About Us
Learn more about the people behind BNB
Together we create a society in which we courageously shape the future
Our BNB community is large, colorful, and full of diversity. BNB was founded in 2019 by people: Maximilian Oehl, Eva-Maria Thurnhofer, and Daniel Veldhoen. Since then, we’ve organized progressive change in politics with over a hundred committed volunteers. We provide a platform for political engagement, the mobilization of all our wonderful volunteers, the forging of political alliances, aligning BNB with the best strategy, and securing funding for our tasks and our coordination team, consisting of our Executive Director and Coordinators. Our BNB Fellows & Friends support us with their valuable expertise.
Our Team
Dr. Maximilian Oehl
Co-Initiator & Executive Director
Co-Founder Maximilian helped lay the groundwork for Brand New Bundestag in 2019 together with Eva-Maria Thurnhofer and Daniel Veldhoen. The documentary “Knock Down The House” about the American initiative “Brand New Congress” and its candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) inspired the Berliner-by-choice to found something for Berlin in Germany. The goal was and still remains: To promote sustainable politics in Germany and bring more Diversity into Parliament. As a doctor of law and a social entrepreneur, Maximilian wants to do his part for the sustainable future he believes in.
“The great change is full of opportunities – let’s seize it, for we have no time to lose!”
Samuel Brielmaier
Coordinator Political Strategy & Data
Samu is responsible for Data Management and Political Strategy here at BNB. A political and administrative scientist, Samu joined BNB very early on, in March of 2020. He is in charge of managing the overall political strategy that BNB will follow, as well as communicating with BNB Delegates and Candidates. He also coordinates all our data-gathering, and organization projects while analyzing and synthesizing that data for both BNB and our Candidates. Samu’s main goal is to increase the visibility of disenfranchised and underrepresented groups within the political arena.
“In the end, it’s really about who’s sitting there and whether they raise their hand or not.”
Maja Bisanz
Coordinator Communication
Maja has been a part of BNB since 2021. The Political Science graduate from Stuttgart has since done her part in various BNB campaigns and has been the head of the communications team since September of 2021. She coordinates the BNB social media presence, press relations, our newsletter, and content for our BNB website. Prior to joining us, Maja worked in the communications department of a professional political entity as an editor, where she gained much experience as a political communicator. Maja would love to see MPs with different biographies and perspectives in Parliament.
“People from all social groups should feel represented.”
Clara Ludwig
Coordinator Communication & Marketing
Clara has been with BNB since June 2023. She studied Social & Business Communication as well as Media and Political Communication in Berlin. She now heads up our communications team. Her main tasks include campaigning, managing the newsletter and social media channels as well as maintaining the website. Before joining BNB, Clara worked as a research assistant in the Bundestag and managed various political projects in a communications agency. Clara is particularly enthusiastic about the idea of bringing together politicians from all democratic parties and civil society.
“Politics should be about content rather than party affiliation. And I hope that we all have the opportunity to have a say in shaping this content!
Paul Wunderlich
Institutional Partnerships Lead
Paul is the NBB’s Partnerships Coordinator, working to build bridges and new kinds of alliances between civil society and parliaments. In this role, he is primarily concerned with putting the organization on a secure financial footing. He pursues the question of how we can transform social modes of relating not only at BNB, but also in his master’s degree in sociology.
“Make Space, Take Space. Let’s seek new forms of cooperation and show that a good life is possible for all.”
Cora Mantel
Strategic Partnerships Coordinator
Cora has been with BNB since November 2023. As Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, she designs and writes funding applications, develops new leads and coordinates fundraising events. She is convinced that in the current political situation, strong progressive forces are needed to bring many different people together.
“The future belongs to all of us. Let’s make it colorful together now!”
Celina Lüftner
Lead Designer
At BNB, Celina takes care of all design issues and the BNB corporate identity.
Celina is completing her bachelor’s degree in print and media technology in Berlin this summer and decided to join BNB because it is important to her to combine her design skills with social commitment and to design with “meaning”. If you have any suggestions or comments about the design, please get in touch with Celina.
Finja Pollen
Operations Lead
Finja has been a longtime member of BNB, joining in March of 2021. Since then, she has been responsible for managing Education and Events and organizing numerous workshops for both volunteers and BNB Candidates. She does this work in parallel to continuing her studies for a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Economics, Philosophy, and History.
Paul Kliesch
Scouting Lead
Paul earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics in Amsterdam. There, he was always haunted by the question of how to support people from underrepresented groups without prescribing content himself. BNB is part of the answer for him. Here he has been supporting the Political Strategy and Data department since summer 2022 and now also coordinates the scouting and support of our candidates.
Jacob Mayer
Dual Trainee
Jacob has been studying Nonprofits and NGO Management at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld since the Fall of 2021. As a student, he has been a BNB Dual Intern since February of 2022. In practice, he supports BNB in various areas, wherever he’s needed, and thus learns much about the process behind a grassroots organization. As a student, political engagement doesn’t just mean cooperation with parties, but also with Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society, which Jacob believes should be included in the political decision-making process.
“The demands that have been formulated by growing political movements, which are finally being discussed amongst the public, must be implemented NOW!”
Krissy Hentschel
Student Trainee Communication & Marketing
Krissy studied International Relations and Management in Regensburg for her Bachelor’s degree and is currently doing her Master’s in Political Communication in Gothenburg. She started as a volunteer at BNB and did an internship in the Communication department in summer 2023. She now supports BNB as a student trainee and is mainly responsible for the newsletter and social media channels. What she particularly appreciates about working at BNB is the many opportunities to get actively involved and help shape politics.
Emil Röder
Student Trainee Communication & Marketing
Emil has been a volunteer at BNB since fall 2022 before joining the Campaigns & Communications team. He is also completing his bachelor’s degree in political science. He is particularly enthusiastic about working at Brand New Bundestag because he can help to strengthen democracy in Germany and protect it from its opponents.
“In Germany, democracy opens up countless possibilities and opportunities. We have the opportunity to create a fairer society if we roll up our sleeves together and actively shape it.”
Amelia Einhellinger
Trainee Political Strategy
Amelia is studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at TU Dresden. In order to gain practical experience and work towards increasing representation and progressiveness in our parliaments, she is now an intern in our Political Strategy & Data department. Amelia is particularly keen to promote East German perspectives in our team and is looking forward to shaping the political landscape with NBB in a forward-looking way.
Lotta Köhler
Trainee Communication & Marketing
Lotta is studying communication science at the University of Hohenheim and identified and examined patterns of interpretation of feminist foreign policy in German-language media discourse in her bachelor’s thesis. She decided to complete her internship at Brand New Bundestag because she can actively shape progressive democratic processes that strengthen and advance our society.
Jessica Maczuga
Trainee Political Strategy
Jessica completed her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Bremen, where she is now also studying for a Master’s degree in Complex Decision-Making. She is convinced that supporting emerging political forces is crucial for a sustainable and progressive development of society and that more young generations are needed in decision-making positions. In her Master’s thesis, she investigated institutional barriers to the implementation of intergenerational policies. To counteract these hurdles, she supports BNB in the area of Political Strategy & Data.
Eva-Maria Thurnhofer
Co-Initiator
Together with Maximilian Oehl and Daniel Veldhoen, Eva-Maria Thurnhofer helped initiate what would become Brand New Bundestag in the spring of 2019. As a graduate of business administration, she brings many years of experience in political communication. Until the end of 2021, Eva was the operational manager for BNB alongside Max. Since November of 2021, she has taken an advisory role in assisting Brand New Bundestag while also working full-time in Developmental Cooperation.
Daniel Veldhoen
Co-Initiator
David Veldhoen is the third Co-Founder of BNB. Artistic Director of the Münchner Kammerspiele, and a longtime friend of both Maximilian and Eva-Maria, he and his fellow Co-Founders laid the foundations that BNB would grow off of. Since the 2021 Bundestag elections, he has taken a more advisory role.
With your support, we can grow as an organization and make even more happen!
The best feeling is being able to have a direct impact, even though I’m young and aren’t a member of any party!
Finja Pollen | Professional Development Expert
Fellows & Friends
Representation has never been more relevant than it is today.
Shai Hoffman | Activist for Democracy
