Daniel Penchina
Daniel (he/him) is the president of Penchina Partners, where he applies his 21 years of experience navigating the intersection of nonprofit management, advocacy, and strategy on behalf of his clients.
Most recently, Daniel was president of Voices for Progress and Voices for Progress Education Fund, a community of hundreds of progressive philanthropists, business leaders, and major political donors who advocate for economic and social justice, to strengthen representative democracy, and to protect our climate. During his nearly-three-year tenure there, Daniel was responsible for growing the staff and budget by over 50% and the membership by 80%, modernizing the organization’s advocacy strategy, and revitalizing the organization’s governance and administration.
Prior to that, Daniel was principal at The Raben Group, a progressive public affairs firm based in Washington, DC. There, he designed and managed issue and advocacy campaigns — including developing legislative strategy, communications plans, coalitions, and tools for grassroots organizing — for dozens of national nonprofits, foundations, and companies.
Daniel also worked as a senior advisor and strategist for several members of Congress, including legislative director to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL), legislative director for Congressman (now Senator) Christopher Murphy (CT) and legislative assistant and appropriations associate for Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY).
Daniel is a member of the board of the LGBTQ Victory Fund and is a member of the advisory board and steering committee of the Healthy Democracy Coalition. He is the past president of Q Street, an association of LGBTQ lobbyists and advocates. He graduated with honors from New York University.
daniel@penchinapartners.com
(202) 365.2417
Mary Anderson
Mary (she/her), a Principal at Penchina Partners, is a strategist and nonprofit organization management specialist, with over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors as an executive, a consultant, and as a coach of nonprofit and social justice leaders.
Most recently, Mary was Chicago Director of AARP, directing AARP’s strategy for the Northern Illinois region. She was responsible for overseeing AARP’s federal, state, and local advocacy and community engagement initiatives, particularly in the Chicagoland area, in issue areas ranging from healthcare and caregiving to financial security and housing. Mary also led AARP’s national health equity strategy, implementing several projects to address healthcare access and prevention for older adults of color in dozens of states. In Illinois, Mary created and implemented AARP’s Disrupt Disparities Initiative, using baseline research to build a coalition of 30+ organizations that passed state legislation to improve the health, financial security, and connectivity of older adults of color and LGBTQ+ older adults in the state.
Prior to AARP, Mary was Managing Director of Mission + Strategy Consulting in Chicago, where she provided strategic consulting to nonprofit organizations with budgets ranging from $500k to $450M. There, she worked directly with foundation and nonprofit executive-level clients on projects ranging from strategic planning to cultural realignment to mergers and acquisitions.
Mary also brings her considerable experience and talents to her consulting work as an accomplished executive and public interest lawyer. Mary’s prior experiences include serving as Executive Director for Stand for Children Illinois, where she led the establishment of a 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) public education reform organization as well as a Political Action Committee. She has also had several senior government roles: Senior Advisor for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, where she led the Attorney General’s critical issues campaigns; Deputy Inspector General for Policy and Legislative Affairs at the Illinois Office of Inspector General; and Senior Counsel for the Office of the Illinois Governor. She has also served as Staff Counsel for Business Professional People for the Public Interest, Staff Attorney and Skadden Fellow for The Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, and other roles. Mary clerked for the Honorable David Coar of the U.S. Northern District of Illinois.
Mary has had significant Board governance experience, which she also brings to her work. Mary currently serves on the Board of Directors of Disability Lead, Solidarity Futures, and the LGBTQ Victory Campaign Board. Mary has also served on the Boards of Center on Halsted LGBTQ+ Community Center, Scouts for Equality, and Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice. Mary holds a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law; Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University; and a Bachelor of Arts with High Honors from Swarthmore College.
mary@penchinapartners.com
(312) 203.4113
Max Gallo
Max (he/him) brings a wealth of advocacy experience on a wide range of issues, including LGBTQ+ rights, criminal justice reform, as well as several years of experience working on Capitol Hill. At Penchina Partners, Max brings his research and analytical skills to his work helping clients plan and execute advocacy campaigns, think through questions of organizational design – always starting with asking the right questions before the right answers. Max has worked with clients to develop strategic plans for national and global clients and has led on implementing a three-year strategic plan for a national organization.
Most recently, Max spent over three years in the Post-Conviction Litigation department at the Innocence Project, where he worked on behalf of wrongfully convicted clients in their fight to prove their innocence in court. Max brought his passion for criminal justice, sentencing, carceral reform, and abolishing capital punishment on behalf of the Innocence Projects and their clients – as well as the broader criminal justice reform movement.
Prior to the Innocence Project, Max worked for Ranking Member Patrick Leahy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, working under the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel on federal nominations and issue-focused research on matters before the committee, including criminal justice reform, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, non-discrimination, and public accommodation. Prior to that Max worked as the International Liaison for the Prague Pride Association in Czechia, coordinating with their international NGO and partner organizations, and honed his passion for movement building working for the LGBTQ Victory Fund in Washington, D.C., tracking and supporting LGBTQ+ candidates running at the federal, state, and local level.
Max, a former Justice Policy Network fellow, lives in New York City. He is an honors graduate of McGill University.
max@penchinapartners.com
(518) 338.5163
Strategic Partners
Heidi Ellis
Heidi Ellis (she/her) began her career in the public sector as a political appointee on the state level in New Jersey then in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), where she was also a member of the White House LGBTQ+ and African American kitchen cabinets. After working diligently to advance the policies and engagement initiatives of the USEPA and White House, she worked in education policy and organizational management at a DC-based policy firm. She is the founder and CEO of HME Consulting & Advocacy, a DC-based company that utilizes deep experience in policy, strategy, and stakeholder engagement to build coalitions and advance policy initiatives that address issues of intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community and racial equity.
Her consulting and advocacy work includes leading the DC LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition; and providing services such as policy support, facilitation, training, initiative development, organizational design/redesign, and youth engagement to nonprofits, governmental agencies, companies, and community-based organizations. She has served on a number of boards, including Strength In Our Voices and DC Forensic Nurse Examiners. She has been recognized for her work with various awards including the Washington Blade Queer Women of DC in 2020 and Most Dedicated Advocate for Best of Gay DC in 2023. Ellis received her B.A. in political science from Temple University, and a post-graduate certificate in executive leadership from Stanford University.
Collaborators
Asila Calhoun, ACC, CIC, PHR, SHRM-CP
Leadership Coach & Principal, Calhoun Coaching & Consulting