Charles Peters, President

Charlie founded Understanding Government in 1999. He began his career as a staffer and later an elected member of the West Virginia state legislature, where he authored the law establishing that state’s civil service. He was appointed director of evaluation for the Peace Corps during the Kennedy Administration, a position which gave him insights into the workings of the federal government and the Washington bureaucracy. In 1969, he founded The Washington Monthly, a main goal of which was to investigate what the government was doing right and wrong and how it could do a better job. Over the years, the Monthly produced influential articles on subjects in government ranging from the Foreign Service to the Food and Drug Administration. Alumni of the Monthly have won Pulitzer prizes and many now work as reporters and editors at America’s leading newspapers, magazines, TV and radio news programs, websites and blogs. Charlie is the author of several books, including How Washington Really Works, now in its fourth edition, Blowing the Whistle (with Taylor Branch), The System (with James Fallows), and Inside the System, fifth edition (with Jonathan Alter), and, most recently, Five Days in Philadelphia: The Amazing “We Want Willkie!” Convention of 1940 and How It Freed FDR to Save the Western World. Presently Charlie is working on a book about Lyndon Johnson.

Edward Hodgman, Executive Director and Editor

Ned joined Understanding Government as executive director in 2007.  He holds a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Rochester and a bachelor’s degree in Slavic Studies from Harvard College.  He has worked for a number of public interest organizations including the Federation of American Scientists and the Natural Resources Defense Council.  Prior to joining Understanding Government, Ned created and managed a U.S.-based manufacturing and consulting company with offices in Moscow, Russia and Kiev, Ukraine.  He has been a media and strategy consultant for several U.S. and European companies.

Cathryn Poff, Senior Advisor

Cathryn is a journalist and social entrepreneur who has worked as producer and reporter for NBC, NPR and PBS. She has also worked in global communications and marketing, and online media distribution for internet startups including The NewsMarket and Grassroots. Cathryn served in the US Department of Commerce as a Presidential Management Fellow, and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. She holds a master’s degree in environmental science from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in government from Smith College.

Matthew Blake, Reporter-Blogger

Matt joined Understanding Government in March 2008 as a blogger and author of an in-depth report on the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Author of the Beltway Outsider blog, Matt reports and blogs on a range of issues for Understanding Government from his home base in Chicago, Illinois.  A graduate of Grinnell College and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Matthew has worked for The Washington Independent, The Nation and the Chicago Reporter and was a founder of The Skeleton News monthly newspaper in Chicago.

Norman Kelley, Reporter-Blogger

Norman Kelley is an independent journalist, author, and former segment radio producer at WBAI 99.5 FM Pacifica Radio. He has written for Society, L A Weekly, The Brooklyn Rail, The Village Voice, The Nation, New York Press, Newsday, The Black Star News, New Politics, and Black Renaissance/Noir.  Norman was a contributing writer to Brooklyn Noir and DC Noir and Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium. He edited and contributed to R&B (Rhythm and Business): The Political Economy of Black Music. His most recent book was The Head Negro in Charge Syndrome: The Dead End of Black Politics.  A native of Washington, D.C., Norman received his B.A. from Empire State College and has done graduate work in U.S. history.

Mitchell Polman, Reporter

Mitchell graduated from the George Washington University with a degree in international affairs.  He specialized in Russian and East European relations.  He has worked as a political consultant and has been involved in international exchange programs and international elections monitoring efforts.  Mitchell has also worked as a contractor on Department of State public diplomacy programs and has blogged on public diplomacy for the University of Southern California Center for Public Diplomacy.

Alison Baitz, Researcher

Alison is a graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she was editor of the campus’s music publication 20 Watts and a contributor to several other newspapers and magazines.  She has previously interned with The A.V. Club (a publication of The Onion) and U.S. News and World Report.

Roselina Harmony Gbe, Researcher

Harmony is a senior at Dartmouth College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in government and sociology.  She is an intern for the Dartmouth admissions office and an assistant instructor for the French Department. Her senior independent project will focus on the negative effects of nepotism on Sub-Saharan African government administrations. Harmony is active in several student organizations and is considering a career in law after graduation.