The issue of equity is a personal one for Lindsay Videnieks, a first-generation college student who worked her way through both college and law school.
“Our family lived on the edge of the poverty line,” Lindsay says, reflecting on her life growing up with a single mom. “I know firsthand that a lot of folks don’t have the same start in life.”
Today, Lindsay channels those early challenges into policy advocacy, calling the work “good for the soul.”
“The health care system is complicated. The legislative system is complicated,” Lindsay emphasizes, adding that many people have “no guidance” on how to navigate these systems.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a voice.
Leading Woodberry Associates’ Coalition & Non-Profit Management division, Lindsay empowers and mobilizes stakeholders from all walks of life. “We identify the opportunities and engage on the state or federal level – or both,” Lindsay explains.
And it’s not just a matter of individual voices. “Even large companies need support,” Lindsay explains, “They need to know they’re up to speed, what challenges are coming down the pike or how regulatory rules from obscure ‘alphabet soup’ agencies could impact their business.”
In her off hours Lindsay, who hasn’t missed an election since she could first vote in 1996, continues to fight for equity. A new member of the National Board of Directors for the League of Minority Voters, Lindsay considers voting access a social determinant of health. “You have to make sure that people have the chance to make good choices for themselves and their communities,” Lindsay says.
It’s not about politics, she emphasizes. It’s just a matter of fairness.
Lindsay Videnieks is a Partner and Senior Vice President at Woodberry Associates.