New Additions to the NDN Team

Submitted by Melissa Merz on 5/5/08
Melissa Merz's picture

Hello. I am Melissa Merz, the new Vice President of Communications, at NDN. I've been on board for just more than a month now and wanted to introduce myself. I have a feeling that you'll be hearing a lot from me in the months and years to come.

I am part of a whole new wave of great new staff to come on board here over the last few months. You may have seen our names on the blog, but I wanted to quickly introduce all of us:

 

NDN Fellow Michael Moynihan (full bio)

 

 

Andres Ramirez, Vice President, Hispanic Programs (full bio)

 

 

Jake Berliner, Globalization Initiative Policy Assistant

 

 

Courtney Markey, Events Associate

 


Kevin VanderMolen, Development Associate


Zuraya Tapia, Advocacy Director

And of course, myself (full bio)

We join the already strong team of Simon Rosenberg (full bio), Dr. Robert Shapiro (full bio), Peter Leyden (full bio), Tracy Leaman, Chris McCleary, Maggie Barker, Dave O'Donnell, Travis Valentine, Ben Cahen, Aaron Jacobs-Smith, Mike Salamon and Diane Grant.

This month has been an incredibly exciting one for me. The work that our team at NDN is doing is fascinating and some of the most forward-thinking I've seen in all my years in Washington. At the same time, it has real-world implications: how do we make sure U.S. workers are not left behind in a globalized economy? How do we use rapidly changing technologies to help reach the the rapidly changing demographics in America, including Hispanics and the Millennial Generation? How does our nation invest in green technology to wean us from our dangerous dependence on foreign energy sources?

Below, I've posted a few of what I consider to be, in my short time here, among the most compelling blogs, video and recent NDN work. Please take a look and let me know what you think:

  • A terrific blog posting by Simon that makes sense of the often non-sensical Democratic presidental primary. This particular post was written after the Pennsylvania primary.
  • An insightful blog posting by NDN Fellow Michael Moynihan on the call for a gas tax holiday.
  • This video of Shai Agassi at our March 12 Forum on how his Project Better Place is changing transportation as we know it. For more video, please check out our YouTube channel.
  • The 50-Year Strategy - A great piece by Simon and Pete that lays out what progressives need to do, not just to win the White House in 2008, but to create an enduring coalition not seen since the one created by FDR in the 1930s.
  • The Democratic Opportunity - A truly remarkable roadmap to an electoral college victory by Simon that explains in detail why Democrats no longer need to win the South to win the presidency. A truly compelling read.
  • A wake-up call to the United States that the strength of our economy will increasingly be based on our ideas, not our physical assets. This paper was adpated Dr. Shapiro's recently released book, Futurecast: How Superpowers, Populations and Globalization Will Change the Way You Live and Work.

Comments

HILLARY CLINTON

Submitted by FOXTROTTER on 5/5/08.

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO IS DISTURBED BY SEN. CLINTONS "MISSPEAKING" OF THE BOSNIA INCIDENT OR THE "WOMAN WHO DIED IN AN OHIO HOSPITAL WITH OUT INSURANCE? UP UNTIL THOSE TWO INCIDENTS, MOST PEOPLE USED THE TERM "PATHOLOGICAL LIAR" WHEN SOMEONE SPOKE DELIBERATE UNTRUTHS SUCH AS THESE. APPEARS THE WIFE DOES NOT FALL FROM THE HUSBAND'S TREE IN THIS INSTANCE.

OH, AND LEST WE FORGET, HOW DOES SOMEONE WHO CANNOT MANAGE TO KEEP THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN FROM GOING IN THE HOLE TO THE TUNE OF $10 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT AND DOESN'T PAY THEIR BILLS GOING TO REASSURE ME THAT SHE CAN HANDLE THE ECONOMY AMERICA? OH AND DON'T FORGET, SHE GAVE HER WORD AND SIGNED OFF ON AN AGREEMENT TO HONOR THE DMC STANCE ON FLA/MICHIGAN AND THEN TURNED AROUND, CAMPAIGNED IN THOSE STATES AND REFUSED TO TAKE HER NAME OFF THE BALLOT. OBAMA AND EDWARDS WENT BY THE RULES. NOW THIS VIPER WANTS VOTES FROM BOTH THESE STATES TO GO INTO HER COLUMN EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS NOT EARNED THEM. HAD SHE FOLLOWED THE RULES SHE AGREED TO, WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE ISSUES WITH FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN. IS SHE NUTS? SORRY PRINCESS, YOU WILL NOT GET THOSE VOTES HANDED TO YOU, GET THEM THE OLD FASHIONED WAY ......EARN THEM FAIR AND SQUARE.....!!!!!!!

AND MY FINAL GEM IS THIS: WHEN THE WOMAN SAYS SHE WOULD HAVE LEFT REV. WRIGHT'S CHURCH HAD HE BEEN HER MINISTER IS JUST AN OUTRIGHT LIAR. REV. WRIGHT'S TEACHINGS AND PREACHINGS WERE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY TO OBAMA. ON THE OTHER HAND, BILL CLINTON PERSONALLY DISHONORED HER, LIED TO HER AND OUR NATION, NOT ONCE BUT 3 TIMES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, BROKE HER TRUST, ALLOWED HER TO GO ON NATIONAL TV TO DEFEND HIM AND SHE DID NOT LEAVE HIM SO I FIND HER STATEMENT VERY DISTURBING. AND WHY DOESN'T SHE LEAVE HER CURRENT CHURCH SINCE HER MINISTER PERSONALLY ENDORSED AND STOOD BEHIND REV. WRIGHT. AND FINALLY, WHY DIDN'T SHE AND BILL DENOUNCE REV. WRIGHT BEFORE THEY INVITED HIM TO THE WHITE HOUSE DURING BILL'S TERM? HIS PREACHINGS AND TEACHINGS WERE OUT THERE THEN, WEREN'T THEY!!??!!

THE SENATOR IS A FRAUD AND HER CHARACTER IS SCARY. I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER DISHONEST, UNTRUSTWORTHY, LYING CLINTON IN THE WHITE HOUSE NOR A PANDERING, FORGETFUL FOOL SUCH AS MCCAIN. WE NEED A PERRSON WITH INTEGRITY, HONESTY AND A SENSE OF FAIRNESS WHO TELLS THE TRUTH... THAT WOULD BE OBAMA. 

S