Kathleen Thompson is the Executive Director of Progress Texas, where she leads a team that focuses on message development and media amplification for progressive issues, knowing that making a serious difference starts with shaping the narrative.

Kathleen is a professional communicator who helps candidates, political action committees, and nonprofits get noticed. She was most recently communications director for the Dallas County Democratic Party, which mobilized precinct chairs, activists, and voters to flip three county seats and nearly 90 precincts red to blue, resulting in a Dallas County government that's nearly all Democratic and more reflective of the county. She’s a former Texas Gun Sense advisory board member, Texas Democratic Party State Executive Committee member,  and leader of successful local campaigns for public safety and ethics.

Digital Director Samuel Gonzalez always seeks new ways to engage with Progress Texas’ audience. Using the latest research and trending insights, he ensures that Progress Texas’ message reaches all Texans who want to see change in their state.

At Progress Texas, Samuel manages social media platforms, multiple websites and email programs. He runs digital ad campaigns to amplify our organizing efforts and creates strategies to optimize campaign effectiveness to better reach our progressive audience.

Samuel is originally from Fresno, California and attended UC Santa Barbara, majoring in Film and Media Studies. He has been a professional content creator, podcast producer and graphic designer since 2014, having received a YouTube Silver Play Button and Austin Chronicle Best Of: Local Podcast Award.

Chris Mosser is the voice and content curator of our Progress Texas Daily Dispatch news podcast, updated every weekday morning, and is producer and a regular contributor to our weekly conversation and interview podcast, the Progress Texas Happy Hour. An Austin broadcasting veteran since 1993 and currently part of the Sun Radio airstaff, Chris enjoys wielding his audiovisual talents towards amplifying progressive voices, ideas and policy goals. Chris also regularly produces live events for a variety of Democratic organizations and clubs including West Austin Democrats (for whom he's a board member), Blue Action Democrats, Liberal Austin Democrats, and more.

Chris is a native Texan, originally from Lubbock, is a graduate of Texas State University with a degree in History, and lives with his family in the Bryker Woods neighborhood of Central Austin.

Advocacy Manager Reagan Stone leads content development and strategic communications in our three major issue areas: climate justice, abortion access, and voting rights. From election cycles to legislative sessions, Reagan helps our team communicate this work via digital and traditional media in addition to guiding coalition efforts that effectively shape favorable public opinion and policy change.

Reagan's passion in climate justice grew from his childhood in south Texas where he witnessed water wells on area ranches running dry as the Eagle Ford, oil and gas fracking infrastructure moved in. While working at the Texas State Capitol as a Legislative Assistant during his undergraduate studies at UT Austin, he took part in the first discussions between House leaders and the Sierra Club contributing to scrubbers being added to Houston-area refineries. Based in west Texas, Reagan plans to amplify atrocities from the nearby Permian Basin oil and gas fields, highlighting flaring, environmental degradation, climate-change impacts, and worker and community safety concerns.

Reagan and his partner split their time between the Texas Rockies in the Big Bend region and Austin. They both work to find ways to inspire and build community.

Stevie Howat manages the business operations and administrative tasks for Progress Texas. She makes sure that all of our i’s are dotted and our t’s are crossed. A jack-of-all-trades, her professional background includes stints in political communications, web development, business management, and hospitality.

Stevie grew up in Plano, Texas, and studied political science at Texas Tech University. She lives in Dallas with her husband, daughter, and a very stubborn Dachshund.

Tatum Owens is an Advocacy Associate for Progress Texas. In this role, she assists the Executive Director with projects and produces both rapid response communications and digital grassroots engagement through research and content creation.

Tatum is a 2023 Political Communications graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, known for her work with the Texas Freedom Network’s nonprofit program, Texas Rising, as a community organizer and leader of their UT Austin chapter. She also served on the City of Austin’s College Student Commission as its Vice Chair. There, her team allocated $50,000 of funding for college student food access, while she also volunteered with Meals on Wheels in her free time. Her passions in advocacy include, but are not limited to, direct aid like affordable and healthy food access, voting rights, and civic engagement to create progressive change in Texas.

Haley is a sophomore at Texas State University with a deep passion for progressive advocacy. Her commitment to creating positive change has led her to be actively involved with various nonprofit organizations and state-wide campaigns. With strong roots in her community, Haley leverages her experience in volunteer recruitment and training to advocate for both local initiatives as well as amplify voices on broader issues.

In her position as a Digital Associate, she actively participates in the creation of social media content, which includes drafting posts and curating photos and videos. Additionally, she plays a vital role in maintaining web platforms, monitoring social media analytics and contributing to digital grassroots engagement during breaking news events at Progress Texas.

Joe Deshotel is originally from Beaumont, Texas, but a combination of live music, politics and natural beauty brought him to Austin in 2010. After realizing Austin faced its own growing pains, he developed a passion for improving urban transportation and creating a more equitable community and addressing the city’s affordability crisis.

Joe has had the honor of introducing President Barack Obama on stage, receiving awards for his political commentary and has been quoted in dozens of local and national publications and featured on multiple SXSW and other panels. He is a relationship builder, a lover of animals and the outdoors, and always looking for his next great challenge.

He has over a decade of experience in public policy that covers federal, state and local government and has worked for a number of successful election campaigns and tech startups.

Jackie Rogers is a recent graduate from Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Sociology, and a minor in studio arts. During her time at college, she used her platform and position as Director of Civic Engagement to inform potential voters on issues concerning the greater Baltimore area such as infrastructure, voting rights, and sustainability. Her three biggest passions are politics, advocacy, and biology.