Philanthropist and environmental activist Jessy Tolkan has been appointed by HeadCount as chairperson of its Board of Directors. The current president and CEO of Drive Agency, “a vehicle for decision-makers to influence their stakeholders to unlock transformative social change in the world,” takes over the position from impresario Peter Shapiro following his four-year term in the position. Shapiro will continue to hold down his seat on the board.
HeadCount was founded in 2004 to register live music fans to vote and to inspire their participation in democracy. Over one million voters have been registered by HeadCount over the past 19 years. Dead & Company, Lizzo, Questlove and Phil Lesh are among musicians who have partnered with the nonpartisan, nonprofit voter registration organization.
“I’ve spent the last two decades as a fighter for democracy and I couldn’t be more inspired and revved up to join HeadCount as their Board Chair during this critical moment in America,” said Tolkan in a press release. “HeadCount has been a trailblazer from the very beginning, and I look forward to supporting this organization in its next era of innovation and citizen engagement.”
Jessy Tolkan brings nearly 20 years of campaign and social action experience to HeadCount. She founded Drive Agency in 2021 after serving as Partner at PURPOSE and co-founding Purpose Labs. Tolkan continues to work with and advise The Purpose Climate Lab which aims to solve the climate crisis.
“Being the Chair of HeadCount has been a life highlight for me, and I look forward to continuing as a Board Member to support voter participation from as many people as possible in our elections,” added Peter Shapiro. “I am super excited that Jessy, who has been a rock star in the broader activism space for many years, will be HeadCount’s next Chair. America is a stronger country when everybody votes, and we are going to keep fighting to achieve that goal!” HeadCount quadrupled its operating budget and registered over 600,000 voters during Shapiro’s term as board chair.
HeadCount executive director Andy Bernstein feels Tolkan’s appointment will give the organization a chance to explore various new partnerships. “There’s no one better than Jessy Tolkan to take over the role of HeadCount Board Chair this year,” noted Andy Bernstein. “She is a true activist, and has shown a lifetime of commitment to fighting for democracy. We’re extremely grateful to Peter and the game-changing dedication he brought to the position. With Peter still being an active member of the Board and Jessy as our new Board Chair, we are incredibly well positioned for the future.”
