NATIONAL STAFF

ALAN MINSKY

Executive Director

Alan Minsky is a lifelong activist, who has worked as a progressive journalist for the past two decades. Alan was the Program Director at KPFK Los Angeles from 2009-2018; and has coordinated Pacifica Radio’s national coverage of elections. Before that, Alan was one of the founders of LA Indymedia. He is the creator and producer of the political podcasts for The Nation and Jacobin Magazine, as well as a contributor to Commondreams and Truthdig.

Alan’s activism began in college with union solidarity work and opposition to US involvement in Central America. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Alan was active in the counter-globalization and media democracy movements. In 2011, he began organizing for Occupy Wall Street in the months leading up to the occupation of Zuccotti Park.

Alan is a committed anti-racist and feminist. He is also an advocate for economic policies that address social inequality, eradicate poverty, and prioritize the interests of working and middle-class households. Alan began working with PDA in 2014.

MIKE FOX

Associate Director of Operations

Mike Fox is an activist and progressive campaign manager. Since running PDA-endorsed Sam Simpson’s congressional campaigns in 2006 and 2008, Mike has run numerous successful races for local progressives in the Tampa Bay area.

Mike started as a volunteer Florida State Coordinator for PDA in 2008, and since coming onto staff he’s worn several hats, from nationwide chapter development and fundraising to his most visible role as PDA’s “Phone Guy”, running our nationwide phone banks. Mike is now our Associate Director of Operations. He has a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication, has done post-graduate work in political science, and has taught at 3 universities. He is a board member of his local Democratic Executive Committee, has served as president of multiple Dem Orgs in his County, was a Bernie delegate to the convention in 2016 and whipped PDA’s 240+ delegates there.

As a firm proponent of PDA’s “Inside-Outside” strategy, he’s been active in the peace and social justice movements in Florida is a veteran of multiple marches in DC, and cut his “street heat” teeth camping outside of George Bush’s ranch with Cindy Sheehan.

DAN O’NEAL

National Field Team Director

Joining PDA shortly after its formation in 2004, Dan became the Arizona State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America in 2006.

Dan is a PDA National Board member in addition to his position on our National Staff, as the National Field Organizer for Chapter Development.

He is a long-time progressive activist in the Arizona Democratic Party serving as a Precinct Committee-Person, an elected member of the ADP State Committee and he is an appointed at large delegate from CD-5 to the ADP Executive Committee.

Dan is a staunch supporter of Bernie Sanders. He was a CD-5 Bernie Delegate to the DNC in Philadelphia. First organizing PDA’s “We Want Bernie” chapters in Arizona and later serving as a volunteer adviser and Maricopa County Coordinator for the Bernie Sanders for President in 2016.

In early 2019 he helped found Arizona For Bernie Sanders Coalition, which included PDA, DSA, Our Revolution, and progressive activist in the ADP. Dan was elected as a 2020 Bernie Delegate and appointed by the Sanders campaign to the Rules Standing Committee.

MIKE HERSH

Communications DIrector

Mike was born and raised in upstate NY. Mike earned an AB in Government from Cornell University where he was on the Dean’s List and served in the Student and University Governments. He earned a JD from the Washington College of Law. Mike helped progressive candidates win elections at the local, state and federal levels. He works with PDA’s national, state, chapter, and issue teams implementing communications strategies: drafting, editing, and sending email blasts, action alerts, press releases, and letters to legislators as well as designing graphics, leaflets, programs, and updating websites.

Mike is PDA’s Maryland State Coordinator, the Executive Director of the Keep Our Promise Coalition and the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, a Steering Committee member for the Maryland Progressive Working Group and Progressive Neighbors, D.C. Director of the Jobs for All Campaign, and Co-President of Montgomery County Maryland’s NOW chapter.

MATTHEW FOUTS

National Social Media Director

Matt began his work in progressive politics during the late ’90s as co-chair of the local Green Party of Kent County, supporting Ralph Nader’s campaign for president, working to electing progressive candidates throughout Michigan, and organizing petition drives to enact progressive legislation. At PDA National, Matt is in coordination with local chapters and leaders around the county to get our progressive message out to citizens and engage with voters in this age of rapid-consumption social media. The future of democracy in our country depends on our participation in it!

BRYAN BUCHAN

IT Director

Bryan Buchan is a progressive activist who is often found behind the scenes compiling data and/or building technology solutions for candidates, political action committees and issue-driven campaigns.

Bryan has been a part of the PDA family since its launch in 2004. His activism began as a consultant to the 2004 Presidential Campaign of Dennis Kucinich where he assisted with organizational and technology-driven field efforts in Arizona and nationally. Since then, Bryan has worked with several progressive candidates, PAC’s and others to harness technology solutions for improved membership management, outreach, and fundraising.

DR. BILL HONIGMAN

National Outreach Lead

Dr. Bill Honigman is a recently retired Emergency Room Physician in Orange County CA for over 30 years. He has been active in Democratic Party politics since his youth, and an organizer for PDA since shortly after its founding in 2004, acting as California State Coordinator and Orange County Chapter Leader, and now as National Outreach Lead, and is Coordinator for PDA’s national Healthcare Human Rights Issue Organizing Team.

Dr. Bill has been a long time elected member of the Orange County CA Democratic Central Committee and the California Democratic Party’s state committee and is an active member of the Progressive Caucus of the CDP. He was also an elected Co-Chair of the California Delegation for Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Dr. Bill is a strong believer in Healthcare as a Human Right, and a frequent spokesperson on the subject of Single Payer enhanced and improved Medicare for All.

DEBRA SCHRISHUHN

Resource Center Manager/Database Administrator

Debra is also PDA’s Illinois Coordinator. She earned a BFA and MA from UIUC. She managed David Gill’s winning 2012 primary campaign, and developed a strong progressive network in downstate Illinois. Politics is her passion. As part of PDA’s national team since 2012, she mobilizes progressives, and helps to build the PDA member database. Debra and her husband live in rural Illinois with four Desert Arabian horses, and a clowder of feral cats.

KIMBERLY BUCHAN

Administrative Coordinator

Kimberly has been volunteering and working for PDA since 2004. Since moving to Arizona in 2003, Kimberly discovered her inner progressive and volunteered with the Kucinich Presidential Campaign and later the Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus.

She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelors’s Degree in Music Therapy, and a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology.

DONNA SMITH

Chair, Healthcare NOT Warfare Campaign

Donna has been active with PDA since 2007. She co-chaired PDA’s national “Healthcare Not Warfare” campaign, and she has spoken in 43 states, DC, Canada and Australia about the U.S. healthcare system and single-payer reform. Donna was also featured in Michael Moore’s 2007 documentary film, SiCKO.

Donna served most recently as executive director of the Health Care for All Colorado Foundation. She has been a guest on Bill Moyers’ Journal, CNN, Thom Hartmann’s show, CBS news, and numerous other programs. She blogs on PDA’s site, MichaelMoore.com, Common Dreams, and DailyKos.

Donna worked from 2008 to 2013 as a national health care reform advocate and community organizer for National Nurses United/California Nurses Association. Though she was born and raised in Chicago, Donna and her husband of 40 years, Larry, now live in Denver and they have six children and 15 grandchildren.