Dave Bates is a national leader in creating the most effective and powerful communications strategies to win social change. With over 25 years of experience running communications and grassroots campaigns, Dave is a deeply passionate and driven advocate for clean energy, good jobs, quality healthcare and a better world. He has led teams of up to two dozen staff members, and has extensive skills in all aspects of strategic communications, campaign planning, mass mobilizations and political organizing. During his career, Dave founded and built the communications departments for the two largest healthcare unions in the country from the ground up. As the first communications director for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, with 450,000 members, he helped lead scores of successful efforts, including organizing thousands of participants for Climate Marches; the campaign for New York's $15 minimum wage; the election of multiple candidates to local, state and national office, such as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio; and a contract victory that protected medical benefits for over 120,000 healthcare workers.In his role as president and founder of Hailstone, Dave has helped win hundreds of campaigns for major organizations throughout the country, including a "Hero Bonus" for 85,000 healthcare workers and a $16 minimum wage for 13,000 home care workers in Nevada. He is a published author including in national publications such as U.S. News & World Report.Dave holds a master’s degree in multimedia from Hunter College in New York City and a bachelor’s in film and video studies from Bard College.