Nirvana co-founder and two innovative business and community leaders expand the Forward Party Board to accelerate its strategic initiatives and enhance its work to reform American Democracy
05/17/2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC – As its reach grows and its state-and-local strategy comes fully into focus, the Forward Party has expanded its Board of Directors with three high-profile members of the arts and business communities.
Michael Hecht is President & CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the economic development agency for southeast Louisiana which focuses on improving the economy and quality of life for the region. Under Michael’s leadership, GNO, Inc., has been named the “Top Economic Development Organization in the United States” by the International Economic Development Council. Prior to GNO, Inc., Michael led Louisiana’s Hurricane Katrina Small Business Recovery Program and worked for Mayor Bloomberg running NYC’s post-9/11 small business program.
Krist Novoselic, an activist and musician known for his work co-founding Nirvana, has a history of disruption across the political and musical industries. After opening doors for a new generation of musicians and bands through his work in Nirvana, Krist has spent the past few decades fighting to reform politics at the local and national level. He served on county and state committees for the Democratic party before becoming an independent and chairing FairVote from 2008 to 2019, where he advocated for important democracy reforms such as ranked-choice voting.
Jim Robinson is a Co-Founder and general partner at RRE Ventures where, over the last thirty years, he has invested in over 60 companies with a focus on those leveraging new technologies to reshape our society, culture, and way of life, such as Bitpay and Ripple Labs. He has been recognized for his work in identifying innovation and potential through his inclusion on Forbes Midas List and Institutional Investors’ Top Investors List. Jim also has a long history of championing Independent voter efforts.
The three Board members join an existing Board that includes prominent members from across the political spectrum, including former governor of New Jersey and Secretary of the EPA Christine Todd Whitman, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, former executive director of the Renew America Movement Miles Taylor (aka the Anonymous author of this New York Times op-ed), long-time Independent political expert Jackie Salit, and more. They also join in the wake of the appointment of Lindsey Williams Drath as CEO, who brings an extensive background in Republican and independent politics and the democracy reform movement.
“The three new board members demonstrate that the Forward Party continues to attract talent and ingenuity through its dedication to reforming American democracy and finding common ground,” said Christine Todd Whitman, co-chair of the Forward Party. “I am delighted to be able to work alongside them as we continue to hone our strategic initiatives and grow our movement.”
“Our new board members are incredibly accomplished individuals whose work I personally admire,” said Andrew Yang, co-chair of the Forward Party. “I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to work together to build the new party that millions of Americans have been waiting for.”
Through these exciting new appointments and strategic initiatives, the Forward Party will continue to pave the way for a new, more accountable government with greater opportunities for diversity and discourse in America.
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