EMILY’s List Taps New Leadership Ahead of 2026 Midterms

EMILY’s List, the influential Democratic-aligned political action committee, has a new top brass. 

Michelle White, who previously served as the PAC’s chief of staff, will serve as executive director, while its former interim Vice President of Development Nick Schumaker will take on the chief of staff role, according to an announcement shared first with Campaigns & Elections.

Those promotions are part of a larger series of hires and promotions at EMILY’s List. Amanda Sherman, who previously worked on Texas Democrat M.J. Hegar’s 2020 Senate campaign, has been named chief communications officer, and Tiernan Donohue, who most recently managed Sen. Bob Casey’s, D-Pa., 2024 reelection bid, has been tapped as the PAC’s chief campaigns officer.

Ben Ray, the group’s former intern vice president of federal and gubernatorial campaigns, has been named deputy chief campaigns officer of federal and gubernatorial campaigns, and Emily Parés, the interim vice president of state and local campaigns, will be deputy chief campaigns officer of state and local campaigns. 

Christen Sparago, the group’s digital fundraising director, will be chief digital officer. Sparago oversaw the launch earlier this year of “Friends of the List,” the PAC’s new fundraising program that allows grassroots donors to sign up to give recurring monthly donations in exchange for fewer fundraising solicitations and exclusive content.

“This team is full of impressive individuals who bring immense experience and expertise to our work,” EMILY’s List President Jessica Mackler said in a statement. “Democratic women are at the center of the most important fights in front of us – most critically the fight to take back power and secure our country’s future.”