The Campaign Strategist

If you've ever used "narrative," "messaging," and "communication strategy" as if they meant the same thing, this episode sorts that out fast. Host Pete Altman sits down with Francesca Koe — a communications and advocacy strategist with more than two decades helping movements grow power and win change, now a Program Director with Narrative Initiative — who has led...

Anna Aurilio joins The Campaign Strategist to talk about the intersection of advocacy, economic security, and political power. Drawing on nearly four decades of organizing experience — from environmental campaigns to leading federal advocacy at the Economic Security Project — Anna explains how policies like the expanded Child Tax Credit and guaranteed income can materially improve people’s lives w...

Pete Maysmith has been doing this work for over 30 years — from Rocky Flats protests in fifth grade to leading one of the country’s most powerful environmental electoral organizations. As President of the League of Conservation Voters, he oversees hundreds of millions of dollars in electoral and advocacy spending across a 30-state affiliate network. In this conversation, we don’t spend much time o...

Kristen Grimm, founder of Spitfire Strategies, joins Pete to discuss what it really takes to win advocacy campaigns in today’s fractured media environment. Drawing from her updated campaign planning guide, Planning to Win , Kristen explains why campaigns must define concrete victories instead of defaulting to “raising awareness,” and why declining public trust is one of the biggest threats to publ...

In this episode, Pete talks with Dr. Jiggy Geronimo, a neuroscientist-turned-strategist and founder of JG Insights, about building powerful progressive narratives. Jiggy shares why poll-tested messaging often fails—and how an “emotions first, content first” strategy can drive real resistance and mobilization.  From confronting fascism to channeling public anger into action, this conversation is a...

In this episode of The Campaign Strategist , Pete talks with Jenifer Fernandez Ancona , Co-Founder and Chief Strategist at Way to Win , and co-host of Charting the Way Forward , about how progressives can thrive in a radically transformed media environment. Jenifer shares how she went from journalist to movement strategist — and how that journey shaped her understanding of what it takes to compete...

In this episode, Pete Altman talks with media strategist and Counter Stream Media founder Shilpi Chhotray , who makes a powerful case for rethinking how we build power for climate justice. Shilpi shares why she’s stepped back from the mainstream climate movement—and why philanthropy’s failure to fund narrative work and frontline leadership is holding the movement back. From global organizing to la...

Tara Buss, Senior Director of Research at the Research Collaborative, joins The Campaign Strategist to unpack what she calls "competitive authoritarianism" in the U.S.—a state that mimics democracy while systematically undermining it. She and Pete explore why mass non-compliance is critical, how narrative strategy can shape resistance, and why polling shouldn’t lead progressive strategy....

What can Sun Tzu teach us about winning political power in 2025? In this new episode of The Campaign Strategist , I talk with Eric Hensal—veteran progressive strategist, author of A Progressive Art of War and host of the podcast Progressive Conjecture —about applying timeless military strategy to modern political challenges. We explore: Why progressives often lose not because of the opposition, bu...

Messaging maven and strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio joins Pete to unpack the mechanics of narrative, the seductive power of repetition, and why too much progressive messaging sounds like it came from a law school textbook. From “Florida fascism facilities” to “start how you want to finish,” Anat brings clarity and conviction to the question of how we talk about political danger—and what we should s...

Durrell Johnson helped lead the campaign to stop Mark Robinson’s run for governor in North Carolina—and in doing so, created a roadmap for defeating far-right extremism.  In this episode, he explains how local groups built trust, centered impacted communities, and reached even conservative voters who felt the danger. “This wasn’t just about what Robinson said—it was about what would happen if he h...

Liz Kazal of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy joins The Campaign Strategist to talk about why Republican members of Congress are starting to feel real political risk over their support for Trump’s tax and budget bill—and how her team is keeping the pressure on. From Medicaid cuts to economic messaging, Liz shares how organizers can turn pain into power—and why being “relentless” is the o...

Nick Ahamed, Deputy Executive Director of Priorities USA, joins Pete to break down the changing media landscape and what progressives must do to keep up. From the emotional resonance of abortion ads to why YouTube is essential for reaching young and diverse voters, Nick shares sharp insights on message testing, digital strategy, and long-term infrastructure. “You can’t talk to gamers and beauty Yo...

In this episode of The Campaign Strategist , Pete talks with Dani Negrete, National Political Director at Indivisible. Dani shares why “we don’t have four years to fix things,” drawing on lessons from recent campaigns and historical trends in authoritarian movements. They discuss how grassroots movements can sustain resistance, why cultural organizing is essential, and how to build power at the lo...

Pollster and strategist Saeed Mousavi joins The Campaign Strategist to explain why Democrats are losing emotional traction—and what it takes to reconnect. From risk-averse messaging to outdated research models, Saeed makes the case for a new, emotionally resonant strategy built for today’s media landscape. Find and subscribe: Substack  and your favorite platforms. Contact: Contact@PrismaticStrateg...

Michael Podhorzer joins host Pete Altman to talk about what really happened in the 2024 election—and why the fight ahead isn’t about restoring the old order, but building a new one. From the failures of civil institutions to the importance of unions and organizing, this is a powerful conversation for anyone trying to navigate the Trump Era with clarity and strategy. Find and subscribe: Substack  a...

In this episode of The Campaign Strategist , Rich Schrader and Kate Sinding Daly take us inside the eight-year campaign that led New York to ban fracking—making it the first state with significant gas deposits to stop the practice. Rich is the Director of New York Government Affairs at NRDC. At the time, Kate was Senior Attorney and Deputy Director of NRDC’s New York Program. She is now Vice Presi...

What happens when clean energy jobs face a political headwind—and how can business leaders fight back? In this episode of The Campaign Strategist, Bob Keefe of E2 joins Pete for a two-part conversation. First, they discuss how the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy are stalling billions in investment and job creation. Then, they rewind to Bob’s original interview about the strategies E...

Political strategist and labor organizer Chuck Rocha, founder of Solidarity Strategies, joins Pete Altman on The Campaign Strategist to talk about why progressives are losing touch with working-class voters—and how to fix it. From his start as a teenage union steward in Texas to running Latino outreach for Bernie Sanders, Chuck shares hard-won lessons on strategy, cultural competency, and building...

On this week’s pod, I had the joy of talking with the wonderful Melissa Waage — a brilliant strategist, long-time environmental advocate, and now VP of Advocacy & Engagement at Sandy Hook Promise. We dig into campaign strategy fundamentals, what it really takes to move decision-makers, why preparation and storytelling matter so much, and how to keep people engaged even through long, hard fight...

Environmentalist, strategist and leader Mark Magaña joins The Campaign Strategist to talk about the need for long-term vision and investments in growing progressive political power, how to think like a White House staffer when asking them for help, and his approach to building up the infrastructure of the movement. Mark is the Founding President & CEO of GreenLatinos , a co-founder of the Amer...

Friend and colleague George Rakis joins The Campaign Strategist today as we talk about his role leading the Climate Action Campaign from 2011 - 2018, which resulted in the first national carbon standards ever to be promulgated in the U.S. That's where I got to know George, from recommending him to run the campaign to my boss at NRDC to my role as senior advisor to the campaign. George came fr...

In this episode of 'The Campaign Strategist,' host Pete Altman interviews Danielle Droitsch, an environmental advocate and executive coach. Danielle shares her journey into environmental advocacy, beginning with a college protest against Exxon. The conversation delves into campaign strategies, including power mapping and decision-maker analysis. Danielle emphasizes the importance of focu...

Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about culture, advocacy and much more. President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus and host of The Coolest Show podcast, Yearwood's activism was spurred by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which highlighted the need to address climate issues in his community.  Our conversation delves into his philosophy that culture is central t...

In this episode, Pete interviews Tom "Smitty" Smith, a seasoned advocate who shares insights and personal stories from decades of organizing, advocating, and lobbying. The discussion covers the essential elements of successful advocacy, including the importance of coalition-building, strategic adjustments, empowering community members, and the art of creating a 'hero's path&apo...