Gloria A. Totten

Gloria brings 30 years of executive management experience to Winning Connections as Chief Operating Officer. A recognized national political strategist, she has led hundreds of advocacy, organizing, and electoral campaigns on the federal, state and local levels.

In 2015, Gloria founded the Public Leadership Institute, a policy and leadership center that works with thousands of elected officials across the country to drive proactive, progressive public policy. From 2001-2015, Gloria formed and ran Progressive Majority, the nation’s most comprehensive candidate recruitment, training and campaign operation at the state and local levels.

Gloria served as Political Director for NARAL from 1996-2001 and Executive Director for Maryland NARAL from 1993-1996. In her home state of Minnesota, Gloria worked on many electoral and issue campaigns as the Education Director for Pro-Choice Resources, President and Lobbyist for the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Media Chair for It's Time Minnesota!, a campaign that expanded anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ individuals under the Minnesota Human Rights Code.

Gloria was named a Rising Star of Politics by Campaigns & Elections magazine. She was awarded the Progressive Champion Award by the Campaign for America’s Future and the Progressive Leadership Award by Midwest Academy. Gloria is the co-author of Voicing Our Values: A Message Guide for Policymakers and Preparing to Win: An Advocacy Handbook.