Eric Adelstein

For Eric, politics was a family calling. After his future NFL career was dashed by the realization that he had everything but the skill, size, speed and talent to make it, he turned to his second passion inherited from his grandparents. His grandfather, a civic leader in 1960’s West Virginia, campaigned with Bobby Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey. His grandmother, an Auschwitz survivor, insisted her grandchildren read TIME Magazine every week and use their opportunities to contribute to “our country that is truly free.”

A founding partner of AL Media, Eric’s firm has become nationally recognized as one of the leading Democratic media companies in the country. The firm has taken on some of the toughest electoral and public policy challenges of the last decade-and won.

Prior to starting the firm, Eric spent eleven years managing Democratic campaigns. At the age of 27, he served as State Director for the 1992 Clinton/Gore Campaign in Illinois, the first successful Democratic Presidential Campaign in Illinois since 1964.

Eric has appeared on WLS Radio’s Political Shootout, the nationally syndicated program Beyond the Beltway, the Nationally Syndicated WGN Steve Cochran Show and MSNBC.

He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago School of Law and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College. He was selected a Greater Chicago Leadership Fellow in 1993 and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Erikson Institute and the Advisory Board of Facing History and Ourselves.

Ann Liston

Ann Liston became interested in politics as an idealistic college student for three very important reasons; Beer. Boys. And pizza. (Not necessarily in that order.)

But in the 1992 election, as a precinct caption for the 43rd Ward in Chicago, Ann saw the decisive power that elections can have upon a changing nation – and upon a young woman looking to make a contribution in the world.

Since then, she’s been hooked. Hooked and dedicated to working to make our country’s elective bodies look more like the make-up of America.

Ann has worked in every level of political campaigns – from a well-heeled ward office to serving as a senior member of the media team on President Obama’s re-election and everything in between. Ann has exported her skills across the globe, helping political parties take root in emerging democracies across Eastern Europe and Asia.

A founding partner of AL Media, Ann’s firm has stood on the front lines with working people fighting for progressive policies and thoughtful, forward-thinking leaders. From fending off attacks on workers’ rights to helping elect women and more people of color, AL Media works for meaningful change. But what she is most proud of is her firm’s ability to work on hard-fought, against-the-odds races and win.

Ann serves on the board of Girls in the Game and is a frequent lecturer for Harvard University’s Women & Public Policy program.

Rachel Ostendorf

“You mean to tell me your plan is to drive downtown everyday – on the expressway I helped build – to work for a Democrat?!”

One good thing came out of confessing her political affiliation to her father: There’s no communications challenge Rachel can’t handle.

The product of 16 years of Catholic education, Rachel is a fierce defender of the Oxford comma and a passionate advocate for social justice.

Rachel serves as AL Media’s lead creative writer while also managing the incredible talent at the firm. Her work has been recognized by the New York Times, MSNBC, and others for being, “powerful”; “striking”; and “standing out in a sea of advertisements.”

During her nine years with AL Media, she’s created more than a dozen award-winning spots and managed top-tier Senate and congressional races.

Rachel has over a decade of experience in the political world including public affairs work at Wilhelm & Conlon and service on Capitol Hill. She is a graduate of Marquette University and earned her master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Rachel and her husband Neil are proud parents of a five-year old daughter and two-year old son.

RAGHU DEVAGUPTAPU

Sick of sleeping in a van while touring with his band during college, Raghu settled in for a more stable professional life: a Democratic political operative.

While it was definitely a step in the right direction for his traditional Indian parents, it also seemed like a natural move. In India, Raghu’s family history is woven in the Indian independence movement – his Great Grandfather was the first Governor of the southern state of Madras after Indian Independence.

While his parents gave up their dream of a physician in the family, they knew someone was bound to have the political and social justice blood flowing in their veins.

In campaign management since college, Raghu has over twenty years of experience from presidential to municipal campaigns, and heads our Washington, DC office. A seasoned strategist known for his collaborative style, affable manner, and hands on approach Raghu has led high profile independent expenditure and congressional races across the country, including Congressman Ami Bera’s historic upset over incumbent Dan Lungren in 2012 and Bera’s subsequent re-election win, which was the most expensive congressional race in the nation.

Raghu was the first Asian American to be named Political Director of a national party committee – first at the DLCC and then at the DGA. While at the DLCC, he helped flip 30 chambers into Democratic control – the largest partisan Democratic shift in our nation’s history.

Prior to joining AL Media, Raghu managed the IE and issue advocacy program for AFSCME, overseeing one of the largest budgets in Democratic politics.

Hailing from Wisconsin, Raghu is an avid Green Bay Packer fan and resides in Washington DC with his wife Reema and their two daughters.