Decades of Leadership Experience at the Highest Levels
Strategists who’ve spent careers building winning campaigns and transformative fundraising campaigns.
Who We Are
Meet the leadership team at Berger Hirschberg strategies. With decades of experience spanning democratic politics, presidential campaigns, and nonprofit fundraising at the highest levels, our team has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the causes, candidates, and organizations that matter most. We bring strategic vision, deep relationships, and a relentless commitment to results to every engagement.
“Berger Hirschberg Strategies developed a targeted strategy that resonated with donors who care about innovation in criminal justice, and they executed it with professionalism and precision. Bhs helped the crime commission secure the resources we needed to continue advancing meaningful reform — and they did it efficiently and effectively.”
Richard Aborn
President, Citizens Crime Commission
of New York City
Rachel Hirschberg
Principal
Rachel Hirschberg is a top-rated political operative and strategic advisor who has developed winning strategies for numerous political candidates and advocacy organizations over more than two decades at the center of Democratic politics. Her expertise spans a wide range of critical policy areas, including federal childcare policy, public-private partnerships, telecommunications reform, and Congressional relations, making her an invaluable resource for clients navigating complex political landscapes and seeking to advance ambitious legislative agendas.
Rachel is a veteran of five presidential campaigns and got her start in fundraising when she worked for the Democratic National Committee, where she honed her skills in donor cultivation, event execution, and political relationship-building during some of the most competitive electoral cycles in modern American history. This foundation launched a career marked by strategic innovation, tireless dedication, and an unparalleled ability to connect causes with the resources they need to succeed.
With more than 20 years of high-level political and fundraising experience, Rachel has built extensive personal relationships throughout the core of the Democratic Party—from major donors and bundlers to elected officials, party leadership, and influential operatives nationwide. These deep connections enable her to significantly increase her clients' ability to raise financial capital, open doors to key decision-makers, and deliver the most effective results in highly competitive political and advocacy environments. Her network is both broad and deep, spanning generations of Democratic leaders and reflecting her sustained engagement at the highest levels of national politics. ….
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…. Rachel's experience extends beyond the campaign trail to include significant government service. She served as a Clinton Presidential Appointee for three years at the General Services Administration, where she worked directly with the White House, Members of Congress, and staff from congressional committees on critical infrastructure and administrative initiatives. This experience provided her with invaluable insights into how government operates from the inside, how decisions are made, and how to effectively advocate for policy priorities within the federal bureaucracy—knowledge she brings to every client engagement.
Rachel's approach to political strategy and fundraising is distinguished by her ability to see the bigger picture while managing intricate details, her commitment to honest counsel even when it's difficult, and her reputation for integrity in an industry where trust is everything. Clients value her straightforward communication style, her ability to develop creative solutions to complex challenges, and her unwavering focus on achieving measurable results. Whether planning a major fundraising event, developing a multi-state political strategy, or navigating sensitive Congressional relationships, Rachel brings both strategic vision and tactical excellence.
In addition to her consulting work, Rachel is committed to educating future leaders in political strategy and advocacy. She serves as an adjunct professor for The George Washington University's Semester in Washington program, where she shares practical insights from her extensive career and helps students understand the realities of working in campaigns, nonprofits, and political organizations. Her teaching emphasizes the importance of relationship-building, strategic thinking, and maintaining ethical standards in high-pressure political environments.
Rachel's dedication to bipartisan dialogue and evidence-based policymaking is reflected in her service on the Bipartisan Policy Center Action Board, where she works across party lines to advance pragmatic solutions to national challenges. This role underscores her belief that effective governance requires collaboration and her commitment to finding common ground even in an era of political polarization.
Rachel earned a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in International Business at The George Washington University, bringing a sophisticated understanding of global business dynamics to her political work. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Communication Arts (TV, radio, and film) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where her interdisciplinary education provided a strong foundation in both political theory and strategic communication.
Rachel lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband, son, and daughter, balancing her demanding professional commitments with her dedication to family and community.
Rachel Hirschberg is a top-rated political operative who has developed winning strategies for numerous political candidates and advocacy organizations on a wide range of issues, including Federal childcare, public-private partnerships, telecommunications and Congressional relations.
She is a veteran of five presidential campaigns and got her start in fundraising when she worked for the Democratic National Committee. Rachel has more than 20 years of high level political and fundraising experience. Her extensive personal relationships throughout the core of the Democratic Party enable her to increase her clients’ ability to raise financial capital and deliver the most effective results.
Rachel served as a Clinton Presidential Appointee for three years at the General Services Administration, where she worked with the White House, Members of Congress and staff from congressional committees.
Rachel earned a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in International Business at The George Washington University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communication Arts (TV, radio and film) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an adjunct professor for The George Washington University’s Semester in Washington program and she serves on the Bipartisan Policy Center Action Board. Rachel lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband, son and daughter.
Stephanie Berger
Principal
Stephanie Berger is a veteran of three presidential campaigns and a nationally recognized expert, teacher, and trainer in the field of fundraising and nonprofit development. With more than two and half decades of experience at the highest levels of political fundraising and organizational development, Stephanie has built a reputation for creating transformative strategies that deliver results while building sustainable infrastructure for long-term success.
Stephanie laid the groundwork for co-founding Berger Hirschberg Strategies through 16 years of distinguished service as a political fundraiser at the national level. She served as the California Finance Director for Al Gore's presidential campaign, where she orchestrated fundraising operations across the nation's largest state and cultivated relationships with major donors that continue to shape Democratic politics today. She went on to serve as Finance Director for the Democratic National Committee, Finance Director for John Kerry's presidential campaign, and Vice President of Development for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, where she applied her political fundraising expertise to advance critical global health initiatives.
Throughout her career, Stephanie has launched successful strategies for high-profile political candidates and advocacy organizations nationwide, helping to elect public officials at every level of government and elevate public awareness on critical issues including education, environmental protection, healthcare access, and social justice. Her work has contributed to shaping policy debates and electoral outcomes across the country, with a particular focus on empowering candidates and causes that champion progressive values and marginalized communities. ….
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…. What sets Stephanie apart is not just her ability to design and execute powerful fundraising and nonprofit strategies, but her commitment to leaving clients with the knowledge, skills, and permanent infrastructure required to sustain their fundraising efforts over the long term. She approaches each engagement as both a strategist and an educator, ensuring that organizations build internal capacity while meeting immediate fundraising goals. Her clients consistently praise her hands-on approach, strategic vision, and ability to translate complex fundraising concepts into actionable, results-driven plans.
Beyond her consulting work, Stephanie is deeply committed to training the next generation of political operatives and nonprofit leaders. She served as an adjunct professor at George Washington University for the Semester in Washington Program; as a visiting Lector at the Athena Center for Leadership at Barnard College, where she mentored students and shares real-world insights from her extensive career in campaigns; and cause-related work. Her teaching reflects her belief that effective fundraising is both an art and a science—requiring technical expertise, emotional intelligence, and authentic relationship-building skills.
Stephanie's commitment to advancing progressive causes extends to her volunteer leadership roles. She served as a Board Member of Harlem's IMPACT Repertory Theatre, supporting arts education and youth development in one of New York's most vibrant communities. She also served as Treasurer of the Board at VoteRunLead, an organization dedicated to training women to run for office and lead in their communities, and served as a past President of the Board of the Woman's Campaign School at Yale, where she helped shape programming that has trained thousands of women in campaign management and political leadership. Currently she serves on the Board of the Arizona List, which is a statewide membership network that works to recruit, train, support and elect pro-choice Democratic women running for office in Arizona.
Stephanie divides her time between New York, New York and Flagstaff, Arizona, bringing a bicoastal perspective to her work and maintaining connections across diverse political and philanthropic networks nationwide.