About
Meet the team behind the magic!
Jacob Kleinrock | President & Founder
A Nashville native, Jacob has worked on political campaigns and for nonprofits in Tennessee and around the country since 2006. He is a proud graduate of Martin Luther King Magnet High School in Nashville and Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. While at MLK, he served as a Governor Bredesen appointee on the TN State Board of Education.
After getting his start on campaigns in Nashville, he joined a political and nonprofit consulting firm in Washington, DC for a few years before hitting the campaign trail, raising millions for campaigns in Michigan, Tennessee, Iowa, Maryland, and a presidential race.
He has experience hiring and managing large staffs, developing state of the art finance plans, and successfully producing high star-power events with nationally known surrogates.
In 2018, he founded Triumph Strategies as a fundraising and political consulting firm to support political campaigns and nonprofits throughout Tennessee and the Southeast. He is an avid skier and Titans, Predators, and Dodgers fan. He lives in Green Hills with his wife (Marci), kids (Anna Rose and Solomon), and dog (Barley).
Tara Houston | Vice President
Tara hails from Rivergate—a charming Nashville neighborhood best known for its endless stretch of car dealerships and big box stores—where she learned early on that progress doesn’t just happen; you’ve got to drive it. Her dream? To help elect quality progressive leaders in her home state and get Democrats into the driver’s seat at every level of government.
A lifelong learner and nature enthusiast, Tara enjoys exploring the outdoors, identifying Tennessee’s snake species, creating art, taking long walks, and diving into a good podcast. Above all, she values connection—and her favorite part of politics is the people.
Prior to joining Triumph Strategies, Tara’s work spanned across several nonprofit fields including rare disease research, local economic development and career advancement for immigrant and refugee families.
Sean Moriarty | Director of Fundraising
Sean Moriarty got his start in politics as an intern at the Tennessee Democratic Party in 2011. Since then he has worked on city, county, statewide federal, and presidential campaigns across five states in field, digital media, and fundraising. Most recently he served as Freddie O’Connell’s Finance Director for his successful Nashville Mayoral bid. Born and raised in Brentwood, TN, Sean is a product of Tennessee public schools kindergarten through the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He now lives in Knoxville with his partner, Alexandra, and their chihuahua, Tilly.
Abby Cox | Fundraising Manager
Abby was born and raised on the eastside of Indianapolis, where community involvement was always emphasized. Her passion for service began through Dance Marathon, where she fundraised on behalf of children’s hospitals, and deepened during two years of AmeriCorps service. These experiences sparked a decade-long career in nonprofit and political fundraising, where she has partnered with communities to strengthen local voices and build the resources needed to thrive.
Abby also brings a strong academic background, holding a degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, a Master’s in Public Affairs with a concentration in Policy, and she is completing her final courses toward a Master’s in Legal Studies. Throughout her journey, she has seen firsthand that strong leaders are essential to turning good policy into reality, and she is excited to play a role in making that possible.
Addie Williams | Campaigns & Fundraising Manager
Addie grew up in Nashville, TN. Her passion for politics started at a young age as she developed awareness of the inequities in our public education and healthcare systems. In high school and college, Addie’s civic participation ramped up. She participated in voter registration drives and volunteered for local campaigns. As a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, she is excited for the opportunity to put her degree in political science to work by helping to elect progressive leaders across her home state of Tennessee.
Every election is an opportunity to be a part of creating the change we want to see for our communities. Addie is grateful for the opportunity to work with candidates who are committed to improving the lives of Tennesseans.
Alandra McMillan | Senior Fundraising Associate
Alandra is a Nashville native and graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Pre-Law and Civic Engagement. She founded and served as President of the Legal Studies Society, which helps students navigate the law school application process, and also led MTSU’s Model United Nations Team.
Her passion for civic activism was sparked in 2017 after the Parkland shooting and involvement in March For Our Lives. Today, she volunteers with the American Democracy Project to advocate for a polling place on campus, believing that voting should be easy and accessible for all students.
Avery grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and fell in love with politics by watching the news during the pandemic. Since then, her passion for advocacy has only grown. From working with local Nashville nonprofits to serving in the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Migrant Legal Action Fund, she’s committed to making sure every voice is heard.
She’s studying political science at American University, where she’s learning how to use her leadership skills to lift up underserved communities and help put the right people in power. Avery is grateful to be part of such an incredible team that’s taking real steps to make meaningful change in Tennessee and beyond.
Avery DeYoung | Associate
Marvy Nessim | Associate
Marvy is originally from Cairo, Egypt and grew up in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Her passion for politics and law began in high school through the Youth in Government program and has continued to grow ever since. She is committed to ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard and represented.
She is currently studying Political Science and Psychology at Vanderbilt University and is eager to apply her experiences to support this team’s mission. Marvy is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside ambitious leaders in Tennessee, and looks forward to contributing to efforts that amplifies underrepresented voices and creates meaningful change in her community.
Alejandra Zabala-Martinez | Associate
Alejandra grew up in Orlando, Florida. Her passion for politics and law began in her 7th grade civics class and continued all the way through high school after she interned as legal assistant for a local immigration attorney. After looking at the individuality and uniqueness of every immigrant case, she knew that she wanted to be a part of the change, and that each and every voice matters.
She is thrilled to be a part of this opportunity to help support our ambitious and innovative leaders, as she plans to contribute her learnings to her community while continuing to study political science at Vanderbilt University. Alejandra is thankful to be able to partake in a tremendously crucial area of advocacy and is excited to work with political candidates of Tennessee that are also passionate about change.
