Who We Are | The independent vo!ce Network

HEATHER HERRYGERS - FOUNDER & CEO | Inspired by Washington’s Farewell Address, Heather founded independent vo!ce to give voice to those in the movement for independent leadership dedicated to restoring balance, service, and representation in American democracy. She holds a degree in Political Science from Michigan State University and a teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University. After beginning her career in portrait and sports photography, she moved on to secondary education, where her commitment to literacy, civic engagement, and practical problem-solving deepened. Over the past decade, Heather has volunteered locally, engaged in democracy reform efforts, worked full time on a nationwide ballot access campaign, and in 2024 was elected to serve on her local school board. Heather is guided by the principles “Be the change you wish to see in the world” and “Leave the world a little better than you found it.”

ERIC BRONNER - ADVISOR | Eric is the Founder and Chief Mission Officer of Veterans for All Voters (VAV) – a veteran-led, cross-partisan community that is mobilizing military veterans as advocates for political reforms that unlock competition, make our politics less polarizing and our government more responsible. Eric graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served in active duty as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO). Before discovering his passion for political innovation, Eric was a successful real estate broker and attorney in St. Louis, Missouri. For three years, Eric also served as a Board Leader with Show Me Integrity – a cross-partisan reform organization that in 2020, helped pass an innovative, non-partisan Approval Voting system for St. Louis City – Helping make St. Louis’s government more responsive and representative.

JOHN OPDYCKE - ADVISOR | John is the Founder and President of Open Primaries. He is an activist and strategist with 30 years of experience working in independent, alternative and reform politics. He is one of the country’s most visible and vocal advocates for electoral reform and political independence. Opdycke began his career as a fundraiser and researcher for the Rainbow Lobby, which advocated for ballot access and debate reform in the late 1980’s. In 1992, he joined Dr. Lenora Fulani’s independent campaign for president as a regional fundraising director. In 1994, he participated in the founding of the New York State Independence Party, a state affiliate of the National Reform Party. In 1998, he became the director of development and COS at the Committee for a Unified Independent Party. In 2001 he helped elect Mike Bloomberg as the first independent Mayor of New York City. He founded Open Primaries in 2009 and expanded it nationally in 2014. He has appeared on Fox News, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, Cheddar TV, PBS, and NBC and his written commentary on the subject of independent politics and electoral reform has appeared in USA Today, Newsweek, The Hill, and dozens of local publications. His monthly column, Brash Tacts, is published on the Fulcrum and syndicated nationally. He attended the University of Michigan. He lives in Chicago.

BRANDY VANGESSEL - DESIGNER | Brandy VanGessel is a multidisciplinary designer with over 15 years of experience helping organizations clarify their message and connect with people through thoughtful design. Brandy runs an independent design studio specializing in branding and experiential design, helping clients build trust, recognition, and consistency across both physical and digital spaces. Her work includes graphic design, 3D illustration, and interactive experiences that make complex ideas easier to understand and engage with. She brings a practical, systems-minded approach to design, grounded in real-world application and clear communication. She is also faculty member in the School of Digital Media at Ferris State University, where she teaches interaction design and digital storytelling.

JOE LARUSSA - ADVISOR | Joe is a dynamic, results-driven leader with a proven track record of success. He has extensive experience in the industrial, public policy, and non-profit sectors. Joe is the owner of Supremo Consulting & Advisory Services, leveraging his diverse background to support clients with strategy and execution. He currently serves as the Mayor of Farmington, Michigan. His track record shows his commitment to public service and effective governance by implementing solutions for housing, property redevelopment, and innovative infrastructure projects. His major accomplishments include adding 65% of forecasted new housing 80% faster than economists predicted, and the completion of a city-wide fiber-optic network intended to introduce broadband competition to the local market. He serves as the Vice-Chair for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), and on the Board of Trustees for the Michigan Municipal League (MML).

JAMES MENEPHEE - ADVISOR & CONTRIBUTING WRITER | James is a Houston native, U.S. Air Force veteran, and educator committed to independent political thinking that rises above rigid party divisions in service of the country’s greater good. He holds a BS in Communications with a focus on Media and Technology from the University of Phoenix and previously served as Director of Marketing and Communications for a global medical benevolence organization. James currently teaches Ethics and Civics and is also deeply engaged in presidential history as a personal interest, with a particular focus on leadership, character, and constitutional governance. James is active in his local church community and believes strongly in the enduring strength of our republic to meet any challenge when citizens value dialogue, humility, and shared purpose. James’ interests include writing, digital and social media marketing, reading historical biographies, martial arts, and life in Houston with his spouse, four children, and their Boxer-Labrador, Buck.

M. DORSEY CARTWRIGHT, M.Ed. - ADVISOR | Dorsey is a retired Imago Relationship Marriage and Family therapist and an international workshop presenter. As an original member of the Imago Peace Project, formed after 9/11, she participated in the development of Communologue, a communication process for groups now used worldwide. With retirement, Dorsey recognized that America’s polarization carries many of the hallmarks of the marital discord she’d helped so many couples resolve. With that understanding, she devoted her time and resources to organizations such as No Labels and Braver Angels that value and promote the building of trust and respect between people and groups with political differences. As a fifth-generation Texan, she organized the Texas No Labels chapter, which has met weekly since July 2020. Dorsey is active in the Braver Angels Central Texas Alliance, serving as a workshop moderator and a member of the Braver Politics committee to promote bipartisanship in the Texas legislature. “As an independent vo!ce advisor, I am proud to support Americans who, being free of party labels, are free to focus on serving the country rather than a party.”

ZACH GINDER - ADVISOR | Zach is from Crestwood, KY and has been engaged in the movement for independent leadership since age 17. Zach represents a Gen Z perspective shaped by firsthand conversations with voters during the 2024 presidential election cycle to better understand their frustrations with partisan politics and their desire for more collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership. He has worked with bipartisan and nonpartisan organizations focused on bridging divides and strengthening civic engagement. Zach holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Louisville and a Master’s degree in Statistics from North Carolina State University. He currently works as a statistician in the biotech industry, applying data and innovation to challenges including climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity.

NATHAN SMOLENSKY - ADVISOR & CONTRIBUTING WRITER | Nathan is a longtime independent strategist and the founder of UniFire Consulting, a firm dedicated to providing the strategic infrastructure and messaging for independent political candidates. His focus is on bringing a business mindset to create effective, positive messaging, empowering them to speak powerfully to their campaign platform, viability, and impact proposition while maintaining their authentic voice. He is the author of Common Ground from the Ground Up (2025), which explores how collaborative discourse can make us better advocates for our beliefs, help us heal relationships, and repair the American political landscape. Currently based in Florida, Nathan works with candidates around the nation and takes pride in serving as a connector within the independent space. When not in the "trenches" of a campaign, Nathan enjoys food, chess, and trivia.

SUNDEE WILLIAMS - CONTRIBUTING WRITER | Sundee is a writer and systems thinker working at the intersection of civic life, local economies, and public understanding. She brings experience from local journalism and community-based business leadership, where clarity, trust, and accountability are not abstract ideas but daily requirements. Her work is shaped by proximity to the institutions people rely on, including local news and small business networks. Williams focuses on how large systems show up in ordinary places and why service, not power, is the measure of leadership. Based in Mississippi, she continues to write and build practical initiatives that strengthen communities from the inside out.

GREG AWTRY - CONTRIBUTING WRITER | Greg is a former newspaper publisher who worked for Berkshire Hathaway Media newspapers. He was the publisher of the Nebraska’s York News-Times and the Scottsbluff Star-Herald. He was recognized five years in a row as the Associated Press Great Plains Bureau best editorial writer and many times from the Nebraska Press Association. He is currently retired, living in Hubbard Lake, Michigan, and remains an active columnist publishing in several news organizations.

We ARe a Place for independents!

Be engaged and empowered by joining our network.

Not sure if you want to become a member - yet?

Can we count on you to contribute to our mission? Any amount helps!