Who We Are
We’re real American citizens tired of all the arguments and mud-slinging across the partisan divide. We may disagree on some or many issues, and that’s perfectly normal. But we don’t have to hate each other or treat each other with contempt and we don’t want to.
We seek to rejoin and create a community across the country, and bridge the partisan divide. Let’s sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, literally or figuratively, and connect again. Good things will follow.
Kitchen Table Talk is a proud member of Braver Angels’ Braver Network of organizations working to bridge the partisan divide.
Our Team
Julie Shields
Julie Shields got tired of talking and worrying. She was lucky enough to find friends and acquaintances eager to start this effort towards positive change. She has lived in many parts of the US and in Europe, which has made her appreciate the US even more. A writer and voting rights attorney, Julie loves to read, travel, and go on long walks with her dog.
Paula Mays
Paula is an attorney who has worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney, and in the trademark and healthcare fields. Paula also has a master’s degree in public health and is a published author. Other interests include watercolor and tennis.
Julie Wilson
A Maryland native, Julie Wilson was inspired by regular visits to the famous American monuments and museums and has never forgotten the thrill of celebrating the Bicentennial Fourth of July with fireworks on the National Mall. Her family was very involved in the community and volunteerism, a tradition she continues to this day. She loves being a U.S. citizen and is distressed that many of the symbols and words of patriotism and love of country have become polarizing. She hopes that the civil voices of the moderate majority will become more popular than the louder voices of the extreme minority.
Julie Schejbal
A Washington D.C. area native, Julie Schejbal is an attorney. She loves the United States and believes strongly in the untapped power of the middle. When not practicing law, Julie can be found on the tennis court or in a stadium rooting for her favorite college sports teams.
It all started at the mall . . .
Kitchen Table Talk grew out of many repeated conversations among the founders.
“I’m worried about our country,” Julie Shields said.
“So am I,” said the other founders, and many others, often followed by a sigh or excited utterances about the state of the US. But the conversation did nothing and things seemed to get worse every day. The partisan divide continued to grow. We decided to meet after work hours at a mall equidistant to us all, to talk and plan.
The result: a shared determination to do something about our polarized nation, before it’s too late. Join us in the conversation. Join us in our efforts to make the US whole again. Join us in our campaign to remember our common values and strengths as Americans.
KitchenTableTalk is a proud member of Braver Angel’s Braver Network of organizations working to bridge the partisan divide.
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”