John Seager is President and CEO of Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth), the nation’s largest grassroots population organization.

John was appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by the Clinton Administration and also served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Peter H. Kostmayer (D-PA), a senior member of the House Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.

A veteran of more than 50 political campaigns, John has authored hundreds of op-eds and articles on various aspects of population growth including links to aging, poverty, and social change. He has been a guest lecturer at more than 80 colleges and universities and has spoken to numerous environmental, religious, and community groups all across the U.S. on the environmental and human costs of rapid population growth.

Lee liaises with the Board of Directors, organizes events, and oversees the Global Partner Program. Prior to joining Population Connection, Lee had an eclectic range of jobs including scheduler for a (losing) Massachusetts congressional campaign; Carter Center researcher; co-editor, The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Volume IV; and U.S. Treasury historian.

Lee has a B.A. from Brandeis University, an MPIA from University of Pittsburgh, and an MA and Ph.D. in American History from Emory University, where she was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow. Hailing from Beverly, Massachusetts, Lee lives on the Capitol Hill/H St. Corridor in DC with the Siamese Flame Point brothers, Grant Mitchell and Charlie Slater.

Brian Dixon is the Sr. Vice President for Media and Government Relations at Population Connection Action. He oversees the organization’s advocacy and political work including the #Fight4HER campaign. He also serves as a public spokesperson for the organization with the press and public. Prior to joining Population Connection, he worked on several congressional campaigns and served as a Legislative Aide on Capitol Hill for a progressive Democratic member of the House.

Maria was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala 1971. She migrated to the U.S. in April 1984 and joined Population Connection in January 1997. As the V.P. for Administration/CFO, Maria oversees Population Connection’s Human Resources, accounting, and IT services. She graduated from TESST College of Technology in 2001 where she studied Network Information Technology.

A Certified Fundraising Executive, Shauna oversees all fundraising initiatives to support Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund. She’s been with Population Connection since 2009. She loves the outdoors and regularly travels the U.S. with her family and dogs, visiting roadside attractions as well as National Parks and historic sites. She resides in San Diego County.

Marian joined Population Connection as a Field Fellow in 2007, also becoming a staff member of Population Connection Action Fund when it was founded in 2013. She has an MSc in Population and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in Psychology (with a minor in Child Development and Family Relations) from the University of Maine.

She is originally from Maine, where she currently lives with her husband and their dog, Penny, a feisty little chihuahua-Yorkie mix. Her two late beagles are never far from her thoughts—they were terribly behaved, but she misses them dearly!

Marian has been a clinic escort since 2007, first at an independent clinic in Falls Church, Virginia, and, since 2012, at Planned Parenthood in Portland, Maine. She also served on the Board of Directors of SAFE, Maine’s abortion fund, for five years, most of that time in executive roles.

Marian’s hobbies include attending concerts and music festivals, hiking with her dog, reading fiction, and volunteering for her local wildlife rehab.

Nicole leads the direct marketing fundraising programs at Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund. Prior to starting at Population Connection in 2014, Nicole worked in the for-profit marketing sector. She feels fortunate that she can create positive change in our world through inspired marketing campaigns. Nicole holds an MBA from San Diego State University.

Rebecca Harrington is the Senior Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund, where she manages the grassroots field program, including the #Fight4HER (Health, Empowerment, and Rights) campaign. In her role, she works to develop campaigns and messages that seek to defend reproductive freedom for everyone, everywhere. She has spent over a decade working in progressive organizing around reproductive health and rights. She lives with her family in Washington, D.C.

Lauren Salmiery joined Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund in 2015 as an Advocacy Fellow and spent six years mobilizing our #Fight4HER (Health, Empowerment, and Rights). After working as a communications advisor for the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Global Health Bureau, Lauren has returned to lead the #Fight4HER as the National Field Director. In this capacity, she strategizes and implements our grassroots efforts to expand access to safe, affordable, and comprehensive reproductive health care worldwide. She is passionate about global health, reproductive freedom, and environmental justice. Lauren lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and three cats.

Brittany Ford is the Advocacy Communications Specialist at Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund, where she leads the Action Fund’s communications strategy, oversees website development, and manages content creation. She also serves as the organization’s primary media contact, cultivating and maintaining relationships with media outlets at the local, state, and federal levels.

With over 15 years of experience spanning local and state government operations, marketing, advertising, and political communications, Brittany brings a wealth of knowledge and versatility to her role. She combines her political management expertise with a customer experience certification to craft messaging that resonates, mobilizes communities, and drives measurable impact.

Brittany holds a Master of Professional Studies in Political Management from George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science from Guilford College, with a concentration in Public Policy & Administration. A proud Richmond, Virginia native, Brittany began her journey in public service as an intern for then-Delegate Jennifer McClellan (VA-4), solidifying her passion for advocacy and community engagement.

She is a dedicated community advocate with a lifelong commitment to strategic, values-driven communication.

Outside of work, Brittany enjoys all things Disney, is a devoted Harry Potter fan, and spends time as an amateur home chef. A flutist for over 25 years, she continues to find peace, solace, and joy in music. She currently resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Isabel got her start in political activism and grassroots organizing in 2015 as a college student at UC Berkeley. After graduating in 2019, she began working on electoral campaigns across Southern California.

Prior to joining Population Connection, she worked at the DCCC as the West Regional Organizing Director, managing organizing programs and staff in competitive congressional districts across WA, OR, and CA. The region successfully flipped four Republican seats in 2024, including the two closest House races nationally. Isabel is deeply committed to reproductive justice and developing strong organizers.

In her free time, Isabel is a major Swiftie and can be found reading, baking, and trying new hobbies.

Hannah is interested in working with students, professors, and activists to promote positive social and environmental change. Hannah works with college-level students and professors to integrate population studies back into the mainstream, with a particular focus on human rights and social justice. She develops and gives comprehensive, solution-oriented presentations focused on the connections between global population growth, access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, and environmental sustainability. Through an examination of some of the root causes of population growth, her work seeks to highlight the interconnections between poverty, marginalization, women’s rights, and environmental pressures made worse by climate change.

Before joining Population Connection’s staff, Hannah worked as an adjunct professor of Women’s Studies and taught classes on gender, science, and feminist theory. She has nonprofit experience working as a program developer for sustainable agriculture and public health programs in Honduras and Panama, and has worked as a researcher on food security issues throughout southern California. Hannah holds a BA in environmental policy and political science and a Master’s in political ecology from San Diego State University, where her research focused on sustainability labeling and ethical consumption.

Olivia joined Population Connection in 2022. She has been working in the population field since 2018 and loves that it combines her two greatest passions: conservation and women’s rights.

Olivia holds an MSc and a BSc in Zoology and has been working in environmental communications since she graduated in 2014, including for Population Matters, Friends of the Earth Scotland, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

She enjoys the diversity of strategic communications across multiple platforms and distilling complex information for a variety of audiences.

In her free time, Olivia likes to immerse herself in nature, spend time with animals, dance, and practice yoga.

Florence is a multifaceted activist, focusing on population issues, girls’ rights, and environmental protection. She previously worked with Population Matters, a UK-based charity advocating internationally for a sustainable human population through ethical, choice-based methods. This work aims to protect the environment and improve quality of life globally. Florence also worked with Global Footprint Network, where she communicated critical messages about Earth Overshoot Day and ecological sustainability through newsletters and social media, amplifying awareness of humanity’s impact on planetary resources. Her advocacy has reached global platforms, including speaking at the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD). Florence has co-authored and presented powerful statements in partnership with other organizations, highlighting the need for action on population, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and environmental issues.

An award-winning journalist, Florence began her career in 2010 with media outlets in Kenya and Uganda. Since then, she has tirelessly campaigned and communicated about the interconnectedness of population, health, and the environment. She holds a Master of Science in Population and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is particularly passionate about communicating issues related to SRHR, the climate crisis, and broader environmental concerns. Her love for digital media and her alignment with Population Connection’s mission make her feel she’s found her ideal role.

In her free time, Florence enjoys balancing a well-rounded life. She divides her time between house chores, attending yoga classes, spending quality moments with her family, and socializing with friends. A self-declared coffee enthusiast, she still wonders how her tea addiction disappeared!

Florence is also passionately building FlowReady, a menstrual education campaign dedicated to preparing girls in rural communities for their menstrual cycles. The initiative seeks to break deeply entrenched cultural beliefs that equate menstruation with readiness for marriage and childbearing.

Carrie has been with the Membership Department at Population Connection since 2017. Carrie loves to travel, take road trips, and go to concerts, movies, and other events in her free time. She also enjoys reading and spending time outdoors, hiking or camping. She is originally from Connecticut and enjoys visiting her family there.

Ever since Stephanie realized how much humans were impacting the environmental wellbeing of our planet, she knew she wanted to spend her time protecting it for future generations. She made the connection over time, noticing how technological innovation, mass production, and depletion of resources skyrocketed to match rapid population growth over the past century. Population Connection’s human rights approach to this issue resonated with Stephanie as she eagerly joined the Membership Relations Team earlier this year. She looks forward to helping facilitate meaningful experiences for members as they make the connection themselves and with others in their communities.

Jennifer Lynaugh, with Population Connection Action Fund since 2015, proudly serves as Director of Development. Jenn is committed to the organization’s mission and enjoys working with generous individuals like YOU who help to make Population Connection’s programs possible. In her spare time, Jenn enjoys hiking, gardening, live music and dancing, reading, and some “R&R” on the beach. A former New Yorker, Jenn lives in San Diego with her husband, Tim, and their three “kids” who all have paws: Border Collie mix, Scarlet; Silver Bengal cat, Pearl; and big boy Maine Coon cat, Moses. Reach Jenn any time at (202) 974-7710.

Kimberly is a graduate of Howard University, where she played on the women’s volleyball team. She recently completed the Juris Master program at Florida State University. She has been working in nonprofit and development roles for 10 years, including at Black Women’s Health Imperative, The Arc of Southwest Georgia, and The Independence Fund.

Malissa is a graduate of St. Francis University in Pennsylvania. She also holds a Master’s degree in Pacific International Affairs from the University of California, San Diego. Malissa volunteered with the Peace Corps in El Salvador before beginning her career in nonprofit development. She has worked at American Forests, Women for Conservation, and the Rainforest Trust.

Sarah has been with Population Connection since late 2017 and was drawn to the human rights-based, cross-sectional approach to solving overpopulation and its ramifications. As the Development Manager, she leads estate administration and prospect research, as well as assisting with various fundraising initiatives. Living in sunny southern California, Sarah enjoys spending time in nature, volunteering with youth, sharing good food with friends, and exploring the world.

Sydnie is the Special Gifts Officer at Population Connection, where she supports fundraising initiatives, leads donor stewardship projects, and connects with supporters. She utilizes her skills and compassion to advocate for women’s rights globally. She hopes to inspire others to realize the societal benefits of gender equality and the full empowerment of women and girls. Outside of work, she enjoys volunteering, crafting, exploring new places, and spending time with her dachshund, Toast. She holds a B.A. in Sociology—Law and Society from the University of California, San Diego, and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Deborah oversees all aspects of the employment lifecycle. She has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate HR management. Deborah is a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds senior professional certification through the Society for Human Resources Management.

Outside of work, Deborah enjoys gardening, cooking, and volunteering in the community. In 2010, she took a sabbatical to attend culinary school. After cooking professionally for four years, she returned to her HR career and still enjoys cooking for friends and family.

Peter Caggiano provides strategic oversight of organization-wide information technology activities. Peter brings 35 years of experience in the field of information technology and has a diverse background in both non-profit and corporate settings. He is responsible for information systems support of applications, data, research support, infrastructure, communications, and information security.

Ana was born in El Salvador but has resided in the state of Maryland for the last 40 years. She has been with Population Connection for around 18 years on and off. Ana loves working at Population Connection and truly believes in its cause.