For Immediate Release
Apr 18, 2005

EMILY's List Announces New Executive Director

WASHINGTON, D.C. – EMILY's List, the nation's largest political action committee, today announced that, in mid-May, Ellen Moran will join the staff as executive director. This will be Moran's second stint at EMILY's List; she is returning after eight years of working at the highest echelons of Democratic and progressive politics.

Moran comes to EMILY's List from the AFL-CIO, where she manages the Wal-Mart corporate accountability campaign. Moran also served the AFL as voter contact coordinator, working with union affiliates to devise voter targeting and contact strategies in battleground states.

Moran took a leave of absence from the AFL in the 2004 election cycle to serve as director of independent expenditures for the Democratic National Committee. As the leader of the DNC's non-coordinated campaign efforts, Moran managed the placement of more than $100 million in presidential advertising and directed television, radio, mail, and phoning efforts in 20 states. In 2000, Moran directed the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's $50 million issue advocacy campaign.

Moran's wide range of political experience includes managing campaigns for governor, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House; working on the national campaign staff of Tom Harkin's 1992 presidential campaign; helping to plan both Clinton inaugurals; and conducting international democracy work in Indonesia for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Moran designed EMILY's List's staff training program and served as its first director. Moran also oversaw EMILY's List's first foray into voter mobilization, a joint effort with the California Democratic Party called the California Women's Vote project, in 1994.

"We are thrilled that Ellen is coming back to lead EMILY's List at such a pivotal time in our history," said EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm. "Ellen's political skills, experience, and commitment will help EMILY's List continue to grow."

As executive director of EMILY's List, Moran will oversee a national staff of political, communications, fundraising, and grassroots organizing professionals, and chart the overall strategic direction of the organization.

"I'm so happy to be returning to EMILY's List," said Moran. "It's a real honor to be able to come back to lead one of the most effective and dynamic political networks in the country as we expand our efforts to elect pro-choice Democratic women."

A native of Amherst, Mass., Moran holds degrees in political science and English literature from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass.

EMILY's List provides financial assistance to pro-choice Democratic women candidates, helps them build strong campaigns, and mobilizes women voters through EMILY's List WOMEN VOTE!, to help Democrats up and down the ticket. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY's List has helped elect 61 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 11 to the U.S. Senate, and eight governors. In only ten election cycles, EMILY's List has helped elect hundreds of pro-choice Democratic women to federal and state legislatures and other key offices.