Drum Major Institute

The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit progressive think tank. It says its goal is a "progressive public policy to strengthen and expand our ever-more squeezed middle class and aspiring middle class."

History
Originally called the Drum Major Foundation, DMI was founded by Harry Wachtel, lawyer and advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the turbulent years of the civil rights movement. DMI was relaunched in 1999 by New York attorney William Wachtel, Harry's son, Martin Luther King III, and Ambassador Andrew Young.

Staff
From their website:
 * Andrea Batista Schlesinger, Executive Director
 * Amy M. Traub, Associate Director of Research
 * Elana Levin, Director of Communications
 * Harry Moroz, Research Associate
 * Kia Franklin, Civil Justice Fellow
 * Lauren Su, Operations Manager
 * Mark Winston Griffith, Economic Justice Fellow
 * Tsedey Betru, Director of DMI Scholars
 * Penny Abeywardena, Director of Strategic Relations

Board of Directors
From their website:
 * Chairman and Founder, William B. Wachtel - Wachtel & Masyr, LLP, Board Member since 1999
 * Vice Chairman, Dr. Rev. James Forbes - Healing of the Nations Foundation, Board Member since 2007
 * Secretary, Deborah Sagner - Sagner Family Foundation, Board Member since 2007
 * Treasurer, Morris Pearl - BlackRock, Board Member Since 2006
 * John Catsimatidis - Red Apple Group, Board Member since 2002
 * Bruce Charash - Apple P.I.E. (Partners In Education), Board Member since 2005
 * Cecilia Clarke - Sadie Nash Leadership Project, Board Member since 2003
 * Sandra Cuneo - Cuneo Advocates, Board Member since 2002
 * Jennifer Cunningham - Knickerboxer SKD, Board Member since 2005
 * Rosanna M. Durruthy - Aequus Group, Board Member since 2003
 * Stuart Feldman - Chelsey Capital, Board Member since 2004
 * Matthew Goldstein - City University of New York, Board Member since 1999
 * Robert F. Kennedy - Waterkeeper Alliance, Board Member since 2002
 * Martin Luther King III - Realizing the Dream, Board Member since 1999
 * Daniel T. McGowan - HIP Health Plan of New York, Board Member since 2005
 * Bernard Nussbaum - Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Board Member since 1999
 * Tom Watson - Changing Our World, Inc., Board Member since 2003
 * Randi Weingarten - Board Member Since 2006
 * Jennefer Witter - The Boreland Group, Inc., Board Member since 2003
 * Andrew Young III - Young Solutions, Board Member since 1999

Funders
From their website, for 2007:

$50,000 and above

 * ARCA Foundation
 * Democracy Alliance Partners
 * Neil Barsky
 * Open Society Institute
 * William B. Wachtel

$25,000 - $49,999

 * Health Insurance Plan of Greater NY
 * United Federation of Teachers
 * Horace Hagedorn Foundation
 * Richard K. DeScherer
 * Sagner Family Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

 * 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
 * 21st Century ILGWU Heritage Foundation
 * Bruce Charash
 * Cipriani 23
 * City University of New York
 * Hecht and Company
 * John Catsimatidis
 * Louis & Helen Lowenstein
 * Morris Pearl

Funders at lower levels listed on their "Supporters" page.

Contact
Drum Major Institute for Public Policy 40 Exchange Place, Suite 2001 New York, New York 10005

Email: dmi (AT) drummajorinstitute.org Phone: 646.274.5700 Fax: 646.274.5699 Website: http://www.drummajorinstitute.org

SourceWatch resources

 * Andrew Young