
Svante Myrick
President and CEO
As one of the most dynamic young, progressive Black leaders today, Myrick is spearheading the transformation of People For as it grows and adapts to today’s challenges.
Under his leadership, People For has invested in new programs and campaigns that reflect a commitment to building the strongest multigenerational, multiracial, multicultural identity in the organization’s history. These include a new Artists for Democracy program as well as the nonpartisan Grandparents for Truth and Defend the Black Vote campaigns maintained by the People For the American Way Foundation.
Leadership
Marge Baker

Marge Baker is Executive Vice President at People For the American Way, where she oversees the organization’s government affairs and advocacy portfolio. She serves as spokesperson and chief strategist for People For’s ongoing work to confirm fair-minded judges to the federal judiciary and has led the organization’s voting rights advocacy campaigns, including the ongoing fight to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, as well as our efforts to reduce the undue influence of money in politics through a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
In her work at People For she brings a deep understanding of the issues, strong legislative know how, and the ability to build diverse progressive coalitions to win meaningful victories on key progressive issues. Baker’s expertise and insight is frequently drawn upon by TV, radio, and print outlets such as MSNBC, Fox News, New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and Politico.
She has served for more than 45 years in various public service roles. Prior to her current position, she was the staff director for the late Senator Paul Wellstone on the Senate’s Employment, Safety and Training Subcommittee. She also clerked for the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, served as Chief Counsel to Senator Howard Metzenbaum on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and directed the Consumer Services Division of the New York Department of Public Service.
Baker is a graduate of Yale Law School.
- Fair and Just Courts
- Money in Politics
- Voting Rights
Articles with Marge Baker
Pagination
Raquel Jones

Raquel Jones is the Vice President of Campaigns and Programs at People For the American Way, where she leads a portfolio that includes political strategy, candidate endorsement, leadership development, religious affairs, artist engagement, national field organizing, and advocacy. She manages a talented team of advocates who design and run nearly all of the organization’s signature campaigns. One recent example is the launch of Grandparents for Truth, a movement to support inclusive books and school curricula that give students the freedom to learn our nation’s full history.
Jones has been essential to the growth of the Young Elected Official’s Network, where she has committed to supporting the newest generation of progressive trailblazers and works to foster their leadership and professional growth. Under her leadership, People For has organized national conferences and training and networking sessions for young officials from across the country. She has overseen the successful planning and execution of the Front Line Leaders Academy, a youth values-based training program, and she has created space for women legislators to convene and organize through the expansion of the network’s Women’s Caucus Fellowship.
Through her commitment to public service, Jones is working to create a new political system of truly representative government that will amplify the voices of youth and marginalized communities; and she is spearheading programs to bring both a racial and gender equity lens to progressive policy making.
- Young Elected Officials
- Women’s Leadership
- Coalition Building
Articles with Raquel Jones
Roger Vann

During his 35-year career, Roger Vann has held a variety of leadership and senior management positions in the areas of civic participation, racial justice, and corporate governance.
Vann is currently Chief Advancement Officer at People for the American Way. He recently served as Vice President of Youth Prevention and Corporate Responsibility at Juul Labs where he directed the company’s global retail access control, ESG and corporate giving initiatives. He previously served as Executive Director of State Voices where he raised more than $40 million to support large-scale civic engagement programs and issue advocacy campaigns in 20 states. Under his leadership, the organization became the largest provider of nonpartisan civic engagement quality control training and technology nationwide.
As Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), he planned and directed a campaign that secured over 430,000 verified voter registrations and contacted over 1.5 million voters during the 2012 presidential election. He also oversaw the organization’s centennial strategic planning process as well as its first comprehensive security threat assessment.
Vann is a proud native of Connecticut, where he led state affiliates of both the NAACP and ACLU and worked for more than 10 years as a radio talk show host and news director.
Vann is an avid collector of African American books and memorabilia. He is a four-year survivor of stage 4 prostate cancer. He and his wife Rae live in northern Virginia. They have three children, one of whom is incarcerated.
- Civic Engagement
- Voting Rights
- Black Voters
Na Eng

Na Eng is a savvy social impact executive and Emmy Award-winning storyteller who champions powerful narratives to move ideas and change norms in order to accelerate progress for greater social impact.
As Chief Communications Officer for People For the American Way, she oversees teams with a portfolio that includes research, creative content production, earned media, and digital organizing. The storied progressive advocacy organization has successfully mobilized Black male turnout from peer-to-peer texting, socialized public safety alternatives to policing, and countered extremist narratives about what it means to truly be an American.
Previously, Eng directed all foundation-wide external affairs for the McKnight Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation advanced its thought leadership and punched above its weight to influence national conversations about climate change, impact investing, and affordable housing. On diversity, equity, and inclusion, she led board-staff work groups to refine its strategic framework and cast a vision that ended up dramatically transforming the Foundation's policies and practices.
Eng refined her instinct for storytelling over two decades as a journalist in New York City. Producing for PBS and CNBC, she traveled the globe to translate complex economic trends and social issues into understandable human narratives. Her pieces reached millions of viewers and earned more than a dozen prestigious national honors, including an Emmy Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary.
Eng serves on the board of the national NAACP Foundation as well as the board of the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library.
She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Columbia University in an accelerated dual-degree program.
Diane Laviolette

Diane Laviolette is the Chief Operations Officer, Secretary and General Counsel at People For the American Way. She oversees legal, governance and compliance matters, as well as the daily operations and management of People For. Prior to her time at People For she served as in-house counsel at a D.C. public affairs firm and in the insurance industry. She is a graduate of George Washington University and Syracuse University College of Law.