We Build Progressive Power in Ohio

James Hayes

James Hayes is a seasoned organizer and leader in the Ohio social movement landscape, with over a decade of experience. He is currently the co-director of Ohio Voice, where he works to support the ecosystem of progressive, nonpartisan community groups that are working to create a better Ohio for all of us. 

In 2012, James co-founded the Ohio Student Association, where he cut his teeth as an organizer leading campaigns to address the criminalization of youth of color. For four years, he served as an organizer and director, fostering a vibrant community of young activists dedicated to positive change across Ohio.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, James lives with his wife Amelia and their son Felix. His personal experiences as a husband and father have deepened his understanding of the importance of social movements in shaping a better future for all.

Courtney Flynn

Courtney Flynn is the Voter Engagement Manager for the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition. She focuses on connecting and engaging with organizations and volunteers across the state to ensure statewide election protection and that all Ohioans have the access and resources to vote confidently.

Courtney became very active in advocacy work as a senior studying Political Science and Pre-Law at Cleveland State University. Seeing the political climate around the country at the time, Courtney decided to take time off of school to become a field organizer, doing electoral organizing for candidates and issues that were important and affecting Ohioans. After returning to finish her degree, she realized how passionate she was for local grassroots activism and began organizing all across Ohio for various campaigns over the years trying to find creative ways to connect people and the issues they care about. Courtney is excited to keep organizing and connecting with volunteers and activists through the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition to build a strong network that will continually help educate, enfranchise, and mobilize more voters to get involved in communities all across Ohio.

Charlie Stewart

Charlie Stewart is the Outreach Manager for Ohio Voice. They focus on community and relationship building, incubation and onboarding, project management, outreach, and capacity and needs analysis for civic engagement programs.

Charlie was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. They are a Black, indigenous, and queer radical organizer living in Columbus, Ohio. Their background includes volunteer coordination and management, grassroots organizing, campaign strategic planning and analysis, cultural competency and inclusion, event planning and fundraising. They graduated with a B.A studying political science, Spanish, and queer studies at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. 

In their spare time, they are one of the lead organizers for a grassroots organization, Black Queer & Intersectional Collective (BQIC), that works towards the liberation of Black queer, trans, and intersex people from all walks of life through direct action, community organizing, education on issues, and creating spaces to uplift Black voices. They are also the co-founder of Columbus Community Pride which is a grassroots LGBTQIA+ pride celebration consisting of four events and a festival focused on BIPOC identities and vulnerable communities without police and rainbow capitalism. As an abolitionist fighting against state sanctioned violence, they are a proud member of Columbus Freedom Coalition and Columbus Freedom Fund. Their goal in fighting for liberation and freedom is to help BIPOC communities address trauma from imperialism, capitalism, and systemic racism. Bless.

Gavin DeVore Leonard

Gavin DeVore Leonard is an Ohio Voice Co-Director, a leader on fundraising and finance, strategic planning, and more.  He helped bring the c3 table model to Ohio in 2008, served on OV’s steering committee/board for many years, and has been on staff with since 2017, when he helped rebuild the organization.

Gavin previously served as State Director and lobbyist for One Ohio Now, Ohio’s budget and tax policy coalition from 2011-17, State Director of Ohio’s Center for Progressive Leadership from 2008-2011, and co-founder and Executive Director of Elementz (a hip hop-based youth arts center in Cincinnati) from 2005-2008.  In past lives, he also spent years working for affordable housing organizations, canvassing on environmental issues, working on police accountability and racial justice, and more.  He serves on multiple committees and boards.  He didn’t finish New York University because he was so excited to get to work (too excited, he wished he could tell his past self :).

Gavin lives and serves as a Village Council Member in Yellow Springs, where he lives with his teacher wife and two kids with disabilities.  He loves office supplies, spreadsheets, rivers, basketball, Tetris, hip hop, golf, flavorful food, traveling (especially to where there are no people), and reading magazines and books.

Adam Parsons

Adam Parsons is the Data & Digital Director for Ohio Voice, and assists partners with VAN (Voter Activation Network) administration, campaign planning and analysis, and digital outreach tools and methods.

His background includes grassroots campaign infrastructure, volunteer management, and social media planning and advertising. He has an M.A. in modern U.S. history from Syracuse University and received his undergraduate degree from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA.

Alwiyah Shariff

Alwiyah Shariff is the Training & Fellowship Manager at Ohio Voice. In 2007, as a high-schooler,  she started her organizing career on a campaign to raise the minimum wage and learned how to advocate for young people in the system. Since then, she has worked in multiple sectors of the social justice movement including protest organizing, lobbying, union organizing and field organizing – registering over 45,000 young people in Ohio to vote as Ohio Student Association’s Field Director. She’s also been a trainer for multiple training institutions including the Midwest Academy, Momentum and WildFire. She is coming to us from her role as the National Membership Coordinator with the Working Families Party and is eager to work (strictly) in Ohio at such a critical time in our country. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family and loves to travel back home to East Africa.

Stuart McIntyre

Raised by a public school teacher and counselor in Columbus, Ohio, and shaped by the global social movements that emerged from the 2008 financial crisis, Stuart brings 15 years of experience across community, labor, electoral and social movement organizing.

Stuart co-founded and directed the Ohio Student Association, Ohio’s largest progressive student and youth organization, where he trained and mentored hundreds of young Ohioans, igniting a new generation of organizers and activists across the state. 

Stuart has worked across issues and demographics, co-leading dozens of local and statewide campaigns and building organizations with the purpose of empowering everyday people to repair our common social fabric, and build grassroots power for racial, economic, gender and climate justice.

An accomplished strategist and organizer, Stuart is skilled in campaigning, fundraising, leadership development, and coalition-building.

As Special Projects Director for Ohio Voice, Stuart supports collaborative fundraising efforts to expand and diversify revenue streams to benefit partners, and the broader civic engagement & progressive movement ecosystem in Ohio. 

Stuart is an avid gardener, and soccer fanatic. He loves cooking for family and friends, reading, and chess.

Katie Vaughn, DBA

Katie Vaughn currently serves as the Finance and Administration Director for Ohio Voice. With a passion for human resources, finance, and administration, Katie plays a crucial role in ensuring the organization’s smooth operation.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Katie’s journey has been characterized by a drive for excellence and a thirst for knowledge. Recently, in 2023, she achieved a significant milestone by earning her Doctorate in Business Administration from Capella University, specializing in human resource management. Embracing her adventurous side, Katie loves exploring the woods and going on exciting vacations. But she also knows how to unwind – long walks on the beach and getting lost in a good book are her secret ingredients for relaxation. Family means the world to Katie, and she cherishes every moment spent with her husband, daughter, and her quirky animal crew.

Deidra Turner

Deidra Turner is the Accounting Associate for Ohio Voice, supporting the Fiscal Sponsorship and Management program. She has a BSc in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Kent at Canterbury and a wide range of experience in Operations and Administration. With a passion for environmental issues and supporting causes to improve the lives of those in need, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to make a difference.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Deidra enjoys visiting the local museums with her husband, cooking and playing ‘cozy games’ or reading when her daughter gives her the chance!

Avery Martens

Avery Martens serves as our Senior Project Manager, working to support our powerful and tenacious front-line organizations in Ohio to help increase their capacity, to bring in new resources and to support building and winning powerful campaigns that improve our lives. Avery also supports internal operations at Ohio Voice, supporting our team to achieve our organizational goals. 

Avery was born in Cleveland, Ohio but grew up in Butler County, where they started organizing as a baby-gay with GLSEN in 2001. After graduating from Antioch College, Avery moved to the SF Bay Area in 2009 and was able to work with and learn from powerful movement visionaries, including Miss Major. 

Avery returned to Ohio in 2014 to support their family and has no plans of leaving! It’s clear from their experience organizing with currently/formerly incarcerated transgender people of color against the prison industrial complex, building SURJ across the country and in Ohio, serving as a field director during the GA Senate runoff election in rural, majority white Northern GA, to supporting progressive school board candidates across Ohio in 2023 – Avery is committed for the long haul!

Practicing sustainability for this life-long work, Avery enjoys adventuring with friends, moving their body, being outdoors, making art, cuddling their dog, celebrating community, traveling, and reading science fiction. 

Angela Lin

Angela is the Communications Manager for Ohio Voice, supporting the communications needs of partners and telling the story of Ohio Voice. She adds communications capacity for social media, earned media, messaging and narrative strategies, and digital communications, while also managing internal communications and creating annual reports. She also produces the What’s Good Ohio podcast, a project between Ohio Voice and Policy Matters Ohio.

Born and raised in Dayton, Angela got her Bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), where she also minored in Environment. After moving back home to Dayton at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Angela served as the Employment Aide at Homefull through a three-month AmeriCorps term during the summer of 2020. Once that concluded, she continued her service as an AmeriCorps Client Engagement VISTA at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign, and Logan Counties in Springfield.

Angela is also involved with Tzu Chi, OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership, and Gem City Action. In her spare time, Angela enjoys playing Nintendo games, Stardew Valley, and DDR, ushering for Dayton Live performances, watching wombat videos, and working on various art projects depending on whatever phase she’s going through at the moment (previous phases include Sharpie pointillism, wire art, and string art!).