Damian J. Sanchez

Founder & Vision Lead

Drives innovation and community impact through civic technology. Focuses on sustainability, accessibility, and building tools that turn awareness into action.

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Carrie Novak

Founder & Operations Lead

Optimizes systems and strategy to scale civic engagement. Brings over 30 years of experience improving efficiency and building successful service-based operations.

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Carrie says: I’ve always felt pretty disconnected from politics—like it’s this big stage full of strangers arguing over things I’m supposed to care about but don’t fully understand. Every election feels like a blur of signs, slogans, and promises I can’t verify, made by people I’ve never met. Trying to figure out who’s actually involved in my community and what they stand for feels like solving a mystery with no clues. Honestly, it’s overwhelming, confusing, and kind of feels like a bad group project where no one’s doing the work but everyone’s talking. That’s why I chose to be part of 2Cents—because I believe we deserve a simple, human way to connect with the decisions and the people shaping our communities. No more guesswork. 

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And the best part? I’ve finally found something I’m passionate about that lets me give back in a way that feels meaningful. I get to help people like me feel a little less lost and a lot more empowered.

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Damian says: I built 2Cents because I was done with being forced to choose between silence and fake loyalty.  When someone powerful gets hurt or attacked, the narrative gets hijacked. Suddenly you’re not “allowed” to criticize them—because speaking up gets twisted into something it’s not.  But what if the person behind that tragedy was already abusing power? What if that silence is part of the control?  I’ve watched people I love—like my mom—get pulled into battles over figureheads, not values.  We’re not that different in what we want—truth, progress, safety—but the system thrives by keeping us distracted, divided, and overwhelmed.

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2Cents is a reset button.  It’s not about left or right—it’s about thinking for yourself, acting with clarity, and building community through truth—not trauma, not trend, not tribalism.