People Profiles

Learn how specific individuals are influencing public policy. Each profile below is carefully curated by an InfluenceWatch contributor, and includes funding data where appropriate.

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View Jodie Evans

Jodie Evans

Activist, Board Member or Executive, Criminal Justice Policy, Drug Policy, Environmental Policy, Foreign Policy, Healthcare Policy
Jodie Evans is the co-founder of the controversial far-left anti-war organization CODEPINK, a political activist, and an author. She has defended anti-U.S. insurgents during the…
View Ken Griffin

Ken Griffin

Board Member or Executive, Donor, Criminal Justice Policy
Ken Griffin is the billionaire founder of Citadel and a right-of-center political donor. In the 2022 election cycle, Griffin donated $60 million to political candidates…
View Monica Cannon-Grant

Monica Cannon-Grant

Activist, Criminal Justice Policy
Monica Cannon-Grant is a Boston-based activist who has organized left-of-center community anti-violence campaigns and other initiatives since 2013. She is a co-founder of Violence in…
View Susan A. Buffett

Susan A. Buffett

Board Member or Executive, Abortion Policy, Criminal Justice Policy, Economic Policy, Education Policy, Healthcare Policy
Susan A. Buffett, known as "Susie," is the eldest daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and a major force in left-of-center philanthropy. As chair of…
View Quinn Delaney

Quinn Delaney

Donor, Abortion Policy, Criminal Justice Policy, Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism)
Quinn Delaney is a philanthropist, fundraiser, and major donor to left-of-center causes and Democratic politicians. In 2000, Delaney and her husband, real estate mogul Wayne…
View Kathleen McGrath

Kathleen McGrath

Board Member or Executive, Donor, Abortion Policy, Criminal Justice Policy, Elections Policy, Firearms Policy, Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism)
Kathleen “Katie” McGrath is the spouse of Hollywood producer J.J. Abrams and director of the Kathleen McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation, the couple’s left-of-center…
View Alex Friedmann

Alex Friedmann

Activist, Journalist, Criminal Justice Policy
Alex Friedmann is a left-of-center prison advocate who worked for the 2016 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). He is a former staff…
View Howard G. Buffett

Howard G. Buffett

Board Member or Executive, Criminal Justice Policy, Economic Policy, Environmental Policy, Foreign Policy, Healthcare Policy
Howard Graham Buffett is the second child and eldest son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett as well as chairman of the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate as…
View John Morgan

John Morgan

Activist, Lawyer, Criminal Justice Policy, Labor Policy
John Morgan is a Florida-based trial lawyer and a partner and founder of one of the nation’s largest law firms, Morgan and Morgan.
View Van Jones

Van Jones

Activist, Criminal Justice Policy, Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism)
Van Jones is a CNN commentator, left-of-center political activist, and former Obama administration official. Jones previously described himself as a communist and as a critical…
View John D. Arnold

John D. Arnold

Donor, Criminal Justice Policy, Economic Policy, Education Policy, Energy Policy, Healthcare Policy
John D. Arnold is an American philanthropist and businessman. Arnold and his wife, Laura Munoz, together run the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, a major private…
View Leonard Leo

Leonard Leo

Board Member or Executive, Lawyer, Criminal Justice Policy
Leonard A. Leo is the co-chairman of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. Leo is perhaps most notable for playing a role…
View Peter Buffett

Peter Buffett

Board Member or Executive, Criminal Justice Policy, Economic Policy
Peter Buffett is a musician and the youngest son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Peter is deeply involved in the Buffett family's left-of-center advocacy philanthropy,…
View Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel

Politician, Criminal Justice Policy, Firearms Policy, Immigration Policy
Rahm Emanuel is an American politician who served as the 55th mayor of Chicago from 2011 through 2019. Emanuel has served in several senior positions…
View Anne Irwin

Anne Irwin

Board Member or Executive, Donor, Criminal Justice Policy
Anne Irwin is the founder and director of Smart Justice California, a left-of-center criminal justice policy advocacy group. She is also the vice president of…
View Chris Larsen

Chris Larsen

Board Member or Executive, Donor, Criminal Justice Policy
Chris Larsen is a philanthropist and billionaire who has founded multiple companies including Ripple Labs, which provides an electronic payments protocol. Ripple Labs has been…
View Wayne Jordan

Wayne Jordan

Donor, Criminal Justice Policy, Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism)
Wayne Jordan is the founder and president of Jordan Real Estate Investments and a major donor to Democratic political and left-of-center advocacy causes. Along with…
View Michael Madnick

Michael Madnick

Board Member or Executive, Criminal Justice Policy, Environmental Policy
Michael Madnick is the chief executive officer of Mountain Philanthropies, a private funding collective that supports left-leaning programs and organizations working on environmental, criminal justice,…
View Darren Walker

Darren Walker

Board Member or Executive, Criminal Justice Policy, Economic Policy, Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism), Multi-Issue Advocacy
Darren Walker is the former president of the Ford Foundation, one of the largest left-leaning grantmaking foundations in the United States. [note] Gose, Ben, “Ford…
View David Menschel

David Menschel

Activist, Lawyer, Criminal Justice Policy
David Menschel is a left-of-center defense lawyer and president of the Vital Projects Fund, which advocates for liberalizing criminal justice policies including by abolishing the…

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