Anna Soellner

Vice President for Communications and Deputy Director, California Office

High-resolution Image

Anna Soellner is Vice President for Communications and Deputy Director of American Progress’s newly launched California office. Previously, she was the Director for Outreach and Special Events for American Progress in Washington, D.C. Since 2003 Soellner has directed over 300 public programs and conferences with a diverse array of public officials and prominent universities, think tanks, and advocacy organizations. Soellner also oversees the culture work of American Progress, including the popular Reel Progress screening series, which explores the nexus between message films and the issues they cover. This program has established American Progress as a leader in showcasing important feature and documentary film in Washington, D.C. and other major cities. Through this program Soellner and American Progress have worked with the Sundance Film Institute, the American Film Institute, and a number of studios and independent filmmakers. Soellner joined American Progress after serving at the Hong Kong office of the public affairs firm Golin/Harris Forrest. There she provided strategic counsel for a diverse group of private and public sector clients including the Hong Kong S.A.R. government, Jardine Matheson, and Giorgio Armani. She also served in the office of Martin Lee, chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, where she was a Henry Luce Foundation Scholar. In that capacity, Soellner served as foreign media liaison and assisted in developing party relations with foreign governments and NGOs to promote democracy and rule of law in Hong Kong. Previously, Soellner served in the Office of Legislative Affairs and Public Liaison at the U.S. Treasury Department in the Clinton administration, where she focused on banking, finance, and enforcement policy. She has also worked for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee under Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). She has a bachelor's degree with high honors from Smith College in government and American studies.