Mitra Salasel is a policy communications expert and consultant. She spent a decade leading communications at ideas42, a global nonprofit that uses behavioral science to solve complex social and policy problems. She is the co-founder of Behavioral Scientist magazine. Her early work focused on narrowing the gender representation gap in politics, where she provided media and messaging training for prospective women candidates, as well as campaign support, as head of communications for the influential Texas PAC Annie's List. She has an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, where she served as the Managing Editor for Economic and Political Development on the HKS Policy Review.