Our Team
Kate Stigberg
Executive Director
(she/her/hers)
Kate serves as Open Answer’s first Executive Director following her tenure at Healthier Colorado. During her time there, Kate wore many hats - she worked on nearly 40 local ballot measure campaigns across the state, collaborated with city council members and partner organizations to improve health in Denver and Aurora, established and led Healthier Colorado’s Advocacy Fellowship program, oversaw the organization’s statewide advocacy efforts, launched an in-house Small Donor Committee fundraising canvass, and founded Healthy Air and Water Colorado, one of Healthier Colorado’s sister organizations.
Prior to Healthier Colorado, Kate worked in the labor movement for 7 years- knocking doors to recruit members to join Colorado WINS (the state employee’s union), as the program manager for the Colorado AFL-CIO, and finally as the Political and Legislative Director for AFT Colorado.
Kate recently moved to North Carolina and is eager to explore her new surroundings with her family. Kate earned her Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Illinois in her hometown of Champaign-Urbana.
Colorado
Sylvie Lerner
Managing Director
(she/her/hers)
Sylvie brings over a decade of experience in organizing, and non-profit management to her role as Managing Director of Open Answer. She previously managed national giving efforts to women candidates through the Electing Women Alliance. Sylvie also has experience developing systems, member communications, and full field programs with The California Donor Table, as well as with United for a New Economy (UNE), as a part of the Center for Popular Democracy’s State Power Project, where she effectively created UNE’s door-to-door outreach program to build their dues paying member base.
Sylvie is thrilled to be able to connect with communities across Colorado to progress mission driven efforts and improve the lives of all Coloradans. She was born and raised in Denver, CO and graduated from American University in 2015, with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Spanish.
When not working, Sylvie enjoys boxing, tennis, and cooking for loved ones.
Trish has been a big believer in the importance of community engagement since her time as a student organizer. Since then, she's taken this passion and worked as an organizer and field manager for New Era Colorado, designing and executing programs to engage young people in our democracy. She also has experience in project and elections management, working for Planned Parenthood Federation of America through the 2024 election on their nine endorsed abortion ballot measures.
When she's not working, she enjoys reading, cooking, and running marathons with no training (ask her about it sometime).
Trish Hyde
Project Director
(she/her/hers)
North Carolina
Tayler serves as Open Answer’s Field and Operations Director. She began her career training and working as a Field Organizer for the North Carolina Coordinated Campaign. Afterwards, she transitioned into working for various nonprofit organizations where she served as a Regional Organizer. During her time as a Regional Organizer she organized and moderated town hall meetings, met with city council members, established several statewide partnerships, regularly hosted community meetings, and led a team of Field Organizers and Canvassers. Tayler’s goal is to serve her community during and post election season by committing herself to roles that challenge the transactional nature of elections. Her passion for grassroots organizing, social justice, and civic engagement lead her to this role at Open Answer.
Tayler moved to Statesville, North Carolina with her family when she was 8 years old. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with B.A. in Political Science as well as in African American and African Diaspora Studies.
In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, playing with her dog (Shadow), reading, and spending time with loved ones.
Tayler Mickens
Field & Operations Director
(she/her/hers)
Maria Jose Taminez-Borda
Operations Manager
(she/her/hers)
Maria Jose was born in Cali, Colombia but grew up in the Washington DC area. During high school she started getting involved in lobbying efforts and politics - finding her passion. During her time at Penn State University she spent time at the Library of Congress and different nonprofits before taking a year away from college to work the 2016 Presidential Election. In 2020, her passion for election work brought her down South where she spent her time in North Carolina and Georgia learning about Southern grassroots and community mobilizing with Mijente. MJ fell in love with the South and decided to permanently move to North Carolina and continue working for grassroots efforts, she has spent the last four years working with various organizations and being a community organizer specializing in voter education for the Latinx community.
In her spare time Maria Jose can be found traveling the world, reading and exploring the Charlotte food scene! MJ also has a passion for working with special needs children and has been a Committee Member and the Social Media Development Chair for the FamilieSCN2A Foundation since 2018 - a cause very near and dear to her heart!
Mobilization Team
Bri Cummings
(she/her/hers)
Bri has been canvassing for about three years. She first began political canvassing in Miami, FL for Florida Rising, a black and brown led organization. Bri is excited to grow and develop working with Healthier Colorado. In Bri's spare time, she enjoys traveling, going to the beach, Bachata, Merengue, and Reggae dancing.
Sabrina Bueno-Martinez
(she/her/hers)
Sabrina was born and raised in Denver and has done political and fundraising canvassing for several years before coming to Open Answer. Passionate about making a change, helping the community, being the best mom to her son and making a beautiful mark on the world. In her free time Sabrina loves spending time with her son and family, trying new popular restaurants, collecting Sanrio merch, hiking and playing video games.