Alexandra Russell has 25 years of experience working in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. In the consulting practice she founded in 2010, she serves progressive donors, affinity groups and foundations in the areas of movement building, democracy, voting rights and electoral power.
For the past decade, Alex has worked with private and public foundations to develop their democracy and civic engagement grantmaking portfolio. She’s also advised national women-led affinity groups like Way to Win and the Women Donors Network to combine due diligence and election research to support an impactful and thoughtful giving plan for donors. Alex was also the founding director of a national Working Group for funders on Money in Politics.
Before starting her practice, Alex ran the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, funding initiatives to advance women’s political equity and leadership. She served as program director for a national media reform organization also directed a state wide democracy organization in MA. She began her career in Seattle as a Fellow with the Public Interest Research Groups.
Alex serves on the Advisory Council for Emerge Massachusetts and the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and is also a trustee of the Beveridge Family Foundation. Alex earned her Masters degree in Theological Studies from Boston University.
She lives in Northampton with her spouse, a local public school teacher, and their two middle-school-age daughters. Raising two young girls in this political climate is part of what keeps her busy (and up at night!). Alex also enjoys road biking, snowshoeing and is attempting to love board games