Brenda Choresi Carter directs the Reflective Democracy Campaign, an initiative of the Women Donors Network that works to increase the power of women and people of color in American public life through ground-breaking research, catalytic grant-making, and strategic communications.  She previously held several key roles at UNITE HERE, the union of hospitality industry workers, including Special Assistant to the President and Communications Director.  A proud Minnesota native, she earned a B.A. from Georgetown University and a PhD in American Studies from Yale University, where she was a leader of the effort to organize and win union recognition for graduate teaching and research assistants.  In addition to her organizing work she is a visiting faculty member at Brown University and Wesleyan University.