JAMES HASLAM
Executive Director
James co-founded Rights & Democracy after serving as the Executive Director at the Vermont Workers’ Center for over 15 years. He has extensive experience in running grassroots legislative advocacy campaigns, labor and community organizing. He can be reached at james@radvt.org
ISAAC GRIMM
Organizing Director
Since it’s inception, Isaac has helped build RAD as canvass director, lead organizer, and political engagement director in Vermont, knocking doors around the state, building organizing teams, and then coordinating lobbying, coalition building and statewide electoral campaigns. Previously, he worked as co-canvass director with the Working Families Party and organizer for SEIU helping thousands of adjunct faculty form a union. A University of Vermont (UVM) grad and former Vermont Workers’ Center intern, he also worked as a high school social studies teacher in Cali, Colombia for 5 years. He can be reached at isaac@radnh.org
KATE LOGAN
Director of Programming and Policy
Kate is a feminist social and political theory scholar, specializing in family policy, participatory democracy, and human rights, as well as a having a background in labor and community organizing and nonprofit management. Working for Rights & Democracy gives her the opportunity to put all of these passions and skills to use in helping to build a more just and sustainable future. You can reach her at kate@radvt.org.
KEVIN PENTZ
Lead Organizer
Kevin Pentz and his family have lived in Kentucky for the last 20 years. He has worked as an organizer for Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, first as a chapter organizer for several counties in eastern Kentucky and more recently as an issue organizer focused on resource extraction issues related primarily to coal mining. Before that he worked briefly as an organizer for Montana People’s Action in Bozeman MT. Kevin and his wife, Amy, have a two year old son, Eli. They are all looking forward to exploring the New Hampshire woods. Kevin’s family has owned a camp on Norton Pond in the northeast corner of Vermont since the early 60’s. kevin@radnh.org.
HEATHER STOCKWELL
Grassroots Organizer
Heather has been a resident of New Hampshire for almost 50 years. She attended college in Boston and New York, only to return to New Hampshire after her studies. She currently lives in her hometown where she started her own family in the house she grew up in. She is one of the founding members of the Monadnock Progressive Alliance, a local chapter of Rights & Democracy NH. She aspires to apply what she’s learned over the last two years by using these experiences across the Granite State. Contact: heather@radnh.org
ALISSANDRA RODRIGUEZ-MURRAY
Regional Organizer
Alissandra has lived in and loved New Hampshire since she was five years old. The child of immigrants, she is deeply committed to empathetic legislation and dismantling the racist structures within our government. Alissandra is currently studying communications and political science, and comes from a background working in public libraries. With a background in biodynamic farming, she knows that fighting for a Green New Deal is necessary for our survival. Alissandra was a volunteer with Rights & Democracy as a member of the Healthcare Justice committee and leader of the Progressive Manchester chapter before joining staff. You can reach her at alissandra@radnh.org
ALI BROKENSHIRE
Regional Organizer
LISA DEMAINE
Keep It In the Ground Field Coordinator
Lisa has been in the Granite State for over 90 percent of her life. She started her trajectory of grassroots organizing at the University of New Hampshire being a member and leading groups fighting for money out of politics and the divestment of fossil fuels. She has led teams of millenials pressuring politicians to make deeper commitment to addressing the climate crisis and mobilizing thousands of young people across New Hampshire in the 2018 Midterm election. She knows these fights are marathons and sometimes takes a breather abroad including New Zealand and Australia. You can reach her at lisa@radnh.org
AUDREY PAYNE
NH Field Organizer
Raised in Concord, Audrey has called the Granite State home since they were 2 years old. Their first experience in political organizing came during the 2016 election. Since then, they have continued to volunteer and work on numerous campaigns. They are very passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, and works on a national level to uplift the voices of other young trans people. Audrey uses they/them/theirs pronouns & can be reached at audrey@radnh.org
GISELLE HART
NH Field Organizer
Giselle is an activist/organizer, tall ship sailor/mariner, musician/music lover, feminist/systems thinker, and all around believer in people power. She has worked with a number of nonprofits in the state of New Hampshire on issues including fossil fuel divestment, zero waste, women’s empowerment, and resisting fossil fuel infrastructure in New England. Giselle envisions a more just, loving, and life-giving world, a place where all human or nonhuman, living or nonliving beings are known to be sacred and treated accordingly. She believes in the power of community organizing and participatory democracy to realize this vision of the world. You can reach her at giselle@radnh.org
CHRIS POTTER
NH Field Organizer
Chris has worked as a youth community organizer in St. Louis County and as a manager with the education non-profit City Year. In his career, Chris has empowered people to discover their sense of purpose and address issues affecting their communities. His experiences have led him to fight for systemic changes in public policy that ensure every person can live up to their full potential, doing so by building strong communities based on positive values. He is proud to be a Manchester, NH resident and Episcopalian. He can be reached at chris@radnh.org.
DEREK HADDAD
NH Field Organizer
Derek is an educator, writer, and activist supporting anti-racist, immigrant, and environmental efforts. He is a progressive New Leaders Council alum, as well as former corps member of City Year Boston. He has worked with diverse students in Boston and California, as well as various non-profit organizations serving underprivileged communities. You can get in touch with him at derek@radnh.org
CANDICE SULLIVAN
NH Field Organizer
Candice started her activism as a teenager going to anti-apartheid rallies in South Africa were she was born. Spending parts of her childhood witnessing the effects of apartheid lead her to understand racial injustice and suppression. This guided her to always feel passionate about standing up for issues that impact humanity, and she strives to be an Accomplice not an Ally in this fight. Candice lives in Dover Massachusetts with her husband and her three children. When she is taking a break from activism she enjoys live music and going to restaurants from different regions of the world with friends. You can reach her at candice@radnh.org
ANNIE SCHWARTZ
Digital Engagement Coordinator
Annie was born and raised in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She previously has worked in digital engagement as an ambassador for Syracuse University, from which she holds a B.F.A. She is a practicing artist whose work addresses issues of climate change and is passionate about engaging with her community and beyond around social issues. You can reach her at annie@radnh.org
SHAY TOTTEN
Communications Director
Shay grew up in the Northeast Kingdom and as a writer and publisher has worked to give voice to people organizing on a variety of issues, from labor, LGBTQ and disability rights to the environmental justice and anti-war movements, and more. A graduate of Bennington College, he has served on the boards of the Vermont Press Association, the Peace & Justice Center, the Keep BT Local Coop, Burlington Friends of Education, and was a founding board member of RAD. You can reach him at shay@radvt.org.
HILARY VIENS
Operations Director
Hilary is a clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience working with non-profits. Before devoting her time to RAD, Hilary served as Director of Programs and Assistant Director with several non-profits on the East Coast. Hilary provides national consulting services on capacity building related to infrastructure development as well as HIV prevention, and is an experienced federal grants reviewer. You can reach her at hilary@radvt.org.
