Our Story
ABOUT US
PASSIONATE TEAM OF LEADERS, EXPERTS, AND ACTIVISTS.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Recognizing the challenges that “lunch box” candidates face challenging opponents from the two major parties, Michelle Darnell launched Ignite in 2019 to provide these candidates with campaign support services, tools and training that Ignite the next generation of leaders.
People x Time x Money = Political Capital
We believe that People x Time x Money = Political Capital, and with political capital we can change the world. Ignite aims to help the next generation of leaders change the world – for the better!
WHAT WE DO
WHO WE ARE
RiseUp WA is a comprehensive campaign support services company. We provide essential services and ongoing training and support to candidates who have traditionally struggled to compete for local, state and federal political office.
WHAT WE DO
We offer a full suite of campaign support services, including website design & development, volunteer management, fundraising, event planning, and more.
HOW WE DO IT
We leverage human and technology resources to increase efficiency and organization, maximizing a candidates ability to reach the greatest number of voters in the shortest amount of time with a well tailored message that resonates with voters.
MEET THE TEAM
FOUNDER, CEO
Michelle Darnell
Michelle is a mother, grandmother, and the wife of attorney and life-long Libertarian Jeff Jared. She is currently a legal assistant for the Law office of Jeff Jared.
Michelle has been a consumer advocate and a lobbyist for homeowner rights since 2011. She is also a former candidate for state legislature in the 48th Legislative District. Michelle launched the Libertarian Party of King County in 2017 and served at the founding chair and the Vice Chair in 2018.
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, CO-FOUNDER
Sid Wambach
Sid is a dynamic marketing and technology professional and business owner who is passionate about giving back to the community. He is proficient in e-commerce, website creation, analysis, marketing communications, event planning, and business development. He was featured in 425 Magazine’s 2015 30 Under 30 list.
CHIEF OF STAFF
Roger Flygare
Roger is a successful businessman with degrees in court reporting and in applied arts. He chaired the Court Reporters Advisory Committee for the Washington State Department of Licensing for eight years. Roger currently serves as an at large advisor on court reporting issues in the legal community and for governmental agencies. Roger also owns and manages a property investment company.
POLITICAL DIRECTOR
Natalie Gauvin
Holistic Life Coach, trainer, speaker and writer is expanding her purview to include Liberty loving political candidates like you. Her personal training and group client list includes regional athletes and coaches such as Whitworth Football coach and founder of World Wide Group, Jim Puryear and Gonzaga athletes to doctors such as Pulmonologist Dr. Sam Joseph and news anchors such as Kjerstin Bell and Julie Humphreys from KHQ News. She will help you message your way into the hearts of your constituents with drills, breathing techniques, acting techniques, zoom, framing and image tools, pivot points, argument and rebuttal points, body language and public speaking techniques etc. There are many tools in her tool bag for you to use towards your new or incumbent seats!
SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONS MANAGER
Kendall Leingang
Kendall is a mother and advocate of three sons; two of which are on the autism spectrum. She spent six years as a subcontractor for the Department of Energy where she did work in finance, instructional design, emergency response, contracts/procurement, education outreach, and project management before leaving to pursue an M.Ed in Behavior Modification and to advocate for her children’s health and education full-time. Kendall’s undergraduate degree is in corporate finance and commercial banking. She has a blue belt in and practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Gustavo Pires.
MEDIA PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Chris King
Christopher King is a former Civil Rights lawyer who has written for daily press. He was also a photojournalist for weekly press routinely shoots courtroom video designed to expose corruption and abuse of power and authority. He has also worked on the Presidential campaigns of Jesse Jackson ’84, Dick Gephardt ’04 and the 2010 Massachusetts Governor campaign for Deval Patrick before relocating to the Greater Seattle area in 2013.
WEBMASTER
Steven Hoag
Steven is a marketing, technology, and business operations professional who has built and managed a variety of websites and technology solutions for liberty-oriented political candidates and organizations in Washington State.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Cathryn Smith
Cathryn Smith is from Lansing, Michigan. She has been working with Michelle Darnell for a few years on newsletters and articles. Currently she makes articles for the blog.
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Alex Williams
Alex Williams is a political science geek and past volunteer in his community. He is working with Ignite to gain experience with a team of like minded people, to work towards his goal of starting a social enterprise.
EDITOR
Desirée Lindsay
Desirée is a content, media, and communications fanatic. She focuses her work at Rise Up WA around elevating our client’s storytelling and external communications strategies in order to engage our audiences on a more effective level.
COMMITTEE CHAIR – HOA
Patrick Johansen
Patrick’s activism grew from owning a property in a Washington State HOA and living his horror story there for now over 6 years. His goal is to reform the HOA laws in the State of Washington. Patrick does not identify with any political party but votes for candidates based on how he feels they will benefit the overall public an protect the rights of the individual. Patrick has founded, grown and sold multiple small businesses. He has been in management and sales for technical companies the other half of his life.
COMMITTEE CHAIR – SCHOOL CHOICE
Tara Childs
Tara is a teacher/librarian with over 20 years of experience. She has a masters in arts and creative learning from Leslie University. Tara loves directing plays with kids after school and building leaders