Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is an award-winning author, frequent public speaker, the co-founder and the Executive Director/CEO of MomsRising.org, and board President of the MomsRising Education Fund.  Started in May 2006, MomsRising has more than 1 million members (and growing), more than 550 contributing bloggers, and more than one hundred aligned national organizations, working together to increase family economic security; to help ensure families, children, and businesses can thrive; and to end discrimination against women and mothers. MomsRising is bringing millions of people, who all share a common concern about the need to build a more family-friendly America, together as a deeply engaged and educated multicultural, non-partisan force. This grassroots online and on-the-ground effort is mobilizing mothers, and all who have mothers, across America. MomsRising and its members are educating the public, organizing, and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to family economic security in our nation. MomsRising has an estimated combined social media and blogging reach of more than 3 million readers. In both 2010 and 2011, Forbes.com, named MomsRising’s web site one of the “Top 100 Websites For Women.”  Bloggers on the site have included concerned moms, dads and others from all walks of life, including heads of national organizations, Members of Congress, and leadership from U.S. agencies. With MomsRising co-founder and board President, Joan Blades (who is also co-founder of MoveOn.org), Rowe-Finkbeiner co-authored The Motherhood Manifesto.  Released on Mother’s Day 2006, The Motherhood Manifesto makes the case that it’s time for a broad change in America’s policies for mothers and families. In both public and private sectors, radical shifts are needed to make parenting and the workplace compatible. The Motherhood Manifesto identifies and challenges the obstacles facing working mothers today, and proposes concrete solutions.  In 2007, The Motherhood Manifesto won the Ernesta Drinker Ballard Book Prize. The book is also the basis for a documentary film of the same name, which aired on PBS stations across the country. Rowe-Finkbeiner is also the author of The F-Word: Feminism in Jeopardy, which was awarded first place by the Independent Book Publishers Association in the category of Women’s Issues in 2005.  This book is a part of the syllabus for college courses across the nation. Rowe-Finkbeiner’s writing also appears in several other books, including the anthologies: The Essential Hip Mama: Writing from the Cutting Edge of Motherhood; The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change; Courageous Parents, Confident Kids; and Current Controversies: The Wage Gap, as well as other academic anthologies.   Rowe-Finkbeiner also writes frequently about public policy, motherhood, health, and new feminism for blogs and magazines, and many of her magazine articles are currently being used in women’s studies classes across the nation.  She is the recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism award for magazine writing. Rowe-Finkbeiner has been interviewed by major national as well as local media, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, Dennis Miller Show, CNN, NOW With David Brancaccio, To the Contrary, the Laura Flanders Show, New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, KPFA Radio and KUOW Radio. She is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. Rowe-Finkbeiner is a regular public speaker and has spoken on family economic security, women’s issues, online grassroots organizing, and other issues in numerous forums, including the Campaign for America’s Future Take Back the American Dream Conference, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, NetRoots Nation, Democracy Fest, the League of Women Voters National Conference, the International Leadership Association Conference, Town Hall, numerous universities, union events, rallies, and more.  She has also testified before Congress, state legislatures and city councils about legislation affecting family economic security. Rowe-Finkbeiner has been deeply involved in cutting edge politics and policy analysis for more than two decades. She’s worked as a consultant in the field of political strategy and policy analysis for clients such as the League of Conservation Voters EF, Audubon Society, NW Ecosystem Alliance, McDanel Land Foundation, Washington Conservation Voters, Washington Environmental Alliance for Voter Education, Atmosphere Alliance, and more.  Previous to working as a consultant, during her tenure as Political and Field Director of the Washington Conservation Voters, she created a highly successful model statewide grassroots program to elect, endorse, and support environmentally responsible candidates. Rowe-Finkbeiner has received numerous awards and accolades for her work. Among them are: fellowships in the Rockwood Institute Leadership program and the Hunt Alternatives Fund’s national program, Prime Movers: Cultivating Social Capital;  the Washington State League of Women Voters Good in Government Award; ParentMap Magazine’s “Super Hero” for families award.  She was also one of the Women’s Media Centers’ Progressive Women’s Voices. She currently serves on the board of the Economic Opportunity Institute, and as a Parenting Magazine Mom Congress Advisory Board Member. She served as board President for the Washington Environmental Alliance for Voter Education (WEAVE) and on the Executive Committee of the Washington Conservation Voters board for many years.  She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children. Follow Rowe-Finkebeiner on Twitter @rowefinkbeiner.