Shellenberger's Think Tank

2004

About Us

PutKingonthe20.com is a project of The Breakthrough Institute.

Michael Shellenberger is President and CEO of The Breakthrough Institute, a think tank focused on business and economic issues. Michael has written articles on issues ranging from energy independence to trade policy for the L.A. Times, the American Prospect, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Diego Union Tribune, and other publications. He recently authored Race to the Top a report on NGO ethical business campaigns (www.EthicalBusinessCampaigns.org).

Michael is a co-founder of the Apollo Alliance, an alliance of business, labor, environment, and civil rights leaders working toward a New Apollo Project to create three million clean energy jobs, free America from foreign oil, and re-establish America’s global economic leadership (www.ApolloAlliance.org)

Michael has helped lead campaigns to defend affirmative action, eliminate sweatshops and protect the environment. In 1996 he co-founded Communication Works which he grew to be California’s largest public interest communications firm before merging it in 2001. Michael is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and holds a Masters Degree in Anthropology from the University of California.

Tommy McDonald is project consultant of the Breakthrough Institute and a veteran communications strategist working on social justice issues for many groups, including Children Now, the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, the Justice Policy Institute, and the Youth Law Center. Tommy was funded by George Soros’ Open Society Institute to work on juvenile justice issues. Tommy has also handled consumer litigation, affordable housing, drug policy, human rights and gun control issues. He served as the communications director for a California ballot initiative campaign on juvenile justice.

Tommy is resident of Nashville, TN, and is a 1993 Tennessee State University graduate. He began his career as a sports writer for the Nashville Banner in 1991 and was a community news reporter at the Sacramento Bee and a local sports editor for ANG Newspapers, which owns the Oakland Tribune.