SANDRA LYON, President & CEO

Sandra Lyon has spent over two decades working with and providing strategic counsel to principals, elected officials, political candidates and campaigns, and organizations at the federal, state and local level. Lyon's portfolio expands across the United States and includes work with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and state Democratic Party committees, presidential and gubernatorial campaigns, leading national direct mail firms, and on the political team of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Lyon has served in numerous executive and leadership positions. Most recently, she served as Managing Director of the national Need to Impeach campaign in San Francisco prior to joining the California-based nonprofit Golden State Opportunity Foundation as State Director before being named Vice President in 2020. She has also served as Chief of Staff of the Connecticut Democratic Party, and as Director of the Chairwoman’s Office and National Delegate Selection for the Florida Democratic Party.

She served as the national director of President Barack Obama’s direct mail operation in 2012 and as Associate Creative Director for Public Engagement on the creative team of President Obama's 2013 inaugural committee. In 2009, she joined Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds’ gubernatorial campaign as the Director of Scheduling.

Lyon is currently the President and CEO of Elio Strategies, a boutique consultancy specializing in electoral politics, administrative and operational leadership, and events. She brings to the role her experience and background in organizational and operational management, event planning, earned and paid media, developing and managing strategic plans and budgets, financial planning, scheduling and advance, principal management, brand and print communications, and issue-based and opposition research. 

Originally from the Finger Lakes region in New York, Lyon is a graduate of Arizona State University in Tempe, which included studies at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. If not working, she can either be found at a local art studio trying her hand at throwing on a potter's wheel, or spending time with her rescue dog, Leo Winston.

For more information or to connect on LinkedIn, visit www.linkedin.com/in/sandralyon