Key
People-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
updated July 21,
2008. Important Note: This page has a lot of gaps, but the in
the states section is useful.
(in late Sept. and Oct.
2007
the campaign deployed many political and field staff out to work in the
states).
Headquarters: 233 N. Michigan Ave., 11th Floor, Chicago,
Illinois.
See:
Jason
Horowitz. "Barack
Attack." New York Observer. March 26, 2007.
Lynn
Sweet. "Obama's
new HQ has room to move." Chicago Sun-Times. April 6,
2007.
John
McCormick. "Chicago
is heart, brain center of Obama campaign." Chicago Tribune.
June 14, 2007.
Lynn
Sweet. "Obama
shakes up his campaign staff." Chicago Sun-Times.
October
11, 2007.
Saj-nicole
Joni "Making
It Real" (interview with Betsy Myers). Forbes.com. Jan. 18,
2008.
Tim
Dickinson. "The
Machinery of Hope." Rolling Stone. March 20, 2008.
Brian C. Mooney.
"Obama's paid staff dwarfing McCain's," Boston Globe. July 20,
2008. >["Hildebrand
said the Obama campaign employed three different organizing models over
the course of the campaign...'']
Campaign Manager |
David
Plouffe |
(reported by Lynn Sweet on
Jan.
11, 2007) Joined AKP
Message & Media in winter 2000 and became a named partner in
Feb.
2004. Senior political advisor on Dick Gephardt's 2004
presidential
campaign. Executive director of the DCCC, 1999-2000.
Gephardt's
deputy chief of staff, 1997-98. Managed Bob Torricelli's 1996
campaign
for U.S. Senate in New Jersey. Campaign director at the DSCC in
1995.
Managed Attorney General Charlie Oberly's unsuccessful U.S. Senate race
against Sen. Bill Roth in Delaware in 1994. Managed Rep. John
Olver's
(D-MA) 1992 re-election campaign. Served as a state field
director
for Sen. Tom Harkin's 1992 presidential campaign, after serving as
deputy
field director in Harkin's 1990 U.S. Senate race.
Media Strategist |
David
Axelrod |
Founded, in 1985, and is a
principal
of the Chicago-based campaign media firm now known as AKP
Message & Media (formerly Axelrod & Associates); has worked
on over 150 campaigns at the local, state and national levels.
Did
the message and media campaign for Obama's 2004 primary campaign.
Served as media consultant on Sen. John Edwards' 2004 presidential
campaign.
Managed Paul Simon's 1984 U.S. Senate race where he upset Sen. Charles
Percy. Eight years as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune,
covering national, state and local politics. Graduate of the University
of Chicago. Native of New York City.
Communications
Director
|
Robert
Gibbs
|
Joined Obama shortly after
he
won the March 16, 2004 U.S. Senate primary. Press secretary for
John
Kerry for President for the first 10-plus months; resigned Nov.
2003.
Press secretary for the DSCC, 2001-02. Communications director
for
Debbie Stabenow's U.S. Senate campaign, 1999-2000. Press
secretary
to Sen. Max Cleland, 1999. Communications director for Fritz
Hollings'
1998 re-election campaign.
Graduate of North Carolina State University.
Senior Advisor
|
Valerie
Jarrett
|
Friend to Michelle and Barack Obama
and served as finance chair for Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign
. CEO of The Habitat Co., a real estate development and
management company; she joined the firm in 1995. Eight years
working for the City of Chicago, first as Deputy Corporation Counsel
for Finance and Development, then as deputy chief of staff to Mayor
Richard M. Daley in 1991, and as Commissioner of the Department of
Planning and Development from 1992-95.
Deputy Campaign
Manager |
Steve Hildebrand |
Overseeing political and
field
operations; focused on early states through Sept. 2007 (Hildebrand
traveled
with Obama when he made his first Iowa visit for the Harkin Steak Fry
in
Sept. 2006) South Dakota based principal of Hildebrand
Tewes Consulting, Inc.. Managed Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004
re-election
campaign, a narrow loss to John Thune. Managed Sen. Tim Johnson's
2002 re-election campaign, a narrow win over Rep. John Thune. Ran
the Women Vote! Program for EMILY's List in 2000. Ran the Iowa
caucuses
for Vice President Al Gore in 1999-2000. Political director at
the
DSCC in 1997-98. Midwest Political Director at the DNC in
1996.
Executive director of the Minnesota DFL from mid-August 1995 to
mid-March
1996. Finance director for Minnesota Attorney General Hubert
Humphrey
III's unsuccessful 1988 Senate campaign.
works with Steve
Hildebrand
|
Jennifer O'Malley Dillon
|
(started April 2008)
Deputy campaign manager on John Edwards for President after serving as
state director on his Iowa caucus campaign. Campaign manager on Rep. Jim
Davis' 2006 gubernatorial campaign in Florida. Deputy campaign
manager for Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004 Senate re-election campaign in
South Dakota. Field director on Sen. Edwards' 2003-04 Iowa caucus
campaign. In 2002 O'Malley served as field director for the South
Dakota Democratic Coordinated Campaign, then as field director for Sen.
Mary Landrieu's runoff campaign. In 2001 she was campaign manager
for St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. In 1999-2000 O'Malley was
volunteer coordinator for Gore in the NH primary, then worked as a
field organizer in New York and Pennsylvania, and in the general
election, she was regional field director for the Missouri Coordinated
Campaign in the St. Louis Metro area. O'Malley is a 1998 graduate
of Tufts University and hails from Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts.
OPERATIONS
Chief Operating
Officer |
Betsy Myers |
(announced by KSG on Feb.
13,
2007 but started transitioning to the position on Jan. 19)
Previously
at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government as executive director of the
Center for Public Leadership and earlier as director of alumni programs
and external relations at the Kennedy School. Senior official in
the Clinton Administration. Served two years with the U.S. Small
Business Administration as Associate Deputy Administrator for
Entrepreneurial
Development. Launched and directed the first White House Office
for
Women's Initiatives and Outreach, serving as Deputy Assistant to the
President
and Director of Women's Initiatives, 1995-97. Director at the
Office
of Women's Business Ownership at the SBA. MPA from the Kennedy
School,
2000. Sister of Dee Dee Myers, Clinton's first press secretary.
Deputy COO/Chief
of Staff |
Henry DeSio, Jr. |
Founder (2001) and
president
of Way Forward Strategies, a sole proprietorship which supports
progressive,
pro-working family candidates and organizations. B.A. in
political
science from U.C. Santa Barbara, 1984; and a M.P.A. from the Kennedy
School
of Government at Harvard University, 2001.
Chief Financial
Officer |
Marianne Markowitz |
POLITICAL
Political Director |
Matt Nugen |
(reported by Ben Smith,
The
Politico, Feb. 28, 2007) Nugen comes to the campaign from
position
as Director of the Chairman's Office at the DNC. Director of
Delegate
Operations for Sen. Joe Lieberman's campaign for the 2004 Democratic
presidential
nomination (announced Feb. 2003). Vice President of Operations
for
Kwame Building Group, Inc. In 2000, he served as Deputy Chief
Operating
Officer for the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los
Angeles.
From 1998-2000, Nugen was the Deputy Director and then the Director for
the Office of the Secretary at the DNC. He spent time as a
regional
field director for the '98 South Carolina Coordinated Campaign and as
the
field director for the 2000 South Carolina tracking operation.
Assistant
to the National Political Director: Bobby Schmuck to Kansas.
Deputy
Political Director |
Eureka
Gilkey |
to
Georgia.
Regional
Political Directors
to
Georgia, but then left the campaign.
to
Arizona.
Senior
advisor to former Sen. Tom Daschle at Alston & Bird LLP,
2005-07.
Worked for NYC2012, New York City’s Olympic bid organization in
2005.
Deputy field director for Sen. Tom Daschle’s 2004 Senate
campaign.
Assistant to the chief of staff in the Senate Democratic Leader's
Office,
2003-04. Field organizer for South Dakota Democratic Party
Coordinated
Campaign, 2002. Worked for The Harbour Group. Graduate of
Emory
University. to New Hampshire
to
Missouri.
Political
Outreach Coordinator |
Brooks
Banton |
A
deputy
director (Midwest) in the Finance Department at the DNC. to
Iowa.
National
Outreach Director |
Rudi
Shenk |
to
New York.
On September 16, 2007
the
campaign announced its National Advisory Outreach Team ("work
with
Senator Obama and his campaign team to ensure that the campaign
platform
is inclusive of the ideas of all groups.")
Preeta Bansal, AAPI
Outreach
Assemblywoman Karen Bass,
African American Outreach
Rep. Gwen Moore, African
American Outreach
Jim Zogby, Arab American
Outreach
Reverend Willie Barrow,
Faith Outreach
Reverend Joseph Lowery,
Faith Outreach
Rep. Robert Wexler, Jewish
Outreach
Rep. Luis Gutierrez,
Latino
Outreach
Majority Leader Gloria
Romero,
Latino Outreach
Stampp Corbin, LGBT
Outreach
Tobias Wolff, LGBT Outreach
Wizipan Garriott, Native
American Outreach
General Scott Gration,
Veteran
Outreach
John Hurley, Veteran
Outreach
On
Nov. 12, 2007 the campaign announced
its National Veterans Advisory Committee.
On Nov. 15, 2007 the campaign announced
endorsements of technology leaders.
On Dec. 4, 2007 the campaign announced
its African American Religious Leadership Committee.
Director of
Religious Affairs |
Joshua DuBois |
Legislative correspondent
in
Obama's Senate office from 2005-07. MPA from Princeton, 2005.
Director of Women
for Obama |
Becky Carroll |
(started Oct. 2007)
Came
to the campaign from position as deputy chief of staff to Gov.
Blagojevich;
started working for Blagojevich in early 2003. Worked on Rahm
Emanuel's
successful campaign for Congress in 2002. Spokesperson for the
2000
Illinois Democratic Coordinated campaign. Spokesperson for
Chicago
Department of Planning and Development. Press secretary on
Chicago
lawyer John Schmidt's 1998 gubernatorial primary campaign. Public
relations director for the Chicago Department of Housing.
Assistant
communications director of the Mayor Daley's 1995 re-election
campaign.
Undergraduate degree in political science and communications from
Loyola
University Chicago, 1994. Native of Chicago.
National Director
of Delegate
Operations |
Jeff Berman |
Berman fulfilled a similar
role
on both of Dick Gephardt's presidential campaigns.
Deputy
Director For Delegate Selection |
Myesha
Ward |
Deputy
political director for Sen. John Kerry's PAC Keeping America's
Promise.
In 2004 Ward worked as deputy GOTV director - Milwaukee on the
Kerry-Edwards
campaign, as deputy political director for Southern and Northeastern
States
on Kerry-Edwards, in the boiler room during the Democratic National
Convention
in Boston, and as a delegate tracker for Southern states at Kerry
headquarters
in Washington, DC. Howard University alumna. to Iowa.
Delegates
and Congressional Relations Coordinator |
Michael
Robertson |
to
Iowa.
Political
Assistant |
Eugene Kang |
Voter
Contact Director
|
Jon
Carson |
(reported by Lynn
Sweet.
"Obama shakes up his campaign staff." Chicago Sun-Times.
October 11, 2007) Initially Illinois State Director (reported by
Lynn Sweet. "Obama's Illinois operation. Campaign to launch
"'Camp
Obama'" Chicago Sun-Times. May 3, 2007)
Managed
Tammy Duckworth's 2006 general election campaign in Illinois' 6th
CD.
Served in the Peace Corps. Worked for South Carolina Democrats in
the 2002 cycle, helping to target African-American voters.
Director
of the Wisconsin Senate Democratic Caucus from Feb. to Aug. 2001.
A regional field organizer on Al Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus
campaign.
Worked on Russ Feingold's 1998 U.S. Senate campaign. Graduate of
the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in civil
engineering.
From La Crosse, WI.
FIELD
Field Director |
Cuauhtemoc "Temo" Figueroa |
(Feb. 2007) As
assistant
political director at AFSCME, Figueroa oversaw the union's independent
expenditure program during the 2006 elections. Administrator of
AFSCME
Council 18, New Mexico. Served on the DNC's Commission on
Presidential
Nomination Timing and Scheduling.
Regional
- dispatched to work in states in Sept.-Oct. 2007
to
California.
to
Colorado.
to
Minnesota.
to
Georgia.
Youth Vote
Director |
Hans Reimer |
(through March 2008)
Reimer was previously
political
and issues director for Rock the Vote; he joined Rock the Vote in
2003.
A resident of Silver Spring, MD, he ran for Montgomery County Council
in
2006. Senior policy analyst directing the Social Security
Information
Project at the Institute for America's Future, 2001-03. Director
of the 2030 Center, a public policy organization for young adults
focused
on economic issues and particularly Social Security, 1996-2001.
Graduated
from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1995. Born and
raised in Oakland, CA.
Deputy
Youth Vote Director |
Mary
Hodge |
to
Arizona.
COMMUNICATIONS
Communications
Director |
Robert Gibbs |
see above
Deputy
Communications Director
|
Dan Pfeiffer |
Initially traveling press
secretary. Communications director for
Sen. Evan Bayh's All America PAC (started Sept. 2006); came to the PAC
from Bayh's Senate office, where he started in 2005. Deputy
campaign
manager on Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's unsuccessful
re-election
campaign in 2004. Worked on Sen. Tim Johnson's (D-SD) successful
2002 re-election campaign. Communications director at the
Democratic
Governors Association.
National Press
Secretary |
Bill Burton |
(from Jan. 2007)
Communications
director at the DCCC for the 2006 cycle (started March 2005).
Came
to the DCCC from the office of Sen. Richard Durbin (IL). Served as a
Regional
Communications Director on John Kerry's presidential campaign.
Press
Secretary for Rep. Dick Gephardt's Iowa caucus campaign. Press
secretary
to Sen. Tom Harkin, 2001-03. Earlier worked for U.S. Rep. Bill
Luther.
Originally from Buffalo, NY.
Traveling Press
Secretary |
Jen Psaki |
Initially deputy press
secretary. Spokeswoman at the DCCC in the
2006 cycle. Communications director to Rep. Joseph Crowley
(D-NY).
In Fall 2004 worked on the Kerry campaign doing press for the
Kerry/Heinz
children. Deputy communications director and earlier assistant to
the state director on Sen. John Kerry's 2003-04 Iowa caucus
campaign.
Field organizer for the Iowa Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign in
2002. Graduate of the College of William and Mary; studied
English
and sociology. From Stamford, CT.
Deputy Press
Secretary |
Amy Brundage |
Previously worked as
spokesperson
for Sen. John Kerry's Keeping America's Promise and earlier in Kerry's
Senate office and in scheduling and advance on Kerry's 2004
presidential
campaign.
Deputy Press
Secretary |
Ben LaBolt
|
Joined the campaign in Aug. 2007.
Press secretary in Obama's Senate office starting in Feb. 2007.
Spokesman on U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown’s successful 2006 U.S. Senate
campaign. Aide to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Regional
director in Portsmouth on Howard Dean's 2004-04 New Hampshire primary
campaign. 2003 graduate of Middlebury College with a degree in
political science. President of College Democrats at Middlebury,
2001-03. Native of LaGrange, Illinois.
Tommy Vietor, Josh Earnest,
Reid Cherlin
Senior Spokesman |
Hari Sevugan |
(started April 8,
2008)
Communications director on Sen. Chris Dodd's presidential campaign
(started
as deputy communications director in March 2007, then succeeded Beneva
Schulte starting in May). Communications director on the
O'Malley-Brown
gubernatorial campaign in Maryland starting in Feb. 2006. Policy
director for Tim Kaine's 2005 gubernatorial campaign. Deputy
policy
director for Dan Hynes’ 2004 U.S. Senate primary campaign in Illinois,
then deputy campaign manager for Dr. Daniel Mongiardo's U.S. Senate
campaign
in Kentucky. Practiced securities law in Chicago for two
years.
J.D. from Northwestern School of Law. Two years as an
award-winning
school teacher in the Washington Heights community of New York as part
of Teach for America. Graduate of the University of Illinois,
where
he studied political science and finance.
Senior
Spokesperson for Constituency Media
|
Candice Tolliver
|
In 2004 Tolliver served as
the communications director for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Press secretary in the office of Rep. John Lewis (D-GA). Worked in the
Office of House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt.
Director of
Communications
Planning |
Liz Oxhorn |
(CQ People on the Move via
Potomac
Flacks May 29, 2007) Oxhorn came to the campaign from her
position
as deputy communications director for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Senior Advisor |
Anita Dunn
|
(strategic
communications...reported April 8, 2008 by Lynn
Sweet) Principal at Squier Knapp Dunn; joined the firm in 1993
after
working for Sen. Bill Bradley. Media consultant to Sen. Evan
Bayh's
All America PAC in 2006 and developed strategy and produced the media
for
Bayh's 2004 re-election campaign. Senior political advisor
to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, 2001-02. Took leave from
the firm in 1999 to serve as communications director and chief
strategist
for Sen. Bill Bradley’s presidential campaign. Communications and
political director and then chief of staff to Sen. Bill Bradley.
Communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign
Committee
(DSCC) for the 1988 and 1990 election cycles. Cmmunications
director
for U.S. Rep. Bob Edgar’s 1984 congressional and 1986 senatorial
campaigns.
Press assistant on Sen. John Glenn’s 1984 campaign. Began her
career
in politics working for White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan
under
President Jimmy Carter.
Director of
Speechwriting |
Jon Favreau |
Worked in Obama's Senate
office.
Deputy director of speechwriting on the Kerry-Edwards campaign; started
on John Kerry for President early on as national press assistant.
Graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.,
2003
with a degree in political science; class valedictorian. Worked
as
a press intern for Kerry in Spring 2001. From North Reading, Mass.
Speechwriter |
Adam Frankel |
Research assistant to
Theodore
Sorensen and completed a fellowship with the Office of
Counter-terrorism
at the State Department. Speechwriter and led the speechwriting
research
team on the Kerry campaign (took leave from graduate studies at the
London
School of Economics to join the campaign) >.
Graduate of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and
International Affairs, 2003; he was president of the College Democrats,
program director of Head Start, columnist for the Daily Princetonian,
and a founder of the campus chapter of the Student Global AIDS Campaign.
Special Assistant to
President
Lee H. Hamilton at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
starting in June 2002, and also a freelance speechwriter based in
Washington,
DC. Author, with Hamilton and Thomas H. Kean, of Without
Precedent:
The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission (Knopf, 2006).
Previously,
he taught and worked in local politics in New York City.
INTERNET
New Media Director |
Joe Rospars |
On leave from Blue State
Digital
where he is a founding partner. Part of Gov. Howard Dean's
presidential
campaign Internet team, where he wrote and edited emails and also
worked
on message development, online brand building, and grassroots
organizing.
Prior to the campaign, he taught English in Stockholm, Sweden and wrote
for NotGeniuses.com, a political blog. Bachelor's degree in
political
science from The George Washington University. Originally from
Long
Island.
Deputy New Media
Director |
Michael Slaby |
Deputy campaign manager on
Vi
Daley's re-election campaign for Alderman in Chicago. Production
manager at The Strategy Group. Graduate of Brown University.
Senior Producers: Jon Jones,
Scott
Thomas.
Design Lead: John Slabyk -
Brand strategist based in Chicago. Worked at Entertainment Direct
as a creative director. Co-founded celsiusDesign. Studied
graphic
design at RIT. >
Online Organizers: Emily Bokar,
Gray Brooks, Chris Hughes.
External Online Director: Scott
Goodstein.
Blogger: Sam Graham-Felsen.
Writers: Sarah Ramey, Nikki
Sutton.
Video: Kate Albright-Hanna
(Director
of Video Production), Chris Northcross (Videographer), Jessica Slider
(Video
Editor).
Director of Field Production:
Arun
Chaudhary.
E-mail: Stephen Geer (lead),
Teddy
Goff (writer, producer), Udai Rohagi (writer/analyst), Stephen Speakman
(writer/producer).
Internet Advertising: Michael
Organ
- Organ has a twenty-year marketing career and is an
internet
marketing expert. Author of internetadvocacy.com/The Internet
Advocacy
Book. Executive director of Charity Guide, a 501(c)(3).
Founded
Mosaic Data Solutions, an Internet and database marketing company, in
2001.
Worked with Accenture for nine years, including as vice president of
marketing
for Accenture Procurment Solutions. Co-founded College Financial
Aid Service. Started his marketing career at Ogilvy & Mather
Advertising doing television and print ads. >
Data Analyst: Alexander
McCormmach.
IT
Chief Technology
Officer |
Kevin Malover |
Headed the technology team
that
started up BuySide Realty, an online buyer's agent, in 2005-06.
Founding
CIO of Orbitz, the travel Web site co-owned by several airlines, from
April
2000 (third employee) through 2004. Worked for four years as
Director
of Internet Network Operation at Ameritech Interactive Media
Services.
Previously worked with Ameritech New Media Enterprises directing the
integration
testing of the company`s broadband analog and interactive digital video
services. Joined Ameritech in 1979. B.S. in
mathematics/computer
science from Lawrence Technological University in Michigan; M.B.A. from
Oakland University in California.
Database Manager |
Luke Peterson |
Peterson "has been hacking
together
databases since 2000 with various organizations in three fourths of the
lower 48 states as voter file manager, redistricting consultant, and
union
organizer." (Politics Online Conference 2008)
POLICY
Senior Policy
Strategist |
Heather Higginbottom |
Longtime aide to Sen. John
Kerry
(D-MA); announced as his legislative director in Feb. 2006.
Deputy
national policy director on Kerry's presidential campaign, where she
oversaw
the development of all domestic policies for the primary and general
elections.
Deputy legislative director in Kerry’s Washington Senate office,
1999-2003.
M.P.P. from the George Washington University School of Public
Policy.
Undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester.
Deputy Policy
Director |
Carlos Monje |
Special assistant for
policy
and communications in Obama's Senate office. Legislative
assistant
in Sen. Ken Salazar's Senate office. Spokesman on Erskine Bowles'
2004 U.S. Senate campaign in North Carolina. Worked on Sen. John
Edwards' presidential campaign after serving as deputy press secretary
in his Senate office.
Deputy Policy
Director |
Danielle Gray |
Leave of absence from
position
as litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom.
Clerked for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer October term
2005.
Worked on the policy staff of Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.
Clerked for Judge Merrick Garland. J.D. from Harvard Law School,
2003. Undergraduate degree from Duke University. Originally
from Long Island.
National Security
Coordinator |
Denis McDonough |
(July 2007) Senior
fellow
and senior advisor to Tom Daschle at the Center for American
Progress.
Legislative director for Sen. Ken Salazar. Foreign policy advisor
to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, July 2000-Dec. 2004.
Fellow
with the Robert Bosch Foundation of Stuttgart, Germany.
Professional
staff of the House International Relations Committee, 1996-99.
Master's
degree from Georgetown University, 1996; undergraduate degree from St.
John's University in Collegeville, MN, 1992.
Policy
Advisors (Nov. 2007)
and
Mark Alexander - served
as Policy Director for the first seven-plus months of the campaign,
before
taking on the role of New Jersey State Director (announced October 9,
2007).
According to the press release he "will remain a Senior Advisor to
Obama,
continuing with special policy projects, political efforts, and
strategic
planning." Alexander took a leave of absence from his position at
Seton Hall starting end of Feb. 2007 to join the campaign.
RESEARCH
Research Director |
Devorah Adler |
(reported by Lynn Sweet on
Jan.
11, 2007; started on the campaign on Jan. 24) Research director
at
the DNC in the 2006 cycle (starting Sept. or Oct. 2005 through Jan.
23).
Previously deputy research director at the DNC under Mike Gehrke.
At the DSCC in 2004. Policy director for Ron Kirk’s 2002 U.S.
Senate
race. Special Assistant in the Office of the Senate Democratic
Leader
Tom Daschle. Has also worked for Nancy Pelosi. Associate
Director
for Health Policy (Domestic Policy Council) in the Clinton
Administration.
Graduate of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Deputy Research
Director |
Shauna Daly |
(reported by Lynn Sweet on
Jan.
11, 2007) Deputy research director at the DNC in the 2006
cycle.
Experience includes work for Sen. John Edwards' presidential campaign.
SCHEDULING AND ADVANCE
Scheduling and
Advance |
Alyssa Mastromonaco |
Political Director at
Obama's
HOPEFUND. Deputy scheduling director on John Kerry for President,
Inc. Press secretary for Congressman Rick Boucher (D-VA) in his
congressional
office in Washington. Worked in Kerry's Senate office in
Boston.
Worked in New York City for a number of years. Graduated from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. Grew up in Rhinebeck, NY.
Director of
Advance |
Emmett Beliveau |
Attorney at Patton Boggs,
LLP.
J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Undergraduate degree
from Colby College, 1999. Son of Severin Beliveau, a prominent
Maine
Democrat.
Trip Director |
Marvin Nicholson |
Traveling assistant on
John
Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. Served as Kerry's driver;
interned
in Kerry's Senate office in 2000. Moved to Massachusetts from
Canada
in 1998 (holds dual citizenship). Graduate of the University of
Western
Ontario.
MICHELLE OBAMA
Chief of Staff |
Melissa Winter |
Previously worked for Sen.
Joe
Lieberman (DI-CT), serving as his scheduler and executive assistant,
including
work on the Gore/Lieberman campaign in 2000 and scheduler on
Lieberman's
2003-04 presidential campaign.
Communications
Director |
Katie McCormick Lelyveld |
A deputy communications
director
on John Kerry for President. Associate at The Harbour Group,
LLC.
Graduated from Georgetown University in 2001 with a B.A. in psychology
and English; two years as a White House intern in the Office of former
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Michelle Obama's first hire on
the Obama presidential campaign. 18 years
experience on Capitol Hill. She worked as scheduler/executive
assistant to Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT) through Feb.
2007.
Winter was also Sen. Lieberman's director of scheduling on his 2003-04
presidential race and traveling aide on Lieberman's 2000 vice
presidential campaign. Prior to joining Lieberman's staff she
worked
for Congressman Norman Y. Mineta (D-CA) for seven years as his staff
assistant and then executive assistant. Graduate of Skidmore
College.
Born in Chicago, but her family later moved to La Jolla, California.
CORRESPONDENCE
Director of
Correspondence |
Amy Lee Boonstra |
Experience includes QA
Analyst
at SPSS Inc.; Statistical Analyst at Econometrics, Inc. Ph.D. in
sociology and demography from University of Michigan, 1997; A.B. in
sociology
and East Asian studies from University of Chicago, 1991.
FINANCE
Finance Director |
Julianna Smoot |
Finance director at the
DSCC
in the 2006 cycle. Veteran Democratic fundraiser; experience
includes
work for then Sen. Tom Daschle's DASH PAC, the Association of Trial
Lawyers
of America, and Sen. John Edwards. Graduate of Smith College,
1989.
Deputy Finance
Director |
Ami Copeland |
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)'s
2006
re-election campaign.
Illinois -
Jordan Kaplan
Sarah Rosenzwieg
Illinois Finance
Committee
Co-Chairs: James
Crown, president of Henry Crown and Co. and John Rogers, founder and
CEO
of Ariel Capital Management Inc.
Northern California - Tammy
Paster
Chris Young
Southern California and Southwest
- Julie Fitzgerald
Adia Smith
Florida - Teddy Johnston
Chair: Kirk Wagar,
attorney with Wagar Murray & Feit
Mid-Atlantic - Shomik
Dutta - 2005
graduate
of Williams College. and Joanna Martin
Ravi Gupta
Midwest/South - Ari Koban
New York - Jenny Yeager
Jennifer Tabach
Northeast - Nate Turnbull
James Dinneen
Northwest - Melissa Schwartz
Southern - Jenny Cizner
Texas and Oklahoma - Adrienne
Donato
Director of
Grassroots Fundraising
|
Meaghan Burdick |
[http://store.barackobama.com]
Director of marketing and online services at the DCCC in the 2006 cycle
(started there in Jan. 2005). Previously at the DSCC.
National Finance
Chair |
Penny Pritzker |
(announced by the
exploratory
committee Jan. 31, 2007) Member of one of America's richest
families,
founders of Hyatt Hotels. Founder, chairman and CEO of Classic
Residence
by Hyatt, a unit that does luxury retirement communities; and chairman
of the Board of TransUnion Corporation, a credit data and information
management
business. Chairman of Superior Bank, 1989-94. Bachelor's
degree
in economics from Harvard University, 1981; J.D. and M.B.A. degrees
from
Stanford University, 1984.
National
Finance Committee
Hispanic
Leadership Council (announced Mar. 27, 2008)
CONSULTANTS
Media
David Axelrod - AKP
Message & Media (see above)
and John Del Cecato,
also at AKP
Jim Margolis and Jason Ralston
- (announced April 28,
2007;
development
and placement of media and serving as senior strategists) Senior
partner
and partner, repectively at GMMB.
Polling
Paul Harstad - CEO of Harstad
Strategic Research, based in Boulder, CO. 33 years of
experience
in government, public affairs, polling, and campaign
strategy.
During the 1990s he directed public affairs polling for Talmey-Drake
Research
& Strategy in Boulder. During the 1980s he was senior vice
president
at Peter Hart Research and Garin-Hart Research in Washington, DC.
During the 1970s he worked as a legislative assistant in the U.S.
Senate
in Washington, D.C.
Cornell Belcher
- President, Brilliant-Corners,
Research & Strategies. Belcher is also DNC pollster.
Joel Benenson - (reported Feb. 20, 2007 by
Greg
Sargent at TPM Cafe) Founding Partner of the Benenson
Strategy Group (BSG).
Anna Bennett - Principal at Bennett, Petts &
Normington. Over 20 years experience in
public opinion research and strategic consulting.
>According to
Sargent
at TPM Cafe, Benenson will be in charge of polling for New Hampshire,
Belcher
for South Carolina, and Harstead for Iowa.
Direct Mail
Pete Giangreco - Partner in The
Strategy Group's Chicago office.
and Larry Grisolano
Young Voters
SS+K, a
strategic
communications firm located in New York, is helping the campaign with
nontraditional
ideas and new ways to reach the younger voting population. The
effort
is being headed up by Rob Shepardson, founding partner of the firm.
SENIOR ADVISORS
include
Ertharin Cousin
- (reported Feb. 20, 2007 by Greg Sargent at TPM
Cafe)
Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at America’s
Second
Harvest. Previously worked with Albertson's, Inc., the food and
drug
retailer, as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs; joned Albertson's
in 1997. White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of State,
1993-97.
Worked at the DNC. Worked in Illinois including as Director of
Government
Relations for AT&T and Illinois assistant Attorney General, as well
as on state and local campaigns. B.A. from the University of
Illinois
at Chicago; J.D. from the University of Georgia, 1982.
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS
include
Federico Peña
- (announced Sept. 7, 2007) A managing director
of
Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity fund headquartered in New
York;
joined the firm as a senior advisor in 1998. Secretary of Energy,
1997-98. Secretary of Transportation, 1993-97. President
and
CEO of Peña Investment Advisors, 1991-92. Elected Mayor of
Denver in 1983, defeating a 14-year incumbent, and re-elected in
1987.
Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1979, and rose to
become
Minority Leader. B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin,
1969;
J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, 1972.
IN THE STATES
Alphabetical
Chronological Feb.
5 | Feb.
9-10 | Feb.
12 | Feb.
19 | March
4 | later
contests
Iowa
State Director |
Paul Tewes |
(reported by Chris
Cillizza
"The Fix" on Jan. 16, 2007) Campaign manager of Americans United
to Protect Social Security in 2005. Formed Hildebrand
Tewes Consulting, Inc. with Steve Hildebrand in early 2005.
Political
director of the DSCC in the 2004 cycle. Field director on Vice
President
Al Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus campaign starting in June 1999.
Executive
director of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, 1998. Managed Sandy
Pappas’
mayoral campaign in St. Paul in 1997. Managed U.S. Rep. David
Minge's
re-election campaign in 1996. Western MN field coordinator for
Ann
Wynia's U.S. Senate campaign in 1994. Graduate of Carleton
College
with a degree in Political Science, 1993. Native of Mt. Lake, MN.
See Iowa
page >>
New Hampshire
State Director |
Matt Rodriguez |
(reported by John DiStaso
in
"The Granite Status" on Jan. 18, 2007) In 2006 Rodriguez ran
Kevin
de León's successful campaign for Assembly in California's 45th
District (Los Angeles). District director for Rep. Marty Meehan
in
Lowell, Mass. Campaign manager for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)'s 2004
re-election campaign. Deputy political director on Dick
Gephardt's
campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination and previously
at Gephardt's leadership PAC, the Effective Government Committee.
A year as a volunteer teacher in Roxbury, Mass. Ran the 2nd CD
for
Sen. Bill Bradley's 2000 NH primary campaign. Volunteer teacher
with
the Jesuit Corps in Roxbury, Mass. for three years. Graduate of
Holy
Cross University with a degree in Spanish.
See New
Hampshire page >>
Nevada
State Director |
David Cohen |
(reported by AP on Feb.
15,
2007) Campaign manager for Jill Derby's 2006 race against Dean
Heller
(R) in Nevada's 2nd CD. Earlier in the 2006 cycle, Cohen served
as
director of operations on Deval Patrick's gubernatorial campaign in
Massachusetts.
In the 2004 cycle, he worked in New Hampshire and Tennessee on Gen. Wes
Clark's presidential campaign, and later on Sen. Tom Daschle's
re-election
campaign in South Dakota. Cohen is a former educator, having
taught
at the high school and college levels. He is also an
entrepreneur,
having founded two companies and a non-profit organization – the Brown
University Entrepreneurship Program – where he still serves as an
ex-officio
board member.
See Nevada
page >>
South Carolina (Jan. 26)
State Director |
Stacey Brayboy |
Twelve years of experience
in
various levels of government. Deputy director of the Virginia
Council
on Human Rights, appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine in Feb. 2006. State
core director for Tim Kaine’s successful gubernatorial campaign and for
the Virginia Coordinated Campaign in 2005. Midlands regional
director
on Wesley Clark's South Carolina primary campaign. From Atlanta.
See South
Carolina page >>
Florida (Jan. 29)
Florida Advisory Council (announced
July 20, 2007)
See Florida
page >>
Feb. 5 States
In a Jan. 29, 2008
conference
call, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe reported the campaign had 90
offices open in the 22 Feb. 5 states, and was "continuing to open up
additional
offices as we move into the GOTC/GOTV period." Further, the Obama
campaign had 503 staffers in the Feb.5 states and over 75,000 active
volunteers.
Alabama
State Director |
Trista Allen |
Allen previously served as
the
campaign's Southern regional field director in Chicago.
Spokesperson
for the Dallas County District Attorney, 2007. Political director
on Chris Bell for Governor, 2006. Executive director of the
Women's
Health Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives, 2004-05. A
field
organizer for Kerry/Edwards on the closing push in New Mexico,
2004.
Membership director for the Texas Council on Family Violence,
2001-02.
Comptroller for the Texas Democratic Party, 1999-2001. Graduate
of
Texas Wesleyan University, 1998.
See Alabama
page >>
Alaska
State Director |
Joe Hardenbrook |
Creating Alaska project
coordinator
on The 49th Star, a project to recognize the 50th anniversary of the
Alaska
Constitutional Convention in 2005-06. Earned degree in political
science and history from University of Alaska Fairbanks.
See Alaska
page >>
Arizona
State Director |
Raul Alvillar |
(reported by The
Arizona
Republic on Oct. 12, 2007) Alvillar previously served as the
campaign's Western political director in Chicago. Worked for Sen.
John Kerry's Keeping America's Promise PAC. In 2004 Alvillar
served
as political director on the New Mexico Democratic Coordinated
Campaign,
and earlier worked in the boiler room during the Democratic National
Convention
in Boston, worked as a delegate tracker at Kerry headquarters in DC,
and
served as 1st CD regional field director on Kerry's NM caucus campaign,
2003-Feb. 3, 2004. Worked for the ATR Institute at the University
of New Mexico. Deputy field organizer on Richard Romero for
Congress,
2002. District scheduler for Congressman Tom Udall,
2000-02.
Volunteer coordinator on the 2000 NM Coordinated Campaign.
Started
off in politics working for the Democratic Party of New Mexico as
originator
of the party's e-news newsletter. Studied political science at
the
University of New Mexico. Born and raised in New Mexico.
See Arizona
page >>
Arkansas
State Director |
Tim Fraser |
(arrived mid-Jan.
2008)
A regional director on Obama's NH primary campaign.
See Arkansas
page >>
California
State Director |
Mitchell Schwartz |
(announced August 16,
2007)
President and founder (1999) of the Bomaye
Company, a public affairs firm in Los Angeles. Has served on
the campaigns of Senator Boxer, Governor Davis and Mayor
Villaraigosa.
Served in the Office of Public Affairs for the Department of State
under
President Clinton, 1993-95. Gov. Bill Clinton's New Hampshire
State
Director in 1992. Worked on the Dukakis campaign in 1988 and the
Mondale campaign in 1984.
See California
page >>
Colorado
State Director |
Ray Rivera |
(reported by the Rocky
Mountain
News on Sept. 7, 2007) Rivera previously served as the
campaign's
Northeast regional field director in Chicago. In 2006 he was
executive
director of Colorado Senate Majority, a 527 organization that worked to
build Democrats' majority in the state Senate. Worked several
years
for AFSCME, starting as an organizer, then Nevada political director
and
finally Colorado political director. Field director on state Sen.
Richard Romero's 2002 congressional campaign against Rep. Heather
Wilson
in NM's 1st CD. Youth coordinator on the Gore-Lieberman campaign
in New Mexico in Fall of 2000. Bachelor's degree in political
science
from the University of New Mexico, 2001. From New Mexico.
See Colorado
page >>
Delaware
State Director |
Brandon Hurlbut |
Worked in the political
department
on Obama's NH primary campaign, overseeing veterans, seniors and
labor.
Came to the campaign from Washington, DC where he was associate at
Baker
& Daniels LLP. Campaign experience includes Dorothy Brown for
Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 2000; Bill Bradley for
President,
1999–2000; and Glenn Poshard for Governor of Illinois, 1998. J.D.
from Georgetown University Law Center, 2004. B.A. from University
of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana,
See Delaware
page >>
Georgia
State Director |
Eureka Gilkey |
(announced Oct. 10,
2007)
Gilkey previously served as the campaign's deputy political director in
Chicago. National training director for EMILY's List during the
2006
cycle. Deputy political director of NARAL Pro-Choice America
during
the 2004 election cycle. PAC coordinator at the AFL-CIO during
the
2002 election cycle. Message and polling coordinator at the
DNC.
Gilkey has worked on several campaigns, including Diane E. Watson for
Congress
(CA-32) and Ron Kirk for U.S. Senate in Texas. First job out of
college
was political assistant at EMILY's List. Graduate of Howard
University.
Texas native. [Note. As national training director for
EMILY's
List, Gilkey collaborated with Obama's Leadership PAC, Hopefund, to
launch
"Yes We Can" -- a training program for young African American and
Hispanic
activists].
See Georgia
page >>
Idaho
State Director |
Katie Ingebretson |
Regional field director on
Obama's
Iowa Caucus campaign, based in Waterloo. Worked on Virginia
Victory
2005, helping to elect Tim Kaine governor.
See Idaho
page >>
Illinois
State Director |
Nate Tamarin |
(succeeded Jon Carson when
he
moved over to do voter contact for Feb. 5 states) Initially
Illinois
political director and national labor outreach. Served as
political
director at Obama's Hopefund. Deputy campaign manager on Obama's
2004 U.S. Senate campaign.
See Illinois
page >>
Kansas
State Director
(KS, MN,
ND) |
Chris Miller |
Miller previously served
as
the campaign's Midwest field director. National field director
for
21st Century Democrats. Worked on Al Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus
campaign.
See Kansas
page >>
Massachusetts
State Director |
Jarel LaPan |
Previously worked on
Obama's
NH Primary campaign doing health care, environment, disabilities,
sportsmen
in the political department. Moved to NH from Montana, where she
worked on health policy and legislative matters for the Governor's
office.
In Fall 2004 LaPan was early vote/vote by mail deputy at the DNC.
Worked on Howard Dean's 2003-04 NH primary campaign first as a Seacoast
area organizer then as the regional director in the Concord
office.
Graduate of The George Washington University with a degree in political
science, May 2003. From Santa Fe, New Mexico.
See Massachusetts
page >>
Minnesota
State Director
(KS, MN,
ND) |
Chris Miller |
(announced Oct. 3,
2007)
Miller previously served as the campaign's Midwest field
director.
National field director for 21st Century Democrats. Worked on Al
Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus campaign.
See Minnesota
page >>
Missouri
State Director |
Mike Dorsey |
(reported by "The Swamp"
Sept.
25, 2007) Dorsey previously served as the campaign's Midwest
political
director in Chicago. Directed the Rhode Island Democratic
Coordinated
Campaign in 2006. Worked on Patty Wetterling's U.S. Senate
campaign in Minnesota (she withdrew in Jan. 2006). Deputy research
director
for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee during the 2004
cycle.
Graduate of the University of Kansas. Minnesota native.
See Missouri
page >>
New Jersey
State Director |
Mark Alexander |
(announced Oct. 9,
2007)
Alexander previously served as the campaign's policy director, he took
a leave of absence from Seton Hall starting end of Feb. 2007 to join
the
campaign. Law professor at Seton Hall; joined the faculty in 1996
as an assistant professor. Took leave to serve as general counsel
to Cory Booker’s campaign for Mayor of Newark, 2006. Issues
director
for the Bill Bradley for President campaign, Jan. 1999-April
2000.
Litigator with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in San Francisco.
Clerked
for Chief Judge Thelton Henderson of the U.S. District Court for the
Northern
District of California. Issues director for Sen. Edward Kennedy’s
(D-MA) 1988 reelection campaign. Legislative assistant to Sen.
Howard
Metzenbaum, 1986-88. J.D. from Yale University Law School,
1992.
B.A. in architecture from Yale University, 1986.
See New
Jersey page >>
New Mexico
State Director
(also National
Deputy Policy Director) |
Carlos Monje |
Special assistant for
policy
and communications in Obama's Senate office. Legislative
assistant
in Sen. Ken Salazar's Senate office. Spokesman on Erskine Bowles'
2004 U.S. Senate campaign in North Carolina. Worked on Sen. John
Edwards' presidential campaign after serving as deputy press secretary
in his Senate office.
See New
Mexico page >>
New York
State Director |
Rudi Shenk |
Shenk previously served as
the
campaign's national outreach director in Chicago. Oversaw
Kerry-Edwards
outreach to CEOs and small business owners during '04 cycle. Aide
to New York State Comptroller, H. Carl McCall during his 2002
gubernatorial
bid. Government affairs associate for Napster.
Undergraduate
degree from NYU; J.D. from Fordham Law School. Grew up in
Portland,
Oregon.
See New
York page >>
North Dakota
Caucus Director |
Matthew Weinstein |
(Nov. 2007) A field
director
for the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, the 2006 campaign
to
repeal HB 1215, the ban on abortions. In 2005 he served on the
Virginia
Democratic coordinated campaign in Virginia Beach.
See North
Dakota page >>
Oklahoma
State Director |
Carrie Glenn |
Glenn previously served as
a
regional field director on Obama's NH Primary campaign. Deputy
field
director for John Tester's U.S Senate campaign in Montana in
2006.
Worked for Alliance for Justice. Volunteer coordinator on John
Kerry's
2004 Georgia primary campaign. Native of Oregon.
See Oklahoma
page >>
Tennessee
State Director |
Rohan Patel |
Previously directed Rural
America/Agriculture,
Environmental/Energy and Young Professional outreach and served as Polk
County political director on Obama's Iowa Caucus campaign (started on
the
campaign in Jan. 2007). Previously served as an events director
for
Gov. Chet Culver’s Inaugural Committee. Worked on the Iowa State
Senate campaign initially on the finance team and then in the field for
Sen. Herman Quirmbach. Worked on Sen. Evan Bayh’s AllAmerica PAC
in 2006 in Washington, DC and Des Moines. Graduate of
Northwestern
University.
See Tennessee
page >>
Utah
State
Director |
Anne Filipic |
Field director on Obama's
Iowa
caucus campaign. Came to the campaign from Hildebrand Tewes
Consulting,
Inc. Has worked on Tom Daschle for South Dakota and Americans
United
to Protect Social Security.
See Utah
page >>
Feb. 9 States
Louisiana
State Director
(also National
Director of Religious Affairs) |
Joshua Dubois |
Legislative correspondent
in
Obama's Senate office from 2005-07. MPA from Princeton, 2005.
See Louisiana
page >>
Nebraska
State Director |
Rory Steele |
Regional field director
for
Southwest Iowa on Obama's Iowa caucus campaign. Did GOTV in
Washington
State in the 2006 cycle. Former Marine.
See Nebraska
page >>
Washington
State Director |
Chelsea Waliser |
Regional field director
for
Polk County on Obama's Iowa caucus campaign. Worked on the
communications
staff of the Washington Senate Democratic Caucus during the 2007
legislative
session. Political director for U.S. Rep .Adam Smith during the
2006
election cycle, during which she ran south Puget Sound GOTV for the
2006
Washington state Coordinated Campaign. Field organizer on U.S.
Sen.
Patty Murray's 2004 re-election campaign. Washington state native
and graduate of the University of Puget Sound.
See Washington
page >>
Maine (Feb. 10)
State field director on
Obama's
NH Primary campaign. Directed Montana Democrats' 2006 Coordinated
Campaign. Field director for Carry Oregon (2004 Oregon Democratic
Coordinated Campaign); field organizer in Waterloo on Kerry's Iowa
caucus
campaign. Field organizer and then field director on Sen. Max
Baucus'
2002 re-election campaign. Worked as an environmental organizer
with
the PIRGs, first in Georgia and then in New Jersey. Graduated
from
the University of Virginia with a B.A. in history.
See Maine
page >>
Feb. 12 States
District of Columbia
Chairman |
Mayor Adrian Fenty |
(announced July 17,
2007)
Elected Mayor in 2006 and is the youngest Mayor in the City's
history.
Elected to the City Council in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Fenty
previously served as the lead attorney and Counsel for the Council’s
Committee
on Education, Libraries and Recreation. J.D. from Howard
University
Law School. B.A. from Oberlin College. Born in the District
and raised in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.
See District
of Columbia page >>
Maryland
State Director |
Jeremy Bird |
Field director for Wake-Up
Wal-Mart.
Deputy field director for training and GOTV at the DNC in Fall 2004
(started
late July 2004 right before the Convention). Training director
for
Democratic GAIN. One of the two Congressional District directors
on Howard Dean's 2003-04 New Hampshire presidential primary.
Bachelor's
degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, 2000; Master's
degree
from Harvard Divinity School. Grew up in High Ridge, outside of
St.
Louis, Missouri.
See Maryland
page >>
Virginia
State Director |
Stacey Brayboy |
Obama's state director for
the
Jan. 26 South Carolina primary campaign. Twelve years of
experience
in various levels of government. Deputy director of the Virginia
Council on Human Rights, appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine in Feb.
2006.
State core director for Tim Kaine’s successful gubernatorial campaign
and
for the Virginia Coordinated Campaign in 2005. Midlands regional
director on Wesley Clark's South Carolina primary campaign. From
Atlanta.
See Virginia
page >>
Feb. 19 States
Hawaii
State Director |
Andy Winer |
Partner in the Hawaii law
firm
of Winer Meheula & Devens LLP, established 1992. Directed the
2002 Hawaii Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign. J.D.
University
of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1985. B.A. University of
California at Los Angeles, 1982.
See Hawaii
page >>
Wisconsin
State Director |
Craig Schirmer |
GOTV director on Obama's
South
Carolina primary campaign. Los Angeles-based political
consultant.
Directed South Carolina Democrats' Coordinated Campaign in 1998.
Graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison.
See Wisconsin
page >>
March 4 States
Ohio
State Director |
Paul Tewes |
(reported by
www.buckeyestateblog.com)
Obama's state director for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses. Campaign
manager
of Americans United to Protect Social Security in 2005. Formed
Hildebrand
Tewes Consulting, Inc. with Steve Hildebrand in early 2005.
Political
director at the DSCC in the 2004 cycle; worked for the DCCC starting in
2001. Field director on Vice President Al Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus
campaign starting in June 1999. Executive director of the
Wisconsin
Democratic Party, 1998. Managed Sandy Pappas’ mayoral campaign in
St. Paul in 1997. Managed U.S. Rep. David Minge's re-election
campaign
in 1996. Western MN field coordinator for Ann Wynia's U.S. Senate
campaign in 1994. Graduate of Carleton College with a degree in
Political
Science, 1993. Native of Mt. Lake, MN.
See Ohio
page >>
Rhode Island
State Director |
Mike Dorsey |
Dorsey previously served
as
the Obama's Missouri state director and earlier as Midwest political
director
in Chicago. Directed the Rhode Island Democratic Coordinated
Campaign
in 2006. Worked on Patty Wetterling's U.S. Senate campaign in
Minnesota
(she withdrew in Jan. 2006). Deputy research director for the
Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee during the 2004 cycle. Graduate of
the University of Kansas. Minnesota native.
See Rhode
Island page >>
Texas
State Director |
Adrian Saenz |
(announced Feb. 6,
2008)
Chief of staff to Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-TX). National
field director at the DCCC. Communications director for
Congressman
Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX) and president of the Congressional Hispanic
Staff
Association. Took leave from those roles during the fall 2004
campaign
to serve as base vote director (Hispanic) on the New Mexico Democratic
Coordinated Campaign, based out of Santa Fe office. B.S. in
political
science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
See Texas
page >>
Vermont
Served as Obama's Maine
state
director for the Feb. 10 caucuses and earlier as field director on
Obama's
NH primary campaign. Directed Montana Democrats' 2006 Coordinated
Campaign. Field director for Carry Oregon (2004 Oregon Democratic
Coordinated Campaign); field organizer in Waterloo on Kerry's Iowa
caucus
campaign. Field organizer and then field director on Sen. Max
Baucus'
2002 re-election campaign. Worked as an environmental organizer
with
the PIRGs, first in Georgia and then in New Jersey. Graduated
from
the University of Virginia with a B.A. in history.
See Vermont
page >>
March 8
Wyoming
State Director |
Gabe Cohen |
On leave from the Kenney
Group,
a Denver-based consulting firm. Cohen has worked on numerous
candidate
and ballot initiative campaigns in both field management and public
opinion
research including, most recently, the Denver Preschool Matters
campaign,
the Denver Justice Center campaign, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and
the statewide ballot initiative Referendum I. Prior to joining
the
Kenney Group, he worked for the Mellman Group in Washington DC. Kenney
holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon.
See Wyoming
page >>
March 11
Mississippi
State Director |
Lachlan McIntosh |
South Carolina state
director
on Gov. Bill Richardson's presidential campaign, March 2007-Jan.
2008.
Fifteen years of experience in SC politics. SCDP executive
director
from 2005-March 2, 2007; also served as campaign manager for Robert
Barber
for Lt. Governor in 2006 (the second closest general election in South
Carolina history). Lowcountry/Coastal field coordinator on Sen.
John
Edwards' 2004 SC primary campaign (started with the campaign in June
2003).
Has served as an aide to Gov. Jim Hodges and has held positions for
former
U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, and former
Attorney
General Travis Medlock. First staff position was with Tom
Harkin’s
presidential campaign in 1992.
See Mississippi
page >>
April 22
Pennsylvania
State Director |
Paul Tewes |
(reported by Boston Globe
on
March 27, succeeding initial state director Jim DeMay) Obama's
state
director for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses and the Mar. 4 Ohio
primary.
Campaign manager of Americans United to Protect Social Security in
2005.
Formed Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, Inc. with Steve Hildebrand in early
2005. Political director at the DSCC in the 2004 cycle; worked
for
the DCCC starting in 2001. Field director on Vice President Al
Gore's
2000 Iowa caucus campaign starting in June 1999. Executive
director
of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, 1998. Managed Sandy Pappas’
mayoral
campaign in St. Paul in 1997. Managed U.S. Rep. David Minge's
re-election
campaign in 1996. Western MN field coordinator for Ann Wynia's
U.S.
Senate campaign in 1994. Graduate of Carleton College with a
degree
in Political Science, 1993. Native of Mt. Lake, MN.
See Pennsylvania
page >>
May Contests
Guam (May 3)
State Director |
Joshua Tenorio |
A former executive
director
of the Guam Democratic Party.
See Guam
page >>
Indiana (May 6)
State Director |
Mitch Stewart |
Stewart served as Obama's
Iowa
caucus director, then worked on the campaign in Nevada and Minnesota
and
as field director on the March 4 Texas campaign. Coordinated
Campaign
director in Minnesota during the 2006 midterm elections. Field
director
on Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004 re-election campaign. Eastern Iowa
regional
field director for Sen. John Edwards’ Iowa caucus campaign (announced
May
2003). A regional field director for the Louisiana Democratic
Party
during Sen. Mary Landrieu's 2002 run-off campaign. A regional
field
director for the South Dakota Democratic Party during Sen. Tim
Johnson's
2002 re-election campaign. Has also served as a research
assistant
and staff assistant in Johnson's Senate office.
See Indiana
page >>
North Carolina (May 6)
State Director |
Craig Schirmer |
State director on Obama's
Wisconsin
primary campaign and earlier GOTV director on Obama's South Carolina
primary
campaign. Los Angeles-based political consultant. Campaign
manager on Erskine Bowles' 2002 race for U.S. Senate in North Carolina
(open Helms seat; lost to Elizabeth Dole). Directed South
Carolina
Democrats' Coordinated Campaign in 1998. Graduate of University
of
Wisconsin-Madison.
See North
Carolina page >>
West Virginia (May 13)
State Director |
Ashley Walker |
Served as deputy to
political
director Matt Nugen in Chicago; joined the campaign in Aug. 2007, and
was
in line to work in Florida. Walker managed Jeremy Ring
(D-Margate)'s
successful 2006 campaign for State Senate in Florida.
See West
Virginia page >>
Kentucky (May 20)
Director |
Carolyn Whitaker-Tandy |
District director of U.S.
Rep.
John Yarmuth's Louisville office. President and CEO of The
Crimson
Group LLC, a public relations, campaign management and fund-raising
services
firm. Director of African American Outreach for the DNC starting
in 1998. National field director for College Democrats of America
(CDA). Bachelor's degree in sociology from Gordon College
(Wenham,
Mass.), 1996. Native of Dallas, Texas.
See Kentucky
page >>
Oregon (May 20)
Served as Obama's Vermont
state
director for the March 4 primary, Maine state director for the Feb. 10
caucuses, and state field director on the Jan. 8 NH primary
campaign.
Directed Montana Democrats' 2006 Coordinated Campaign. Field
director
for Carry Oregon (2004 Oregon Democratic Coordinated Campaign); field
organizer
in Waterloo on Kerry's Iowa caucus campaign. Field organizer and
then field director on Sen. Max Baucus' 2002 re-election
campaign.
Worked as an environmental organizer with the PIRGs, first in Georgia
and
then in New Jersey. Graduated from the University of Virginia
with
a B.A. in history.
See Oregon
page >>
June Contests
Puerto Rico (June 1)
See Puerto
Rico page >>
Montana (June 3)
State Director |
Gabe Cohen |
Served as Obama's state
director
for the March 8 Wyoming caucuses. On leave from the Kenney Group,
a Denver-based consulting firm. Cohen has worked on numerous
candidate
and ballot initiative campaigns in both field management and public
opinion
research including, most recently, the Denver Preschool Matters
campaign,
the Denver Justice Center campaign, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and
the statewide ballot initiative Referendum I. Prior to joining
the
Kenney Group, he worked for the Mellman Group in Washington DC. Kenney
holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon.
See Montana
page >>
South Dakota (June 3)
State Director |
Nathan Peterson |
(announced April 1,
,2008)
Part of the Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, Inc. During the 2006
election
cycle with Hildebrand Tewes, Peterson was deputy campaign manager and
on-the-record
spokesperson for the campaign that overturned South Dakota's total ban
on abortions in 2006. He has successfully managed several local
school
bond and opt-out elections, conducted multiple state-wide initiative
and
referendum petition drives and worked as the South Dakota
organizer/spokesperson
for the National Environmental Trust. In 2004, prior to joining
Hildebrand
Tewes, Peterson was U.S. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle's campaign
scheduler and personal aide. He played an important role in the
implementation
of the field strategy on Sen. Tim Johnson's re-election campaign in
2002.
Peterson is an enlisted member of the Air National Guard; pursuing a
Masters
degree in communications.
See South
Dakota page >>
SENATE OFFICE
Chief of Staff |
Pete Rouse |
Previously served as chief
of
staff to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle through to the conclusion
of his tenure. Chief of staff to then Rep. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in
the House.
former campaign staff
New Media Deputy
Director |
Josh Orton |
(The Atlantic.com's
Marc
Ambinder reported Orton resigned in late Sept. 2007 because he
"disagreed
with the campaign’s blogger outreach strategy.") Most recently
served
as online and Nevada press secretary for Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid.
Executive producer of Air America Radio's "The Majority Report" with
Sam
Seder and Janeane Garofalo. Communications director for Gwen
Moore's
(WI-04) campaign in 2004. Graduate of the University of
Wisconsin,
Madison.
Southern Regional
Political
Director/ briefly Georgia State Director |
Erica Brooks |
(The Atlantic.com's
Marc
Ambinder reported that Brooks had left the campaign) Brooks
previously
served as the campaign's Southern regional political director in
Chicago.Director
of the Office of National Development at the Democratic National
Committee
starting in Spring 2001. Deputy state director to U.S. Sen. Zell
Miller; deputy campaign manager on Zell Miller's 2000 U.S. Senate
campaign.
Senior scheduler to U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, 1996-98. In 1994,
Brooks
became a special assistant to then-Secretary of State Max Cleland.
Copyright ©
2006, 2007,
2008 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
|