Kahlil Byrd
Founder and CEO of Invest America and Advisory Board Member of Voatz
Kahlil Byrd is a political entrepreneur and expert at building and leading large,
disruptive, technology-based advocacy and political reform organizations. For the
past two decades, KB has specialized in devising long-term strategy, securing
substantial monetary investments, and achieving wins at the state and national
levels. He has a well-earned prominence as a national authority in the democracy
reform space.
KB is the founder and CEO of Invest America, an advisory firm that exclusively
serves the most creative financiers and builders of complex organizations and
movements. Invest America’s distinctive approach optimizes resources and impact
by combining bold talent, smart technology, operating expertise, and research and
data-based insights. Clients include leaders and organizations whose aspirations
have the potential to reach and improve the lives of 150+ million American voters.
Previously, KB served as president of StudentsFirst, a multimillion-dollar national
reform effort focused on changing the legislative and policy landscapes of public
education in America. Working with the senior team and the board, KB
commanded StudentsFirst’s long-term strategy, operations, budget, and efforts to
develop an optimal culture focused on growth.
Prior to StudentsFirst, KB acted as chief executive officer of Americans Elect, a
national start-up with the twofold mission of re-imagining, through technology, the
U.S. presidential primary system and placing a bipartisan presidential ticket on all
50 state ballots. KB and his team raised over $40 million and oversaw more than
150 paid staff, 5,000 contractors, and 3,000 volunteers nationwide.
AmericansElect.org won the 2012 People’s Choice Award at South by Southwest,
one of the country’s largest interactive technology conferences; the Campaigns &
Elections 2012 CampaignTech Innovator Award; and two 2012 CLIO Awards for
content and interactive excellence.
KB is an active member of the boards of Voatz, Take Back Our Republic, and With
Honor. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served with
CFR as an International Affairs Fellow focused on international media. He is a
graduate of Morehouse College and Harvard Kennedy School.