‘Nonpartisan’ NHFPI’s Staffed by Veterans of Democratic Politics

CONCORD— The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI), which describes itself as “a nonpartisan, independent research nonprofit,” lists nine employees on its website. A Granite Eagle review of public records shows several senior staff previously held high-level roles in Democratic Party politics or progressive campaign operations. Those partisan roles do not appear in their official NHFPI biographies.

NHFPI is often cited by New Hampshire's media as "nonpartisan" and the institute employs two communications staffers. Its reports often receive broad pickup across in-state outlets under that banner. For example, after NHFPI released a report asserting New Hampshire provides the nation’s lowest state funding for its university system, coverage appeared in WMUR, NH Business Magazine, the New Hampshire Union Leader, NH Public Radio, the NH Bulletin, the Eagle Tribune, the Concord Monitor, and The Boston Globe—many of which framed NHFPI’s work as nonpartisan.

At the same time, NHFPI’s public materials emphasize nonpartisanship while staff bios highlight government service, nonprofit work, and community involvement—omitting prior roles in party committees and presidential campaigns for multiple senior staff. A review of voter files indicates NHFPI’s staff is predominantly registered Democratic, and its board is 82 percent registered Democratic; no registered Republicans were identified on staff or the board as of Aug. 15, 2025.

Biographies that omit partisan roles

• Gene Martin, executive director. NHFPI’s site notes higher-education and legislative experience, including service in the state Senate minority leader’s office. Not included are prior leadership of the Senate Democratic caucus, a stint as political director for the state Democratic Party, and management of the Committee to Elect House Democrats.

• Holly Shulman, communications director. Her biography lists work at a development think tank and the U.S. Treasury. Omitted are previous roles as national press secretary for the Democratic National Committee and New Hampshire communications director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.

• Cole Riel, development director. The site states he served as a New Hampshire state representative and worked in community and nonprofit roles. It does not note that he held the House seat as a Democrat (Hillsborough 6, 2018–2020) or that he later worked as a state outreach coordinator for a 2020 Democratic presidential campaign. Mr. Riel, from a now deleted Reddit account, once posted about organizing a day to tweet "pictures of penises to Donald Trump".

• Jessica Williams, policy analyst. Williams joined in 2024 with advanced degrees in public health and social work. Her résumé includes work with equity-focused and fair-housing advocacy groups commonly associated with progressive policy circles; NHFPI’s bio summarizes the roles without ideological characterization.

Every page of NHFPI’s website reiterates a nonpartisan mission focused on “exploring, developing, and promoting public policies that foster economic opportunity with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income families.” The institute is frequently described as nonpartisan in legislative hearings and media coverage. For readers and policymakers who rely on official biographies to understand an expert’s background, the absence of senior staff’s partisan work leaves out material context about the perspectives shaping NHFPI’s research and messaging.

The Granite Eagle emailed NHFPI communications director Holly Shulman summarizing these findings and asking:

1. Why are partisan work and connections absent from NHFPI staff biographies?

2. Can NHFPI credibly claim to be nonpartisan given leadership’s close ties to the Democratic Party?

3. Does NHFPI plan to balance its staff or board with Republicans?

The message offered to delay publication until noon on Aug. 19 if NHFPI indicated a response was forthcoming however no response we received.

Editor’s note: This report reflects NHFPI’s posted staff listings and public records reviewed as of Aug. 15, 2025.