As part of a new series on citybiz, Repairing America’s Broken Democracy: Bridge Alliance Members Take Action, each month David H. Nevins, president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, will interview leaders from different Bridge Alliance member organizations doing work to support and protect our democracy around the country. The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of more than 100 organizations working together as active stewards of our democratic republic. Bridge Alliance member organizations span the ideological spectrum, but are unified to work efficiently, outside arbitrarily defined political lines. The Bridge Alliance supports the democracy ecosystem and advances the healthy self-governance movement. The Bridge Alliance nurtures consistent and open communications between its members, developing a foundation of trust to foster collaboration. For more information, visit www.bridgealliance.us.
Layla Zaidane is the President and CEO of the Millennial Action Project. She joined the team in 2016, previously serving as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, where she advised on strategy across MAP’s teams and programs and managed the organization’s staff and operations. A nationally recognized expert on youth engagement, Layla has been featured in outlets including Forbes, The Washington Post, New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, Refinery29, The Huffington Post, and McClatchy.
Prior to joining MAP, Layla served as the Managing Director for Generation Progress, where she led integrated communications, policy, and advocacy efforts around solutions to the challenges facing today’s youth, as well as spearheaded innovative new global youth engagement efforts. She helped launch and manage the It’s On Us campaign in partnership with the White House in 2014, and launched the Higher Ed, Not Debt campaign in 2013, a coalition group of dozens of organizations working to make higher education accessible and affordable for all.
In 2016, She was named by Fusion as one of 30 Women Under 30 Who Will Change the Election.Before joining Generation Progress, Layla worked for LivingSocial as a marketing specialist, consulting with business owners across the country to increase their online presence and grow their customer base. Previously, she has held roles promoting the public’s voice in public education with DC VOICE and developing outreach strategies to connect college students with federal job opportunities and news at the Partnership for Public Service. Layla graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and holds a BSFS in international politics.
Interview questions:
Q1: You have an amazing background as a nationally recognized expert on youth engagement. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background and what inspired you to join and lead the Millennial Action Project.
Q2: Tell our viewers about MAP’s mission to activate and engage young leaders on both sides of the political spectrum to help bridge our partisan divides in the future.
Q3: Share with our viewers why it’s so important to engage young leaders across the country and have them engage in the political process and help work together on difficult issues.
Q4: Tell us a little bit about your Congressional Future Caucus and State Future Caucus Network in working towards nonpartisan outreach to millennials.
Q5: Do you have any events or initiatives coming up in the coming months that you would like to make our viewers aware of?
Q6: How can our viewers support MAP, get involved or learn more about your work?
Connect with Layla on LinkedIn
ABOUT MAP: The Millennial Action Project has an audacious mission: activate young leaders to bridge the partisan divide and transform American politics.
The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of over 90 organizations dedicated to rejuvenating America. With each organization focusing on a different sector of the movement, our members represent a combined three million supporters in the burgeoning field of civic reform and civil discourse. In addition, more than one billion dollars has been invested towards improving government effectiveness nationwide.
The Bridge Alliance acts as a hub of information and connectivity for over 90 civic action organizations.
We provide the infrastructure for our members to expand individually, collaborate on shared goals, and inform others that are invested in democracy revitalization. This generates a collective impact for greater than any one group could make alone.
David Nevins is president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, a highly regarded strategic communications company and proactive public relations partner. The firm’s regional and national client base is a unique mix of organizations across a variety of industries including: healthcare, professional service firms, finance, not-for-profits, distributors, state agencies, national media companies, technology, political and grassroots campaigns, real estate development, sporting events, and more.
With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and community and government relations, David is a talented and seasoned executive. Prior to founding Nevins & Associates in 1983, David served as the Director of Marketing for both Towson University and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, he was tapped by the CEO of Comcast to employ his marketing expertise as President of the company’s regional sports network, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. David is a Past President of the Board of Governors for the Center Club and is a former Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland, a position to which he was appointed by the Governor of Maryland. David has chaired the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission and the Maryland Higher Education Loan Corporation, served as President of both the Jewish National Fund and the Towson Business Association and was a member of the PNC Bank board.
David is highly involved in the business, civic, and political communities, and his many years of active leadership in numerous organizations have built a network of contacts that he regularly puts to use for the firm’s clients. For more information, visit www.nevinspr.com.
