Who We Are

Welcome to The First Ask! We are a 527 Political Action Committee (PAC) committed to advancing the representation and influence of progressive women in state legislatures across the nation.

Since 2024 we have spent thousands of hours recruiting, training, and directly supporting over 50 campaigns across the country.

Our Leadership

Caroline Welles

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Caroline Welles is the Executive Director of The First Ask. She was most recently the Director of Surrogates at the DNC, where she additionally served on the political team for the 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022 election cycles. Caroline has experience working with campaigns across the country, including in Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire, California, Ohio, and Washington.

Caroline also proudly served the Biden administration at the Department of the Interior. She considers herself a lifelong organizer, having started her career in politics on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2015. She holds a Masters with Honours in Sociology from the University of Edinburgh. Most proudly, she was a co-founder of her high school Democratic club.

Eleanor Walter

POLITICAL DIRECTOR

Eleanor Walter is the Political Director at The First Ask. She most recently worked in the Texas House of Representatives during the 2023 Texas Legislative Session. In addition to her work in the Legislature, Eleanor has worked to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in Texas and has led multiple political organizations focused on youth voter engagement.

Eleanor is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin holding degrees in Theatre Education and Government and received her Master’s of Public Policy from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. 

Advisory Board

The First Ask Advisory Board is made up of industry leaders, campaign directors, and senior political advisors who lend their time and expertise to the mission of The First Ask.

Liberty (Libby) Schneider

CHIEF OF STAFF,
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Amanda Brown Lierman

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
GOFUNDME.ORG

Anatole Jenkins

SENIOR ADVISOR,
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Anna Brichacek

CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR, TX-32
CO-FOUNDER, THE FIRST ASK

Mansoor Abdul Khadir

ASSISTANT VP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS,
THE NATIONAL INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION

Emily Blumberg

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CAMP MARIMETA FOR GIRLS
FORMER DIRECTOR, THE FIRST ASK