BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, INC.
 

National Chairwoman

Valerie Biden Owens

Biden's younger sister Valerie Biden Owens has run every campaign for her brother during his 37-year political career.  Executive vice president of Joe Slade White and Company, a strategic consulting firm.  She also serves as a volunteer political trainer for Women’s Campaign International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of women in the world’s emerging democracies, and she currently serves on the national board of the DNC Women’s Leadership Forum.
 
 

Campaign Manager

Luis Navarro

(Jan. 10, 2007 Florida Democratic Party press release)  Executive director of the Florida Democratic Party since Aug. 2005.  In 2004, after the Kerry campaign, Navarro served as Western states director for America Coming Together.  Political director on John Kerry for President (started late Jan. 2003-served through late Feb. 2004).  National political director of the SEIU through January 2003.  Directed regional desks at the DNC.  Southeast Coordinator at the DCCC.  Voter File Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party.  Worked as Admin. Assistant to Rep. Vic Fazio (D-CA) and to Rep. Al Wynn (D-MD).  Managed Maryland Delegate Michael Busch's first re-election campaign.  B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland.
 
 

Deputy Campaign Manager

Evan Ryan

Joined Biden's Unite Our States in August 2006.  Served as director of scheduling on Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 campaign for the U.S. Senate.  Special assistant to Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clinton's chief of staff, at the White House.  Boston College graduate.
 
 

Corporate Secretary/Executive Assistant

Becky McAndrews

Media coordinator at Joe Slade White and Company, 2001-07.  Constituent relations manager in the office of Sen. Joe Biden, 1997-99.  Graduate of the University of Delaware, 1994.
 
 
 

POLITICAL
(the campaign formally announced its political staff in a April 5, 2007 press release)

Political Director

Danny O'Brien

Executive director of Biden's Unite Our States PAC.  Chief of staff in Biden's Senate office for over three years (announced March 5, 2003).  Served as Sen. Robert Torricelli's chief of staff and Coordinated Campaign manager from 2001-02.  Coordinated Campaign director for McGreevey for Governor (NJ) in 2001.  Ran the Gore campaign in Nevada during the 2000 presidential election.  Worked in the Office of Public Liaison in the Clinton White House.  DNC's director of organizing and training during the 1998 election cycle.  Field organizer and ran successful local and statewide campaigns in a number of states.  During the early 1990s he managed AFL-CIO democracy programs in eight countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe.  Graduate of the University of the Redlands.  Native of Redlands, CA.
 
 

Deputy Political Director

Muthoni Wambu

Former AFL-CIO PAC Coordinator.  In 2000 Wambu joined with Vera Baker to form Baker Wambu & Associates, a political fund-raising firm.  Worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2000 and 1998 cycles.  Bachelor's degree in journalism from Howard University, 1997.  From New York City.
 
 

Political Operations Manager

Missy Owens

[Valerie James Owens]  Campaign manager for Beau Biden’s 2006 campaign for Attorney General.  Attorney in New York.  Press secretary for the 2004 Ohio Democratic Coordinated Campaign (started right after taking the bar exam).  Law school.  Accounts executive at the Harbour Group, an international public strategies consultancy with offices in Washington, DC and New York.  Assistant to the Press Secretary in the White House Press Office, June 2000-Jan. 2001.  Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the US Department of State as, Aug. 1999-June 2000.  Worked in the Mayor's Office of City Legislative Affairs under Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.  J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, 2004.  B.A. in Government from Georgetown University, 1998.  Daughter of Biden’s sister and long-time campaign manager, Valerie Biden-Owens
 

Regional Political Desks
Tim Emrich
In 2006 Emrich ran for state Senate in Norman, Oklahoma; he finished first in the July 25, 2006 primary but lost in the Aug. run-off.  Director of marketing for Walters Power International.  Served in senior capacity on David Walters for U.S. Senate and Ben Odom for Congress in Oklahoma in 2002.  Managed President Clinton’s paid speaking engagements after he left office.  A deputy director of scheduling in the final years of the Clinton White House.

Ryan Mahoney
Native of South Hampton, New Hampshire,  While at the University of New Hampshire, he served as an intern in Gov. Shaheen’s Office of Citizen Affairs.  During the 2004 cycle, he also worked as a staffer to General Clark’s campaign, first as a volunteer and then as co-director of the UNH Students for Clark organization.  After graduating, Mahoney served as a regional field organizer for Burt Cohen’s U.S. Senate campaign before joining John Lynch’s successful gubernatorial campaign.
 
 

National Veterans Coordinator

J.B. White

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Senior Communications Advisor/Communications Director

Larry Rasky

Chairman and CEO of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications; started his own firm in 1989.  Special Assistant for Policy and Communications for Congressman Ed Markey and the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.  Press secretary for Sen. Joseph Biden; director of communications for Biden's 1988 [1987] presidential campaign.  Director of Public Affairs for Cablevision Systems Corporation in Boston.

Annie Tomasini
 
 

Deputy Communications Director

Marion Steinfels

Communications director/spokesperson for Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT)'s 2006 primary campaign.  Deputy press secretary on Lieberman's 2004 NH primary campaign (announced Sept. 2003).  Deputy press secretary on Gov. Don Siegelman (D-AL)'s 2002 re-election campaign.  Graduate of Huntingdon College in Alabama.
 
 

Press Secretary

Mark Paustenbach

(started first part of May 2007)  Came to the campaign from the DNC where he served as deputy press secretary; formerly worked in the research department at the DNC in 2003-04.  Paustenbach holds graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and graduated from Colby College with a B.A. in government.
 
 

RESEARCH

Research Director

Elizabeth Baylor

Research director on Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA)'s 2006 re-election campaign.  Research director at Wal-Mart Watch.  Deputy research director for Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2003-04.  Research associate at the Democratic National Committee and Clinton White House.  B.A. in history from the University of Pennsylvania.
 
 
 

ONLINE

Director of Online Communications

Eric Carbone

Director of Online Communications (also referred to Executive Producer of Web Content) for Wesley Clark's campaign.  Oversaw all editorial aspects of the site and co-headed the product development team that created such tools as eBlocks, Clark Community Network, Clark Recruiters, and the Clark Event Finder).  Carbone co-founded the Real Fans Sports Network, an interactive sports information and community, in 1995.  America Online acquired the company in 1997 and Carbone continued to work there.
 

FINANCE

Finance Director

Christine Koerner

Started at Unite Our States PAC in August 2006.  Prior to joining the Biden team, Koerner was vice president of political outreach and development at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) for eight years.  Previously director of women's initiatives with the American Physical Therapy Association and director of the Women's Council at the DSCC.  Staff assistant in the Office of the Chief of Staff and Office of Labor Liaison in the White House during the Carter Administration.  Started in politics as as the University of Delaware coordinator for Biden's 1972 U.S. Senate race.  Graduate of the University of Delaware.
 
 

Deputy Finance Director

Dennis Toner

 
 

Western Finance Director

Kimberly Ray

 

New York Finance Director

Paula Levine

 
 

Senior Advisor

Kory Mitchell

Finance director for Evan Bayh's All America PAC in the 2006 cycle (announced June 21, 2006)  Served as regional finance director for the Democratic National Committee.  John Kerry's Florida finance director in 2003-04.  Originally from Sioux City, Iowa.
 

NY	Byron Kantrow

 
 
 

Pollster

Celinda Lake

President of Lake Research Partners.  Prior to forming Lake Research Partners, Lake was partner and vice president at Greenberg-Lake.  Other experience includes political director of the Women's Campaign Fund, research director at the Institute for Social Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and policy analyst for the Subcommittee on Select Education.  Masters degree in Political Science and Survey Research from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.  Undergraduate degree from Smith College.
 
 
 

Senior Advisor

Ted Kaufman

President of Public Strategies, a political and management consulting firm in Wilmington, DE, since 1995. Worked for 22 years on Sen. Biden's staff, the last 19 as chief of staff.  Chief of staff to Biden, 1988-94; chief of staff and treasurer for Biden's 1988 [1987] presidential campaign; executive assistant, administrative assistant and chief of staff to Biden, 1973-87.  Marketing, technical and finance positions at I. E. DuPont de Nemours, 1966-73.  Technical marketing representative for American Standard, Industrial Division, 1960-65.  B.S.M.E. degree from Duke, 1960; M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, 1966.
 
 

Senior Advisor

David Wilhelm

President of Woodland Venture Management.  President of Wilhelm & Conlon Public Strategies, founded in 1998.  In 1995 he was briefly a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Illinois, seeking to succeed retiring Sen. Paul Simon.  Senior managing director at Kemper Securities in Chicago.  Chairman of the DNC, the youngest person to hold that position, 1993-94 (elected Jan. 21, 1993, announced resignation Aug. 9, 1994, effective after the election).  Managed Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign (started Oct. 1991).  Directed the 1989 and 1991 campaigns of Mayor Richard M. Daley.  Ran for Congress in Southern Ohio's 10th CD in 1988, but lost in the primary.  Directed Sen. Joe Biden's Iowa caucus campaign (announced March 1987; when Biden withdrew in Sept. 1987 he threw his support to Sen. Paul Simon).  Public policy director of the AFL-CIO's public employee department.  Executive director and earlier research director at Citizens for Tax Justice, early and mid-1980s.  Directed Paul Simon's successful 1984 campaign for U.S. Senate.  Volunteered on Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential campaign, lining up delegates in Ohio.  Master’s of Public Policy from Harvard.  Bachelor's degree from Ohio University, 1977.  Native of Athens, Ohio.
 
 

Senior Advisor

John Marttila

Boston-based consultant.  For many years (through 1996) he and Tom Kiley ran a consulting business.  Consultant on Biden's 1987 presidential campaign and on his 1972 upset campaign for U.S. Senate.  Marttila is also a longtime advisor to Sen. John Kerry (going back to 1970).
 
 
 

Veterans for Biden

National Coordinator

J.B. White

(announced June 20, 2007)  Served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years prior to joining the Army National Guard in 2002 to attend Officer Candidate School.  Deployed with his unit, the 168th Engineering Group, to Iraq in the spring of 2003 and served there until March 2004.  Upon returning to the United States, White was named director of “Hope for New Veterans,” a New York City pilot program designed to assist troops adjust to civilian life when they return from combat.  Originally from McComb, Mississippi.
 
 
 

IOWA

State Director

Bill Romjue

(announced March 29, 2007) Most recently managed Dina Titus' gubernatorial campaign in Nevada during Fall 2006.  Director of Rep. Dick Gephardt's political action committee, the Committee for Effective Government, starting in 1985 as Gephardt  was looking towards his 1988 presidential campaign.  Started working for Sen. Gart Hart in Iowa in the latter part of 1982.  Managed Del. Erwin S. (Shad) Solomon for Attorney General in Virginia, 1981.  State coordinator for the Carter Mondale 1980 Iowa caucus campaign.  Managed Chuck Robb for Lt. Gov. of Virginia in 1977.  Resides in Hartsburg, Missouri.

See Iowa page >>
 

NEVADA

Political Director

Ronnie Council

(announced March 29, 2007)  Director of campaign operations on Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson's gubernatorial primary campaign in 2006.  Began her work in Nevada Democratic politics nearly a decade ago leading the state party’s efforts to build coalitions with interest groups; since then has served in a variety of senior staff and advisory roles on both local and statewide campaigns.  Native of Las Vegas.
 

Field Director

Omar Khan

(announced March 29, 2007)  Comes to Nevada from Tallahassee.  President of Florida Young Democrats.  Deputy political director for Florida Senate Democrats during the 2006 election cycle.  Deputy campaign manager for Florida House Victory ’04.  Graduate of the University of South Florida; elected student body president and appointed to the USF’s Board of Trustees.

See Nevada page >>
 
 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Deputy State Director

Heidi Mitchell

(announced May 10, 2007)  New Hampshire House Democratic Caucus Director in 2006, responsible for recruiting candidates and drafting campaign plans for every district.  In 2004 Mitchell coordinated volunteers for the state party’s General Election GOTV efforts, and earlier worked on Sen. John Edwards’ presidential primary campaign.

See New Hampshire page >>
 

SOUTH CAROLINA

State Director

Trip King

Joined University of South Carolina's University Libraries in 2005 as director of development, special projects, with a primary focus on South Carolina Political Collections.  Served as state director for U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings from 1990 until Hollings' retirement from the Senate in January 2005.  Upstate Director to Sen. Hollings, 1977-89.  Attended Wofford College and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in political science.  Native of Columbia, SC.

See South Carolina page >>
 

Fundraising (splitting time between Unite our States PAC and Citizens for Biden)
Chris Koerner
(started in August 2006)  Previously at Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA).

Adam Wilczewski
(started in August 2006)  Previously a program director for Community Counselling Service Company, Inc..  Deputy regional field director at the DNC in Fall 2004.  Worked on the Joe Lieberman for President campaign from March 2003 through Feb. 2004, serving as chief of staff to the campaign director and as national youth outreach director.  Democratic outreach coordinator at Voter.com Inc., 2000-01.  J.D. from American University's Washington College of Law, May 2004.  B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida at Gainesville, 1999.
 
 

Deputy Political Director

Evan Ryan

(August 2006)  Served as director of scheduling on Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 campaign for the U.S. Senate.  Special assistant to Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clinton's chief of staff, at the White House.  Boston College graduate.
 
 
 

Spokesman

Larry Rasky

Chairman and CEO of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications; launched his own company in 1989.  Special Assistant for Policy and Communications for Congressman Ed Markey and the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.  Press secretary for Sen. Joseph Biden; director of communications for Biden's 1988 [1987] presidential campaign.  Director of Public Affairs for Cablevision Systems Corporation in Boston.
 
 

Web	Eric Carbone

Director of Online Communications (also referred to Executive Producer of Web Content) for Wesley Clark's campaign.  Oversaw all editorial aspects of the site and co-headed the product development team that created such tools as eBlocks, Clark Community Network, Clark Recruiters, and the Clark Event Finder).  Carbone co-founded the Real Fans Sports Network, an interactive sports information and community, in 1995.  America Online acquired the company in 1997 and Carbone continued to work there.
 
 

Advance (splitting time between Senate office and PAC)

Mark Doyle

 

SENATE OFFICE

Chief of Staff

Alan Hoffman

(July 2006)  Hoffman served a previous stint as Biden's chief of staff from 1998-2003.  Vice president of external affairs for the Rand Corporation starting Oct. 4, 2004.  Vice president of the government relations firm of Timmons and Company in Washington, DC, starting in 2003.  Prior to serving as Biden's chief of staff, Hoffman was an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, a special counsel in the U.S. Justice Department, a special assistant in the Department of Health and Human Services, director of scheduling for the President’s Task Force on National Health Care Reform, and an attorney in Los Angeles with the law firm of Pepper, Hamilton & Sheetz.  Law degree and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.  Undergraduate degree from Lafayette College.
 
 
 

Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action