
Adonis Ortiz
Adonis is originally from Queens, New York and is currently a senior Political Science and International affairs double major with a minor in pre-law. Adonis was on the JMU debate team for two years, where he was formally the team's Vice President, formally nationally recognized as a first-year debater of the year, and led his team to a national championship in 2022. Adonis also has participated in the EU Schuman challenge at JMU, where he presented to EU members to help find solutions for the Afghanistan conflict; campaigned for city council members in New York including Alexandria Ocasia Cortez and for President Joe Biden in the 2020 elections; interned and worked as a temporary employee at the Hispanic Federation as a Policy analyst and Legislative Assistant for six months. He is passionate about creating common ground and resolving challenging problems to help make the world around us a better place. Through witnessing the divisive time in politics he has been driven to find peaceful resolutions and believes it is important to hear each other, understand each other, and work together no matter the situation.
Pronouns: he/him/his

Ai Vy Le
Ai Vy Le is a junior Political Science major with dual minors in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and Legal Studies on the Pre-Law pre-professional track. During her time at JMU, she has served as an Orientation Peer Adviser, NCAA Student Athlete Tutor, an Honors College Teaching Fellow, a Student Leadership Center Leadership Counselor, SGA Senator, and has worked for the Madison Center as a Campus Vote Project fellow. For the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, Ai Vy will also have a seat on the College of Arts and Letters Alumni Board Student Advisory Council, participate in the Honor Fraternity Phi Sigma Pi and Pre-Law Fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, and outside of academics and professionalism, Ai Vy enjoys spending time with the JMU Club Swim Team, hiking and spending time with friends. Ai Vy has a deep rooted passion for amplifying student voices and working with younger undergraduate students that are new to their rights and civic duties.

Annika Thompson
Annika is a sophomore Art major who is currently applying to the Graphic Design program at JMU. She first began working with the Center for Civic Engagement through the FYRE (First Year Research Experience) program as a research assistant where she worked on the "Bridging Wicked Divides" project and helped present at the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement conference in Boston. This year she is continuing to work with the center as a Democracy Fellow and is excited to be part of Dukes Discourse and to hear about students' opinions on a variety of issues. Aside from working, she is an active member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and enjoys boxing and taking classes at UREC in her free time.

Caroline Woodson
Caroline is a sophomore Political Science major with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies from Chesapeake, Virginia. Along with serving as a Democracy Fellow for the center, Caroline is also a senator for the Student Government Association at JMU. She is passionate about voter education and accessibility on college campuses and in general.

Emma Niland

Emma Sellers

Leia Surovell
Leia is a senior Anthropology major with minors in Honors Disciplinary Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and it's their third year working for the Madison Center. Along with serving as a Democracy Fellow with Civic since Fall 2021 after presenting a proposal for an on campus voting precinct to the Harrisonburg City Council, Leia served for two years as a student senator in the JMU Student Government Association, and they currently serve on the Honors Dean's Diversity Council. They enjoy podcasting for the Center are passionate about empowering students to be politically active, informed, and to have their voices heard. You can find them biking around Harrisonburg and on campus between spending time in Madison Center's Burruss Hall office or studying in the anthropology building. With the Madison Center, Leia is the creator and driving force behind the Dukes Vote Podcast and much of the center's graphics, logos, and designs.
Pronouns: they/them

Mya Wilcox

Parker Boggs
Parker is a senior Political Science and Public Policy and Administration double major, with a minor in Political Communications, with a pre-law track. At JMU, he is the chairman and founder of JMU’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), and has membership in College Republicans, Student Ambassadors, Phi Alpha Delta, and is a Senator for the College of Arts and Letters in the Student Government Association. Outside of JMU, he has worked on multiple campaigns around the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Marshall Orenic for Harrisonburg City Council, Scott Taylor for Congress, and Glenn Youngkin for Governor. He is passionate about youth engagement in the political spectrum and ensuring politicians meet with their youth constituents to hear about how the democratic process unfolds.

Reagan Polarek

Valeria Lopez-Postigo
