The Action Network team helps to build and maintain the technology you use every day to mobilize and organize. We are on the other end of your email when you have questions and need support. We’re there to help you learn more about unique approaches to partnerships. We’re there to help you adopt and utilize our tools through training and help documentation. 

Action Network is comprised of a diverse group of change agents dedicated to helping progressives build power and win campaigns.

As we mark the 10th anniversary of Action Network, we wanted to take you behind the tools and logo to learn a little more about our amazing team.

5 Questions for Martha

Director of Product Strategy

Question 1: What’s your Action Network origin story?

Ooh, great question! One branch of the story starts in 2014, when Ray Suelzer (then at UFCW, now on the Action Builder team) and I were having conversations about what building a new organizing tool could look like, and started gathering other union folks who worked with labor organizing data to talk about it. I was at AFSCME at the time, and struggling to adapt political tools for organizing scenarios.

But the real origin story starts in the summer of 2017 when I was starting to have conversations with friends about changing my career direction and was talking with folks about going to the tech side and becoming a product manager. In my second chat on this topic, a friend said, “You have to apply to this new role at Action Network! You’d be a perfect fit!” Two or three weeks later I started my new (dream!) job, building Action Builder from the ground up using our cooperative development process. 

Question 2: What is your favorite thing about working at Action Network?

I love the way we get to work closely with our movement partner organizations, and constantly evolve our tools to meet new needs, solve real problems and look ahead to how tech can support the future of our movement. Also, it’s a truly family friendly workplace – need to run to a pediatrician? We’re encouraged to do so guilt free. 

Question 3: How would you describe what you do to your friends and family?

I build tech to help support the movement, with a focus on building tools to support deep organizing and leadership development.

Question 4: What sea creature does the original Action Network logo look most like?

Starfish! But, like, the kinda freaky underside.

Question 5: In which order did you see Barbie and Oppenheimer?

Barbie then Oppenheimer two days later. Then Barbie again.

A little more about Martha:

Martha lives in the Great State of Minnesota and will tell you all about it, including the very real differences between St. Paul & Minneapolis, the importance of the 1934 Truckers Strike and how much you will love the State Fair. In her spare time she’s turning her yard into a permaculture food forest (complete with backyard chickens!).