State Representative Lesia Liss
Lesia Liss, an inaugural alumna of The White House Project’s Michigan Go Run training, was elected State Representative for District 28 in 2008. Rep. Liss is a Registered Nurse and was inspired to run for office by what she observed in the Emergency Room. She has found that “the health of people and of the economy can be measured by what we see in the ER.” Rep. Liss ran for the Michigan House of Representatives so that she could “improve health care access and coverage, as well as patient and nurse safety in our state.” Rep. Liss says, “Throughout my campaign, I used the information I learned at Michigan Go Run to focus, to prioritize and to survive – and I am now a newly-elected State Representative.”
County Commissioner Amanda Roggenbuck
In the 2008 elections, Michigan Go Run alumna Amanda Roggenbuck set out to impact her community with a desire for change. Today, as Tuscola County’s Commissioner for the 1st District, she is bringing new energy and fresh ideas to the political pipeline. Commissioner Roggenbuck says she attended both Michigan Go Run and Debate Boot Camp in 2008 because, while she had previous political experience, she wanted to strengthen some areas of her presentation. “A friend told me about The White House Project, and I wanted to make sure that I had the best support network available as I entered the political realm. I researched the Project and liked the things I heard and saw, so I signed up for the training.” About her experience, Commissioner Roggenbuck says, “The White House Project’s programs are a great opportunity to network and develop life-long relationships that may see you working side-by-side and across the aisle down the road.”
Trustee Mishelle Y. Kennedy
For Michigan Go Run alumna Mishelle Y. Kennedy, political leadership began at a young age: “I started encouraging people to vote at the age of five with my grandfather.” Now elected to the Royal Oak Township Board, Trustee Kennedy is continuing her mission to advocate the importance of political participation in her community. In a true example of women helping women across Michigan, Kennedy was first connected with The White House Project by Judy Karandjeff, Executive Director of the Michigan Women’s Commission and a Founding Member of The White House Project’s Michigan Cabinet. Not long after meeting Judy, Kennedy applied for the inaugural class of Michigan Go Run. Trustee Kennedy says she walked away from the training with more confidence in her ability to clearly express her ideas, as well as “a better understanding of how to fundraise and network on the campaign trail.”
Commissioner Laura Davis
In 2008, over 300 women participated in our leadership trainings throughout Michigan. One of those participants was Laura Davis, Ingham County’s newly elected Commissioner for the 15th district and an inaugural Michigan Go Run alumna. As a student, mother and political activist, Commissioner Davis excels in multiple areas of leadership. When asked what motivated her to run for political office, Davis replied that the opportunity arose during a U.S. Senate internship. After a professor encouraged Davis to place her name on the ballot as precinct delegate, a county commissioner then contacted Davis and encouraged her to run for the Ingham County Commission. Davis says she made the final decision to run in order to “pursue my political interest, make a difference in my community and increase the representation of women in our government.” Commissioner Davis says she won her seat because of the training she received: “Thanks to The White House Project, I was more than prepared to take on an incumbent of 10 years in a district that had been split 50-50 for several election cycles. Throughout the election, I referred back to what I learned at Michigan Go Run and I won – by 38 votes! I know I made it because of my Michigan Go Run training.”
