Meet the Fall 2024 GU Politics Fellows

MADISON LILLY AND CATHERINE HUGHES: Last Friday, On the Record spoke with the incoming GU Politics Fellows: Rodney Davis, Ashley Gunn, Alencia Johnson, Symone Sanders Townsend, Waleed Shahid, and Rick Wiley. The fellows are eager to start their discussion groups and hear from students on September 23rd.

RODNEY DAVIS

Congressman Rodney Davis is a five-term Congressman (IL-13). He later became the leader of the US Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs. In addition, he has held multiple leadership roles in Congress as a ranking member of committees; Deputy Whip for Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA) (117th); and Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research at the House Agriculture Committee (115th).

Congressman Davis hopes to provide a new perspective to Georgetown students. He recognizes that many students may not have met someone from his background and beliefs. He hopes he can answer their questions and further their understanding.

He wants students to know that leadership does not need a title. Leadership can be found in seemingly small positions. Through hard work and character, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to, regardless of background. He touches on his own background of being from a small town with no family in politics, and urges students to pursue whatever field they are passionate about. Furthermore, he emphasizes that there’s going to be failure, roadblocks, but should not stop you from putting your hat in.

Congressman Davis’s discussion group is titled “Do Americans have faith in our own elections” and will meet 4:00-5:30 PM on Tuesdays.

Ashley Gunn’s most recent position was as Special Assistant to the President, Senior Director of Cabinet Affairs in the Donald J. Trump administration. Over her career, she has served on two Presidential campaigns, two Presidential administrations, on Capitol Hill, at the RNC, and two Governor's offices, and has worked in Official Proceedings for all of the Republican National Conventions since 1991. She has supported Presidents, Cabinet Members, organizations, candidates and issue campaigns across multiple states.

Gunn emphasizes the importance of being involved. She wants to help students do this by illuminating and sharing her appreciation of the process and the system. She also loves mentoring. Having kids of her own, she recognizes the importance of sharing her experience and knowledge with younger generations.

Gunn has worked during some turbulent times in politics, and drawing on her experience working on White House council, shares this wisdom. During times of crises, it is important to build a coalition and have many people involved in finding solutions. You must bring more people to the table. She promotes the idea that the more people involved in finding solutions, the better the outcome will be.

Gunn’s discussion group is titled “The People Behind Our Politics” and will meet 4:00-5:30 PM on Mondays.

ALENCIA JOHNSON

Alencia Johnson is a sought-after thought leader and cultural critic who integrates social justice and cultural change into her work. She has worked on presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and was a senior advisor to President Biden’s 2020 campaign. In addition, she has held national roles at Planned Parenthood and GEICO. She was honored by Harvard University with a "Woman of the Year" award, and EBONY Magazine’s “Power 100” list of influential African Americans and PRWeek’s “40 Under 40.” She is also a debut author with her debut book publishing in March 2025.

Johnson chose to become a fellow because she wants to share the different opportunities in how to engage in politics through communication and policy. She also recognizes the importance of representation and wants to be a beacon for students who, like her, do not see themselves reflected in the fields they wish to pursue. She wants to let students know that success is possible, no matter their background.

Many students worry about picking the “right” career after college. As someone who has navigated many different fields, she says that you must work through imposter syndrome to gain confidence in pursuing your end vision. Others may not understand your vision, but do not let them hold you back; they will catch up. In pursuing many different fields, she has also learned that a diversity of experiences is helpful for any job. She emphasizes that there is no job too small to accept.
Johnson’s discussion group is titled “From the Grammys to the White House: Finding political power through culture” and will meet 2:00-3:30 PM on Tuesdays.

SYMONE SANDERS

TOWNSEND

Symone Sanders Townsend is a highly experienced strategist within the Democratic Party and currently hosts her own show on MSNBC–The Weekend. Townsend has held a variety of important strategy positions, including serving as the National Press Secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2016. She has also served as Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and Senior Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris. Townsend is a passionate advocate for social justice, having served on several juvenile justice committees throughout her career.

Townsend emphasized how college students are not the leaders of tomorrow, as many people say, but are leading and creating change today. She does not think “there is a better time…or a better place in the world to be a young person than a young person in America with an idea that would like to do something.” She wanted to be a GU Politics fellow to encourage students to continue creating change and exchange ideas.

When asked about advice she would give to students motivated to make a difference young, Townsend emphasized the importance of speaking up for yourself and asking for the job that you want and for which you have worked to be qualified. She urges students to advocate for themselves in order to achieve their career goals.

Townsend’s discussion group is called “The Road to 2025: Unpacking the Democratic Party Apparatus” and will meet on Mondays from 2:00 to 3:30pm.

Waleed Shahid is a strategist in the Democratic Party who has immense experience working on progressive social movements. Most recently, he co-founded the Uncommitted campaign. He served as the spokesperson for Justice Democrats for six years, during which time he helped to elect progressive candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Cori Bush. Shahid also was a senior advisor on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign.

When asked why he wanted to be a GU Politics fellow, Shahid underscored how young people are vital in making change. He hopes to be a mentor for those looking to create social change and help students make their visions for their future a reality.

Shahid highlighted the importance of knowing what success looks like when engaging in a political or social movement. With the pace of change often seeming slow, it is vital to recognize small accomplishments on the road to your end goal in order to keep your momentum and passion for the cause.

Shahid’s discussion group is titled “Protest to Politics, Grassroots to Governance” and will meet on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:30pm.

Rick Wiley is a successful Republican political consultant who has managed numerous high-profile campaigns, most recently being Nikki Haley’s National Political Director on her presidential campaign. Wiley also served in prominent roles on the presidential campaigns of Governor Scott Walker in 2016 and in the final months of Donald Trump’s primary campaign. His experience extends beyond campaign work, having worked as a consultant for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republican Governors Association, and Republican National Committee.

Wiley wanted to become a GU Politics fellow to empower passionate students to pursue a career in politics. He highlighted how he has enjoyed jumping around between jobs in politics and wants students to understand how a political career can be fun.

Wiley urges students–whether in a political context or not–to slow down when making difficult and important decisions. He says that the cleanup from a rushed decision will be worse than the initial problem was, so it is important to not let the stress of the decision overwhelm you, even when stakes are high.

Wiley’s discussion group is titled “For All the Glory: Battle for the White House 2024” and will meet on Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:30pm.

Madison Lilly (she/her)–On the Record’s Executive Editor–is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences double majoring in government and mathematics. Originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, she is passionate about political fundraising for progressive causes and hopes to pursue a career in campaign finance.

Catherine Hughes (she/her) is On The Record’s Executive Director. She is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service studying international politics. She is originally from Calhoun, Georgia and wants to pursue a career in politics, government, or journalism.