Burns Strider, a native of Grenada County, Mississippi, served in an array of positions prior to founding TThe Eleison Group, including Senior Advisor and Director of Faith Outreach to U. S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and her campaign for President, Director of Policy for the U. S. House Democratic Caucus, Advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) , Director of the U. S. House Democratic Faith Working Group and Rural Working Group, regional Communications Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Chief of Staff to U. S. Congressman Ronnie Shows (D-MS). In 2007 Strider was named one of the 12 most influential Democrats in the nation on faith and values politics and issues by Religion News Service. In the mid-90’s Burns spent two years in Hong Kong as a Missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention serving as youth minister at International Baptist Church. Strider has worked on more than 15 campaigns, managing 5 of them. He has developed communications plans used in over 35 congressional and statewide races as well as a teaching tool for the National Democratic Institute in their work with progressive political parties in foreign countries. He has been a commentator for National Public Radio and has taught and lectured at various political workshops around the nation including current stints with Camp Wellstone.