Team Five Fabulous Fundraisers

WeLead successfully positions young professional women to serve in a political leadership position by gaining the confidence and skills to run for office or run a campaign through a combination of research, tactical skills, and best practices in Communications, Fundraising, Campaign Management and more. WeLead also provides an expansive and supportive network of expert practitioners and alumni.

Only with your help can the Women & Politics Institute continue to provide practical training to encourage more women to become involved in the political process, conduct more research, convene more special events, and ensure that more women have a seat at all of the tables, where the most important decisions are made.

Thank you so much for your support. Together, we will change the face of politics!

Carrie Rist
Yania Campbell
Katie Crane
Jennifer Zelaya

ABOUT THE TEAM

Katie Crane
I am a resident of Boulder, Colorado, with a background in environmental policy and communications. I am exploring the possibility of running for public office in Boulder to contribute to my community and help move it toward being a safer, more economically vibrant, civic-minded, well-informed and engaged place for people of all backgrounds and experiences to plant their roots and build robust, fulfilling lives. In an effort to gain the skills necessary to run a successful campaign, I am a participant in WeLead2025, a non-partisan program run by American University’s Women & Politics Institute that positions women to run for public office or lead a political campaign. The program exposes me to top political practitioners, speakers and leadership coaches who discuss how, why and when to run for office. The program covers communications, fundraising, campaign management and more and provides a supportive network of alumni and other experts. Part of the program involves the WeLead Fundraising Challenge, which not only raises funds to support the program so it remains free for all participants, but also is designed to teach us the skills necessary to raise money when we actually run for office. With the support of generous donors, the Women & Politics Institute can continue to provide practical training to encourage more women to become involved in the political process

Jennifer Zelaya
I am a dedicated public affairs and community health professional with expertise in advocacy, coalition building, and policy analysis. I earned my Bachelor’s in Community Health with a Global Health concentration from George Mason University and have built a career focused on improving health outcomes and advancing equity. Currently, I serve as the Executive Assistant at the National Hispanic Health Foundation, supporting initiatives to enhance Hispanic health nationwide. As a participant in the WeLead program for women in politics, I am gaining invaluable skills in communications, fundraising, and campaign management while learning from top political practitioners and leadership coaches. Through the program’s WeLead Fundraising Challenge, I am developing the tools needed to successfully raise funds when I pursue my goal of running for office and advocating for my community on a larger scale. My previous experience at The Dewey Square Group and the National Breast Cancer Foundation Center has given me a strong foundation in coalition management and community engagement, positioning me as a rising leader in the field.

Carrie Rist

Carrie Rist is Vice President, Compliance for 22nd Century Technologies, Inc., one of the fastest growing IT Service Integrator and Workforce Solution companies in the United States. 22nd Century has focused on the public sector for over 25 years and currently holds government contracts with 14 out of 15 Federal Executive agencies including DoD, 37 other Federal agencies, 50 States, 115+ Local agencies, and 37 School Districts. Rist ran for an at-large seat of the Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia in 2023 and is continuing to explore her options for service in WeLead2025.