MEET THE TEAM

Ethan Smith has provided Democratic campaigns, progressive causes, non-profits, and government institutions with public opinion research, strategic advice, and messaging guidance for nearly a decade. He has also moderated hundreds of focus groups across the country. Ethan has earned a track record of helping clients defy the odds to win tough races. In 2018, Ethan helped win 3 new state legislative majorities and pick up dozens of seats across 6 chambers in Washington, Connecticut, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. Ethan also was part of the research team that helped flip 4 congressional seats in Washington, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In 2022, he helped Congresswoman Summer Lee defy millions of dollars in corporate super PAC spending to become Pennsylvania’s first Black Congresswoman. He also helped Congresswoman Susan Wild win reelection despite nearly every race rater calling her race Lean Republican. Ethan led research that helped flip the Minnesota Senate, giving Tim Walz unified government for the first time in his governorship. Since starting Upswing, Ethan has helped elect two new members of Congress, two new county executives, defeat election deniers who hold election board positions, and provide messaging guidance for progressive organizations, labor unions, and non-profits in more than 16 states. Prior to starting Upswing, Ethan worked at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research. There he conducted quantitative and qualitative research across the country. Before joining GQR, Ethan spent nearly a decade in the field on campaigns, working his way up from field organizer to caucus director at the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee. He served on campaign teams at almost every level of the ballot, learning the ins and outs of campaigns from the ground up. A proud Pittsburgh native and openly gay, Ethan earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history at the University of Pittsburgh. He currently lives in Washington, DC.

Kelsey Suter has helped hundreds of progressive groups to detect and navigate online content and effectively monitor social media narratives at the local level since 2020. She has trained thousands of operatives and activists on best practices for social listening and trust-building communications, while providing hundreds of progressive advocacy groups with social media insights that fuel other research instruments and drive strategy. With a background in research and strategic communications, Kelsey has worked at Drive Agency, GQR Research, and APCO Worldwide. She has been cited in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Politico, and various research publications.  She has an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and a BA in Political Science and English from the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota.

Jake Engle has expertise in opinion research, crisis communications, and strategic storytelling. He specializes in distilling complex insights into strategies that move the needle and build relationships.  He has partnered with political, nonprofit, and corporate clients worldwide, including the Biden White House, Harris for President, the DNC, DSCC, DCCC, and Governors JB Pritzker (IL) and Josh Shapiro (PA). In addition to these, he is proud to have supported the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Clean Power Association, True Colors United, and more. A proud Vermont native, Jake earned dual degrees in Public Relations and Political Science from Syracuse University. Before Upswing, he cut his teeth at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR) and directed wide-ranging projects at a social impact firm.

Kristi Lowe leads strategic communications and campaign work. She is a political and communications strategist, as well as an opinion researcher, with over 20 years of experience working on research-driven campaigns for elected office, government policy, advocacy, reputation management, and more. Kristi specializes in translating research-based insights into messages and creative content that influence opinion and create change.  Prior to joining Upswing, Kristi was a Partner at a social impact agency, a media company, and an opinion research firm. Across her leadership in these organizations, she has advised heads of state, government officials, national election campaigns, and progressive political parties around the world. Kristi developed and executed innovative and strategic campaigns by leading teams of communications professionals, creative and art directors, researchers, and social media strategists. She has conducted hundreds of surveys and focus groups in more than 15 countries and guided several leaders and political parties to electoral victory. Closer to home, Kristi has overseen national and statewide research in the United States. With a particular passion for qualitative research, she has personally moderated hundreds of focus groups and elite in-depth interviews with extensive experience interviewing policymakers, politicians, senior journalists, business executives, academics and other senior stakeholders.  A native of the Washington DC area, Kristi graduated from the College of William and Mary. She lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood with her husband and their three children.

Missy Egelsky brings more than two decades of experience providing research and advising domestic political campaigns, independent expenditure campaigns, and groups advocating on a variety of topics, including women’s rights, workers’ rights, education, and the economy.    Prior to joining Upswing, Missy previously polled for two major Democratic polling firms; she started as an intern at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, rising to the role of Senior Vice President before moving to serve as Senior Vice President of Research at Global Strategy Group. In her roles with those firms, she conducted statewide polling in more than 35 U.S. states and territories and helped to elect and re-elect dozens of officials at every level of government, including Governors Ed Rendell (PA), John Lynch (NH), Michele Lujan Grisham (NM), and Janet Mills (ME-IE) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Maggie Hassan (NH), as well as former Majority Leader Tom Daschle (SD) and the late Tim Johnson (SD).  She has also polled extensively for issue organization and associations, including National Education Association, AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME, EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood, the Center for American Progress, End Citizens United, and the League of Conservation Voters.  Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Missy’s motivation to advance progressive leaders, values, and policies that provide opportunities for all people comes from growing up in a working-class, union household. The daughter of a steelworker and a nurse’s aide and the first in her family to go to college, Missy attended The Pennsylvania State University on scholarship, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She earned a Master of Arts in Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University.

Darius Johnson has four cycles of polling experience, successfully helping to elect Democrats up and down the ballot and advance progressive causes. He is also a seasoned focus group moderator. Prior to joining Upswing, Darius worked his way from Intern to Research Director at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, There, he was part of teams that helped re-elect Senators Mark Kelly in Arizona and Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire. He worked with Ethan while at GQR to help Summer Lee become the first Black Congresswoman from Pennsylvania and Mayor Ed Gainey become the first Black mayor of Pittsburgh. In 2022, he also helped Congresswomen Susan Wild and Emilia Sykes win in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District and Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, respectively, two of the most competitive districts in the country while also working to expand Democrats’ majorities in the Washington State Legislature. While at Upswing Research, Darius has continued the fight to get more progressives elected to office. He has worked on 3 of the most expensive primary races in recent history; working with January 6th Hero Harry Dunn in Maryland’s 3rd District, Congresswoman Cori Bush in Missouri’s 1st District, and Congressman Jamaal Bowman in New York’s 16th District. In 2024, Darius also worked to elect the first queer Latina to Congress, Emily Randall from Washington’s 6th District, and the first Black Congressman to represent New Jersey’s 3rd District, Herb Conaway. Darius earned his bachelor’s degree in Cellular/Molecular Biology at the Historically Black University, Hampton University and his master’s degree in public policy from American University.

Lara Jakiel specializes in social listening, communications, and data-driven strategy, helping clients navigate complex media landscapes to drive impactful engagement.  Lara began her career at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR). Since 2020, she has worked closely with campaigns, advocacy groups, and elected officials. Prior to joining the Upswing team, Lara worked at a social impact firm and helped create and expand Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s influencer program during his inaugural year in office – the first dedicated, full-time influencer program for a statewide elected official in the country. A Pittsburgh native, Lara earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.

George Duarte leads digital research projects and AI strategy at Upswing. He helps progressive organizations navigate the AI-laden information ecosystem by fusing real-time social listening, data-rich insights, and creative communications strategy. Now based in Los Angeles, George began his career at Zurich North America before moving into international security research at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Since 2023 he has partnered with campaigns, advocacy groups, and elected officials, designing AI-literacy trainings and rapid-response monitoring systems that empower teams to identify and defuse harmful narratives. Prior to joining Upswing, George held roles at a social impact firm, Edelman, and J Terry & Associates, where he honed his expertise in digital strategy and stakeholder engagement. Originally from Milwaukee, George earned an MSc from the London School of Economics and a BA from Maryville University of St. Louis.