Key
People-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
updated October 26, 2007 Important Note:
This page has a lot
of gaps.
OBAMA FOR AMERICA
Early Campaign Edition
A sketch of
how the campaign looked in early- to mid-Sept. 2007. (In late
Sept. and Oct. 2007 the campaign deployed many political and field
staff
out to states).
Headquarters: 233 N. Michigan Ave., 11th Floor, Chicago,
Illinois.
...the Obama Exploratory
Committee filed with the FEC on Jan. 16, 2007; Obama for America was
announced Feb. 10, 2007.
...moved from smaller
space
on the 17th Floor to the 11th Floor in beginning of April 2007; 33,000
square feet, staff of about 100.
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.
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.
Early States |
Steve Hildebrand |
(travelled with Obama when
he
did the Harkin Steak Fry) 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.
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.
CFO - Marianne Markowitz verifying.
ed -07/07
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
Deputy
Political Director |
Eureka
Gilkey |
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].
Regional
Political Directors
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.
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.
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.
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.
Political
Outreach Coordinator |
Brooks Banton |
A deputy director
(Midwest)
in the Finance Department at the DNC.
National
Outreach Director |
Rudi
Shenk |
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.
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
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.
Delegates and
Congressional
Relations Coordinator |
Michael Robertson |
Political
Assistant |
Eugene Kang |
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.
Political director for
Wake
Up Wal-Mart. Organizer in the 'Anti-War in Iraq' campaign in San
Francisco, CA. Co-founded Hoi-Polloi, "a people’s organization
created
by a small group of conscientious thinkers striving for world
peace."
Campaign manager on Jay Fetcher's 2004 state Senate campaign in
Colorado.
Des Moines organizer on Howard Dean's Iowa caucus campaign.
Graduate
of the University of Washington, 1998.
In 2006 Rivera 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.
National field director
for
21st Century Democrats. Worked on Al Gore's 2000 Iowa caucus
campaign.
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.
Youth Vote
Director |
Hans Reimer |
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 |
Experience includes
membership
communications coordinator at the AFL-CIO and Campaign Corps
coordinator
at EMILY's List.
COMMUNICATIONS
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.
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 |
Dan Pfeiffer |
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.
Deputy Press
Secretary |
Jen Psaki |
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.
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.
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.
Organizing: Chris Hughes, Scott
Goodstein. Video: Jessica Slider, Chris Northcross. Writer:
Sam Graham-Felsen. More: Jon Jones, Michael Slaby, Udai
Rohatgi.
TECHNOLOGY
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.
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.
lead Economic
Policy Advisor |
Austan D. Goolsbee |
Robert P. Gwinn Professor
of
Economics at the University
of Chicago Graduate School of Business; started at University of
Chicago
GSB as Assistant Professor of Economics in 1995. Ph.D. in
economics
from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, May 1995; M.A. in economics
from Yale University, May 1991; B.A. in economics from Yale University,
May 1991. Goolsbee wrote the "Dismal Science" column for Slate
in 2005-06 and has written the "Economic Scene" column for the New
York
Times since April 2006.
Foreign Policy
Advisor |
Denis McDonough |
Senior fellow and senior
advisor
to Distinguished Senior Fellow Tom Daschle at the Center for American
Progress.
Legislative director for Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado. Foreign Policy
Adviser
to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, July 2000 to Dec. 2004. Fellow
with the Robert Bosch Foundation of Stuttgart, Germany, 1999-2000.
Member
of the Democratic professional staff of the House International
Relations
Committee, where he was focused on U.S. policy in Latin America,
1996-99.
Master's degree from Georgetown University, 1996; undergraduate degree
from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, 1992.
see also: Lynn
Sweet.
"Inside look at Obama's foreign policy team." Chicago Sun-Times,
May 10, 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.
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.
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.
Nine Fundraising Regions
note: this section is very
sketchy!
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.
New York - Jenny Yeager
Mid-Atlantic - Shomik Dutta
2005 graduate of Williams
College.
Florida - Teddy Johnston
Chair: Kirk Wagar,
attorney with Wagar Murray & Feit
California - Tammy Paster
Northwest - Melissa Schwartz
Director of
Director Marketing |
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.
CONSULTANTS
AKP
Message & Media (see above)
Media |
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.
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.
President, Brilliant-Corners,
Research & Strategies. Belcher is also DNC pollster.
(reported Feb. 20, 2007 by
Greg
Sargent at TPM Cafe) Founding Partner of the Benenson
Strategy Group (BSG).
>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 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
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
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
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 >>
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.
Political Director |
Alison Schwartz |
(reported by AP on Feb.
15,
2007) Executive director of the Nevada Democratic Party starting
in early 2005; field director in the 2004 cycle.
See Nevada
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 >>
South Carolina
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 >>
More States (alpha):
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 >>
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.
Florida
Florida Advisory Council (announced
July 20, 2007)
See
Florida page >>
Illinois
State Director |
Jon Carson |
(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.
See Illinois
page >>
Washington
Chairman |
Congressman Adam Smith |
(announced August 30,
2007;
endorsed Sen. Obama in Feb. 2007) Represents Washington's 9th CD;
first elected to Congress in 1996. Elected to the State Senate in
1990. (At only 25 years of age, he became the youngest state senator in
the country when he took office in 1991). Law degree from the
University
of Washington Law School, 1990. Graduated from Fordham University
in 1987. Lifelong resident of the 9th CD; lives in Northeast
Tacoma.
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.
Legislative
Director |
Chris Lu |
Previously worked for Rep.
Henry
Waxman as Deputy Chief Counsel on the House Government Reform
staff.
Graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School (an Obama
classmate).
former
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
Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
|