WE ARE

SOLUTIONS - FOCUSED

ONC’s focus is on problem-solving, not finger-pointing. We make a difference by hosting open-minded conversations that encourage collaboration instead of conflict.

WE ARE

YOUTH - POWERED

Our organization is driven by a community of over 800 student interns and volunteers, gently guided by experienced professionals who want to give a boost to America’s future leaders.

WE ARE

NONPARTISAN

ONC shows all viewpoints. In a world of agenda-driven news, our commitment to truth, fairness, balance, good manners and good ideas – wherever they come from – is what sets us apart. No food fights here!

ONC'S STORY

Our National Conversation (ONC, for short) began in February of 2020 when CEO Jeff Hall placed an advertisement on an intern bulletin board seeking a handful of students interested in aiding in the development of a nonpartisan news media organization.

By mid-March, just a few weeks later, COVID-19 had shut down the world. Students everywhere had lost internships, classroom and job opportunities. Because ONC was willing to host this internship remotely, Jeff suddenly found himself drowning in applications.

From a pool of over 2,000 applicants, 92 interns from across America were selected to participate in the summer of 2020 internship program. Throughout that summer, this highly diverse group got organized and laid ONC’s foundation. Every semester since, ONC has hosted around 90 interns. We’ve had over 800 interns to date.

We have content, business development, social media, video production, HR and other teams – all run by students. ONC interns get outstanding hands-on experience, including the chance to lead a project or head up a team. Experienced mentors check in from time to time. Together we built a website, wrote a book, and we’re now producing regular podcasts.

...and we're just getting started!

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0 MEET OUR TEAM

Meet the passionate minds driving Our National Conversation! Our diverse team of dedicated individuals, powered by America's youth, is committed to fostering constructive dialogue and tackling the nation's challenges head-on through education and impactful discussions.

Jeff Hall

EDITOR & CEO

Jeff started as a cub reporter at the Kansas City Star, rising to VP of Marketing. He spent a year in Washington as a White House Fellow. He then joined the Los Angeles Times, where he was named president of The Times’ Valley and Ventura County Editions. He later started a community newspaper, the Brentwood News, whose nonpartisan philosophy eventually led to OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION. Jeff is a Stanford grad and a Harvard MBA.

Samuel Taylor

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO)

Sam is studying political science with minors in business and philosophy at Brigham Young University. He currently intends to pursue a JD-Masters or JD-PhD dual degree after graduation. Sam has interned full-time for the Utah legislature, has been a staff editor for BYU’s undergraduate journal of philosophy, and has served as a consultant intern for an environmental corporation in Nairobi, Kenya. Sam has been with ONC for a little over three years and since then has become the chief operating officer.

Dakota DeSanctis

MANAGING EDITOR

Dakota graduated with a B.A. in English from California Baptist University in August 2023. She is passionate about the written word and the power it can have. Prior to being a stay-at-home mom to two little ones, Dakota worked in food service for 9 years, 4 of which were spent in upper management. In addition to her passion for English, Dakota loves people and business management, organization, and a detailed spreadsheet. She started at ONC as an Editorial Intern and is now the Managing Editor.

Elijah Ramos

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO)

Elijah is completing a B.S. in Finance at Western Governors University. He aims to pursue a Master's in Public Policy and Administration. Since graduating high school at 15, he's been active in service organizations, locally and globally. He started at ONC as a Business Development Team Lead, collaborating with the COO on various projects and optimizing accounting processes. Elijah values ONC's inclusive environment, fostering open dialogue and diverse perspectives.

Tania Ruedas Ortiz

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Tania A. Ruedas Ortiz is an Alumna from the University of La Verne, with BA’s in Political Science and Speech Communication. Tania is passionate about making information accessible and C.U.T.E ( clear, understandable, thematic and encompassing). Tania has been with ONC for a little over a year, having joined first as a writer for the Infrastructure Policy Team and then as Director of Community Engagement. In their role as Director of Community Engagement, Tania curates events that align with ONC’s mission statement and goals and generates conversations that seek solutions.

Mitali Purohit

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

Mitali, a Master's student at California State University, Los Angeles, has a profound love for technology. As the Director of Technology Intern at ONC, she thrives on problem-solving and enhancing systems. Known for her knack in digital improvements and innovative thinking, Mitali is driven by a passion to make things run smoother. Beyond her tech pursuits, she finds joy in gardening, embarking on new treks, volunteering, practicing meditation, and exploring virtual reality experiences. With her enthusiasm and skills, she's ready to make a difference at ONC and beyond.

Jason Lloyd

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Before ONC, Jason spent a decade in public works as a water treatment operator before pivoting his career toward graphic design. He has completed two degrees thus far. His first degree is an Associate of Arts in Water Resources Management, while his second is an Associate of Arts in digital media and graphic design. Jason is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design, focusing on web design.

Hunter Malone

DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH & PARTNERSHIPS

Hunter completed a B.A. in psychology from Western New England University in 2020 and a M.A. in Community Psychology from the University of New Haven. Hunter works full time as a care coordinator. Hunter is passionate about working in the community and inspiring hope and passion in the field of nonprofit organizations. In his role as the Director of Outreach and Partnerships, Hunter helps lead the fundraising team.

Kathryn Arnett

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Kathryn graduates in May 2024 from the University of Illinois with her BBA, specializing in Human Resource Management. She earned her associate degree in business administration at Illinois Central College. Kathryn brings 15 years of prior human resources experience to ONC. As the Director of Human Resources, she oversees the entire HR department and is passionate about fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Fun fact: Kathryn operates a small chicken farm in her spare time!

Connor Chung

DIRECTOR OF POLICY CONTENT & STRATEGY

Connor Chung is an alumni of the University of Calgary, with a BA in Russian studies. He is currently pursuing an MA in global affairs at the University of Oklahoma. Connor is passionate about geopolitical affairs and hopes to use his talents to foster better relations between nations in the future.

Bidushi Shah

Director of UI/UX

Bidushi earned her Biology degree from the University of Texas at Dallas, where she conducted behavioral research for three years. Her fascination with the interplay between behavioral biology and technology led her to pursue a User Experience certificate at Rice University. She joined ONC as a UI/UX intern in 2023, and now oversees digital projects with the support of a talented UX design team to ensure meaningful connections with ONC users in the digital realm.

Leela

Leela graduated with a certificate in audio production in 2022. She’s been with ONC since January of 2023. As podcast team lead she’s in charge of overseeing production with all of ONC’s podcast content. Leela is passionate about helping ONC expand their podcast content.

PODCAST TEAM LEAD

Mary Sprinkle

Mary is a senior pursuing degrees in English (editing, writing, and media) and museum studies. Mary is passionate about education in various forms, whether conveyed through social media or within the dynamic setting of a museum. Interning at ONC since November 2023, Mary started as a creative writing intern before becoming the Social Media Team Lead. In this capacity, Mary participates in and facilitates content creation for social platforms, sharing ONC's values to Gen Z.

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM LEAD

Raymond Hernandez

Raymond earned his Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication Design from Cal Poly Pomona. He joined ONC as a Graphic Design Intern in August 2023. Functioning as a Graphic Design Co-Lead, he wants to push everyone to do great work and expand their creativity. He looks forward to sharpening his team’s design skills and representing the ONC brand excitingly and originally.

CO-GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM LEAD

Andrea Chen

With a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design and Visual Communication from Cal State LA, Andrea entered ONC as a Graphic Design Intern in March 2024. Now serving as a Graphic Design Co-Lead, she aims to facilitate the team's evolution towards greater proficiency and excellence. With diverse inspirations and experiences, she brings a fresh and dynamic perspective to every project, consistently pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

GRAPHIC DESIGN CO_TEAM LEAD

John Rohal

HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM LEAD

John is a recent college graduate with a degree in Psychology & Neuroscience. During his education, he developed an interest in Industrial / Organizational Psychology, an area of study which applies Psychological principles and findings to the workplace. Having started at ONC as a Human Resources intern, John is now stepping into the Team Lead role and is eager to use his skill set to further ONC’s mission.

Leilani Ruiz

NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING TEAM LEAD

graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Sociology, specializing in children, youth and families. Currently pursuing nonprofit fundraising to gain experience to eventually create my own nonprofit to service my community. Outside of ONC I really enjoy cocktail crafting, cooking and experimenting with different flavors and spending time with my dogs.

Atlas Tan

To Be Announced ...

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM LEAD

Maya Pandit

POLICY WRITTERS TEAM LEAD

Maya Pandit is an American with a very well-worn passport; her multicultural background and international upbringing gave her the inspiration to build a life in the study of public service, peace, and collaboration. Now based in Rome, Italy, Maya studies Global Governance and works as the Policy Writers Team Lead for ONC.

Sean Miller

Lead Policy Editor

Sean Miller is a recent graduate from UCLA with a major in English. There he served as a writer for BruinLife Media, revealing untold stories of the campus through insightful interviews. Joining ONC as a journalism intern in the Fall of 2023, he is now the Editorial Team Lead for the Policy Content department. He aspires to join the publishing industry, helping spread writer's voices to a larger audience.

Evan DiNome

Script Writing/ Creative Writing Team Lead

Evan is studying Media Studies and Production with a minor in Creative Writing. Evan has been cultivating a career in the creative fields since high school. He is an accomplished actor, on screen talent, and writer as a part of his college's comedy show. Since joining in January 2024, Evan intends to have a large hand in numerous creative endeavors during his tenure, one of which includes Uncle Sam's fireside chats. Fun Fact: Evan has an endearing ability for impressions, specifically Kermit the Frog.

Nathan Peterson

Accuracy Assurance Team Lead

Nate graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2009 and served in the US Army as an Infantry Officer. He received a Masters of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and is pursuing a Masters of Public Policy, also at Pepperdine. He joined ONC in January 2024 to help America heal from its current division and is passionate about improving the discourse in the nation.

Aiden Walsh

Data Analytics Team Lead

Aiden Walsh is a recent graduate from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a Bachelor's in Political Science and has an Associate's in Crime & Justice. Aiden works within his local communities to embolden individuals and within the global community to empower organizations. He has been with ONC for about 6 months as an intern and now a leader. He is working within town politics to make an impact on housing at the ground level.

Halie Al Karmi

US-China Relations Team Lead

Halie Al Karmi is a current senior at Grand Canyon University, pursuing a bachelor of arts in history. Professionally, Halie has been interning with the local historical society, where she is in charge of oral history and archiving. Moreover, she is also an active day trader, which is her side job. She has been with ONC since August 2023, where she started as a historical accuracy and research intern and later transferred to the US-China relations team. Halie's professional aspiration is to help educate individuals on complex topics such as the U.S.-China relationship.

Callie Dunkel

UI/UX Co-Team Lead

Serge Jaimes

UI/UX Co-Team Lead

Serge is a graduate of DePaul University, holding a B.S. in Human-Computer Interaction and is presently working towards his M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction. Prior to re-entering the UI/UX field, he owned a business in the service industry. Currently, Serge serves as a UI/UX Co-Lead at ONC. In his spare time, he cherishes family time and watching his sons play hockey.

Ryan Li

Software Development Co-Team Lead

Ryan Li is a masters student currently studying Computer Science at USC. Ryan has always been passionate about working with software, starting from video games to formal classes, and now looks to put his skills to use at ONC. As a software development co-lead, he hopes to lead the team to greater heights and grow professionally.

My name is Mufu Tebit and I’m currently a senior at Case Western Reserve University pursuing
a B.S. in Computer Science. I joined ONC in January of 2024 and became a Team Lead in May
of 2024. I intend to grow my software engineering and leadership skills at ONC while
contributing to ONC’s mission of reducing partisanship in America!

Mufu Tebit

Software Development Co-Team Lead

Brian Thomas

ONC POLICY MENTOR

Brian Thomas, ONC Policy Advisor and founder of The Candidates Network, is a medical oncologist in Pittsburgh, PA. Brian graduated from Notre Dame then completed his medical studies at the University of Minnesota Medical School, residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and fellowship at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has merged his passions for medicine, policy, and government/politics.

Patricia Rose
Duignan

ONC Media and Marketing Mentor

Rose Duignan served for two decades in production and senior management positions at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Rose was part of the original Star Wars team, working directly for George Lucas. She is executive producer of ABC’s stop-motion animated series, Bump in the Night. She’s also an avid golfer. Rose is a Stanford grad and got her MBA at Columbia.

Ruben Navarrette is a nationally syndicated columnist with The Washington Post Writers Group and a contributor to several news outlets, including The Daily Beast, Newsmax Magazine, Latino Magazine, Spectrum 1 (LA) News, USA Today and Straight Arrow News. He also hosts a podcast, “Ruben In The Center.” Ruben went to Harvard undergrad and got his masters in public policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Ruben Navarrette

Journalism and Podcast Mentor

Keith Newman

Business Development Mentor

TBA

David Webster

Accuracy Assurance and History Mentor

TBA

ONC'S STORY

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MEET OUR TEAM

Jeff Hall

EDITOR & CEO

Samuel Taylor

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO)

Dakota DeSanctis

MANAGING EDITOR

Elijah Ramos

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO)

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