Our Team

Managing Director

Derek Johnson is the Managing Director of RC. He has more than 15 years of experience bridging full-spectrum advocacy initiatives, brand and narrative strategy, social movement infrastructure, organizational development, and stakeholder engagement. Derek is highly engaged on the international stage as a member of the Munich Young Leaders group of next-generation experts in foreign and security policy, organized jointly by Körber Foundation and the Munich Security Conference, and a member of the European Young Leaders group, organized by Friends of Europe to tackle the tackle the increasing disconnects between citizens and political elites and rebuild trust in democratic institutions. Prior to joining RC, Derek served as Managing Partner of Global Zero, a Nobel-nominated initiative for nuclear disarmament powered by hundreds of world leaders, luminaries, and experts. He also co-founded Beyond the Bomb, a U.S.-based grassroots operation focused on equity and justice in disarmament advocacy. In 2021, the National Iranian American Council named Derek one of 40 under 40 Iranian Americans who have “inspired, trail-blazed, and made a lasting impact in the world.

Research Director

Dr. Tara P. Buss is the Research Director of RC. She has over a decade of experience conducting public opinion research in the US and Mexico. While at RC, she has overseen 160+ focus groups, 30+ surveys, multiple RCTs, and other special projects. Before joining RC, Tara worked as the Research Director for the Mexico office of an international consulting firm, directing polling for presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial campaigns. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science at UC Berkeley, focusing on the effects of perceptions of violence on public opinion and voting behavior in Mexico. Outside of her work at RC, Tara volunteers as an alumni mentor at her alma mater, UC San Diego, and serves on the Board of Directors for AgLantis Charity Farm. She enjoys traveling, eating dim sum, and collecting antique maps.

Senior Research Manager

Dr. Danielle Lemi is a Sr. Research Manager at RC. She has about a decade of experience conducting mixed methods research on race and ethnic politics in the United States, and she is the coauthor (with Nadia Brown) of Sister Style: The Politics of Appearance for Black Women Political Elites. Before joining the progressive movement, she taught courses in American politics at Southern Methodist University. Prior to joining RC, she served as the Sr. Meta-analysis Research Manager at Analyst Institute, where she worked with an interdisciplinary team to produce a major meta-analysis of past research on voter behavior. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science at UC Riverside and her BA in Political Science at San Jose State University, where she was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and also studied Arabic intensively. She enjoys learning new things and loves Texas, most importantly the people. 

Engagement Associate

Sea started their career as a Field Organizer for President Obama's reelection campaign in their home state of Florida. After they graduated from Mount Holyoke College, Iowa became a second home for them as they went on to work there on several more campaigns, including for Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, and President Joe Biden. Before joining the team, Sea most recently worked to combat disinformation in Wisconsin during the 2022 and 2023 elections. They love taking dance classes, being outdoors, and spending time with their beloved dog.

Research Associate

Thomas Mande is a Research Associate at RC. He is experienced creating effective progressive communications in diverse political spaces. Before RC, Thomas spent time with environmental justice group Dogwood Alliance, as an intern in Congress, and doing grassroots electoral organizing in North Carolina. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from Duke University. Thomas spends his free time playing soccer, enjoying the outdoors, and counting down the days until he gets a dog.

Research Assistant

Matt Easton is a Research Assistant at RC. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Political Science at UC Berkeley, where he studies political behavior, US polarization, and public opinion. Matt has previously worked in democratic campaigning, public opinion polling, and social policy research. He holds a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University, where he interned at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. He is passionate about advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and enjoys skiing, playing piano, and adding stamps to his passport.

Research Assistant

Liz Lebrón is a Research Assistant at RC. She began her research career in corporate communications, where she worked with Fortune 500 companies and Forbes Global 2000 firms, before working in higher education while earning graduate degrees in communications and political science. In her current role as the Research Manager at Voto Latino, Liz focuses on the impact of disinformation in the Latino community and increasing turnout among the Latino electorate. Prior to her transition to the non-profit sector, Liz worked as as the voter outreach manager for Pinellas County, Florida, where she led the transition from in-person to virtual voter engagement during the 2020 election cycle. Liz loves being a tía and traveling to Puerto Rico to visit family.