Civic Nation Names Lauren Kidwell as Chief Impact and Operating Officer, Kalisha Dessources Figures Will Advise as Senior Fellow

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Civic Nation announced the addition of Lauren Kidwell and Kalisha Dessources Figures to its bench of talent as its initiatives take on some of the country’s most pressing issues, including civic engagement, voter participation and gender equity. 

“Civic Nation continues to grow and we are thrilled to welcome Lauren and Kalisha to our team,” said Civic Nation CEO Kyle Lierman. “We are on a mission to build a more inclusive, equitable America where every voice is heard, every vote is counted and everyone can actively participate in our democracy. Lauren and Kalisha’s experience in organizing, policy and advocacy will be an incredible asset to our team as we work to achieve this goal.”

Lauren Kidwell joins Civic Nation’s Executive Leadership Team as the Chief Impact and Operating Officer. Lauren is an experienced strategist at the intersection of campaigns, government and startups, with a passion for empowering staff and helping diverse organizations run well. She previously co-founded and served as Managing Partner at 270 Strategies, helping organizations craft strategies to mobilize people and build political power. Across multiple stints in government, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Health and Human Services, and worked in the United States Senate. She helped elect Barack Obama to the US Senate in 2004, and then the presidency in 2008, and served as a National Regional Director on his 2012 re-election campaign.

Kalisha Dessources Figures will advise Civic Nation as a Senior Fellow focusing on leadership development and civic engagement. She brings to the organization over a decade of work in strategic policy, advocacy, research and organizing efforts at the intersection of racial and gender justice. Most recently, Kalisha served as Special Assistant to the President for Gender Policy at the White House, where she managed the Administration’s whole-of-government implementation of the first-ever national gender strategy. Previously, Kalisha served on the White House Council on Women and Girls in the Obama administration and acted as Senior Advisor to two Civic Nation initiatives: the United State of Women and When We All Vote.