Karen Hinks
Founder/Chair
Karen founded Welead OC because women Democrats, Women of Color and women living in marginalized communities, were and continue to be grossly under-represented in every corner of the country and disproportionally represented implementing policy.
Karen has spent the better part of the last three-plus decades working on hundreds of campaigns and served as a Legislative representative and Deputy PAC Director for a senior citizen advocacy organization. She has also served as a political consultant for many years, providing multi-services for both political candidates and non-profit organizations.
Catherine Hinks
Co-Chair
Catherine (Katie) grew up in a politically active family. She volunteered for the first time at 13, phone banking for a Democratic congressional candidate in Indiana. During the 2008 presidential race, Katie traveled from Chicago to Iowa and Indiana to knock on doors for Barack Obama.
In 2017 Katie re-located from Chicago to an area outside Houston, TX. In 2018 she volunteered with Beto O’Rourke’s campaign, canvassing for the candidate in a ruby red Texas district. She is currently volunteering with the group Powered X People to help turn Texas blue.
Eight years ago, Karen and Catherine set out on a mission, founding a sister initiative with Welead OC with one clear goal: to ignite the passion of Progressive Democratic women, empowering them to lead the change in reshaping the political landscape.
Hailing from a ruby-red Midwestern state, where politics was woven into the fabric of their upbringing by a fearless and politically active mother, they bring a fiery determination and a unique lens to Welead OC. Their shared experiences have molded them into relentless advocates, committed to amplifying women's voices and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in politics.