Kathleen Hale, JD, PhD

Executive Director

Kathleen Hale, JD, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Election Center. She retired as professor emerita of political science from Auburn University, where she directed the graduate program in election administration. Her research examined how intergovernmental relationships improve the capacity of public programs, and she is the author of the award-winning How Information Matters: Networks and Public Policy Innovation (Georgetown University Press 2011). Her research and teaching have been recognized by national academic and professional audiences, and she has appeared in podcasts produced by The Economist, NPR, Canadian Broadcast Company, and the National Leadership Conference, among others. Her most recent book, How We Vote: Innovations in American Elections (Georgetown University Press 2020, with Dr. Mitchell Brown), examines the ways that different conditions foster and constrain innovation in the election administration environment. Along with Dr. Mitchell Brown and Dr. Bridgett King, she has fostered applied research projects published by Palgrave. Dr. Hale serves on the advisory board of the MIT Election and Data Sciences Lab and is a faculty fellow for the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University. She is also the editor of the Elections, Voting, and Technology book series for Palgrave Macmillan Press. Before joining the Auburn faculty, Dr. Hale advised national, state, and local nonprofit organizations on building capacity for program design, training, technical assistance, evaluation, and governance in their relationships with intergovernmental programs at all levels of government. Beginning in 2011, she directed Auburn University faculty in their partnership with the Election Center to professionalize the field including the CERA program, research projects, and publications with and for election administrators and system stakeholders.

Tammy Patrick, CERA

Chief Programs Officer

Tammy Patrick has been working in election administration since 2003–most recently as the Senior Advisor to the Elections Program at Democracy Fund. Focusing on election modernization, Tammy fosters a voter-centric elections system and supports election officials nationwide. In 2013, she was selected by President Obama to serve as a commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, which led to a position at the Bipartisan Policy Center to further the work of the PCEA. Before that, she was the Federal Compliance Officer for the Maricopa County Elections Department for eleven years.

She has testified on election administration policy multiple times in the United States Senate and House of Representatives and numerous state legislatures on behalf of members of both parties. She has been an active member of the Election Center’s Legislative and Postal committees, representing the organization to the United States Postal Service’s Mailers Technical Advisory Committee for over a decade. She promotes the election official perspective in the media by serving on numerous boards of advisors and steering committees.

She received her CERA certification in 2007 from Auburn University and the Election Center and was honored to be inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2022. She has also been an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Policy since 2016.

Quynhnhi Estopinal

Finance and Administrative Services Manager

Quynhnhi has been with Election Center since 2019 as the Financial Services Manager. Prior to joining the organization, she was in public accounting. With over a decade of financial experience, her goal is to use her expertise to help Election Center grow.

Lauren Hill

Chief of Staff

Lauren Hill works for the Election Center as an executive assistant, helping to coordinate various consulting projects, manage the Certified Election and Registration Administrator (CERA) program, and support other executive functions. Before working for the Election Center, Lauren was an Election Center Graduate Fellow at Auburn University with the Institute for Election Administration Research & Practice. She has also interned with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission Subject Matter Expert Team. Lauren holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from Mississippi State University and a master’s in Public Administration, and a graduate certificate in Election Administration from Auburn University.

Karla Hooter, CERA

Director, Training Support Services

Karla Hooter has been with Election Center since 2015. Before joining Election Center, she worked in law enforcement as a juvenile detention manager, where she was twice elected Treasurer for the Arkansas Juvenile Detention Association and trained to become a certified police officer. Before juvenile justice, Karla was an administrator for the State of Louisiana Office of Mental Health. Karla is a graduate of Louisiana State University and obtained CERA in 2023.

Mindy Moretti

Electionline Writer/Editor

Mindy joined the electionline.org team in 2005. Before joining electionline.org, she was a senior writer for County News, the semi-monthly publication of the National Association of Counties. Before that, Mindy was the publications coordinator at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a features writer for the Terre Haute Tribune Star. She began her career as a news aide at The Washington Post. Mindy is a graduate of West Virginia University.

Jessica Rogers

Manager, Membership Services

Jessica Rogers joined the Election Center in 2022. After a successful career with the 5-star accredited Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, she brings her experience as a program director and marketing coordinator to the Election Center team. In 2020, Jessica received her certificate as a Spanish medical interpreter. She graduated from San Ignacio De Loyola University Lima-Peru in 2002 with a degree in Marketing and Communications. Outside work, she enjoys traveling, hiking, exercising, and spending time with her family.

Derek Bowens, CERA

Director of Elections for Durham County, North Carolina

Derek Bowens joined the Durham County Board of Elections in June 2017 as the Director of Elections. Previously, Mr. Bowens was the Director of Elections in New Hanover County, North Carolina, and has served in elections since 2012 in various capacities. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Certificate in Project Management from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He is also a North Carolina Certified Elections Administrator and a nationally certified election administrator through the Election Center. Throughout his career, Mr. Bowens has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), CompTIA, and the National Association of Counties (NaCo) for innovation in election administration. He has participated in or overseen multiple elections, which include three presidential elections.

Mitchell Brown, Ph.D.

Auburn University

Mitchell Brown, Ph.D., is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University and is a founding editor of the Journal of Election Administration Research & Practice. Her work as a researcher, evaluator, trainer, and consultant focuses on applied projects around the country centering on election administration and community-based problem-solving. She is the author of numerous books, research articles, and reports. Recent titles include How We Vote: Innovations in American Elections (with Kathleen Hale, Georgetown University Press) and the Elgar Publishing handbooks Teaching Undergraduate Political Methodology and Teaching Graduate Political Methodology (both with Shane Nordyke and Cameron Thies). From 2015 to 2018, she served as the Auburn University PhD Program Director in Public Administration and Public Policy. She currently co-directs the Election Administration Initiative with Kathleen Hale. She also serves as curricular faculty for the National Association of Election Officials. From 2016-2022, she served as the Science of Teaching & Learning section editor for the Journal of Political Science Education.

Brown is the recipient of the Meredith College 2023 Career Achievement Award, the 2023 Distinguished Service Award from the Political Science Education Section of the American Political Science Association, the 2021 Glenn Howze Academic Freedom Award; 2016 & 2013 SGA Outstanding Faculty Awards for the College of Liberal Arts; the 2009 Distinguished Diversity Researcher Award through the Research Initiative for the Study of Diversity under the Office of the Vice President for Research at Auburn University; an Outstanding Service Award in 1998 from the Center for Mental Health Services (SAMHSA, NIH, DHHS) for her work developing a housing fidelity instrument; among others. Brown holds and has held board and leadership positions at the university, in state government, and in non-profit organizations.

Shauna Dozier, CERA

Director of Elections and Registration

Shauna Dozier, CERA, is the Director of the Clayton County, GA Board of Elections and Registration (March 2016-Present). Previously, Shauna served as Registration Chief in the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, as the Assistant Supervisor of Elections for the Rockdale County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, and as the Voter Education Coordinator in the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State. She served as a Short-Term Elections Observer for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in April 2015 during the Early Presidential Election in Kazakhstan. Ms. Dozier holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from North Carolina Central University.

Susan Gill, CERA

Susan Gill, CERA, was elected to the office of Citrus County Supervisor of Elections in 1996 and retired at the end of 2020. Ms. Gill is a past president of the Florida Supervisor of Elections Association. She has served as the Chair of the Rules and Legislative Committees and as the co-chair of the FSASE Vote Center Task Force. Ms. Gill has served on the State of Florida Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Planning Committee and the Election Assistance Commission workgroup to create Vote by Mail/Absentee Ballot Election Management Guidelines in 2007. She was a Florida State Certified Supervisor of Elections, a Master Florida Certified Election Professional (MFCEP), and is a graduate of the National Election Center’s Certified Election and Registration Administrator (CERA) program.

Tommy Gong, CERA

County Clerk for Lane County, Oregon

Tommy Gong is the County Clerk for Lane County, Oregon. Completing his 22nd year in election administration, Tommy previously served in California counties – Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, and Stanislaus. Tommy is an advisory board member for the Election Official Legal Defense Network, a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Elections, a member of the Election Workforce Advisory Council, a member of Issue One’s Faces of Democracy campaign, and a Board of Director for the California Voter Foundation.

Tommy led the effort to form the Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials for neighboring counties to join forces and collaborate on building public trust in elections in shared media markets. The Coalition earned the prestigious Democracy Award for best practice of 2022 by the Election Center and a “Clearie” award in 2023 for Distinguished Voter Education and Communication Initiatives – Large Jurisdictions by the Elections Assistance Commission.

Earning his B.A. at the University of California at Berkeley and a M.B.A. at the San Francisco State University, Tommy was one of the first graduates of the California Professional Election Administrator Credential (Cal PEAC) in 2005 and completed the national Certified Election Registration Administrator (CERA) program in 2021.

Amongst Tommy’s hobbies is the practicing and teaching of martial arts. His instructor was a student of Bruce Lee, which led to his serving on the board of directors for the Bruce Lee Foundation for many years. His book, Bruce Lee – The Evolution of a Martial Artist was the culmination of a five-year project that chronicles Lee’s development in the martial arts.

Alice Miller, Esq.

Election Administrator

Alice Miller, Esq., served as the Executive Director of the DC Board of Elections (DC BOE) from 1996-2008. In June 2008, Ms. Miller was selected to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Ms. Miller oversaw the day-to-day operations at the EAC in all program areas and served as the EAC’s Acting Executive Director for three years (May 2012-October 2015). In 2015, Ms. Miller returned to the DC BOE and was again appointed as the Executive Director in 2016, responsible for all of the agency’s administrative and fiscal operations. In August of 2021, Ms. Miller stepped down as the Executive Director but remained at the agency where she currently serves as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Executive Director. Ms. Miller has also served as the General Counsel for the DC BOE, responsible for representing the Board in all court proceedings on matters related to election processes. She was the president of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) from 2002-2003. She served on two of the EAC’s external advisory boards, the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC), which assists the EAC in developing the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), and the Standards Board. Before the EAC’s creation, Ms. Miller also served on the Election Administration Advisory Panel for the Federal Election Commission.

Steve Moreno, CERA

Commissioner At Large for Weld County, Colorado

Steve Moreno, CERA, has been an Election Center Board member since 2012. He is a thirty-eight-year Weld County resident who worked for Weld County Government for 37 years. Steve served as Weld County Commissioner for two terms. Before being elected as Commissioner, Steve was sworn in as the 28th Weld County Clerk and Recorder, in which he served three terms from 2003-2014. He also served as Chief Deputy and Deputy Clerk for the Weld County Clerk and Recorder’s office. Before coming to Weld County, Steve served as Deputy Clerk for Otero County, Colorado. Steve also serves on the United Way Board of Directors for Weld County.

Tonya Wichman, CERA

Board of Elections Director for Defiance County, Ohio

Tonya Wichman is an election administration leader with more than a decade of experience strengthening, modernizing, and securing elections in Defiance County. Wichman led major initiatives including the implementation of new voting equipment, the transition to electronic poll books, and significant expansions in cyber and physical security. I’m especially proud of building a high-performing team of election specialists, voting location managers, and poll workers who consistently deliver smooth, trusted elections.

She is certified as an Ohio Registered Elections Official and a Certified Election Registration Administrator (CERA), and holds a Master’s Certificate in High Performance Leadership. Her work includes serving on state and national committees, mentoring other counties, and contributing to innovation through the ASU AI and Democracy Lab and the Election Center board. Wichman is also deeply engaged in advocacy to protect election officials, strengthen legislative outreach, and secure sustainable election funding. Community connections are central to her work. She enjoys partnering with local schools, nursing homes, and organizations to build civic understanding, and she co-founded the Election Ambassadors Scholarship Program to support and inspire future leaders in Defiance County.

Wesley Wilcox, CERA

Supervisor of Elections for Marion County, Florida

Wesley Wilcox, CERA is the Supervisor of Elections for Marion County, Florida. He was first elected on November 6, 2012 and re-elected in 2016 and 2020 without opposition. He was originally hired in 2001 as the Systems Administrator and promoted to Assistant Supervisor, a position he held for seven years, before being elected. He possesses over 33 years of experience in the Elections profession, is a nationally Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA), a Master Florida Certified Elections Professional (MFCEP), and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Highlights during his tenure: Implemented a new Voter Registration system in 2001 and was a member of the technical team for the successful 2006 implementation of the state-wide voter registration system. In 2007, he conducted a full county-wide implementation of Electronic Poll Books, one of the first jurisdictions in the State of Florida. In 2008, he fully built and implemented an Early Voting Ballot on Demand system. In 2017, he assisted with the design, implementation, and launch of Florida’s Online Voter Registration system. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into the Election Center Hall of Fame in 2023.

Wesley is a dedicated member and Past-President of the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE) association representing Florida’s 67 Election Supervisors. He served in all Executive Officer positions and has also served as a Board Member, Instructor, and technical liaison for the Florida Voter Registration System (FVRS) and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).

Wesley currently serves as Chair of the Elections Infrastructure Center for Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). He was selected to serve on the Local Leadership Council of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) as well as the Advisory Board of the Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN).

Tom Wilkey

Former Executive Director

Tom Wilkey is a founding member of the Election Center. He began his career in elections in 1969 at the Erie County ( Buffalo, New York) Board of Elections. He joined the New York State Board of Elections in 1979 serving as the board’s Director of Communications and Voter Education. He served in that position until 1985 when he was appointed to the position of Director of Election Operations responsible for the oversight of New York’s 62 county election offices. In 1992, Mr. Wilkey was appointed Executive Director of the New York Board of Elections and served until 2003. After its creation, Mr. Wilkey was appointed as the first permanent Executive Director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and served until 2012. He served as both a member and participant in numerous national committees involved in developing the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. Mr. Wilkey served as President of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) and is a proud Life Member of the New York State.