Our History

When I tell people about the work we do, sometimes I wish I had a great backstory to share -- how I started organizing as a child when I got my grade school pals to fight for justice (in the form of better playground equipment). Or how I cajoled my high school friends into marching on the school cafeteria for tastier, healthier choices. 

But the truth is, like many organizers, I stumbled into my calling. After a stint in the rock and roll music business and a brief legal career, I ended up at an entry level job at a small non-profit in Washington, DC. I took the job because it was -- well, a job. But pretty quickly it became clear that putting good tools in the hands of good people (in this case older women) and helping them to use their voices to effect better policy can result in real and good change. 

That epiphany changed me...

Since then, I have worked with organizations, large and small, on lifechanging issues like early childhood education, healthcare, and Social Security. I have managed workloads by myself and managed a staff of 220 people. I have been honored to be a part of numerous legislative victories -- and suffered through some painful losses. Through it all, I've been witness to well-run organizations and those that limp from activity to activity with little strategic planning. 

I’ve had a terrific career in Washington learning from the best.

The beginning of 2017 had just seen the most stunning elections in U.S. history. From the wave of conservative voters who turned out at the polls to take back Congress and the White House, to the millions of women who marched on Washington with their defiant pink hats, never has it been more clear the power of average Americans. As our country and the world changed, I founded Daniels Advocacy Group to use my DC experiences to help other organizations around the nation learn how to maximize their advocacy impact and become a part of national and statewide movements. 

I have no plans to stop working with these organizations, but I am excited to bring my experience to my home state of Colorado. While there are a lot of terrific firms in the state who provide expertise on issue campaigns, Daniels Advocacy Group stands alone in its expertise and ability to analyze your organization’s grassroots structure, staff capacity, and volunteer tools.

My sister has agreed to join me in this effort and she adds corporate experience and a lifetime of volunteerism to the mix. Together, we can help you maximize the impact of your annual Lobby Day, as well as facilitate timely and regular advocacy strategic planning. We have put together lots and lots (and lots) of advocacy trainings and work with coalitions from soup to nuts. And we work closely with organizational leaders on everything from management training to executive coaching.

We hope you will tell us tell you more about our services; we would love to have a chance to see if our expertise matches gaps in your organization.