Vote Run Lead founder Erin Velotti on training women to run and govern

Erin Velotti, founder and CEO of Vote Run Lead and Vote Run Lead Action, said her group trains women to both run for office and hold elected power effectively, emphasizing practical skills and ongoing support.

Velotti told host Dr. Bob Lee that the organization’s work combines curriculum and a "mindset shift" so women see themselves as viable candidates. "Run as you are," she said, noting that authenticity helps voters identify genuine candidates. She described training modules that cover fundraising, stump speeches and governance once elected.

The organization has scaled since its early years, Velotti said, pointing to rapid online growth during the pandemic: where webinars once drew about 50 people, virtual sessions later reached roughly 1,500 attendees. In the interview she cited long-term activity—about 20 years of programming—and referred in conversation to a reach of tens of thousands of women (a figure mentioned conversationally in the broadcast). She said Vote Run Lead now works nationally and locally, including in New York and the Bronx.

Velotti highlighted structural barriers that discourage women from running—child-rearing responsibilities, lower pay and narrower networks—and described the role-model effect, where visible women in office encourage others to run. She said the organization has adapted to the needs of women already in office, offering governance training to help officials manage budgets and translate campaigns into policy decisions.

Velotti credited New York City’s small-donor public financing and the introduction of ranked-choice voting with lowering entry barriers and making primaries less adversarial, which she said encouraged more women to run. She pointed to local examples and alumni participation: "We have Althea Stevens who’s been through the training," she said, naming several other public figures she identified as past participants.

For prospective candidates, Velotti offered concrete first steps: map your district and constituents, talk the decision through with family and household partners, and complete a campaign readiness checklist Vote Run Lead posts online (referred to in the interview as "10 questions"). She urged newcomers to do in-person organizing—block walking, attending local events and joining community boards—alongside digital outreach.

Velotti also discussed measurement of success. Beyond participation counts, she said, keeping women safe and able to remain in office amid threats and harassment has become a key metric: "If we're able to keep our women in public office, keep them safe, and keep them doing the job well, that's success for us." The program offers alumni networks and mentorship to support retention.

Velotti promoted online resources viewers can consult: VRL HQ (referred to in the interview as vrlhq.org) and the organization's main site, voterunlead.org, which she described as repositories for training materials and candidate resources. She also previewed an upcoming gathering of roughly 60 women legislators from 28 states in Chicago to coordinate strategy and collective action.

The interview closed with Dr. Bob Lee thanking Velotti and inviting her back; Velotti encouraged viewers who are considering candidacy to research local candidates and to "see them in action" at community events before voting.