Sage Warner is the director of Stories for the Advocacy and Outreach department at American Progress. Prior to joining American Progress, she started as a campaigns associate for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, working in key states in the fight against ACA repeal efforts. She joined American Progress to help launch its story bank of health care advocates soon after. Since then, she’s helped develop it into a multipolicy storytelling program that builds national policy narratives by onboarding issue-based storytellers and training them to become leaders in their communities and networks through the power of their story and voice. These storytellers have authored and been interviewed in national outlets and shows such as Fortune, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, “The Daily,” and STAT, as well as local outlets such as The Arizona Republic, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. They have testified before Congress, spoken at the White House, and led events with their senators.
As storytelling is increasingly becoming more central to progressive politics, Warner is expanding American Progress’ Stories team and program. Its current economic narrative campaign aims to educate communities nationwide on federal economic policy through trusted validators.
Warner holds a B.A. in psychology from the science, math, and computing division at Bard College. Through undergraduate research that involved building a high school course in sexual assault prevention and an internship for congressional candidate Zephyr Teachout in her college’s rural district, Warner realized how limited policies were without federal systems and communal trust in government. She moved to Washington, D.C., a week after graduating to work in federal policy and politics, and she has lived here ever since.