ELIZABETH POWER

Political Strategist | Communications Director | PR Specialist | Creative Storyteller

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ABOUT ME

I am a political strategist currently working as chief of staff at Build American AI, the 501(c)(4) arm of Leading the Future PAC, where I execute our organizational and political operations to promote a pro-AI policy agenda in Congress. Previously, I spent more than five years at Bearstar Strategies in San Francisco, specializing in communications, press relations, and paid media for clients across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. I produced dozens of winning advertising campaigns, served as communications director and spokesperson for candidates at the local, state, and federal levels, and advised companies and high-profile individuals on public relations, government affairs, and crisis communications. Outside of work, you can find me rock climbing in the summer, skiing in the winter, and exploring the incredible restaurants near my home in the Mission.

About Me

RECENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CHIEF OF STAFF, BUILD AMERICAN AI (LEADING THE FUTURE PAC)

February 2026 - Present

Support Executive Director Josh Vlasto in conducting organizational and political operations to further a pro-artificial intelligence policy agenda in Congress
Manage several million dollars in contributions and sponsorships to other nonprofits, think tanks, and advocacy organizations while tracking and reporting outcomes
Draft policy white papers, memos, and op-eds for members of Congress, caucus staff, and partner organizations to shape Democratic messaging on artificial intelligence
Oversee projects including opposition research and targeted messaging campaigns via earned and paid media

SENIOR ASSOCIATE, BEARSTAR STRATEGIES

July 2020 - February 2026

Produced media campaigns with budgets of up to $100M for clients including the San Francisco 49ers, Uber, and over a dozen politicians and ballot measures, resulting in a statewide win rate of over 90%
Served as campaign communications director and spokesperson for the successful campaigns of Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Assemblymember Matt Haney (AD-17), and SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins
Pitched and shaped news stories and op-eds; Fostered and maintained strong relationships with reporters from local, state, and national outlets; Managed inbound press requests; Led interview prep and wrote talking points for principals
Created and implemented crisis communications and public affairs plans for private sector and nonprofit clients
Staffed senior elected officials—including Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Alex Padilla, and Attorney General Rob Bonta—at campaign events, coordinating complex logistics and managing key stakeholder relationships
Directed photo and video shoots across the budget spectrum; Assisted with location scouting, talent hiring, scripting, and post-production workflows; Facilitated client review process and legal approvals before shipping finished products
Managed hiring and onboarding of campaign staff, such as potential campaign managers, finance directors, and communications staff
Collaborated across teams such as legal, compliance, finance, internal legislative and policy staff, digital, and research to manage campaign issues and ensure success

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY INTERN, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

September 2019 - June 2020

Identified and interviewed participants of international DOS programs with compelling success stories, such as female entrepreneurs in India and press freedom activists in the Balkans
Published blog posts profiling notable program alumni to promote programs internally within the DOS and attract future participants

PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERN, LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS

June 2019 - August 2019

Managed a public outreach project on behalf of NASA, Planetary Ventures (Google) and the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act
Conducted a variety of research projects on potential clients, public officials, local organizations, and legislation

CAMPAIGN INTERN, BEARSTAR STRATEGIES

MAY 2018 - AUGUST 2018

Drafted press releases, op-eds, and correspondence on behalf of candidates and their campaigns for outreach initiatives
Compiled daily media mentions of candidates and their opponents to allow for a swift response to negative press
Tracked donations in NGP to maximize donations from individual donors
Gathered data on voter turnout and election results through PDI and organized data in Excel by county and demographic

DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION VENTURES INTERN, USAID

August 2017 - May 2018

Tracked and promoted DIV grantees on Twitter and in the news to publicize their innovations
Managed a database of "evergreen" tweets in Google Sheets for the @GlobalDevLab Twitter account
Wrote marketing materials and blogs for newsletters and USAID publications
Assisted with logistics and execution of USAID's Global Innovation Week, an innovation and development conference