Justin Wilkins

Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships

Justin is a seven-year veteran of President Barack Obama’s advocacy and electoral organizations, serving as the Tennessee State Director and later South Regional Director for OFA between 2009 – 2014 building one of the highest performing teams in the country.Following the 2012 re-election of President Barack Obama Justin served as a consultant to national advocacy campaigns managing state-level organizing, advocacy and communications for the Climate Action Campaign, Combined Defense Fund, Common Purpose Project, National Alliance for Health Security and others, on a range of progressive causes.  He also managed multi-year civic engagement research projects with allied groups and helped various groups develop organizing and advocacy training as a member of the Obama Alumni Training Corp.

Prior to joining SACE and SACEC AF Justin served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke 2014-2017, managing a team of senior staff including the Directors of Sustainability, Public Safety, Engagement, Public Art, Office of Early Learning, Policy, Multicultural Affairs and key initiatives, including the campaign to end veteran homelessness and the launch of the Family Justice Center for survivors of domestic violence.Justin received a B.S. in Nonprofit Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2004 and lives in Chattanooga, TN with his wife Kiersten, an elementary school teacher, and three children Charlie, Sam and Emmie Klair.

Justin currently advises philanthropic and political groups and works to organize SACE AF resources with allies around strategic and aligned plans to advance our goals.