Staff

Meet the Staff of AIDemocracy!

Karen Showalter|Executive Director
Karen brings extensive experience building networks for social change, both in the US and abroad. She previously managed Oxfam International’s Health and Education For All campaign in Mali, West Africa, where she supported the advocacy work of national organizations and founded the “Espace de Plaidoyer” activist network. Click here for full bio. Email Karen Showalter.

Patrick McDermott|Global Peace and Security Coordinator
Before rejoining AIDemocracy, Patrick was a Legislative Aide for PA State Senator Lisa M. Boscola for about a year-and-a-half. After spending some time “inside the beltway” he decided he wanted to try some “outside the beltway” work, which brought him to Washington, D.C., oddly enough. Click here for full bio. Email Patrick McDermott.

Bill Murray|Finance Manager
Bill is a Dartmouth graduate with a degree in economics and has spent the past 30 years in financial management in a variety of industries. Click here for full bio.
Email Bill Murray.

Paul Guaglianone|Security Fellow

Paul is a junior at George Washington University and is majoring in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations and plans to further his education by earning a Masters of Arts in Security Studies. Click here for full bio. Email Paul Guaglianone.

Khushbu Patel|Sex and Justice Fellow

Khushbu has a great desire to explore and better understand global health issues. She has taught courses on the political, social, ecological, economical and cultural affects of globalization and technology. Her international experience includes research field visits to India, Bolivia and Bangladesh, where she conducted research on gender issues, socio-economic inequalities, HIV/AIDS transmission rates, and sustainable rural development. Click here for full bio. Email Khushbu Patel.

Ronald Barba | Business and Program Development Fellow

Ronald is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he served as an active advocate for social issues and civic engagement, focusing particularly on access to education on national and global scales, racial/ethnic social and political equalities, and positive male identity development (and its effect on women’s reproductive and economic rights). Click here for full bio. Email Ronald Barba.

Vannessa Chapman|Hunger Fellow

Vannessa is a third-year Government and Spanish double-major at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. She has been an active member of her university community and has played a significant role in engaging her fellow students towards change. New to AIDemocracy, Vannessa hopes to learn a lot from this position. She looks forward to enhancing her leadership skills by organizing student movements and utilizing the driving forces of Social Media to promote change. Click here for full bio. Email Vannessa Chapman.