Inside the Beltway, outside the box.
The Beat highlights diverse political leaders in the nation’s capital and the policies that impact communities of color. Tracking politics, policy, comings and goings, this platform has the pulse of diverse influencers and stakeholders across all facets of the Beltway. From our daily tipsheet to our weekly podcast, we keep you in the know. Email us your photos, events, news, video links, published blogs, and other items to info@TheBeatDC.com.
Tiffany Cross
Managing Editor, Curator, and Publisher
Tiffany harnesses nearly two decades of navigating the Beltway tracking the politics, policy, and comings and goings of influencers of color.
Tiffany has worked in a variety of roles in media and social justice. She began her career in radio before quickly transitioning to television working as an Associate Producer for CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, Capital Gang, and Reliable Sources with Howard Kurtz. She has also worked as a Field Producer for America’s Most Wanted and an Executive Producer for BET Networks. She previously worked as the Director of Communications for brilliant corners and has served as a communications lead for a number of campaigns. Most recently, Tiffany served as a Senior Adviser for the National Education Association leading African American outreach for their leadership and 3 million members leaving in 2016 to help launch The Beat DC.
Tiffany is a proud member of the National Association of Black Journalists. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she attended Clark Atlanta University where she majored in Mass Communications with an emphasis on Radio, TV & Film. She loves dogs in a ridiculous way with her favorite breed being the pit bull.
Brenda Arredondo-Ratner
Senior Writer, Advisor, and Copy Editor
Brenda has more than 12 years of experience in communications and progressive politics and has a penchant for understanding how to connect issues to the news of the day.
Prior to joining The Beat DC and Raben, Brenda spent almost seven years on Capitol Hill including three years as Press Secretary for the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee during the height of the Great Recession. She has helped author and place opinion pieces and stories in outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, and other top-tier outlets across the country.
A native of El Paso, TX, Brenda holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Religious Studies from Rice University. Su primer idioma es español. Brenda is a member of the American Association of People with Disabilities and a professional -- literally and figuratively -- cat herder. She lives in DC with her husband, Ben, a passionate environmentalist with EDF, and two cat children -- Ovechkitten and Ella.
Jamal Simmons
Host, The Beat DC Podcast
Jamal Simmons specializes in media and political strategy. He helped elect Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to the presidency and has advised many corporate and government leaders.
In addition to hosting the Beat podcast, Jamal is often found on MSNBC, NPR’s Here and Now and ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Previously he was the lead interviewer for Aspire TV’s The Root 100 miniseries (2013); a political analyst for CBS News (2010); and a fixture on CNN during the 2008 Presidential campaign.
Jamal is with The Hill, honorary board member of the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation and graduate of both Morehouse College and Harvard University. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife Jewel James.
Patricia Guadalupe
Raised in Puerto Rico, Patricia Guadalupe is a contributing writer for NBC Latino, Washington Hispanic newspaper, and the Washington correspondent for Latino Magazine. She has previously worked as as Washington correspondent for NPR's Latino USA, Telemundo's WKAQ Radio in San Juan, and DC's WTOP Radio, in addition to contributing to CBS Radio, The Washington Post, and Latina Magazine, among others, and has done translations and interpretations for various organizations.
She is a graduate of Michigan State University and has a Masters from George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. She is a fan of Yankees baseball and all Michigan State sports. Go Green!
Charlie Crocker
Creative Consultant
Charlie is half of the creative duo that that gives The Beat its swagger. He primarily works at the intersection of communications, arts, and politics, bringing creativity and unique approach to both his graphic design and strategic approach. With a history of supporting elected officials, filmmakers, and advocates, he is able to bring a cross-disciplinary lens to all his work.
Charlie previously worked as a Campaign Coordinator for Picture Motion, as an Associate for the National Conference of Democratic Mayors, and lent his services to Greg Orman’s Senate Campaign in 2014.
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