Our
Team
Brian Clancy
Brian is Founder and CEO of Big Tent Nation. Among other career adventures he led the team that launched Fidelity.com and was responsible for systems planning and analysis at the world’s largest investment management organization. He also has a strong social entrepreneurship track record that includes co-founding the Center for Financial Inclusion. The Center has become a global thought leader in microfinance and has partners and funders that include the Gates Foundation, McKinsey, Harvard Business School and the World Bank. He also has experience in the rough and tumble world of city and state politics through his tenure as President of the Boston Public Library Foundation.
Morris Effron
Mo is a relatively recent arrival to the field of civic renewal, stepping back from a long career in the private sector to focus his considerable energies and skills on healing our democracy. Mo brings a deep background in software and digital marketing to the field. With the leading technology publishers Ziff-Davis and International Data Group he’s started disk magazines and run Information Technology groups. The advent of the internet redirected Mo from tech infrastructure to the front lines of the business, reimagining and recreating the ways media companies serve their readers and advertisers. “It’s been a thrill to have been at the center of the two great technological revolutions of our lifetime: the PC and the internet.”
Now Mo is tackling an even bigger challenge: how to bring more Americans together to sustain healthy, productive self-governance. One pivot point, per the mission of Bridge Alliance, is to dramatically enhance the bridge between ordinary citizens and the organizations doing this work. That’s the reason for Citizen Connect, and that’s the reason Mo has made its success his mission. It may seem like a long way from the BA in Philosophy he got at Yale University, but actually, it’s just turning political theory into practice.
David Nevins
As one of the initial driving forces behind the Bridge Alliance and as chairman of the board, David Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action.
He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.”
He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. He continues as President of Nevins Real Estate Management.
Kristina Becvar
Kristina Becvar’s professional journey has been nothing short of transformative. From a background in legal operational and change management, she followed her curiosity to explore the world of data analytics and research methods, opening up new career paths for herself. After dedicating years to optimizing legal service management and delivery, Kristina felt a strong desire to explore the potential of data analytics and research methods and explore new career paths.
Returning to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she had previously earned her B.A. in Business Studies, Kristina pursued and successfully earned an M.S. in Data Analytics and Computation for Social Sciences. This two-year endeavor solidified her expertise in data analytics and research methods, preparing her for the challenges ahead.
Beyond her professional interests, Kristina is deeply engaged in nonviolence advocacy, particularly for those affected by war and conflict in conflict zones and international security. Her experiences as the spouse of a disabled combat veteran have contributed to her desire to bring about positive change in this field. During her M.S. pursuit, Kristina delved deep into her passions while serving as a project manager at the Human Security Lab, supervising research on topics like nuclear taboos, Ukrainian conscription law, and post-U.S. withdrawal civilian voices in Afghanistan.
Kristina remains eager to continue honing her skills and actively seeks opportunities to collaborate on future research endeavors. Her interests are diverse, spanning areas such as human security, combat veteran narratives, environmental justice, and conflict resolution on both domestic and international fronts.
Willow Paul
Meet Willow Paul, a dedicated advocate for fostering nonpartisan political dialogue and encouraging active political engagement. With a strong background in public deliberation and participatory democracy, she brings a wealth of expertise to uplift the healthy self-governance movement and spread awareness to the public.
Willow spent most of her academic journey at Colorado State University, where she earned her B.A. in Communication Studies, specializing in Political Communication, and later achieved her M.A. in Communication Studies, focusing on Deliberative Practice. Her thesis work delved into affective polarization, depolarization, and cross-party dialogue, cementing for her the importance of remaining politically nonpartisan in her endeavors.
Her previous work involved collaborating with non-governmental organizations, local government, and fellow practitioners to design, lead, and facilitate nonpartisan dialogic events both in her community and online. These experiences have deepened her dedication to fostering respectful, curious, and collaborative cross-party dialogue.
Willow Paul is on a mission to promote the Bridge Alliance’s efforts to transcend political divides and create a more engaged and united America.