Dr. Michelle Kraus is an experienced Internet executive who has built large companies, created profitable divisions within large companies and founded start-up ventures – as both a management executive and strategic consultant. Her broad and successful career includes clients such as Apple (Claris), Maxis, Compaq Computers, Fisher-Price Toys, Quarterdeck Corporation, The Well and the Silicon Valley Bank. She has also served as a strategist at both EDS and TRW Information Systems Division. As the founder of MagicMaker, Inc. she created the first cutting-edge digital media studio for broadband in 1995.

In the public arena, Dr. Kraus is also a noted political strategist and fundraiser. Her work over the past twenty years provides her with a rare and invaluable insight into the intersections of politics and technology. As CEO and Chairman of Digital Campaigns, Inc., the Company provided information platforms for grassroots operations. Since leaving the Company, Dr. Kraus is currently working on new technology standards for non-partisan voting reform in this country and internationally. Her national consulting practice uses the new media channels of the blogosphere for messaging. She speaks nationally on politics and technology.

Dr. Kraus holds a doctorate from Carnegie-Mellon University, a Masters degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor's degree from Rutgers University (Douglass College). Michelle has published two books that have received critical acclaim, and has written for many industry publications.


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Dave Johnson is a leading participant in the progressive blogging community. He is the lead blogger at Seeing the Forest and a regular contributor at Huffington Post and The Patriot Project. He participated in two YearlyKos panels, Building Progressive Infrastructure and Ethics, Corruption and Movement Politics. In September, 2006 he was invited to meet with Former President Bill Clinton and then to cover the 2006 Clinton Global Initiative conference. Mr. Johnson is also on the Boards of Directors of Media Transparency and The People Choose 2006, is an adviser to The Philanthropy Network and is a member of the Netroots Advisory Council of the Drum Major Institute.

As a Commonweal Institute Fellow, Mr. Johnson researches and writes about the activities of the conservative movement and their influence on American society. He has investigated and reported on the Right's ongoing attacks on public education and teacher unions, university professors and trial attorneys and the tort legal system.

Mr. Johnson has over 20 years of technology industry experience and has previously held positions including CEO, and VP of Sales and Marketing. He specialized in evangelical grassroots "viral" marketing, direct mail, and Internet applications. His earlier career included technical positions in the technology industry, notably in video game design at companies including Atari and Imagic, and he was a pioneer in design and development of productivity and educational applications of personal computers.

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