Richard Winger
Richard Winger is the publisher and editor of Ballot Access News, a monthly newsletter that began in 1985. BAN covers developments in ballot access law, especially those that affect U.S. minor parties.
In 1985 he and other minor party representatives started the Coalition on Free and Open Elections (COFOE) for coordinated action and mutual support among minor parties around reforming ballot access laws.
For years Mr. Winger has given the Green Party advice and made referrals. He is often consulted by the current GPUS ballot access committee Co-chairs and members.
Katie Halper
Born and raised on the mean streets of New York City’s Upper West Side, Katie Halper is a writer, comedian, radio and podcast host and video correspondent.
She is the host of the creatively named "Katie Halper Show," which is a video livestream, podcast and WBAI radio show.
She also co-hosts the podcast and video show Useful Idiots with Aaron Maté. Her writing has appeared in New York Magazine, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, FAIR, Comedy Central, The Nation Magazine and more.
The National Review called Katie “cute and some what brainy,” though they obviously don’t like her politics.
Jim Becklund
My name is Jim Becklund and I am here representing the (in the process of formation) Elders Caucus. I am a relative “newbie” to the Green Party (member since 2017). For years I have looked for the right political party that fit my beliefs. It wasn’t until I started looking into the Green Party and the Four Pillars and Ten Key Values, I realized my search was over.
I had always voted and believed in the same principles that the Green Party has. Now it seems more like home and a challenge to have our voices be heard.
Being a member, to me, is not just about voting on election day. It is about being involved in the party in general. I started out simply as a member of our local here in Michigan (GPMI). I went on to co-chair our local while becoming more involved in our State Central Committee (SCC). I have been an officer in the GPMI as well as holding positions in several standing as well as ad hoc committees. It is a pleasure and an honor to work at the grassroots level of the party to grow and expand our political efforts.
It was over a year ago that I became involved with the formation of the Elders Caucus. I have met some wonderful people and we have high hopes that through our experiences and knowledge we can help the Green Party grow as an alternative the public will turn to in their choices for their and our representatives from the city, county, state, and national levels.
Michelle Louise Bicking
she/her
Michelle Louise Bicking is a 44 year old mother of one, former foster parent licensed clinical social worker and birth doula. She is a first-generation pansexual women of color of Bajan (Barbados)/Vicentian (Saint Vincent and Grenadines) descent, originally from Brooklyn, New York. She has a Bachelors in Spanish/Latin American Studies (Denison University/1999), a Masters in Public Administration (Rutgers University, Camden/2004) and a Masters in Social Work (Springfield College/2011).
Her scopes of practice includes: LGBTQIA+ communities, older adults, hospice, dual diagnosis/co-occurring disorders, self injury/self harming behavior, new Americans and rural mental health, respectively.
Her hobbies include writing, reading, painting, karoake and gardening. She resides in Newington with her son Silas and their two rescued cats.
LCSW MPA CD (DONA)
2022 Green Party Candidate for Governor
Former Co-Chair, Connecticut Green Party, 2018 to 2020
CT Green Party Nominee, CD#2 (2018)
Cynthya BrianKate
she/her/hers
Cynthya BrianKate is a transgender woman and intersex chimera (biologically between male and female, product of siblings merged in utero) who has been an educator, advocate and activist on gender and sexuality, as well as disability rights, for over 20 years. A Green for over a decade, she has served and continues to serve as a Vice-Chair of Green Party of Suffolk (GPos) on Long Island (NY) and has helped them become a leading example when it comes to feminism, upholding gender diversity, and disability and transportation rights.
She is also a member of the Green Party's National Womens' Caucus (NWC), Lavender LGBTQIA+ Caucus and forming Disability Caucus. Cynthya helped found the Long Island Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR) observance and has spoken both there and at about a thousand other panels, lectures, rallies, protests and other events. Recently she has spoken at the United Nations-sponsored Women Included project and the 2020 and 2021 Green Party ANM (Annual National Meeting).
Daryl Davis
Daryl Davis is a longtime anti-Nuclear and environmental activist from Cleveland Ohio, and is one of the founders of the Ohio Green Party. She represented Ohio on the email list of the Association of State Green Parties which became the National Committee of the Green Party. Daryl coordinated the successful effort to get Ralph Nader on the 2000 Ohio Presidential Ballot.
Currently she serves on the Ohio Green Party Central Committee, and is the chair of the Energy Committee. Through her work on the Energy Committee Daryl has worked to bring attention to the corruption at work in the Ohio Statehouse as they make sweetheart deals with the Energy Companies.
Mark Dunlea
Mark Dunlea is co-chair of the EcoAction Committee of the Green Party of the United States. He was the campaign manager for Howie Hawkins's run for Governor in NY in 2010 when the Green New Deal was launched. A full-time climate activist for the last decade, he successfully helped organize the campaigns with 350NYC to divest both the NYC and NYS public pension funds from fossil fuels.
A co-founder of the Green Party of NY in 1991, Mark Dunlea is a former Poestenkill Town Board member and the Green’s nominee for State Comptroller in 2018. He was the national campaign manager for Jill Stein for President in 2016 and assistant campaign manager for Sonia Johnson’s presidential run for the Citizens Party in 1984.
He is the author of Madame President: The Unauthorized Biography of the First Green Party President. He is a graduate of RPI and Albany Law School. He lives in Common Farms, an intentional community based on the principles of sustainability. He has been a radio news producer for more than 20 years, currently working with the Sanctuary for Independent Media.
Philena Farley
Current National and Black Caucus Media Co-Chair, and Ohio Co-Chair. Philena Farley was a 2018 Green Party candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Ohio.
She currently works for Ricoh USA, INC and assists in the implementation of new services, documenting current processes, applying best practices, and technical writing of site procedures.
Philena uses scrum best practices for day to day operations.
George Friday
George Friday grew up in a rural low-income community in North Carolina in the 60s. George works with grassroots community organizations to provide leadership and skills training ranging from strategic planning and organizing to fundraising, marketing and community building with a particular focus on oppression dynamics and the role of “privilege” in transforming power dynamics leading to broad, deep economic and social justice change. She holds degrees in Political Science, Economics, and African American Studies from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, from which she graduated in 1982.
George was the fundraiser for SANE (then SANE/FREEZE, now National Peace Action) in the latter half of the 1980s and Development Director, then Assistant Director of the Piedmont Peace Project in North Carolina in the first half of the 1990s. She directed a National Office of Juvenile Justice project from 2000-2004. George served as co-chair of UFPJ from 2005 to 2008. She began working as National Field Organizer for the Bill of Rights Defense Committee/Defending Dissent Foundation in 2008. George was one of the founding members of Move to Amend in 2009. Since 2017, George has been staff to NC Peace Action and United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ).
DawnMarie Cronen Green
DawnMarie is active in many different areas in her attempts to make this a safer planet for ourselves, the humans we love and care for and our animal friends and the many creatures that have no voice to prevent the destruction of the habitats they call home.
Currently EcoAction co-chair, and also a member of the National Women’s Caucus, Lavender and the forming Disability Caucus, DawnMarie is a active advocate for change and fully supports the Green New Deal, in transition from limited supply fuels to renewable energy alternatives.
As a parent, teacher, and artist DawnMarie wants to leave a legacy of positive change and help our next generations learn cooperation instead of competition.
Rita Gonzalez
Rita Gonzalez is a long time activist in Black Liberation Movements and in Latin Women’s activism. She continues to advocate for Global Women’s issues through participating in committees that focus on Immigration and Border Militarization, as well as volunteer on other issues in organizations that focus on addressing the imminent social issues that the Global community faces.
Robin Harris
she/hers/they
Robin is a social justice Activist, writer, poet, Public Speaker, Tour guide and history enthusiast.. Texas Native, Robin currently lives in Florida where she is fights alongside other activists. She has spoken at several press conferences and rallies. Robin also organizes and assists in many community events.
Civil Disobedience is also accredited to her. Approximately one month after the horrific shooting at Pulse night club in Orlando, Fl, Robin along with 9 others were arrested at Marco Rubio's office. Robin and 23 other activist received arrest in Tampa Florida during a protest for economic and wage rights! Robin and 23 others were arrested in Washington D.C. in front of the White House as a means protest against Trumps administration Healthcare policy.
Robin is Co-Co Chair of the of Florida. She is also Co Chair of the National Black Caucus Green Party. Robin has several activist duties with in Central Florida: She continues to speak up for racial justice and against all types of discrimination and intersectional issues. Robin has lobbied in Washington D.C. and Tallahassee, Florida. Currently she has launched socio-political forums that engage conversation within the local community.In 2018, Robin ran for County Commissioner District 6 in Orlando, Fl. She did not win but was able to gain 25% of the vote.
She is now running for Florida State Representative District 41.
Holly Hart
Holly was an early member of the National Women's Caucus and served as their first delegate to the GPUS National Committee. She has served as caucus co-chair, and has assisted with caucus projects including support for Green women candidates, elections workshops and press conferences, bibliography and other activities.
Included as the sole Green Party member as a panelist on a program featuring women in electoral politics, presented by the University of Iowa Women's Resource and Action Center. Served on IA Secretary of State's Voting/HAVA Task Force, 2001, and is a member of Iowans for Voting Integrity.
Special interests are local elections and policy, and ballot access. Work has involved volunteering and serving as treasurer for several campaigns; leafleting, tabling, petitioning, envelope-stuffing, event planning, media (press releases and appearances on TV, and radio), letter-writing, and grabbing the mic. at public hearing sessions at city council meetings….
Holly coordinated ballot petitioning in her state for Greens in presidential races (2000 to present), and assisted with ballot paperwork. She has been a consultant to, and part of a team comprised of Greens, Libertarians, Socialists and Reform Party members, for successful litigation to include third party organizations on state voter registration forms. She assisted with a successful lawsuit clarifying circumstances in which ballot petitioners may collect signatures in private venues.
Aidan Hill
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Aidan is a candidate for Berkeley City Council District #7 this November 8th, 2022 Election. This District governs Telegraph Avenue, People's Park, and the University of California Berkeley. Aidan was a candidate for Berkeley Mayor in the 2020 election and served as Vice-Chair of Berkeley’s Homeless Commission at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Born in Fontana CA, Aidan received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley as well as an Associate of the Arts degree in Communication Studies with distinction from Riverside City College, California.
Cheri Honkala
Cheri Honkala is a formerly homeless mother, and founder and leader of Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign and before that Kensington Welfare Rights Union.
She gained fame when she was a homeless mother, breaking into abandoned government-owned houses and occupying them in order to survive. Cheri has traveled internationally to meet with peasant movements and revolutionary leaders.
She ran for Vice President of the USA with Jill Stein for the Green Party in 2012.
She also ran for Sheriff of Philadelphia in 2011 and PA House of Representatives in 2017, both for the Green Party.
Cheri is a founding general in the Poor People’s Army, and an elder advisor to the 2nd Rainbow Coalition, of which Poor People’s Army is a part.
Haig Hovaness
Haig Hovaness serves as New York Representative and Secretary of the Peace Action Committee of the Green Party of the United States. He has written and presented on a variety of arms-related issues, including military-industrial-congressional relations in the US.
Haig made a presentation on the resumption of the nuclear arms race at the 2020 GP ANM. He holds an MBA from New York University.
Rita Jacobs
Rita Jacobs is a retired probate lawyer from Lansing, Michigan. She has devoted her retirement years to learning all the things about government that were omitted from her formal education.
She served two years as co-chair of the Peace Action Committee, and is a founding member and former co-chair of the Banking and Monetary Reform Committee.
She joined the Green Party in 2015, has served in several officer positions of the Green Party of Michigan and the Capitol Area Greens. She has been a delegate to the National Committee for the last five years.
Hillary Kane
Hillary Kane is a long-time member of the Coordinated Campaign Committee.
She is the GPUS National Treasurer and a member of the Steering Committee.
Hillary has served on several campaigns, including Cheri Honkala's races for Sheriff (2011) and State Representative (2017).
Pat LaMarche
she/her
Pat LaMarche is the award winning author of Left Out in America 2005, Daddy, What’s the Middle Class? 2013, Magic Diary 2019, Still Left Out in America 2020, Priscilla the Princess of the Park 2020, Priscilla and the Snow Fort 2020, Priscilla and the Bishop’s Gambit 2021, Priscilla’s Picnic with the President 2021, INVISIBLE 2021. Due out in 2022 – Priscilla and her Pals in the Park and The Second Coming.
Columnist and Journalist— bylines at Bangor Daily News, Huffington Post, Brunswick Times Record, Common Dreams, New Clear Vision
Film producer – Kurt’s Karass, interviews with Kurt Vonnegut’s Loved Ones, Old White Man Got Woke – the evolution of a witness to the Emmett Till Trial.
Experience
Activist/advocate, homelessness and poverty issues
2012-present Charles Bruce Foundation. Carlisle, PA, founding board member – a national organization supporting the arts and those who create them
Shelter experience – Operations Manager, Carlisle CARES, emergency shelter. Vice-president, Safe Harbour, emergency shelter and transitional housing facility. Salvation Army of Carlisle, Transitional housing facility.
Award winning broadcaster and journalist – Television, Radio and Print
Candidate for Governor of Maine: 1998, 2006
Candidate for Vice President of the United States: 2004
Terry Lodge
Terry Lodge is a longtime environmental and civil rights lawyer in Toledo, Ohio who in a career of 40+ years has represented grassroots organizations in nuclear power and nuclear weapons controversies, mountaintop removal, in opposition to a massive lithium mine, and other pressing matters.
The day he was sworn in as a lawyer in 1979, he filed a complaint with Ohio’s indifferent Public Utilities Commission, calling for the permanent shutdown of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant near Toledo because it posed the same operational dangers as Three Mile Island, an accident that had happened a few weeks before in Pennsylvania. He had no idea that when he reached old fogey-hood he would still have to sue for the shutdown of D-B as well as to try to get in the way of a new generation of dangerous and foolish nuclear reactors. But here he is, trying to educate another generation to stop the nuclear lie before it destroys more of the world and its animals.
An active trial lawyer, he’s practiced in multiple federal and state administrative agencies and more than a dozen federal district and appellate courts.
Pat Marida
Pat Marida lives in Columbus, Ohio and is a retired pharmacist. In the 1980s she served as a board member of the Ohio Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign.
She had a long volunteer career with the Sierra Club, chairing the Central Ohio Group for 9 years in the early 2000s and serving as an Executive Committee member of the Ohio Chapter during the 2010s.
She helped found the Ohio Sierra Club’s Nuclear Free Committee that she chaired for 10 years until 2021.
She now serves as a coordinator with the year-and-a-half-old Ohio Nuclear Free Network.
Gloria Mattera
she/her
Gloria is currently a co-chair of the Green Party of New York and recently served 2 terms as a co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. She has been an advisor to several Green Party presidential campaigns and a Deputy Campaign Manager to the 2016 Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka campaign.
Starting in 2001, Gloria has been a Green Party candidate in four elections. Her initial run for New York City Council in 2001 was as an independent socialist who sought and received the Green Party ballot line. Running on a slogan of “People’s Needs, Not Corporate Greed,” Gloria championed a platform that addressed the disparity between the 1% in the richest city in the world and the 99% of those trying to get by. That year, NYC suffered the 9/11 attacks and was then victimized even further by our own government’s vile appropriation of that trauma as a pretext for imperial invasions and police repression of our Muslim brothers and sisters.
Receiving 10% of the vote as a first-time candidate against Bill de Blasio, who was elected to the office and later became Mayor of New York City. Gloria was also one of the first Green Party candidates to receive NYC public campaign matching funds. She ran against de Blasio a second time for that council seat in 2003, almost doubling her vote percentage, which pushed the Green Party into second place above the Republican candidate. Gloria won access to public campaign matching funds again, through her fundraising efforts.
Striving to increase the visibility of the Green Party in Brooklyn, Gloria ran for Borough President in 2005 on an anti-eminent-domain platform, focusing on the mega-development of a professional basketball arena and high-rise luxury housing in the Atlantic Yards. Scores of volunteers from community groups fighting development project made it possible for Gloria’s campaign to collect over 5,000 signatures for ballot access and raise $50,000 to meet the higher bracket of NYC public campaign matching funds. Gloria received 7% of the vote in a borough of 1.5 million voters.
In 2010 Gloria was tapped to be Howie Hawkins running mate in his first Green Party candidacy for Governor of New York regaining ballot status for the party. The Hawkins-Mattera ticket was the first time the Green New Deal was presented in a U.S. Green Party campaign as a signature platform that would address the growing climate crisis while restoring public services and creating much-needed sustainable jobs following the crisis.
A long time eco-socialist Gloria believes that a red-green alliance is critical to building an independent left political party that is integrated with important social movements, Gloria has been at the forefront of several initiatives including a founding member of System Change Not Climate Change and more recently of the Green Eco-socialist Network.
Gloria has a master’s degree in special education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. After teaching special needs preschoolers, she moved into the field of child life, working primarily with poor immigrant children and families in the public hospital system. Gloria is a life-long resident of Brooklyn and currently lives in Park Slope.
Sharyl McFarland
she/her
Sharyl McFarland is a Milwaukee organizer who has spent decades working for social justice and human rights. Her advocacy work addresses problems common in Wisconsin and across the United States, including voter suppression, racial inequalities, mass incarceration, homelessness, rights for immigrants, poverty, the lack of adequate transportation, healthcare, and more.
"I identify with the people who want their government to listen and include them in discussions that affect their daily lives," said McFarland. "It is my belief that 'those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions but have the least amount of resources'. All people have value. We have the responsibility to exercise our right for democracy."
"The Green Party's values are in line with my own values," said McFarland. "I have become dissatisfied with what is happening in the world and in government. I am not satisfied with the people I have voted into public service.
Kent Mesplay
Kent P. Mesplay, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering joined the Green Party in 1995. He has served in various roles and run for federal office many times. He cites his Blackfoot heritage and his childhood growing up in a rainforest in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea for his environmental and Indigenous advocacy.
In 1996 he was a California Nader delegate. Dr. Mesplay served as a California delegate to the Green National Committee from 2004 to 2011. He ran for U.S. Senate in the first contested Green Party U.S. Senate race in 2006. Kent has been a U.S. presidential candidate in the primaries each election cycle since 2004.
Dr. Mesplay sounded the alarm about climate change in his 2004 campaign. In 2008 he raised the topic of the Green New Deal while campaigning. Throughout, he has called for the U.S.A. government to honor its constitutional duties to uphold the many treaties with nations here on Turtle Island. He is currently organizing and helping form a caucus to represent Indigenous issues in the national party.
Having retired as an air quality inspector for the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, Kent resides in Alamosa Colorado.
Tim McKee
Tim co-founded the Green Party of Rhode Island in 1992 and was elected to Providence City Council as a Green. He ran a LT. GOVERNOR (Jeff Johnson) and received about 11% of the statewide vote.
Tim helped convince Ralph Nader to run for President in 1996, and 2000. He convinced Dr. Jill Stein to run for President.
In Connecticut, Tim ran the first African American candidate for Governor- Cliff Thornton. We have elected Greens to city council in Hartford, New Haven, New London, Waterford, and Windham.
Tim lives in Connecticut now and was State co-chair in both Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Darryl! Moch
Darryl! Moch currently serves as Chair of the DC Statehood Green Party in Washington, DC. He previously served as both a delegate to GPUS NC from DC and as a national Co-chair of the US Green Party on the GPUS Steering Committee member for several terms. Darryl!, ran for DC City Council in the 2010 DCSGP primary and is looking towards another run in the near future. He has served as an adviser to campaigns and candidates in various parts of the country, locally, regionally, and nationally. He is also currently on the board of Green Horizons Magazine. He is also the director of the Charm City Labor Chorus.
Darryl! is a leader and has developed and trained leaders as well as become partners with and worked with community leaders on local, regional, national, and international levels. A native of Los Angeles, California who proudly makes his home in Washington, DC, Darryl! serves as a consultant, activist, advocate, performance artist, psychotherapist/life coach, and minister. His work as an organizer has spanned the country. His passion, and current work, include arts and culture of the progressive community; creating opportunities that will empower, expose, and enlighten individuals and our collective communities. His art, activism and advocacy work is rooted in social justice, equality, and quality of life issues for African-American/People of Color and minority communities, children, youth, families, LGBTQ constituencies, people living with mental and physical challenges, the homeless, as well as HIV/AIDS and other issues facing communities most disenfranchised by local, regional, and national political policies and laws.
Dee Murphy
Dee Murphy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Communication. She has graduate level work with a focus on Social Responsibility, as well as work towards a certificate in Gerontology. She joined Soka Gakkai International in 2002 and took the pledge to work towards Kosen-Rufu (World Peace) in 2007 by receiving Gohonzon, although she still has much work to do towards her own Human Revolution while continuing to encourage it in others.
She is a tireless advocate for Women’s issues and Societal issues surrounding Communities of Color in both domestic and international areas due to life experiences and through better understanding of the mechanisms needed to do so on a variety of levels.
Gil Obler
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition NYC, Treasurer, and Technology Staff
NY Jericho Movement, Coordinating Committee
GPUS National Committee, NY alternate delegate
GPUS Diversity Committee, Co-Chair, and NY delegate
GPNY State Committee, NY County
Green Party of New York County (Manhattan), Chair
In solidarity and struggle,
Gil Obler
[email protected]
Justin Paglino
Justin Paglino, MD PhD lives in Connecticut and is a Green Party candidate for US House of Representatives in the third district, running against 30 year incumbent Rosa DeLauro (D).
He has experience in laboratory medicine and basic virological research, with several first-author journal articles to his name.
He has a wife and two children, and now works as a musician and piano teacher.
Anita Rios
Anita Rios will moderate the Corruption Greasing the Wheels for Nuclear Power discussion. She lives in Toledo Ohio with her husband Robert, dog Sasha, and three cats, Sidney, Rosie, and Isabel. Anita is also a longtime Green and anti-nuclear activist and has had the honor of working with all the panelists over the years.
Anita is completing her term as co-chair of the Green Party National Committee. She was the Green Party candidate for Governor in 2014 and with over 100,000 votes secured the Green Party ballot line for four years.
Mary L. Sanders
she / her
More than 30 years serving the community at nonprofits, operating a busy Food Pantry, Adult Education and Workforce Development programs, and other Social Service programs. An activist for 30 years, driven by the desire to defend vulnerable communities, provide equal opportunities and stand up to injustice, bigotry and hatred. A peace activist, environmentalist, advocate for sound gun laws, civil rights, healthcare for all, reproductive freedom, and criminal justice reform. During the past 20 years Mary received awards from the Daughters of Black Pride of Elks, Registro’s Community Leader of the Year, New Britain NAACP Service award, a Latino de Oro award from Identidad Latina, Community Service award from the Latino & Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, the City of Hartford’s Women’s Commission, a Conversations on Poverty, Community Service Award and the CCSU Ebenezer D. Bassett Memorial Committee’s Humanitarian Award in the Civil Rights & Equity category.
Green Party candidate for state and municipal offices 2018 - 2021. “I've seen the needs of our communities and found ways to meet them thru comprehensive, cost effective programming. We can connect the needs of our communities with the needs of our businesses. We can create Green jobs and pay livable wages. We can address food insecurity, homelessness and addiction with creative, accountable programming and have criminal justice reforms while protecting our officers. My experience in human services and workforce development helps me see the big picture; I’m ready to serve and I’m running Green.”
Jill Stein
Jill Stein is an organizer, physician and environmental health advocate. As the Green presidential candidate in 2016 and 2012, she gave national voice to the Green agenda that progressives now widely give lip service to– from an emergency Green New Deal, to Medicare for All, a student debt bailout, and reparations. She also brought to public attention the Green's foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law and human rights instead of militarism and US exceptionalism.
Following the 2016 election, Jill launched a recount initiative that exposed voter suppression in communities of color. It also raised the bar for election integrity with a settlement requiring Pennsylvania to replace hackable electronic voting machines with secure paper ballots and robust audits.
Separately, Jill was targeted in a McCarthyite investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee for three years, which she successfully fought.
Jill is currently battling the Federal Election Commission in a court case with major implications for alternative candidates seeking fair access to public matching funds. This is critical for giving grassroots candidates a shot at ballot access, and for giving voters choices on the ballot beyond the parties of war and Wall Street.
David Strand
David is a long time Green and LGBTQIA activist, and is one of the founders of the GP Lavender Caucus. David lives in Minnesota and has represented his state as a delegate to the Green Party National Committee.
Howard Switzer
Howard Switzer is an ecological architect, who joined the Green Party in 2000. He has been Green Party of Tennessee state co-chair and was a national delegate for 18 years. He is president of the Alliance For Just Money and co-chair of the Banking and Monetary Reform Committee of the Green Party.
He is an active advocate for monetary reform and an advisor to the American Monetary Institute.
Galen Tyler
Galen was an early member of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union in Philadelphia, and a co-founder and ongoing leader of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. He has been a Green since 2011, and is interested both in bringing more Greens to the poor people's caucus and also more politicized poor people to the Green Party.
Laura Wells
she/her
Laura was born and raised in Michigan. As a scholarship student, she earned her BA in foreign languages from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1969, and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society. Laura went on to earn a Masters of Education at Antioch University, and lived in Boston, Massachusetts for ten years working in finance, computer programming, and systems analysis. In 1992 Laura switched to working with nonprofits such as Pesticide Action Network and Women's Economic Agenda Project, and other sectors such as schools, labor unions and county government. For the past 30+ years Laura has lived in California, and has been an Oakland resident since 2000.
Since registering Green, Laura has served in a number of leadership positions at the county and state levels of the Green Party of California. She was a founding member of the Green Party County Council in Alameda County and a co-founder and managing editor of the state's Green Party newspaper, Green Focus.
In 2014, Laura ran for California State Controller on a platform of correcting Proposition 13, which directed the majority of "tax relief" to giant corporations and not individuals. She also focused on tax reforms that implement fair and progressive taxation policies. After the global economic meltdown, Laura ran for Governor in 2010, on a platform of creating a State Bank of California, that invests in the residents of our state not Wall Street.
She was arrested upon attempting to enter the building to watch the 2010 Gubernatorial debate, which excluded all third-party candidates; significantly, given the entrenched two-party system, the charge was "trespassing at a private party."
Laura also ran for State Controller in 2002 and 2006, receiving over 400,000 votes in 2002. She served on the executive committee of the Instant Runoff Voting for Oakland's 2006 campaign while also running for State Controller, helping secure support for IRV from local representatives of most political parties in Oakland, including Greens, Libertarians, Peace and Freedom, Republicans, and Democrats.
In a surprising move in 2018, Laura ran in the June "Top Two" primary ballot as a write-in candidate for Congress against her local Congressperson Barbara Lee, who was running unopposed. The Green team won the write-in campaign, and Laura became one of three Green candidates for Congress on the California November ballot, going head-to-head against incumbent Democrats. Laura says, "In that campaign I realized that the most progressive elected politicians serve to set the upper limit of what people can even expect from government. We need to raise our expectations and use our power to challenge a system that refuses to provide the very basics — like affordable and accessible healthcare, housing, and education — in this, the richest country on earth. There's no excuse for it, but there is a reason: the billionaires and their corporations have bought out both parties and are running our country. We do have power, including our votes, voter registrations, wallet power, and street power. We need candidates with solid Green New Deal values, who never take corporate money."
Tom Yager
Tom Yager joined the Green Party of Virginia in 2001. He has served as Co-chair of his state party and has recruited and helped to elect local Green candidates in Virginia.
Tom has been active in the national Green Party since 2003. He has served as Co-chair of the Ballot Access Committee and the Presidential Campaign Support Committee. In 2012, he led the petition drive to get Jill Stein on the ballot in Virginia. He was the volunteer coordinator for Jill's campaign in the northern Shenandoah Valley in 2016.
Tom's other interests include hiking and serving on the board of his county's Humane Society. He lives in Front Royal with his wife Tamar and Kacey Cat.
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