Our network of trainers, consultants, and policy experts are talented leaders from the civic and nonprofit world, all of whom have extensive student government or student organizing experience. Here are just a few of the members of our network:
Dan Xie directs the national political strategy and grant fundraising for the Student PIRGs. Dan has managed successful campaigns from coast to coast to cap global warming pollution, fight the high cost of higher education, and make voting more accessible for students. She has recruited and trained hundreds of students and staff on public interest campaigns and got her start as an intern with CALPIRG Students. Dan lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she is an avid cyclist and climber.
Leigh-Anne Cole is Deputy Director of the Student PIRGs. She coordinated the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project from 2008 to 2012, which registered more than 300,000 people to vote and made more than 1 million “get-out-the-vote” contacts. As Director of Recruitment for The Public Interest Network, she recruited thousands of candidates to apply to join our network, hundreds of whom have found jobs or careers here, while others have gone on to pursue other public interest positions. Leigh-Anne lives in Milton, Massachusetts, where she loves to go hiking with her dog, Aspen, and her daughter, Rosie.
Manny Rin is the director of the New Voters Project and also directs staff recruitment efforts for full-time organizing jobs with the Student PIRG network. Manny begin his organizing career as a studentg leader with CALPIRG and went on direct Change Corps where he worked with groups such as MoveOn.org and Everytown for Gun Safety. Manny lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he enjoys running, playing pool and trivia with friends.