Gabby Seay has had many titles in her nearly 20 year career–Political Director, Facilitator, Trainer, Coach, Campaigner, Founder, Strategist–but the one she wears mostly proudly is Organizer. Her work centers on building political, social, and economic power in communities of color.

As the Founder and Principal of Seay Strategies, Gabby has supported the launch of organizations like BlackPAC and Grow Our Vote, two organizations that use elections to build long-term power in communities of color. She has partnered with organizations like Our Voice/Nuestra Voz and Community Voices Heard to chart their long-term strategic goals, and worked with organizations like AFROPUNK and Planned Parenthood to organize events and activations to engage and mobilize millennials and Gen Zers. Gabby has trained scientists and communicators to build advocacy campaigns in support of food security in developing countries with Cornell University and has trained hundreds of organizers, campaigners, and activists.

Gabby is the former Political Director for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the nation’s largest local labor union, While at 1199, she led the union’s political, legislative, and policy work in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington DC, and Florida. Gabby managed a 50+ person team that also led the organization’s COVID response efforts including transitioning the organization to remote work, leading member education and awareness campaigns, and identifying private support for healthcare workers. Gabby’s team also managed large scale events, mobilizations and pockets on behalf of the union. 

Before 1199SEIU, Gabby led electoral, issue, and advocacy campaigns at the local state and national levels. She cut her teeth in politics organizing her fellow college students to support John Kerry for President. She went on to elect Democrats in her home state of Ohio from local mayors and county commissioners to Governor Ted Strickland and ultimately served as President Barack Obama’s Ohio Political Director in 2012.

Gabby serves on the boards of Workers Action Center and Fight for the Base. She has also been recognized as one of City & State Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful People in Brooklyn.