Advocating with Intelligence
The rise of misinformation, extreme bias, and hate-motivated incidents in California reflects troubling national trends, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated community response grounded in data collection and evidence-based reporting.
Intelligent Advocacy Network (IAN) is leading this charge by equipping communities not only with the tools and resources to drive effective advocacy but also with the essential support to foster meaningful relationships across diverse groups. By strengthening connections and building trust, IAN empowers communities to collaborate more effectively, share strategies, and amplify their collective impact.
Together, we can cultivate a better-informed, safer, and more resilient California, built on the power of shared purpose.
Leadership Team
Susan George, CEO
Julie Marzouk, Board Secretary
Adele Gershater, CFO
Susan brings over 30 years of experience in nonprofit management, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to IAN. She has led multiple initiatives across diverse sectors, including health, housing, the arts, peacebuilding, and anti-discrimination. Susan also has a background in music, specializing in opera, musical theater, and choral performance.
Adele Gershater, CFO
Julie Marzouk, Board Secretary
Adele Gershater, CFO
Adele, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from UCLA and an MBA from Santa Clara University. Her extensive career spans finance roles at leading tech companies like Intel Corporation and Oracle. She later founded and operated her own successful accounting and tax services firm. Currently, Adele serves as the Chief Financial Officer for a prestigious watch retail company. Adele resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband.
Julie Marzouk, Board Secretary
Julie Marzouk, Board Secretary
Julie Marzouk, Board Secretary
Julie Marzouk is an attorney, author, and activist with over fifteen years of experience in both private and nonprofit sectors. She began her legal career at Bingham McCutchen before directing the Immigration Unit of the Public Law Center. Julie also served as an Associate Law Professor at Chapman University, leading the Family Protection Clinic.
A published author, Julie's work has appeared in local, international, and Jewish media outlets. She holds a BA in Political Science from Brandeis University and a law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law.
IAN In the Media
By Julie Marzouk
On Sept. 11—the 23rd anniversary of terror attacks—the U.S. House of Representatives received bipartisan approval for the markup of H.R. 9495, a bill that would terminate the tax-exempt status of terror-supporting organizations. The bill specifies how the Department of Treasury would evaluate a nonprofit’s material support for terrorism using legal standards outlined in 18 U.S.C. 2339B, which have been in place since 1996.
Continue reading here.
Julie Marzouk is an attorney, author and board member of the Intelligent Advocacy Network.
November 24, 2024 / American Spectator
By Julie Marzouk
If you listened to the hysteria from the floor of the House of Representatives on November 21, 2024, you might believe that the bill HR 9495 entitled “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act,” is a radical bill designed to give President-elect Trump unchecked powers to label all of his political enemies terrorists. The reality is that the same legislation designed to target non-profits who support terrorism passed the House with bi-partisan support in April of 2024.
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Julie Marzouk is an attorney, author, and board member of the Intelligent Advocacy Network.
December 16, 2024 / New York Post
By Susan George
A bill that would choke off funding for terror-supporting nonprofits has stalled in Congress — amid the lies of its potential targets.
The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, HR 9495, passed the House last month.
Critics have labeled the legislation a “nonprofit killer,” intentionally misleading both the public and lawmakers about its specifics in an effort to derail it.
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Susan George is the CEO of Intelligent Advocacy Network.
What we're reading
U.S. Sanctions Iranian & Russian Entities Pushing Disinformation
Foundation for Defense of Democracies - January 2, 2025
The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on two entities from Iran and Russia on December 31 for their attempts to influence the 2024 U.S. election by maliciously spreading disinformation online. “The governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns,” Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in the statement.
Continue reading here.