Get to Know Shasti Conrad, a 2021 40 Under 40 Winner!
SHASTI CONRAD
Principal Consultant, Shasti Conrad Consulting
- How did you first get involved in politics? I grew up in a family that talked politics at the dinner table and prided themselves on being active in their civic duties. I remember as a kid going to the polls with my grandmother, someone who got her US citizenship in her 50s. So I was that 5-year-old kid debating with my teachers on the playground about their support for Reagan and dreaming of running for Congress someday so I could help my community. That love of politics translated into working on my first campaign in high school for a local school bond levy, and I’ve never looked back!
- What is the best career advice you’ve ever received? Dream big, be entrepreneurial and build authentic relationships. When I first got to DC as a new college graduate for my first big political internship in the Obama Administration, one of Obama’s mentees and Senior Advisor’s chief of staff, Michael Strautmanis, gave me that advice as I was embarking on staying in DC and getting a job in politics. He advised to embrace networking in a genuine way, stay in touch with folks, allow them to be a part of your journey. Ask each person to recommend three more people to talk to. And whenever someone offered to help me, I’d always ask if I could meet them for coffee and get career advice. Building relationships has been crucial to my success and really the only way I’ve built my career. That and always being willing to do the work!
- What do you wish other people knew about political consulting? I wish more women and people of color knew that they could absolutely do this work and I wish more candidates, organizations, and potential clients knew that there is so much to be gained from the experience of people from diverse backgrounds! I’ve contended with a lot of impostor syndrome about whether I had the chops to be a full general campaign consultant and I’ve allowed myself to be undervalued and underpaid. Times are changing and it’s been thrilling to see more candidates of color and now we need more staff and consultants of color getting the support they deserve! We are best poised to decipher what is happening in American politics right now and I’m excited to be a part of that next generation of leadership!
- Who have you not worked with yet but would like to? I’m so jazzed by such incredible candidates who are running and winning on progressive platforms like Mayor Michelle Wu in Boston, Rep. AOC in NYC, Rep. Pramila Jayapal out here in Seattle. I just want to keep building with people who share similar values and understand the nexus of culture & politics. I can’t wait to run the hippest, most culturally relevant political and surrogates program for the next great progressive candidate! I also can’t wait to work with sheroes like Maya Rupert, Natalie Montelongo, Rebecca Cokley, Linh Nguyen, Rene Spellman, and so many other badass consultants!
