De'Ara Balenger is an accomplished attorney, strategist, and co-founder of Maestra who has spent over a decade working in public service to eradicate inequities in criminal justice systems, voting, and politics. She has also worked on two presidential campaigns as a Director of Engagement and served in various positions in the Obama Administration, including as a Justice Advisor at the U.S. Department of State. De'Ara is an expert in strategic communication and stakeholder engagement, bridging the spaces of politics, culture, media, activism, and communities of color to design anti-racist initiatives that empower every person to live to their fullest potential.

De'Ara holds a Bachelor's degree in Black Studies with minors in History and Political Science from Macalester College and a Doctor of Law (JD) from Texas Southern University—Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She is an accomplished leader, having been named a 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year and served as a National Organizer for the monumental Women's March on Washington in 2016. Additionally, De'Ara is a stakeholder in the activism and women's movement space, serving as the Co-Chair of the Lower Eastside Girls Club.