Hi there! I’m Shaan (he/him or she/her). I’m a speechwriter and communications strategist who’s played scribe to some of the biggest names in politics, philanthropy, and advocacy.
These days, I work at the Gates Foundation as speechwriter to its chair, Bill Gates. And before that, I wrote for Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the US Department of Transportation. In those jobs, and as a speechwriter in the private sector, I’ve written about everything from car tires to smart toilets—not to mention climate change, civil rights, women’s economic power, and much more.
In my spare time, I serve on the board of Speechwriters of Color, a nonprofit organization that works to diversify a profession that’s still overwhelmingly white and male. And I’ve helped to hire, train, and mentor dozens of the best young speechwriters in the country—many of whom now have more impressive resumes than mine.
I’ve written for clients ranging from grassroots activists to crowned royalty, helped institutions navigate unprecedented crises, and penned words watched and read by tens of millions of people. And I couldn’t be more excited to do the same for you.
Cindy Ji
Hello! I’m Cindy (she/her)—an advocate, organizer, and veteran communicator who’s spent my career fighting for marginalized people. My academic background is in public policy, but the heart of my work is storytelling.
I began my career working one-on-one with South Bronx residents facing eviction. For years, I kept my clients out of the shelter system. And along the way, I listened to their stories, seeing the same patterns repeat themselves over and over—domestic violence, chronic illness, a lack of child care. Those stories have shaped my work ever since.
Today, I’m the director of community engagement for one of the largest Asian American civil rights organizations in the country. There, I support a network of hundreds of partner organizations and mobilize them around national issues.
Before that, I was the acting deputy director and communications director for the Children’s Defense Fund – Texas. At CDF, I coordinated diverse, multistate coalitions like Southerners for Medicaid Expansion, which helped protect the health care of millions of low-income people. I also organized grassroots health care campaigns that secured major legislative victories in Texas, including the first expansion of Medicaid for pregnancy in decades.
I’m a storyteller, a policy expert, and a grassroots organizer. And I look forward to working with you!
The Good Ghosts 