Meet the Team
Adrienne Bell
Executive Director
Adrienne has been with BNC since the beginning, as the Democratic Nominee for the 14th Congressional District in Texas in 2018 and 2020, and now serves as the Executive Director. She is an educator in Texas and is committed to improving student outcomes in Math education. Her advocacy includes fighting for bold progressive changes in Criminal Justice Reform, Housing, Medicare for All, and Climate Change. She is unapologetic in her belief that our fight is for the people, and not the corporations.
Troy Hewitt
Deputy Executive Director (He/Him)
Troy joined Brand New Congress in 2018 through his role as outreach and engagement director for Sarah Smith’s Congressional campaign for Washington State’s 9th Congressional district. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Troy has been a lifelong activist and civil rights advocate, from marriage equality to the development of programs serving thousands of young people through weekly after school and late-night teen programs, and contemporary communications programs for youth through print periodicals and live radio talk shows. He is also an online communications strategies and community building consultant for AAA video games and tabletop roleplay communities.
Nowadays Troy enjoys podcasting with his pals and hanging out with his cat TJ. He is currently working as the outreach and engagement director for tabletop roleplay game developer Green Ronin Publishing.
leadership
Cory Archibald
(She/Her)
Interim Communications Director
Interim Communications Director
Cory served 4 years as Chair of the Board of Directors, and stepped down in August 2021 to serve as the Interim Communications Director.
She oversees all of the daily comms for social media, emails, and blogging. Cory also works with BNC candidates to develop their campaign comms and public relations strategy.
In addition to volunteering with BNC, Cory works as a fundraising strategist helping progressive campaigns with their digital fundraising program. Cory is also a longtime animal rescuer and advocate. She and her husband live overseas with their numerous rescue dogs and cats.
She oversees all of the daily comms for social media, emails, and blogging. Cory also works with BNC candidates to develop their campaign comms and public relations strategy.
In addition to volunteering with BNC, Cory works as a fundraising strategist helping progressive campaigns with their digital fundraising program. Cory is also a longtime animal rescuer and advocate. She and her husband live overseas with their numerous rescue dogs and cats.
Ginny Bateman
(She/Her)
Helpdesk Lead
Helpdesk Lead
Ginny is the Helpdesk Lead where she and her team respond to emails sent in to BNC. She also assists with Candidate Recruitment. When she isn't volunteering at BNC she also enjoys swimming, yoga, cooking for friends, and learning piano. She lives in Plainfield, IL outside of Chicago and loves it when she can be with her two kids.
John Finelli
(He/Him)
Volunteer Director
Volunteer Director
John is the Volunteer Director for Brand New Congress. His role is to help recruit, retain, and connect volunteers to BNC teams and endorsed candidates. John is a married father of two and lives in Seattle, WA. Deeply involved in regional politics, John currently serves as the Membership Chair on the Executive Board of his Legislative District. When not saving the world, he loves to walk his dog, as well as playing and listening to music.
Chris Riley
(She/Her)
Candidate Engagement Director
Candidate Engagement Director
Chris joined Brand New Congress in 2019 to advise our endorsed candidates and campaign teams. She has decades of strategic planning, on the ground community organizing and social activism for women’s rights, social and economic justice and LGBTQIA+ civil rights, and electoral campaigns and consulting.
Chris is also an impact producer for a variety of documentary films: Our Time Machine, The Rest I Make Up, The Genius of Marian, and God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines.
Chris is also an impact producer for a variety of documentary films: Our Time Machine, The Rest I Make Up, The Genius of Marian, and God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines.
Hubert Jones, Jr
(He/Him)
Creative Director
Creative Director
Hubert is the Creative Director at BNC, where he oversees graphic design. He creates and delivers graphics for candidate announcements and social media posts on all platforms.
When he is not doing graphic design at BNC, he is creating graphics for his own business, Precision Graphix Group and helping to manage his wife's photography studio, The Nellie Rose. He currently lives in Houston, TX with his wife and three children.
When he is not doing graphic design at BNC, he is creating graphics for his own business, Precision Graphix Group and helping to manage his wife's photography studio, The Nellie Rose. He currently lives in Houston, TX with his wife and three children.
Cheyenne Thompson
(They/She)
Research Director
Research Director
Cheyenne is the Director of Research at BNC, where they oversee the Research and Data department and its volunteers. The Research team creates and delivers various projects that support internal operations and candidates (e.g., district research, financial analysis, policy analysis).
Cheyenne also works as a Medicaid Data Analyst for Rhode Island's Executive Office of Health and Human Services and has a degree in Public Health. They are from Oklahoma/Kansas and currently reside in Providence, Rhode Island.
Cheyenne also works as a Medicaid Data Analyst for Rhode Island's Executive Office of Health and Human Services and has a degree in Public Health. They are from Oklahoma/Kansas and currently reside in Providence, Rhode Island.
Board of directors
Chris Noble
Board Chair
Chris Noble is an attorney based out of Columbus, OH. Fresh out of law school, Chris worked with Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats from 2017-2018 as a Policy Strategist before returning to his hometown to practice law. Chris now works at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a watchdog organization that tracks private equity investment activity and its effects on communities.
In Columbus, Chris regularly volunteers as a legal observer to safeguard members of his community exercising their 1st amendment right to protest. Chris returned to Brand New Congress in October 2019 to join as a member of the board, assuming the office of Secretary. Subsequently, he was elected Chair in August 2021.
In Columbus, Chris regularly volunteers as a legal observer to safeguard members of his community exercising their 1st amendment right to protest. Chris returned to Brand New Congress in October 2019 to join as a member of the board, assuming the office of Secretary. Subsequently, he was elected Chair in August 2021.
Lorie Burch
Board of Directors
Lorie owns a Dallas law firm that primarily focuses on estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and probate.
Lorie has engaged in many civic and community organizations and advocacy. In 2018, she ran for United States Congress for the 3rd District of Texas, and was endorsed by Brand New Congress. Lorie recently served on the Lambda Legal Dallas Leadership Committee.
She has been recognized for her leadership and excellence in the legal field by the Dallas Business Journal, the American Business Women’s Association, and the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In 2020 and 2019, Lorie was voted as Dallas’ Best Civil/Family Law Attorney by readers of the Dallas Voice.
Lorie has engaged in many civic and community organizations and advocacy. In 2018, she ran for United States Congress for the 3rd District of Texas, and was endorsed by Brand New Congress. Lorie recently served on the Lambda Legal Dallas Leadership Committee.
She has been recognized for her leadership and excellence in the legal field by the Dallas Business Journal, the American Business Women’s Association, and the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In 2020 and 2019, Lorie was voted as Dallas’ Best Civil/Family Law Attorney by readers of the Dallas Voice.
Chardo Richardson
Board of Directors
Following 12 years of military service, amassing 3000 flight and combat hours, Chardo relocated to Florida where he obtained a Juris Doctorate. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Seminole UniServ, an umbrella organization representing four public school labor unions. As Executive Director, Chardo is the chief negotiator for the local public school unions in Seminole County, Florida, responsible for the day-to-day business and staff operations, and serving as a professional liaison and representative to the public school system.
In 2018, Chardo was nominated by his community and asked by Brand New Congress to run for Florida’s 7th congressional district. He joined the slate as one of BNC’s inaugural candidates alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush, and others. In 2018 he also joined the board of Brand New Congress to help guide the organization’s strategic vision in service of working class candidates.
In 2018, Chardo was nominated by his community and asked by Brand New Congress to run for Florida’s 7th congressional district. He joined the slate as one of BNC’s inaugural candidates alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush, and others. In 2018 he also joined the board of Brand New Congress to help guide the organization’s strategic vision in service of working class candidates.