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J. Rita McNeil Danish, Esq.
Board Member

J. Rita McNeil Danish is a seasoned leader at the intersection of law, public service, and civic-minded media, with a distinguished career spanning roles as a nonprofit CEO, Judge, City Attorney, law firm partner, and board leader.

Most recently, Rita served as the inaugural CEO of Signal Ohio, one of the largest and fastest-growing nonprofit news organizations in the country. In that role, she led the launch and expansion of multiple newsrooms across Ohio, building a sustainable, trusted local news infrastructure serving diverse communities statewide.

Rita brings over three decades of legal experience across a broad range of industries and sectors. Her career includes serving as a Judge and Magistrate in Columbus; Chief Legal Counsel for the Ohio Department of Commerce; and City Attorney for both Dayton and Cincinnati, where she was instrumental in implementing significant police reforms through a landmark memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. She also served as a Partner at Taft Law in the firm’s Chicago and Columbus offices, advising clients across multiple industries.

Rita has been recognized nationally for her leadership and civic impact. Honors include Women We Admire’s “Top Women Chief Executive Officers” (2026) and “Top 50 Women Leaders in Media” (2024 & 2025), Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who honoree across Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, and a Columbus Monthly cover feature. She was most recently honored by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce with the 2025 Community Builder Award.

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Doug LinkhartPresident Matt LeighningerVice PresidentDirector, Center for Democracy Innovation Ibrahim BazyanProgram Manager Anna CorningProgram CoordinatorHealthy Democracy Ecosystem Map Jennifer CostaSpread the Vote My’Easha GreenSpread the Vote Kathie HamiltonDirectorOperations and Finance Mike McGrathDirectorResearch and Publications Christine Lopes MetcalfeDirector, Local Democracy Engagementand Managing Director, Local Policy Lab Coleman StallworthCoordinatorCommunications and Events Mikayla TownsendProgram Manager Rebecca TroutSenior Director, Programs and PartnershipsDirector, All-America City Award Nick VlahosManaging DirectorCenter for Democracy Innovation Emma WisniewskiSpread the Vote Laura WoodDirector, Local Democracy Strategyand Vice President for Democracy, Local Policy Lab Jillian YoungbloodDirector, Deliberative Democracyand Executive Director, Civic Genius Carolyn LukensmeyerCo-DirectorHealthy Democracy Ecosystem Map Kat CalvinSenior Advisor, National Civic League Scott WarrenSenior AdvisorCo-Founder, Local Policy Lab Peter ZahnAdvisorCo-Founder, Local Policy Lab Gretchen Armijo, AICP, LEED APSenior FellowFounder & President, Equity Policy Solutions, LLC Rick GarciaSenior FellowRetired Government and Public Policy Expert Joseph Hoereth, PhDSenior FellowDirector of the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement (IPCE) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Mike HugginsSenior FellowRetired City Manager Benoy JacobSenior FellowDirector, Community Development Institute, University of Wisconsin - Madison Angela LawsonSenior FellowCouncilwoman, Aurora, CO Lindsay M. MillerAssistant Editor, National Civic ReviewSenior Fellow Kimberly L. NelsonSenior FellowProfessor of public administration and government at the School of Government Larry SchoolerSenior FellowMediator, Facilitator, Public Engagement Consultant, and Educator
Diana Romero CampbellChairCouncil Member, Denver District 4 Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr.Vice ChairMayor, City of Edinburg Adam CarlisleTreasurerVice President of Labor Relations, Southwest Airlines Angela MontezBoard MemberSpecial Counsel, Eversheds Sutherland Ray BarayBoard MemberFormer Chief of Staff, ICMA Michelle BarsaBoard MemberPrincipal, Programs and Policy, Omidyar Network Hon. Mary Ann BorgesonBoard MemberNACo Immediate Past President; Commissioner, Douglas County, NE T.C. BroadnaxBoard MemberCity Manager, City of Austin Charlotte CastilloBoard MemberExecutive Director, Poderistas Maia ComeauBoard MemberPresident Comeau & Company Todd ConnorBoard MemberCEO, Veterans for All Voters Mayor John DaileyBoard MemberMayor John Dailey, City of Tallahassee, FL Johnny DuPreeBoard MemberFormer Mayor, Hattiesburg, MS Mayor Malik D. EvansBoard MemberMayor of Rochester, NY Ayeola FortuneBoard MemberVice President, Impact Programs, United Way Worldwide Mayor Patti GarrettBoard Member (Former Chair)Mayor of Decatur, Georgia Sara GiffordBoard MemberCo-founder and COO, ActiVote Michelle GowdyBoard MemberExecutive Director, Virginia Municipal League J. Rita McNeil Danish, Esq.Board MemberPrincipal and Founder, JD² Strategists LLC Tony PeytonBoard MemberExecutive Vice President & Chief of Staff, National Center for Families Learning Frederick J. RileyBoard MemberExecutive Director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute Monte RoulierBoard MemberPresident & Co-Founder Community Initiatives Inc. Irica SolomonBoard MemberHead of Corporate Citizenship, Government Affairs and Advocacy at Mission Square Mayor Vince WilliamsBoard MemberMayor of Union City, GA Wendy WillisBoard MemberExecutive Director, Deliberative Democracy Consortium

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    Denver, CO 80203

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