Our Values
Ground Game Texas takes great pride in all that we've been able to accomplish in just three short years. In 2024, Ground Game and our partners won 15 progressive ballot initiatives in various locales across Texas, strengthening democracy, standing up for worker wages, decriminalizing marijuana, and defending reproductive rights.
We couldn't have had the success we've had without our incredible team and their diversity of talent and perspective. Ground Game believes that change must begin within – in order to successfully promote progressive policies throughout Texas, we must live those values within our workplace.
Our staff, including leadership, has extensive experience in labor organizing and community advocacy. That experience allows us to cultivate an equitable and collaborative environment, where employees are treated with the respect they deserve.
Ground Game embraces diversity and does not tolerate harassment, retaliation, bullying, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, and age. When employees raise concerns, they are addressed swiftly, with sensitivity and seriousness.
Consequential decisions are not made by any one person on our team, but instead are the product of careful deliberation by relevant stakeholders. In deciding which communities to work with, or campaigns to take on, Ground Game seeks to support work already being done by local organizers.
Ground Game Texas is committed to continuing our work of organizing and building meaningful, transformative power throughout the state together with our communities and partners. This work has never been simple or easy, and we know that 2025 will present great challenges. We stand ready to meet them. Juntos!
Our Team
Catina Voellinger
Executive Director
She/her
Born into a biracial family in Texas, Catina's unique perspective greatly informs her role at Ground Game Texas. Raised by a mother who experienced extreme poverty in Central Texas and a father from a working-class family in North East Texas, Catina directly experienced economic and racial inequality. The insight she gained from her upbringing spurred a career dedicated to challenging injustices, advocating for workers' rights, and promoting racial equity.
Prior to joining Ground Game Texas, Catina co-founded the first worker-owned political consultancy cooperative in the U.S., advocating for campaign workers and replacing a disposable culture with one that values every team member. Catina utilizes her versatile expertise in campaign management, compliance, fundraising, design, and communications to actively confront and deconstruct systems that suppress underrepresented communities. She first came on to the team at Ground Game in early 2022, and achieved an array of essential accomplishments, including building our institutional fundraising program, overhauling our communications materials, taking charge of our largest ballot measure campaigns, and generally building a focused, constructive, and collaborative culture.
Catina’s deep dedication, paired with her strategic approach, make her a vibrant force at Ground Game Texas and an inspiring leader in our shared goal of building a more equitable and just world.
Mars Rodriguez
Managing Director
They/them
Mars is a passionate progressive organizer, born and raised in Texas. Growing up in a working-class home, Mars came to political work in 2016 understanding that in order for people’s lives to improve, we must organize to make it happen. After first cutting their teeth working on a dozen local ballot initiatives and candidate campaigns in the Austin area, their natural talent for the work won them a competitive spot in the Blue Leadership Collaborative.
After completing training, Mars traveled the country to manage several campaigns, from highly competitive Chicago Aldermanic general and runoff elections to congressional primaries in California.
In 2024, after having strengthened and refined their skills, Mars returned to Texas, ready to fight like hell for the state they call home. As Managing Director, Mars provides a mix of strategic oversight and hands-on management, overseeing operations across various departments, campaigns, and programs at Ground Game.
Mike Siegel
Co-Founder & Political Director
He/him
Mike has previously worked as a public school teacher, nonprofit leader, civil rights attorney, and Austin city attorney. He was also a two-time Democratic nominee for Congress in the Texas 10th. Mike helps to build coalitions and design programs for Ground Game Texas, while also serving as the organization’s general counsel.
Ben Deatrick
Campaigns and Organizing
He/him
Ben’s deep love of politics began during the 2008 Obama campaign, where he worked in South Carolina and had the chance to meet then future President Obama. Since then, he’s worked to move Texas forward by helping numerous progressive candidates in and around Central Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas, he also spent 12 years as a professional poker player. Ben’s responsibilities include overseeing petition and electoral campaigns, developing voter outreach strategy, and maintaining campaign infrastructure.
Matt
Krausse
Data Director
He/him
Matt began his career in politics in the field working for candidates up and down the ballot. He has managed and worked on multiple campaign, including as the Digital & Communications Director for Mike Siegel, Campaign Manager for Derrick Crowe for Congress and Lewis Conway Jr’s bid for Austin City Council. Matt has also been a data consultant numerous campaigns, organizations, and companies, including the Austin Police Oversight Act (APOA). Matt is currently on the community advisory board member for the Parsons Project, an open-source python project for the progressive community. His love of technology and computers led him to become a data expert.
Matt develops robust systems and analysis that help guide Ground Game Texas through tough problems. Born and raised in Texas, he now lives on the road in the Mountain West, skiing, rock climbing, fishing, and (more recently) playing pickleball.
Amy Kamp
Communications Director
She/her
Amy Kamp is a longtime organizer, activist, and journalist, focused on reproductive justice, workers rights, and ending mass incarceration. Her years of experience researching, writing, and building relationships in Texas and a deep and nuanced understanding of the issues facing Texas’ most vulnerable populations inform her work as Ground Game’s Communications Director.
Amy lives in San Marcos with her daughter.
Natalie
Marquez
Dallas Field Director
She/her
Natalie grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, where she first honed her organizing skills, including volunteering with Angry Tias and Abuelas to assist asylum-seeking families in safely navigating through Border Patrol. In 2020, Natalie co-founded RGV Mutual Aid, raising $45,000 to aid 49 families impacted by Hurricane Hanna, with a particular focus on those undocumented and unsupported by FEMA. She has served as District Director for State Representative Terry Meza, GOTV Director for Councilman Zo Qadri, and Political Director for Rochelle Garza’s Attorney General campaign. Natalie’s wealth of dedication and strategic insight make her an invaluable leader in her role as Dallas Field Director.
Tristeza
Ordex
Dallas Campaign Manager
She/her
Triste is a mom, activist, and retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant. Growing up as the daughter of migrant farmworkers in Oregon, Triste worked in the fields with them until her senior year of high school. In 2004, she joined the US Marines and did two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. She also served as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor before retiring in September 2014.
Triste began doing organizing work on student veteran issues and veterans suicide awareness in 2015 as a student in Tarrant County Community College. In 2016, she was recognized with the Veteran Student of the Year award. The following year was awarded Congressional Veterans Commendation Award for Texas’s 33rd Congressional District.
In 2018, Triste made her foray into electoral politics knocking and making calls for progressive candidates in the DFW area. In 2020, she joined the Working Families Party to build a veterans project that organized veterans across the country. In 2021, Triste launched her political consulting firm, Fierza Strategies LLC, leading an all-Latina staff. In 2024, Fierza launched a student internship program that supported Dallas candidates in primary challenges and social media campaigns for nonprofits.
As Dallas Campaign Manager, Triste and her team successfully put marijuana decriminalization on the city’s ballot, Ground Game’s largest campaign yet.
Karen
Salazar
McAllen Campaign Manager
She/her
Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley to a single-parent household, Karen came to politics out of love for her culture and community. Although RGV politics have been notoriously plagued by corruption, and the border is often discounted and demonized in mainstream political discussions, Karen knows from experience its potential for transformation.
Karen joined Ground Game in 2022 as a field organizer for the Living Wage campaigns in the cities of Alton and Edinburg. She has since assisted other campaigns, knocking doors in El Paso for the Climate Charter campaign and serving on the data verification team for campaigns in San Antonio and Lubbock. Through these campaigns, she discovered her passion for organizing and witnessed firsthand the power her community holds. Karen is currently the Campaign Manager for the McAllen Anti-Corruption act, a ground-breaking anti-corruption, pro-democracy ballot proposition.