Our team members are from across the country, representing different backgrounds and bring exciting experiences to help grow The People. The People has grown through hiring staff who previously worked for Katie Fahey in Michigan under Voters Not Politicians and for other nonprofits.. The intentions for our staff is to hire from across the country and political spectrum as we scale nationally.
Katie Fahey
Executive Director
Katie Fahey is the Executive Director of The People. An experienced leader in the democracy reform movement, Fahey leads The People in its mission to empower individuals to get involved in the political process. Previously, Katie was the Executive Director of Voters Not Politicians, where she led over 14,000 volunteers across Michigan to pass a ballot proposal with 61% of the vote that made political gerrymandering illegal. Prior to VNP, she worked in the garbage and recycling industry. Katie received her BA in Sustainable Business from Aquinas College in 2012. LinkedIn Profile.
Andrew Shue
Board President
Andrew Shue is an original member and the Board President of The People. Shue has been a social entrepreneur throughout his career in entertainment and business. He is the co-founder of Do Something, which inspires youth activism and CafeMedia which supports digital publishers. Shue received his B.A. in history from Dartmouth in 1989. LinkedIn Profile.
Frank Luntz
Citizens Dialogue Board Member
Frank Luntz facilitated the first round of The People’s citizen conversations which brought together people from different political backgrounds. A nationally acclaimed political pollster, Luntz's most recent work has been with Fox News as a frequent commentator and analyst. He has also run focus groups during and following presidential debates on CBS. Frank received his BA in history and political science from the University of Pennsylvania and received a doctorate in politics from Oxford University. LinkedIn Profile.
Cathy Stewert
National Field Director
Cathy Stewert has been a community organizer and strategist in the independent and political reform movements since the early 80’s. A veteran of Lenora Fulani’s historic presidential runs and a key player in the Perot inspired Patriot and Reform Parties, since the late 90's her work has focused on organizing independent voters outside of traditional third parties and designing outreach to diverse constituents with a political reform message. In 2001, 2005 and 2009, Stewart ran the Independence Party’s on-the-ground voter pull operations for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Stewart holds a Master’s degree in nursing from Simmons College and worked in the community health arena for over a decade. Most recently, Stewart has served as the Vice President for National Development at Independent Voting. As part of an ongoing collaboration between The People and Independent Voting, Cathy is joining The People's team as our National Field Director.
Paige Bartkowiak is the Head of National Development for The People. Bartkowiak’s understanding of political systems and grassroots campaign tactics is highlighted in her work with building programming and raising funds. Prior to working for The People, Paige was the Major Fundraising Event Coordinator for Voters Not Politicians, a fundraiser for Senator Debbie Stabenow and a field organizer for Bryan Mielke. Paige received her BA in Political Science from Alma College in 2018. LinkedIn Profile.
Ben Walton
State Programming
Ben Walton is the Head of State Level Programming for The People. Prior to working for The People, Ben served as the High School and College Coordinator for Voters Not Politicians. Ben received his BA in Political Science from Aquinas College in 2018. LinkedIn profile.
Sarah Fuchs
Partnerships and Strategic Projects
Sarah Fuchs is The People’s Manager of Partnerships and Strategic Projects. A nonprofit professional with over 10 years of experience in the field, Sarah has spent her career focused on bending the arc towards justice as a part of teams from AmeriCorps to the Clinton Foundation. In addition to her work with The People, Sarah also founded and serves as Executive Director of Katalis Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on capacity building in Haiti through higher education. She holds a BA in Sociology & Political Science from Purdue University and an MPS from the Clinton School of Public Service. Linkedin Profile.
Carrie Crutchfield
Program Administrator
Carrie Crutchfield is the Program Administrator for The People. Prior to joining The People, she was in Branch Management with Comerica Bank and then coordinated housing, transportation, and corporate events for the Ford Motor Company Summer Intern Program. After taking time off to raise her children, she reentered the workforce as an Administrator. She brings experience overseeing operations, coordinating events and volunteers, and managing data and communications. Carrie received a BA in Business and Political Science from Calvin University.
