ADA Staff
National Director | Michael J. Wilson
Biography
The first African-American to head ADA, Michael J. has been a trailblazer throughout his career. During more  than 20 years of experience organizing for labor unions and working on Capitol Hill and for the Federal government, Wilson has successfully coordinated national grassroots programs and campaigns with hundreds of local union representatives, activists and liberal advocates.
Before coming to ADA, Wilson was International Vice President, Director of Legislative and Political Action and Chief Lobbyist at the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. He also held positions at the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Employment Standards Administration. Early in his career, Wilson served as Legislative Representative for the late Representative Charles Hayes (D-IL) and as a canvasser and organizer for the Illinois Public Action Council.
Wilson has a B.A. from Michigan State University and lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with his wife, Lori, his daughter Lacey, and his son David. Learn more about Michael J. Wilson here.
Legislative Director | Darryl Fagin
 Darryl Fagin joined ADA as Legislative Director in 1992. Before ADA, Darryl worked as Legislative Assistant to Reps. John Conyers, Jr., Charles A. Hayes, Augustus F. Hawkins and the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Employment Opportunities. He also served as Special Assistant to the U.S. Treasurer, the Honorable Azie T. Morton. Darryl earned an LLM from American University Washington College of Law in 2005, a JD form George Washington University National Law Center, and a BA in Political Science from Olivet College.
Working Families Win Project Director | Don Kusler
 Don joined ADA in 2001 as an assistant to the National Director. He also served as Communications Director (2002-2007) and Deputy National Director (2004-2007) before becoming Director of ADA’s Working Families Win organizing project in 2007. Prior to coming to ADA, Don served as campaign manager and field director for local and state candidate campaigns. Although a Texan by birth, Don lives happily in Virginia with his wife and son.
Acting Communications Director | Karen Traeger
 Karen started as the Program Assistant for Working Families Win (WFW) in March 2008. During the 2008 election cycle, she managed the web based technologies including the WFW website and campaign management systems. Currently, Karen is filling in as the Acting Communications Director. Before coming to ADA, she worked in the field for several campaigns and earned a Political Science degree from Flagler College.
Campaign For A Fair Minimum Wage Director | Jane O'Grady
 Jane came to ADA after a career as a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO. Over her years working for the labor movement, she lobbied for periodic increases in the federal minimum wage. In 1997, she was pleased to accept ADA’s invitation to form a coalition of advocacy groups to continue ADA’s involvement in the minimum wage issue. And thus was formed the Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage, a coalition of more than 200 progressive organizations in support of increasing the federal minimum wage. The Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage has made indexing of the minimum wage its legislative priority in the current Congress.
Senior Research Associate | William Rice
 A Washington native, Will has spent the last few years working in New England with Democratic and labor organizations, including local county and state Democratic committees and at an affiliate of Jobs with Justice. His last project was as a regional field organizer for Maine Change That Works, which advocated for health care reform. By coincidence, his father also worked for ADA near the time of its founding.
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