Our Staff

For the staff directory, please visit our Contact Page

• Leigh Bradley, Office Manager. Leigh holds a BSW from Indiana University and an MSW from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has been with the organization since 1996. leigh@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 10
• Becky Carver, Development Director. Since moving to Durham in 1981, Becky has been a dedicated volunteer and activist, primarily around reproductive rights and other social justice issues. She has a B.S. from the University of Tennessee and M.S. from American University. Building on her special education and mental health experience, Becky has over twenty years in the nonprofit sector as Executive Director, Director of Development, Deputy Director, Project Director, and volunteer board member effectively promoting and advancing organizations’ missions and programs. She has worked at Wright School, The Alcohol/Drug Council of NC, Cornucopia Cancer Support Center, and Planned Parenthood. She understands the importance of making systemic changes to remedy the challenges we face in our communities and beyond and the need to work in coalition to achieve common goals. becky@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 12
• Gabe Casalett, Communications Specialist. Gabe worked in the tech and online marketing industry for about 10 years before joining Democracy North Carolina’s staff. During that time, he enjoyed using his talents to benefit causes he believes in by volunteering as a web & graphic designer and online marketing consultant for local and international non-profit organizations. As Communications Specialist at Democracy NC, he is dedicated to developing new, interesting, and effective ways to spread the word about our work through online and offline channels alike. gabe@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 20
• Robert Dawkins, Field Organizer, Western NC. Robert has worked as a grassroots organizer for a number of years, conducting organizing campaigns in Houston and Atlanta for ACORN before becoming their Head Organizer in Charlotte. He has also consulted on various grassroots campaigns for nonprofit groups. He has a BA in Political Science from the University of South Carolina. robert@democracy-nc.org | 704-957-3105
• Jennifer Frye, Associate Director. Jenn was a Democracy Summer student organizer in 2003 and served on Democracy NC’s Board of Directors before becoming part of the organizing staff in January 2006. She is an alumnus of the Public Allies North Carolina leadership development program and previously worked in gun violence and homelessness prevention. She holds a BA in Political Science and German from UNC. As Associate Director, she manages the daily operations of Democracy NC, participates heavily in our organizing and leadership training work and is responsible for our community outreach in the Durham area. jenn@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 15
• Jake Gellar-Goad, Field Organizer, Eastern NC. Jake holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University, where he studied the workings and management of government and nonprofit organizations. He has years of experience volunteering with and supporting nonprofits and campaigns (including the 2009 pilot of publicly financed campaigns at the municipal level) that seek to make his home state of North Carolina an even better place to live and to be civically engaged. jake@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 14
• Bob Hall, Executive Director. Bob has worked with grassroots groups across the South since 1970, collaborating on a variety of economic and social justice projects. He has served on numerous non-profit boards and governmental commissions, provided expert testimony in court cases, and consulted with officials in a dozen states on voting rights and campaign finance reform. He was the founding editor of Southern Exposure, the magazine of the Institute for Southern Studies, where he worked for 25 years. Honors include the MacArthur Fellow award, NC Press Association’s First Amendment Award, NC AARP’s Advocacy Friend of the Year Award, and NC NAACP’s Political Trailblazer Award. He has an MA from Columbia University. sprc@mindspring.com | 919-489-1931
• Nancy Shakir, Field Organizer, Southeast NC. Nancy resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina where she is a community activist and volunteer. She has a BA in History from Rutgers University, and MA from St. Peter’s Jesuit College. Her other studies include Organizational Behavior at Polytechnic, NY and further graduate work in History at Rutgers University and Fayetteville State University. She hosts a radio and local TV show and serves on the boards of several community organizations. nancy@democracy-nc.org | 910-527-5441
• Adam Sotak, Organizing Director. Adam has been working with Democracy NC since January 2000. He received his BSW from Appalachian State Univ. and his MSW from UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to working with us, Adam trained and worked as a labor organizer, and he also spent two years working with at-risk youth in rural NC. In 2005 he received the “Unsung Hero Award” from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP for his work for voting rights. As our Organizing Director, he coordinates the work of all Democracy NC organizers, helps lead our grassroots training program, and works to build and strengthen our partnerships with allied organizations. adam@democracy-nc.org | 919-286-6000 Ext 11
• Linda Sutton, Field Organizer, Central NC. Linda has been active in the Winston-Salem community since the early 70′s, working as a union organizer and Special Voter Registration Commissioner. She co-founded the Winston-Salem Voting Rights Coalition, a grassroots organization of non-profit, nonpartisan community groups that has registered thousands of voters and engaged them in electoral reforms such as early voting, same day registration and campaign finance reform. In 2008 she received the Urban League’s Community Leader of the Year Award. Linda is based in Winston-Salem and also works in Forsyth, Guilford, Davie and surrounding counties. linda@democracy-nc.org | 336-870-2168