in political science and communications, and used her time in college to volunteer and intern on several progressive campaigns.

Jason Frazzell, Northeast Regional Director

Jason Frazzell, a Wisconsin native, is Advancing Wisconsin’s regional director for the Appleton region. A graduate of Neenah High School, Jason saw an opportunity to bring about progressive change during the 2008 elections. With a management background from his time at an environmental and recycling company in Green Bay, Jason started volunteering on campaigns at different levels of government and worked as a paid canvasser for an environmental group in Madison. This experience led Jason to Advancing Wisconsin, where Jason started as a field organizer and has worked his way up to leading our efforts in the great Northeast!

Brita Olsen, Planned Parenthood Canvass Director/Recruitment and Training Coordinator

Before becoming Advancing Wisconsin’s Madison area regional director, Brita Olsen began as a team leader in early 2008, eventually transitioning into the regional recruitment lead for Advancing Wisconsin’s Get-Out-the-Vote efforts for both Madison and Janesville. Prior to her work at Advancing Wisconsin, Brita spent time interning at the State Capitol putting her film background from UW-Madison to use, producing and editing a documentary about the Great Lakes Compact. Originally from Manitowoc, Brita continues her work to advance progressive issues and empower people to become involved in the legislative process.

Michelle Finkle, Deputy Data Director

Michelle Finkle recently joined Advancing Wisconsin after spending the summer interning for Senator Russ Feingold's re-election campaign. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science and Business at UW-Madison, where her strong math background and her attention to detail led her to become the Deputy Data Director.

Amir Nahavandi, Deputy Development Director

Amir Nahavandi, a Wisconsin native, recently became the Deputy Development Director prior to working at Advancing Wisconsin as a finance assistant over the summer. He has also worked with Advancing Wisconsin as a field organizer in 2008 and 2009, as well as a finance intern in early 2010. He graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Political Science in May 2010 and hopes to attend law school next year.

Gabriel Byrd,Southeastern Regional Director

Gabriel A Byrd Sr. is a lifelong resident of Milwaukee where he attended Rufus King High School for the College Bound. Gabriel honed his managerial skills in his family's community-rooted small business on Milwaukee's north side. Gabriel's activism career began as a union organizer where he quickly discovered a passion for change within the community. He followed this passion and joined Advancing Wisconsin in August 2010 as the Southeastern Regional Director.

Steve Angeli, Southcentral Regional Director

Steve Angeli is a UW-Madison alum who cut his teeth in field organizing in 2008 with Advancing Wisconsin by heading up the statewide rural canvass program, as well as serving as a Team Leader in Madison. After the 2008 election, Steve built upon his knowledge and experience in politics at the Government Accountability Board in the Elections Division. Steve is passionate about promoting an educated electorate and involving as many eligible voters in the electoral process as possible. That's why he re-joined Advancing Wisconsin as the Southcentral Regional Field Director.

Cassidy Rogers, Northwest Regional Director

Cassidy is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where he obtained a bachelors degree of Letters and Science in Political Science and Public Administration. Cassidy is a former
volunteer for the 2008 GOTV campaign targeting traditionally underrepresented voters, and also organized for the 2008 Barack Obama Presidential Campaign for Change. He has volunteered
for and managed local legislative and mayoral campaigns, as well as worked for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce prior to joining the Advancing Wisconsin team.

Main Navigation