Speaker Bios

Elliot Ackerman serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Americans Elect, which will invite every registered voter in the United States to participate in a nonpartisan process to nominate candidates for the 2012 Presidential election though a secure online convention. As COO, Elliot coordinates the process for the convention and is responsible for political and leadership outreach and national engagement for Americans Elect.

Prior to this role, Elliot served as a Marine Corps Infantry and Special Operations Officer and as an Intelligence Officer with multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as a Marine Corps Special Operations team leader during which time he operated as the primary combat advisor to a 700 man Afghan commando battalion responsible for capture operations against senior Taliban leadership in Afghanistan. He also led a 75 man platoon that aided in relief operations in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Elliot is a decorated veteran, having earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for his role in leading a platoon in the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah, and a Bronze Star for Valor while leading a Marine Corp Special Operations Team in Afghanistan in 2008.

Elliot holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and earned his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in History, from Tufts University in 2003. He has completed many of the U.S. Military’s most challenging special operations training courses and completed his officer training as the number one ranked lieutenant out of over 200 other Marine Corps Officers. He is the recipient of the Major General Edwin B. Wheeler Award for Infantry Excellence.

Elliot has published articles on national defense issues in Comparative Strategy Journal and the Marine Corps Gazette. He resides in Washington, DC with his wife and daughter.

George Alafoginis works at Facebook's Washington, D.C. office where he oversees support to Independent Expenditures, Super PACs and advocacy groups. His previous experience includes serving as a communications strategist at social media agency pioneer New Media Strategies and as Deputy Director of Online Strategy and Technology Development at the Republican National Committee.  

Mike Allen is the chief White House correspondent for Politico. He comes to Politico from Time magazine where he was their White House correspondent. Prior to that, Allen spent six years at The Washington Post, where he covered President Bush's first term, Capitol Hill, campaign finance, and the Bush, Gore and Bradley campaigns of 2000. Before turning to national politics, he covered schools and local governments in rural counties outside Fredericksburg, Va., for The Free Lance-Star, then wrote about Doug Wilder, Oliver North, Chuck Robb and the Bobbitts for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where he nurtured police sources on overnight ride-alongs through housing projects. Allen also covered Mayor Giuliani, the Connecticut statehouse and the wacky rich of Greenwich for The New York Times. Before moving to The Times, he did stints in the Richmond and Alexandria bureaus of The Washington Post. Allen grew up in Orange County, Calif., and has a B.A. from Washington and Lee University, where he majored in politics and journalism.

Lou is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with experience in the areas of venture capital, start-ups and private equity. After more than two decades practicing M&A, technology and casino law Lou founded Votifi with the objective of transforming democracy through technology.

Lou’s initial exposure to politics traces back to working on his first presidential campaign in 1972.  Since then he has worked with organizations and individuals across the entire political spectrum.

Lou is married and a father of 4. He graduated from The University of Michigan and Syracuse University College of Law. Lou is the 2009 Bull Run Mile Champion and an Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Finisher.