Meet the Board

Elizabeth serves as the Deputy Director of Majority Rising NC. Prior to joining MRNC, Elizabeth worked on early childhood policy in North Carolina for four years. In her previous role at NC Child, she managed a robust statewide advocacy coalition and led successful issue advocacy campaigns for key child care policy solutions. She also has a background in nonprofit communications and fundraising. A Raleigh native, Elizabeth is a Tar Heel born, bred, educated, and dead. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and International Studies, a Master of Social Work, and a Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health, all from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When she is not working, you can find her camping and hiking around the state with her partner Mike.

Margaret Highsmith Dickson is a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly. In 2010, she was in her fourth two-year term representing the state’s 44th House district, including constituents in Cumberland and Harnett counties, when she was selected by local Democrats to replace state Senator Tony Rand, who had resigned. She is a retired broadcaster from Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Dickson has served as the chair of the House Commerce, Small Business, and Entrepreneurship committee and University Board of Governors Nominating committee and as the vice-chair of the committee on Insurance. Dickson was also a member of House Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Education, Education Subcommittee on Universities, and Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs.

Page Gardner is the founder and president of the Women’s Voices Women Vote Action Fund (WVWVAF) and its sister group, the Voter Participation Center (VPC). Together, VPC and WVWVAF have developed new ways to enfranchise and empower the historically under-represented groups that now comprise the Rising American Electorate (RAE), including unmarried women, African Americans, Hispanics and other people of color, and millennials. Under Gardner’s leadership, the VPC and WVWVAF have emerged as leaders in metrics-based voter registration, turnout, and advocacy. Since its founding, VPC has helped more than 2.5 million Americans register to vote.

Reggie Love is a Senior Advisor at Apollo Global Management. Reggie’s responsibilities include supporting and developing strategy for human capital, public engagement and DE&I initiatives. Reggie served at the White House as personal aide to President Barack Obama from 2009-2011, where he was responsible for assisting with the coordination and completion of the President’s daily schedule as well as coordinating with other White House offices to set up long and medium range planning. Love moved to the District of Columbia in 2006 to work for then Senator Obama after short stints in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

Love is a graduate of Duke University, holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, Power Forward, My Presidential Education.

Mack Paul is a real estate attorney who focuses on zoning, land use, environmental permitting, public financing, and public policy. In addition, Mack is active with green building and smart growth initiatives. As a founding member of Triangle Growth Strategies and the Triangle Smart Growth Coalition, he works to bring together environmentalists and home builders on common growth principles. He has also been instrumental in helping develop guiding principles for the region’s future growth, including transportation plans.

Outside of the office, Mack has a passion for politics. He has participated in numerous political campaigns and political activities at the local and state level, including serving as chairman of the Wake County Democratic Party. His strengths: fundraising, coalition building, and advising on transportation and urban issues.

Ian serves as the Executive Director of Majority Rising NC. Prior to his current role, Ian worked as a fundraising professional for political candidates and organizations. In 2020, he oversaw and executed a historic fundraising effort by the North Carolina Democratic Party, raising more than $46 million. He began his career working for Senator Jay Chaudhuri and went on to serve as campaign manager for now-Senator Natasha Marcus in 2018. Ian holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

Shawna Williams is Senior Manager of Government Relations at Reynolds American. As a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in community relations, public and media relations, business communications, business development and events management. Shawna most recently served as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus where she managed all caucus operations as well as led planning of caucus activities. She chaired the staff committee for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.

She also served in a number of roles regarding public relations and political campaign management including as Vice President of Administration and Public Relations for Community Resource Solutions and State Deputy Director for a presidential primary. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an Associate of Arts in Journalism from Louisburg College. She also serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.