New Futures Policy + Advocacy Conference: Speaking Up for What Matters

Liz is the podcast host of NH Has Issues, which has...

Mackenzie Nicholson is the NH Senior Director of MomsRising. She has used her personal social media presence to advocate for policy change supporting NH moms and families.

Michele Merritt leads New Futures with a clear mission: creating real, lasting change for New Hampshire's children and families. As President, she sets the organization's strategic direction alongside its Board of Directors, and drives its work forward by building partnerships, securing resources, and fostering innovation across every level of the organization.

Michele is especially known for her ability to bring people together, connecting New Futures with public and nonprofit partners around shared policy priorities, from expanding public funding for treatment services to improving access to community-based supports for New Hampshire families. Her leadership reflects what this conference is all about: showing up, building relationships, and speaking up for what matters.

Peter Ntourntourekas serves as Training Manager at New Futures, where he leads the work of engaging, mobilizing, and training individuals and organizations advocating for a healthier New Hampshire. He brings a grounded, people-first approach to advocacy training, helping everyday advocates, from first-timers to seasoned voices, build the skills and confidence to take meaningful action on the issues they care about.

As Vice President of Communications at New Futures, Sammi Chickering leads the charge in helping New Hampshire policymakers, advocates, and communities understand what's at stake, and why it matters. She oversees the Communications team and all organizational and policy communications, shaping how New Futures shows up across its website, in the press, and on social media, with a focus on the organization's early childhood, public health, and regulation of addictive products portfolios.

Sammi got the bug for this work at her first nonprofit job, where she helped bring a complex policy issue to life through storytelling, social media, and even a podcast. If there's a nuanced policy issue that needs to be broken down for a general audience, Sammi is the one figuring out how to say it clearly, tell it well, and make it stick.

Kate Frey is the Vice President of Advocacy at New Futures, where she directs and manages the organization's advocacy efforts and leads its public health and regulation of addictive products portfolios. Her work centers on prevention-focused policy and the regulation of addictive products, including alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and prescription drugs, and she regularly tracks, analyzes, and synthesizes policy, budgetary, and legislative proposals shaping public health in New Hampshire.

Kate also brings deep budget expertise to her role, analyzing state revenue from the sale of addictive products to help ensure adequate funding for substance misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery, and working directly with policymakers and stakeholders to shape spending priorities.

As Communications Director at New Futures, Michaela develops strategic campaigns that educate and mobilize Granite Staters on issues impacting healthy aging and health care access, turning policy that can feel dense into stories people actually connect with. She manages print and development communications, oversees social media, and maintains the organization's website, always looking for ways to make complicated issues feel human and approachable.

For Michaela, communications that drive action is about finding the story underneath the policy. She believes communications done well can change what people think is possible, and that belief shows up in every campaign she touches, from a single social post to a full public-facing push.

Jim Monahan is the President of The Dupont Group, one of the most respected consulting firms in New Hampshire specializing in government affairs and public relations. Jim has a strong and established public affairs practice that focuses on representing businesses, trade associations and non-profit organizations before state and federal governmental agencies.  This work includes an emphasis on policy development, legislative advocacy and effective communications.

Jim’s professional focus includes energy, transportation and environmental issues.  In addition, he does work in the health care field, with an emphasis on Medicaid policy. Jim also oversees the Dupont Group’s public relations division, White Birch Communications Group.

In recent years, Jim has been the public policy architect of a number of major legislative and regulatory initiatives including environmental and energy campaigns, as well as projects in the Medicaid and behavioral health arenas.

Jim was elected as Merrimack County Treasurer in the Fall of 2008 and served one term. Currently, he serves on the Concord Zoning Board of Adjustment. Jim is well known for providing news media analysis on topics around politics and public policy. Formerly, Jim was a member of the Independent System Operator (ISO) New England Board Advisory Committee, and a contributing editor to the political website Primary Diner.

Jim is a 3-time Ironman (140.2) finisher, is currently on the Board of Directors and has served as President of the Granite State Racing Team and is a founder of the Granite State Endurance Club.