Our Team
Marci Harris, J.D., LL.M
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As founder and CEO of POPVOX.com and the Executive Director of the nonprofit POPVOX Foundation, Marci is passionate about the responsible use of technology to improve government and benefit humanity. She is a lawyer and former congressional staffer, who worked on the House Ways and Means committee's Affordable Care Act team. She has held fellowships with Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democracy and the New America Foundation, and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco and a political science lecturer at San Jose State University.
POLICY
Aubrey Wilson
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Aubrey Wilson served as former Deputy Staff Director for the Committee on House Administration (CHA) in the 118th Congress. In this role, she coordinated efforts to make the House work more effectively, including overseeing the inaugural session of CHA’s bipartisan Subcommittee on Modernization. Prior, Aubrey served as Director of Oversight and Modernization for CHA during the 117th Congress. She is a former House legislative assistant and member of the R Street Institute Governance Policy and federal affairs team. Aubrey’s work remains focused on supporting Congress’ and other parliaments’ internal operations and innovation. She is host of POPVOX’s Gavel In podcast and editor of the Future-Proofing Congress newsletter.
COMMUNICATIONS
Gabriela Schneider
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Gabriela Schneider is the Senior Communications Advisor at POPVOX Foundation. She has dedicated her career to advancing democracy reforms and guiding strategic communications for mission-driven organizations. Most recently, she was the Communications Director for the Democracy and Open Government team at Demand Progress/Demand Progress Education Fund. She increased their media footprint and elevated national news coverage of the growing movement to modernize Congress through revamped technological systems and improved personnel policies.She previously served as Chief Communications Officer at Issue One, where she organized public awareness campaigns engaging former elected officials to champion bipartisanship in Congress, government ethics, and campaign finance reform. As Communications Director of the Sunlight Foundation, she led the organization’s myriad communications efforts and media partnerships, shaping the national dialogue on open government and transparency, civic tech, and the rise of dark money in elections.
Gabriela has been published in Teen Vogue, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She earned her masters in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and bachelors in journalism from Lehigh University, where she proudly served as general manager of its radio station, WLVR.
FELLOWS & ADVISORS
Danielle Stewart
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Danielle Varallo Stewart joins POPVOX Foundation as Advisor for Congressional Initiatives after more than a decade of Capitol Hill experience. She most recently served as Chief of Staff to a freshman Member of Congress, and has served in multiple roles for various Member offices in the House and Senate, spanning from districts in California to New Hampshire. In 2019, she joined Rep. Tom Graves’ office as Communications Director shortly after he was named as Vice Chair for the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Through the 116th Congress, Danielle served a dual role as Communications Director for both the Graves personal office and the “ModCom,” helping to tell the Select Committee’s story of bipartisan collaboration and institutional improvements.
Ben Harris
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Ben graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2001 where he earned a BS in Aviation Technology. He is an FAA Certified mechanic and commercial pilot. He is a “CO:founder” of theCO in Jackson, TN, a public-private partnership co-work, maker space and code academy designed to bring cutting edge technology and education to rural West Tennessee. Ben is a 2005 graduate of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce "Leadership Jackson" program, and a proud Boy Scout board member.
Anne Meeker
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Anne Meeker is Deputy Director of POPVOX Foundation, and a former House casework director. She was a founding member of the POPVOX Foundation team as Director of Special Initiatives, and leads the Foundation’s work on constituent-legislator engagement, including the Casework Navigator program and the Voice/Mail newsletter. She previously served as a Fellow with OSU’s Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability, and as Director of Constituent Services for Congressman Seth Moulton. Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Oxford (St. Hugh’s College), and an MSc in History from the London School of Economics. She is also a proud Clevelander, and will take any opportunity to talk up the Rust Belt.
Juan García
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Juan is a communications professional with experience spanning non-profit organizations, government agencies, and the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering & Applied Science from Caltech, but after a transformative summer internship in Washington, DC, decided to pursue his passions on Capitol Hill instead of Silicon Valley. Juan is passionate about graphic design, craft beer, and the Oxford comma. He currently lives with his husband (and their dog, Spock) in Washington, DC.
Jeremy Dillard
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As a POPVOX Foundation Fellow, Jeremy brings his decade of experience at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including serving as a Congressional Liaison, to work on projects related to casework, inter-branch relationships, and effective lawmaking.At the VA, Jeremy utilized his experience as a federal caseworker, with a robust background in issues impacting Veterans, their dependents, and corporations,while working as the Sr. Congressional Liaison and most recently the Acting Deputy Director for the Congressional Liaison Service.
Before joining the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the Department of Veteran Affairs, Jeremy worked at the Washington DC VA Medical Center in the VA / DoD liaison program and served four years active duty in the United States Airforce, where he served one combat tour. During this time, he developed a reputation for getting the job done with integrity, excellence, and service before self.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Jeremy is deeply committed to helping homeless LGBTQ youth by raising money for Washington DC’s SMYAL program. He received the Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary’s “I Care” award in 2016 from Secretary Robert McDonald and holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Boston University.
When he is not working, Jeremy enjoys traveling, gardening, and restoring old cars with friends and family.
Beatriz Rey, Ph.D.
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Beatriz is a Fellow at POPVOX Foundation and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of São Paulo. She was a Visiting Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a Senior Researcher at the Center for Studies on the Brazilian Congress at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. She worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Gregory W. Meeks at the U.S. House of Representatives. Beatriz holds a Ph.D. in political science from Syracuse University and a M.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
INTERNS
Kaitlin Sommer
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Kaitlin Sommer is an intern at POPVOX Foundation and a second-year student at Syracuse Law. At Syracuse, Kaitlin is receiving a certification focusing on National Security and Counter-Terrorism. She received her Political Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology where she became interested in cybersecurity policy. Kaitlin is interested in a range of policy areas, from national security to disability rights. Additionally, she has interned with Assemblyman Sayegh in Albany, New York, and Congressman Joe Morelle [D, NY] in Washington, DC.