About Us

As President of 314 Action, Shaughnessy Naughton is frequently called upon by media outlets and other interest groups to speak about the urgent need to elect more scientists and physicians at every level of government. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American, Science Magazine, and BBC America. Her passionate commitment to increasing the number of professionals with scientific training in Congress is deeply personal.

As an entrepreneur with a degree in chemistry and a background in drug research, Shaughnessy grew increasingly concerned for the future of science in the United States and the lack of fact-based, problem-solving solutions initiated in Congress.

In 2014, Shaughnessy ran for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 8th District. It was a leap of faith, strengthened by a commitment to taking her scientific training and experience to Washington, D.C.

Although unsuccessful in her bid for office, the experience and what she learned prompted Shaughnessy to form 314 Action in June 2016 to encourage and unite the scientific community around the political process and advance a pro-science agenda.

314 Action recruits, trains, and elects STEM professionals. Under her leadership, over $70 million have been raised and over 600 STEM professionals have been elected to public office. Today, 314 Action is respected as one of the nation’s leading progressive groups, and Shaughnessy is in demand as a speaker and an advocate-leader for the pro-science movement.

Joshua Morrow is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of 314 Action Fund, where he leads the organization’s independent expenditure operation and oversees national electoral strategy, paid communications, voter mobilization, research, and data. In his role, Joshua works closely with progressive organizations, Party Committees, labor partners, elected officials, and political stakeholders across the country, ensuring 314 Action Fund remains at the center of key strategic and electoral decision-making.

A veteran political strategist and communications expert with almost three decades of campaign experience, Joshua began his career as a field director on Senator Harry Reid’s 1998 U.S. Senate campaign. Since then, he has managed and advised campaigns across eight states and internationally throughout South and Central America, building a reputation for running aggressive, data-driven, and effective operations.

Since 2018, Joshua has overseen the raising and deployment of over $28 million for 314 Action Fund and directed more than three dozen independent expenditure campaigns that helped elect members to Congress and Senate.

Erik Polyak is the Executive Director and one of314 Action’s earliest employees. Over the past decade, he has led the organization’s staggering growth from a startup resistance group into a national powerhouse for electing scientists, doctors, and other STEM leaders to public office.

Before 314 Action was established, Erik served as Campaign Manager for Shaughnessy Naughton and brings experience working on campaigns across the country, including as Deputy Finance Director for Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Finance Director for the Illinois Democratic Coordinated Campaign.

Since 2017, Erik has driven 314 Action’s expansion into the leading political organization of its kind — raising over $70 million from more than 540,000 grassroots donors, and helping elect three U.S. Senators, over 15 members of the House, and hundreds of STEM candidates to state and local offices across the country.

Under his leadership, 314 Action has mobilized a grassroots movement of over six million science-aligned activists, developed first-of-their-kind candidate support programs, and built lasting infrastructure to not only win elections—but to ensure STEM leaders have a seat at the table in shaping the future.

Jacob Sarkozi is the Senior Director of Campaigns for 314 Action. In that capacity, he leads the team giving best in class advice to the campaigns of scientists running for national and statewide office – and helping them win! Prior to working at 314, Jacob cut his teeth on hard fought campaigns. For the 2020 cycle, he managed scientist Nancy Goroff’s campaign in NY-1, raising the most of any house challenger that cycle and earning endorsements from President Obama and the New York Times. He managed Pat Ryan’s successful campaign for Ulster County, NY Executive, served as deputy campaign manager for Joseph Kopser in TX-21, and finance director for Pat Ryan’s 2018 congressional bid. To 314 Action’s endorsed and recruited candidates, he brings 10 years of campaign experience — raising money, hiring staff, buying media, and maximizing win potential.

Bri is the Campaign Advisor for Federal and Statewide candidates at 314 Action. She has extensive experience with campaigns and political organizations. Bri has been a liaison to candidates and incumbents for Reproductive Freedom for All, Giffords and Immigrant Justice Fund, and served as Finance Director or political consultant for six House candidates and three Senators. Across her twelve years in politics, she has helped candidates raise over $24 Million and executed organizational endorsements for over two hundred candidates across all 50 states. Bri specializes in building fundraising plans, phone and field outreach programs, and managing earned and paid media to help candidates win and hold elected office. She previously served on the boards of League of Minority Voters and Emerge.

A longtime campaign professional, Stephen began his career as a Field Organizer with the Wisconsin Democrats in 2018, before moving to Houston to work on the re-election campaign of then Mayor Sylvester Turner. After successfully re-electing the Mayor, he was an organizer for Elizabeth Warren's Presidential Campaign in Iowa and Michigan before moving to North Carolina where he served as Regional Organizing Director for the Biden campaign in Eastern North Carolina. After the 2020 election, Stephen moved to Williamsburg, Virginia where he served as the campaign manager for Delegate Mike Mullin and managed a successful re-election campaign. Stephen came home to DC where he then spent four years at Everytown for Gun Safety on their Political team helping train volunteers and gun violence survivors how to run for public office. In his time at Everytown, he also created a candidate recruitment process and a candidate services program to support endorsed candidates.

Marisa is the Campaigns Associate for Federal and Statewide campaigns team. Prior to joining 314 Action, she was a Regional organizer on the Harris for President Campaign in Pennsylvania and worked on campaigns for Andy Kim and Angela Alsobrooks - among several others in New Jersey and Maryland.

A campaign strategist with over 10 years of experience, Drew joined 314 Action after spending the 2018 and 2020 cycles electing Democrats to state legislative chambers at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. Previously, he worked on electoral campaigns across the country, including in Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, Virginia, and many other states.

Michaela is a trained scientist with a passion for local elections. She holds a degree in Genetics and Cell Biology and worked in the lab researching how antibiotic resistance evolves in microbial communities. After becoming involved in local campaigns in Wisconsin and Minnesota, she recognized the need for more science-minded people in politics and pivoted her career. Michaela knows firsthand that local races can often be decided by less than 100 votes. She has worked on some of the most competitive state legislative campaigns in the country, including Congresswoman Dr. Kelly Morrison’s first re-election to the Minnesota State House. Now, she encourages and supports people with STEM backgrounds to run for local offices across the country.

Chris is focused on building the next generation of progressive candidates for local and municipal office. He began his career in the hospitality industry, working in Las Vegas casinos and resort management after earning a degree in Resort and Lodging Management from California State University, Chico. Early in his career, Chris gained experience in operations and people management before transitioning into nonprofit and advocacy work in Las Vegas.

Motivated by a growing interest in civic engagement and public service, Chris moved into progressive organizing and campaign work, eventually relocating to Virginia in 2021 to join 314 Action. In his current role, he works to identify, recruit, and support individuals with the potential to run for office—particularly those from non-traditional political backgrounds.

John takes an entrepreneurial and data-based approach to building and scaling development programs for organizations like 314 Action to help them raise more money. Previously the National Development Director, John has led the organization’s fundraising since 2022. Under his tenure, John successfully expanded fundraising programs for 314 Action and 314 Action Fund and John helped launch 314 Action Impact Slate, a collaboration between candidate campaigns and the organization to raise funds for competitive congressional races.

John’s career includes time as the deputy campaign manager, finance director, and senior finance advisor for four U.S. Senate campaigns, including MJ Hegar for Texas, Kay Hagan for North Carolina, and McCaskill for Missouri. Before joining 314 Action, John established the first development and fundraising programs for several progressive organizations including For Our Future. John has previously served as Candidate Services Director for the DSCC and he has helped advise and train senate finance directors in every election cycle since 2016.

Tara Saye is the Deputy Development Director at 314 Action, where she helps advance the organization's mission of electing scientists and STEM leaders through strategic fundraising and donor engagement. She brings years of political fundraising experience, having previously worked on campaigns for Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Richard Blumenthal. Coming from a family of scientists, Tara has a deep appreciation for evidence-based policymaking and the role science plays in everyday life.

Whitney is the Senior Development Associate at 314 Action, where she helps elect STEM professionals through high-dollar donor stewardship, national travel organizing, and oversight of the organization’s internship program. Previously, she worked at End Citizens United, managing digital fundraising and direct mail initiatives.

Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, Whitney lived in North Carolina and the Western slope of Colorado before settling in DC.

Charlie Halliwell is a Development Associate at 314 Action, where he supports the organization's fundraising efforts through donor stewardship, prospect research, database management, and the development of briefing materials for leadership. Previously, he worked at the Marijuana Policy Project, supporting development initiatives and monitoring state and federal cannabis policy to inform fundraising strategy, while also gaining experience in campaign field organizing and grassroots advocacy. Originally from Massachusetts, Charlie now lives in Washington, D.C., where he has built his career at the intersection of political fundraising, policy, and electoral organizing.

Eden is the Communications Director for 314 Action. Eden has worked in political campaigns and government for nearly a decade. Eden has advised candidates and elected officials at the local level and statewide, ran a successful political campaign in Cleveland, Ohio, electing the city’s first millennial mayor with nearly 63% of the vote, delivered major strategic communications projects at City Hall and has worked with a wide range of candidates and campaigns statewide.

During the 2024 election cycle, Eden led press and communications in one of the most Republican states in the country as Communications Director for the Florida Democrats. At the Florida Democratic Party, she ran one of the most successful earned media programs since the state flipped blue during the Obama era, oversaw an aggressive rapid response program and delivered a sophisticated paid media program supporting races from the school board to the U.S. Senate. Eden brings deep experience in earned media, rapid response, and message development.

Esteban has worked with 314 Action since 2018 and started as the organization’s first Digital Director in 2020. Prior to joining 314 Action, Esteban worked in local Texas politics and conducted research on nuclear energy development. After moving to Washington D.C. only to be blocked by the Trump Administration’s Federal hiring freeze for the Department of Energy in 2017, he worked for a handful of digital and political consulting firms, including transforming a startup with four employees into a million-dollar business. Some of his clients included Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Senators Tammy Baldwin and Tammy Duckworth, and Reps. Haley Stevens, Sean Casten, and Nydia Velazquez. Over the years, Esteban has run or provided guidance on the messaging and fundraising operations of 21 Senators, 44 House Representatives, and more than 80 candidates for Governor, Congress, and state legislatures. To date, Esteban has raised more than $40 million for Democratic candidates, progressive causes, ballot initiatives, and non-profits.

Zara is the Digital Fundraising Manager at 314 Action. She began her career in digital strategy in the political and advocacy space in 2019 on John Hickenlooper's presidential campaign. Since then, she has led digital strategy for advocacy organizations including Demand Justice, Forward Majority, and The Colorado Health Organization, while also supporting digital teams on campaigns up and down the ballot.

Her campaign work spans municipal and state wide races across Colorado, including Jenny Willford for HD34, Darrell Watson for Denver City Council, Leslie Herod for Denver Mayor, and John Walsh for Denver District Attorney, among others; as well as races in Illinois, Georgia, Texas, and New York.

Ann Semel has been a political consultant and campaign staffer for the past decade, specializing in fundraising, digital operations, and grassroots organizing. She has worked with Democratic candidates, non-profit organizations, and start-ups across the country, including on the ground with campaigns in six states. As the team’s Director of Operations, she assists with managing the organization’s overall budget and has helped to significantly grow 314 Action’s fundraising programs through direct mail and online channels. Ann originally hails from outside Pittsburgh and is currently based in Washington, D.C.

Rylee Foster is the Senior Operations Associate at 314 Action, where she manages a range of administrative and financial operations, including accounts payable, HR, donor database maintenance, and compliance across seven entities, plans organization-wide events, and supervises the organization’s internship program.

A D.C. transplant from Indiana, she graduated with highest distinction from Indiana University with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Spanish. She has experience ranging from the local, state, and national levels, previous interning for the City Clerk of Bloomington Indiana, Common Cause Indiana, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and the Secretary of the Democratic National Committee.