About Us
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Burns StriderTel: (703) 807-1949 Burns Strider, a native of Grenada County, Mississippi, served in an array of positions, prior to founding Eleison, including Senior Advisor and Director of Faith Outreach to U. S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and her campaign for President, Director of Policy for the U. S. House Democratic Caucus, Advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) , Director of the U. S. House Democratic Faith Working Group and Rural Working Group, regional Communications Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Chief of Staff to U. S. Congressman Ronnie Shows (D-MS). In 2007 Strider was named one of the 12 most influential Democrats in the nation on faith and values politics and issues by Religion News Service. In the mid-90’s Burns spent two years in Hong Kong as a Missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention serving as youth minister at International Baptist Church. Strider has worked on more than 15 campaigns, managing 5 of them. He has developed communications plans used in over 35 congressional and statewide races as well as a teaching tool for the National Democratic Institute in their work with progressive political parties in foreign countries. He has been a commentator for National Public Radio and has taught and lectured at various political workshops around the nation including current stints with Camp Wellstone. |
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Eric SappTel: (703) 807-1912 Eric Sapp, a native of Durham, NC, was Senior Partner at Common Good Strategies (CGS) prior to founding Eleison. CGS received significant national attention following the ’06 cycle for its groundbreaking faith outreach and messaging work for the DSCC, Senators Casey and Brown, Governors Strickland, Granholm, and Sebelius, Rep. Shuler, and the Michigan, Kansas, and Oregon State Democratic Parties. CGS clients significantly out-performed Democrats nationally (normally by double-digits) with Protestants, evangelicals, Catholics, and weekly church attenders. Dr. John Green, Sr. Fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, said about CGS’s work that “if Democrats learn a lesson from ’06 and are able to duplicate these efforts more widely…we could potentially see historic shifts in voting blocks that would dramatically change the relationship between faith and politics in this country.” Eric has been a regular speaker on faith and politics on television and radio shows, most often providing a Democratic perspective on conservative programs. Eric’s background also includes stints with Representative David Price (D-NC), where he handled faith and politics, budget, tax, and homeland security issues. Before that, he worked for Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. |
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Glenn RushingTel: (703) 807-1952 Glenn Rushing, a native of Leake County, Mississippi, prior to founding Eleison, most recently served in several key political positions including Southern Deputy Political Director for the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign, Deputy Political Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and National Field Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Glenn worked on his first campaign in 1987 as a regional field coordinator for former Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus. Since then he has worked on over ten campaigns, serving as Manager, Field Director, and Field Coordinator for a variety of candidates, including Assistant Deputy Campaign Manager for President Clinton's1992 and 1996 elections. In addition to his campaign experience, Glenn has worked for the Governor's Office in Mississippi as an Executive Assistant for Executive Services and Administrative Assistant for Constituent Services, the United States Department of Agriculture as a Schedule C Appointee in the Clinton Administration serving as a Confidential Assistant for Congressional Relations, the City of Jackson as Director of Governmental Affairs, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors as Director of Human Capital Development, and U.S. Representative Ronnie Shows as District Director and Chief of Staff. Glenn's favorite quote is, "it's not who you know, but who remembers you." |
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D. Patrick LewisTel: (703) 807-1909 D. Patrick Lewis, a native of Northern Virginia, prior to founding Eleison, practiced law in Alexandria, VA where he represented plaintiffs in matters of employment discrimination, sexual harassment and civil rights violations. Mr. Lewis’ legal work also included regulatory compliance counseling for employers regulated under HIPAA, OSHA and various environmental statues. Mr. Lewis is admitted to the bar in Virginia and the District of Columbia. Mr. Lewis also worked extensively on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign serving as her Deputy Director for Veterans Outreach and Deputy Director for Catholic Outreach. Mr. Lewis was appointed by the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia to be a citizen representative to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and to the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission. Lewis is a Veteran who served a four year enlistment in the 3d United States Infantry Regiment; the U.S. Army’s famed Old Guard, at Ft. Myer, VA. |