Our MissionProgress Florida is based on core progressive principles such as community, equal opportunity, security, and freedom. We are a nonprofit organization promoting progressive values through online organizing, media outreach, and networking with Florida's leading progressive organizations. Our issues include economic fairness, social justice, health care reform, environmental protection, ensuring great public schools and more.Featured Advisor Nadine Smith has been executive director of Equality Florida since its inception in 1997. Nadine was also one of four national co-chairs of the 1993 March on Washington and participated in the first-ever meeting between LGBT leaders and a sitting U.S. president (Clinton) in the White House. She has led advocacy efforts in Florida at the state level at a time of unprecedented attacks on the LGBT community, serving as Equality Florida’s lead lobbyist in Tallahassee and heading efforts to stop discriminatory legislation and ballot measures and to overturn Florida’s ban on adoption by gay and lesbian parents. Our Goals
Progress Florida Staff |
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| Raised in St. Petersburg, FL and a graduate of the University of South Florida, Mark has been working for public interest causes across the state for nearly two decades. Starting as a grassroots organizer in Miami, Mark worked his way up through the ranks of Florida PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) to become the director in 1998. At Florida PIRG, Mark played a key role in a number of public interest victories, including a successful effort to shut down the predatory car “Title Loan” industry that preyed on Florida’s poorest consumers and passage of a permanent ban against oil drilling in Florida’s state waters. Most recently, Mark served as the founding director of Environment Florida and currently serves on the board of directors of Common Cause Florida and the Public Interest Network. When not “fighting the good fight,” Mark enjoys soccer, nature photography and saltwater fishing. |
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| Damien is an award-winning political strategist, ballot initiative expert and campaign veteran with more than a decade of experience crafting message and strategy for successful statewide campaigns in Florida and across the nation. Damien is a sought-after media trainer and speaker having trained students, community activists, campaign workers and candidates from around the country. He appears frequently in leading newspapers and on television and radio advocating for progressive policy solutions and government accountability. Damien is also the founder of Big Bend Biofuels. Damien was born in Tallahassee where he still lives with his wife and two children and can frequently be found bird watching in the Fred George Basin. |
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| Ray is a leader among the Florida netroots community, one of the founders of the Florida Progressive Coalition, and an established progressive blogger. He is active in Marion County politics where he served as campaign manager for Iraq War veteran James Walker’s bid for the State House District 24. A former Coordinated Campaign Chairman for the Marion County Democratic Party, Ray is also a political science major at the University of Florida and will soon attain a certificate in public leadership from the Bob Graham Center for Public Service. When Ray's not staring at a computer screen, he enjoys reading, studying the latest progressive policy ideas (he's a self-described “nerd”,) the outdoors, and volunteering. |
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| Jon has been active in social and political causes throughout his life. He first got involved with progressive politics while attending Tulane University and later honed his grassroots organizing skills by directing the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) San Diego campaign office. Since then Jon has served as a campaign strategist and earned media consultant for a broad range of successful progressive issue campaigns in Florida and around the country. A native Floridian, Jon is co-founder and Internet organizer for Wildwood Preservation Society. When not online, Jon is an avid collector of banjos and vintage art. |
Steering CommitteeAlan Farago (Chair), Brian Kettenring, Bob Schaeffer, Ellen Freidin, Mark Ferrulo, Naomi Roth, Karen WoodallSenior Advisory BoardPamela Burch Fort, Adora Obi Nweze, Lisa Versaci, Kenneth Quinnell, Dick Mark, Kathy Aterno, Monica Russo, Rich Templin,Bill Phillips, Reggie Mitchell, Andrew Gillum, Barbara DeVane, Nadine Smith, Derek Newton, Laura Goodhue Susan Smith, Adrienne Kimmell, Lori Poole, Susannah Randolph, Jenny Lawson, Bill Newton, Alan Brock, Julie Hauserman AffiliationsProgress Florida is an affiliate of Progressive Future, a national organization that promotes Progressive values through grassroots action. We are also part of the ProgressNow network of state based organizations working to build the progressive movement online, state by state. |
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