Andre Banks , Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Applied Research Center, is a writer and communications professional with extensive experience in non-profit advocacy campaigns and project management. Andre began his career as a student organizer with the Columbus Network for Equal Rights and Justice while earning a B.A. in Political Science from the Ohio State University. Building on his campus organizing experience, he moved on to head the National Student Program at the AFL-CIO , working to build alliances between unions and student organizations concerned with economic justice. An interest in international political economy and domestic campaigns for global justice led Andre to Africa Action. As Assistant Director for Public Education and Mobilization, he coordinated media strategy for the Africa's Right to Health campaign, building a grassroots movement to demand federal action to fight AIDS in Africa and in Black communities in the U.S.

An experienced trainer, Andre was selected as a GrassRoots Organizing Weekend (GROW) Trainer and has led sessions on organizational development, strategic campaigns and communications for student organizations across the country. In addition, he has led numerous workshops on racial and economic justice, Africa policy, and youth organizing for groups as diverse as The National Council of Negro Women, the U.S. Student Association, the National Association of Black Social Workers and TransAfrica Forum.

Andre has been a featured media spokesperson for print, television and radio outlets including, BBC World News, BBC radio, Voice of America, National Public Radio, Pacifica Radio, and Free Speech Radio affiliates, The Nation, The American Prospect and Pound magazine. He is also a published writer interested in issues of race, gender, sexuality and international politics whose commentary has been featured in the Black Commentator and Foreign Policy in Focus.