Adrienne Kimmell joined the organization in 2017 as vice president of strategic research before becoming NARAL’s chief research and communications officer in 2019. Adrienne is a pioneer in messaging research grounded in behavioral and cognitive science. Throughout her wide-ranging career, she has helped create an understanding of the interplay between emotion and voting behavior.
Adrienne led the charge to reframe reproductive freedom messaging to resonate with broader audiences and mobilize people to take action in support of the freedom to decide if, when, and how to raise a family. Under her leadership, NARAL’s innovative communications and research departments have exposed the anti-choice movement’s rampant use of disinformation to advance its insidious agenda and developed hard-hitting strategies to fight back. In 2020, Adrienne ran NARAL’s largest-ever independent expenditure program, helping elect champions for reproductive freedom up and down the ballot in states across the country.
Adrienne has dedicated her career to advocating for equality and justice, working towards a future where all of our communities have everything they need to thrive. Before joining NARAL, she served as executive director at the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, which advances women’s equality and representation in U.S. politics. There, she led cutting-edge research on women candidates, oversaw grantmaking, engaged women in the political process, and advised women across the country running for office.
Adrienne’s long career advocating for reproductive freedom began as a grassroots organizer at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. She later served as executive director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, and managed state legislative strategy and electoral advocacy for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Her commentary has appeared in national publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Politico, The Atlantic, USA Today, and Refinery29.
Adrienne holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree in public policy from Tufts University.