TESTIMONIALS

“GLPA offers the intense and in-depth training, combined with long-term mentorship, to prepare you to lead the most competitive races. If you’re a rising campaign leader hoping to take the next step in campaign leadership, there is no better program than GLPA to help you develop professionally. I was fortunate to have several GLPA fellows work on my successful 2014 campaign and several GLPA staffers work on my successful 2012 campaign.  GLPA fellows are taught not only the detailed mechanical skills necessary to manage thy operations of a campaign, but also important leadership skills required to build a positive campaign culture.”

— Gretchen Driskell, Former State Representative

“When I ran for State House in 2014 I recruited my campaign manager and my deputy campaign manager from GLPA. Their expertise, knowledge, and energy built a great campaign, resulting in me winning election with 56% of the vote in a toss-up district. As someone who has helped train GLPA fellows and as a candidate who has relied on GLPA fellows for my successful State House run, I recommend the program to any rising campaign leader and to any candidate looking to build a strong, grassroots team."

— Kristy Pagan, Former State Representative

"GLPA was the portal to all of the political communications work I’ve done in the five years since my cohort. It gave me a set of powerful tools for not only making (hopefully) clear and compelling arguments, but for building a bridge between those arguments and 1) the conditions facing everyday people and 2) the possibilities that come into view when we organize and demand a better world together. I’m immensely grateful for that and, most importantly, for the homies I made along the way!"

- Eli Day, Communications Director for We The People Michigan

“I was a member of the first GLPA cohort and it allowed me the opportunity to leave my IT job and transition to managing a caucus targeted state rep race full time. Being from Saginaw, I was the most northern member of the cohort, and making connections across the state was essential to making that professional jump and being prepared and supported. With that campaign cycle under my belt, I was able to secure a job as a community organizer and executive director of a small non-profit back home. Now I’m serving my community as a member of the city council and am also on the advisory board of the Henry Marsh Institute of Public Policy at Saginaw Valley State University. GLPA gave the skills and connections I needed to step into incredible opportunities.”

- Jamie Forbes, Saginaw City Council Member, 2014 cohort

“GLPA provides you with a strong network of like-minded colleagues, mentors, and trainers that truly value your development and success long after graduation. My cohort was a diverse group of some of the most talented and most dedicated people I have ever had the pleasure of working with who are all doing amazing things across the state. I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without having gone through this amazing program and I am forever grateful for that.”

 - Brieann Sauer, Finance Director for Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2016 cohort

“My experience with Great Lakes Political Academy was extremely formational. It helped me hold my skills in a number of relevant areas, make connections with new people in our shared workspace, learn from a number of experts and industry leaders, as well as set me up to be successful in all of my future jobs. GLPA helped me become a well rounded political operative is comfortable doing field, finance, data, and comms work and the program helped me feel confident taking on every new political role I have been in. The skills I learned have helped me grow individually, while also scoring wins for the progressive movement. I highly recommend the full program to anyone who is serious about being gainfully employed in progressive political work.”

 -Jeremy Moniz, Regional Field Director- For Our Future Michigan, 2019 cohort

“The Great Lakes Political Academy provided me with the tools to succeed in my first ever organizing role. While I have a degree in Public Policy, there’s not much education about how campaigns function, what that type of work is like, or how to grow a career in that field. Luckily, I was able to utilize GLPA’s finance specialization to learn more about what it takes to build a successful political career, along with meeting other do-gooders from around the state. I deeply appreciate the tools, network and resources that GLPA provided us with, and I can only hope to make them proud. “

-Holly Simon, Campaign Manager- Kyra Harris Bolden for Michigan Supreme Court, 2020 cohort