ABOUT US
Founded in 2018, CityBright is a political and communications consulting firm created to empower & enlighten the strategies of leaders and fill bandwidth gaps existing in the public, political, voluntary & corporate sectors. Through creative tactics and a commitment to public service, we work to ensure our clients are known and trusted by the people they serve. Learn more about our work by visiting our client page.
MEET OUR TEAM
Lauren Harper,
Founder & CEO
Lauren Harper is a political and communications strategist from South Carolina. She is Co-Founder of The Welcome Party and WelcomePAC.
Lauren previously served as South Carolina State Director for former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign, as Policy and Communications Advisor for Columbia (SC) Mayor Steve Benjamin and as an aide to (SC) Sen. Mia McLeod.
In the 2022 cycle, Lauren served as Coordinated Campaign Director for the Texas Democratic Party & Beto for Texas and led coordinated (hard side) PAC work with more than a dozen WelcomePAC candidates in Ohio and California.
Her legacy projects with the City of Columbia include creating the first municipal food policy committee in South Carolina (the Columbia Food Policy Committee); launching the Books 2 Boys & Girls program in partnership with City of Columbia Parks & Recreation, Columbia Police Department and Richland Library; and hosting the state's first peer-to-peer municipal election for the Columbia Youth Commission.
Lauren serves on the Boards of SC Women in Leadership and Bluebonnet Data.
Lauren has a passion for voter education and civic engagement, particularly for young people and those who have not historically been a part of political processes.
Skilled in charting out and executing a vision, Lauren has been equipped to aid corporations, political candidates, government administrators and nonprofit leaders in identifying the best course of action and bringing those plans to life.
Lauren is an alumna of the University of South Carolina. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Amelia Wilks,
Associate
Amelia Wilks is a Columbia, South Carolina native and a 2020 graduate of the University of South Carolina. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
At CityBright, she focuses on digital engagement for the firm's clients to ensure their reach is maximized. In addition, she serves as a Community Relations Coordinator at Children's Trust of South Carolina.
Amelia has previously served as Digital Organizing Manager for the Adair Ford Boroughs campaign in SC-02. She has a diverse array of political and nonprofit experiences including serving as an intern for U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn, an organizing fellow for the Kamala Harris for the People presidential campaign and a program and operations intern at New Morning Foundation. As a prominent student leader, Amelia has led the charge in keeping college students engaged with diversity, social advocacy and civic engagement initiatives.
Amelia is dynamic in her passion for engaging young voters.
Fueled by her love for serving her community, Amelia has developed a passion for equity and equal representation in politics and civic engagement. She works diligently to advocate on the behalf of Generation Z and Millennials in South Carolina.
Sophie Kahler,
Circle Up SC Manager
Sophie Kahler is a master’s student at the George Washington University studying Media and Strategic Communication. She is a native of Columbia, SC and a 2021 graduate of the University of South Carolina.
At CityBright, Sophie writes the weekly newsletter, Circle Up SC, targeted toward Millennial and Gen Z voters. She also works for Planet Forward, a media platform for students to share stories and solutions focused on climate change and sustainability.
Sophie worked as a communications fellow on Adair Ford Boroughs’ congressional campaign in SC-02 and has interned with the SC Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), the Smithsonian and Historic Columbia. She is passionate about local politics, voting rights and making politics accessible to the public.