Page S. Gardner is the founder of Women’s Voices. Women Vote (WVWV) and its sister organization, the Women’s Voices. Women Vote Action Fund.

After the 2000 election, Gardner wanted to improve her understandings of how to identify and mobilize non-voters. She examined exit polling and Census data and found that there was a stunning difference between the voter participation rates of married and unmarried women. Most civic participation efforts addressed women voters as a group. But, as Gardner realized, there is no such thing as “women voters” because married and unmarried women have very different lives, views, and voting patterns. Gardner was the first to focus on the nation’s largest, fastest-growing, but underrepresented demographic group – unmarried women.

In 2003, Gardner, along with Chris Desser, founded WVWV –with the goal of increasing unmarried women’s participation in the political process.

Over five years and three election cycles, WVWV has helped unmarried women to bring their share of total voters closer to their presence in the population – 26% of adult Americans. With Gardner’s leadership, WVWV has achieved these results through an ever-expanding array of rigorously tested and proven programs., WVWV is a pioneer in the area of metrics-based voter registration, voter turnout, and advocacy. WVWV is a leader in developing new ways to enfranchise and empower the historically under-represented groups that now comprise the new American electorate: unmarried women, African Americans, Hispanics, and young people.

WVWV also strives to create awareness around a public policy agenda that will work for unmarried women. In 2008, together with the Center for American Progress Action Fund, WVWV published a groundbreaking report on unmarried women’s unique needs and priorities on the economy, employment opportunities, education and career training, healthcare, childcare and other issues.

Before founding WVWV, Gardner worked at senior levels for the highest level competitive presidential, senatorial, gubernatorial, and congressional campaigns throughout the country for more than 20 years. She has also managed issue campaigns on some of the most heatedly debated public policy questions, including reproductive rights, civil rights, national budget priorities, technology and trade. She is a nationally known political strategist and communications specialist.

A prominent political practitioner and commentator, Gardner has written articles for many publications, and has appeared on network television including MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN.

Ms. Gardner has a magna cum laude degree from Duke University. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Virginia.