OBAMA FOR AMERICA
Headquarters: 370 Northside Dr., NW, Suite 6, Atlanta, GA 30318   ...opened Nov. 1, 2007
...9 offices; total staff of more than 50 people.

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].
 
 

Political Director

Dexter Porter

(announced Oct. 30 2007)  On leave from his position as director of sales and marketing for Metrotecs Systems, LLC.  Previously served as a business financial specialist at Wachovia Bank.  Political experience includes PAC chair of the Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce; candidate for Georgia House, District 84 in the July 2006 Democratic primary; field organizer on Florida Victory 2004, the Democratic coordinated campaign, in Orlando; assistant campaign manager on Barbara J. Mobley's successful campaign for State Court Judge in 2004; deputy field director on Denise Majette's successful campaign for Congress against Cynthia McKinney.  Policy analyst for Atlanta City Councilman Ceaser Mitchell, 2001.  Field director on Gwen Keyes Fleming for Solicitor General, 1998.  Graduate of Morris Brown College.  Georgia native.
 
 

Field Director

Ashley Collier

(from mid-Jan. 2008; succeeded Michael Hawthorne who started Nov. 2007; he in turn succeeded the original Georgia field director, Trista Allen, who went to serve as Alabama state director early Nov. 2007)  From Attorney General Thurbert Baker's office.
 
 

Press Secretary

Adora Andy

Public information officer for DeKalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming.  Press secretary for Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.'s 2006 U.S. Senate campaign in Tennessee.  Television news producer at WPTY in Memphis for two years.  Producer and reporter in Columbia, Missouri.  Also has news experience at CNBC Europe in London.  Graduate of the University of Missouri's School of Journalism.  Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.
 
 

Data Coordinator/Volunteer Coordinator

Anita Privett

From Austin, TX.
 
 

Students for Obama Coordinator

Chad Brock

Student at the University of Georgia in Athens.
 
 

Generation Obama Outreach Coordinator

Lewanna Heard

Did field for the John Eaves' campaign for Fulton County Chair.  Worked on Greg Hecht's 2006 primary campaign for Lt. Governor in Georgia.  Bachelor's degree in interpersonal communication and master's degree in political communications from The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  From Arkansas.
 
 

Office Manager

Cheryl Jewell

More Atlanta: Brian Forber, Daniel O'Donnell, Becky Parks, Kyle Cox, Khalil Thompson, Jamell Porter, Shayna Cherry, Janet Hostetler, Joy Cushman, April Harley, Jessica Clark, Michelle Mitchell, Peachy Myers, Kim Alfred, Mackey Dykes.
 
 

Fulton County - Katina Tsongas
Concord regional field director on Obama's NH primary campaign.  Came to the campaign from Washington, DC where she was a regional field director for Environmental Defense's Climate Change Campaign.  Worked on Sen. Tom Daschle’s campaign in 2004.  Full-time volunteer on Wesley Clark's 2004 NH primary campaign.  Experienced the 1992 NH primary at age 14 when her father, the late Sen. Paul Tsongas (D-MA) was a candidate.  M.P.P. from Harvard.  Undergraduate degree in urban studies from Brown University.
 

DeKalb County - Grace Northern
Field organizer in the Concord office on Obama's NH primary campaign.
 

Offices
Savannah (Chatham County) - 1501 Abercorn, Savannah, GA 31401   ...Marcus Powell
Lenora Fisher, Katherine Muller, Rahsheim Wright
 

Columbus (Muscogee County) - 905 Third Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901   ...Garrett Arwa
Jeffrey Ingram, MaryEllen Block, Shannon Donahue, Chris Aresu, Katie Teague (intern)
 

Albany (Dougherty County) - 700 N. Slappey Blvd., Albany, GA 31701   ...Liz Emanuel, John Oxtoby
Rachel Levine, John Schueler, Quentin James
Emanuel was a field organizer in the Concord office on Obama's NH primary campaign.
 

Macon (Bibb County) - 1680 Broadway, Macon, GA31201   ...Dan Grant; Assistant: Kate Wegrzyn
Christopher Workman-IT, Michelle Duff, Ivy Simmons
 

Athens (Clarke County) - 115 Sycamore Drive, Suite B1, Athens, GA 30606   ...Mike Griffin
Nicole Aro, Shannon Talbert, Bobby Vasher-Wesley, Chad Brock (Univ. of GA), Molly Emmett (intern)
 

Decatur (DeKalb County) - 5255 Snapfinger Park Drive, Suite 145, Decatur, GA 30035   ...Yolanda Pearison
Dexter Porter, Jamal Gunn, Lizzie Cohen, Stephen Hightower, Max Blackman, Megan Piatt, Molly Emerson, Don Ritchie
also: super volunteer: attorney Brian Wertheim
 

Augusta (Richmond County) - 1102 Laney Walker Blvd., Augusta, GA 30901   ...Derrick Nayo
Yvonne Miller, Travis Johnson, Julius Vandelaar
 

Valdosta (Lowndes County) - 1017 Slater Street, Valdosta, GA 31602   ...
 
 

Oct. 10, 2007 memo
 

Statewide Leadership Committee (as of Jan. 10, 2008...with additions through Feb. 5)

 Members of Congress
 Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-2), Georgia State Co-Chair  (endorsed on Sept. 10, 2007)
 Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-4), Georgia State Co-Chair  (endorsed July 30, 2007)

 Mayors
Of Note: Mayor Willie Burns of Wilkes County is president of the Black Mayors Association of Georgia and played a key role in rallying up mayoral endorsements.
 Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin (announced Jan. 9, 2008)
 Albany Mayor Willie Adams
 Camilla Mayor Mary Jo Haywood
 East Point Mayor Joe Macon
 Riverdale Mayor Evelyn Wynn Dixon
 Washington Mayor Willie Burns
 Waycross Mayor John Fluker (Ret.)
 and
 Macon Mayor Robert Reichert  (announced Jan. 31, 2008)

 State Legislators
Of Note: The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus has 53 members, making it the largest state legislative black caucus in the United States.  Sen. Obama secured the endorsements of about 80 percent of those legislators.  Political director Dexter Porter was the campaign's point person on this.
 over half of the 22 Democratic State Senators
 State Sen. David Adelman, Minority Whip (District 42, Atlanta)
 State Sen. Gloria Butler (District 55, Stone Mountain), Georgia Women for Obama Co-Chair   GLBC
 State Sen. Gail Davenport (District 44, Jonesboro)  GLBC
 State Sen. Vincent Fort (District 39, Atlanta) (previously backed Edwards) GLBC
 State Sen. Emanuel Jones (District 10, Ellenwood)  GLBC
 State Sen. Ron Ramsey (District 43, Lithonia)  GLBC
 State Sen. Kasim Reed (District 35, Atlanta)  GLBC
 State Sen. Valencia Seay (District 34, Riverdale) (previously backed Edwards) GLBC
 State Sen. Doug Stoner (District 6, Smyrna)
 State Sen. Ed Tarver (District 22, Augusta)  GLBC
 State Sen. Horacena Tate (District 38, Atlanta)  GLBC
 State Sen. Curt Thompson (District 5, Norcross)

 State Representative Stacey Abrams
 State Representative Roger Bruce
 State Representative Bob Bryant
 State Representative Hardie Davis
 State Representative Karla Drenner
 State Representative Virgil Fludd
 State Representative Gloria Frazier
 State Representative Craig Gordon
 State Representative Keith Heard
 State Representative Lester Jackson
 State Representative Celeste Johnson
 State Representative Sheila Jones
 State Representative Darryl Jordan
 State Representative Margaret Kaiser
 State Representative Randall Mangham
 State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan
 State Representative Howard Mosby
 State Representative Robin Shipp
 State Representative Georganna Sinkfield
 State Representative Pam Stephensen
 State Representative Roberta Abdul Salaam
 State Representative Able Mable Thomas
 State Representative Brian Thomas
 State Representative Stan Watson
 Former State Representative JoAnn McClinton
 Former State Representative Dorothy Pelote

 Local Elected Officials
 Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders
 Former Atlanta City Councilmember Michael Julian Bond
 Former East Point City Councilmember Eddie Lee Brewster
 Dekalb County Superior Court Clerk Linda Carter
 Dekalb County Board of Education Member Jesse Jay Cunningham
 Dekalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming
 Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill
 Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard
 Dekalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson
 Dekalb County Tax Commissioner Claudia Lawson
 Atlanta City Councilmember C.T. Martin
 Dekalb County Commissioner Lee May
 Macon City Councilmember Lonnie Miley
 Atlanta City Councilmember Caesar Mitchell
 Atlanta City Councilmember Felecia Moore
 Savannah Alderman Mary Osborne
 Albany Mayor Pro-Tem Tommie Postell
 Clayton County Commissioner Wole Ralph
 Atlanta City Councilmember Joyce Sheperd
 Athens-Clarke County Board of Education Member Ovita Thornton
 Atlanta City Councilmember Ivory Young
 Macon City Councilmember Virgil Watkins Jr.
 Dekalb County Board of Education Member Sarah Copelin Wood

 Faith Leaders
 Rev. Cameron Alexander
 Rev. Rudolph Allen
 Bishop Jonathan Alvarado
 Rev. Dr. Michael Battle
 Rev. Dr. Lawrence Carter
 Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley
 Rev. Jonathan Flakes III
 Rev. William Flippin
 Rev. Dr. Robert Franklin
 Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale
 Rev. Tony Hunter
 Rev. W. Rod Johnson
 Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, Obama for America National Voting Rights Chair
 Bishop Earl McCloud
 Rev. Dr. Lester McCorn
 Rev. Timothy McDonald
 Rev. James Millner
 Rev. Bennie Mitchell
 Rev. Hannah Morrison
 Rev. Dr. Marvin Moss
 Rev. Dr. Anthony Motley
 Rev. Dr. Monte Norwood
 Rev. Craig Oliver
 Rev. James Orange
 Rev. Dr . Aaron L. Parker Sr.
 Rev. Ezekiel Powers
 Rev. Dexter Rowland
 Rev. Raleigh Rucker
 Rev. Dr. Kenneth Samuels
 Rev. Dr . E. Dewey Smtih
 Rev. Dr. T. Dewitt Smith
 Rev. Dan Stevenson
 Rev. Scottie Swinney
 Rev. Dr. Byron Thomas
 Rev. Eric Thomas
 Rev. Dr. Thurmond Tillman
 Rev. Dr. Matthew Vaughn Johson
 Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian
 Rev. Dr. Rafael Warnock

 Community, Civic and Business Leaders
 Henrietta Antonin
 Joe Beasley
 Walt Bellamy
 Leona Barr-Davenport
 Edward Dubose
 Helen Butler
 Lisa Cunningham-Johnson
 Evelyn Gibson Lowery, Georgia Women for Obama Co-Chair
 Christopher Goss
 Cathy Hampton
 Michael Hill
 Sheila Maddox
 Karol Mason
 Vivian Moore
 Mary Shy Scott
 Sybil Scott
 David Schutten
 Patricia Wilson-Smith
 Hank Stewart
 Theresa Walker
 

and newspapers:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution   (01/20/08)
The Albany Herald   (02/03/08)
Atlanta Daily World   (01/25/08)
 

post-primary endorsements
Congressman David Scott (GA-13) (Feb. 13, 2008; switched from Clinton)
U.S. Rep. John Lewis (GA-5)  (Feb. 27, 2008; switched from Clinton)
Congressman John Barrow (GA-12) (Feb. 28, 2008)
DNC member Mary Long  (March 4, 2008)
Georgia Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kidd  (reported by the AJC on March 5, 2008)
 
 

early endorsements (list from May 18, 2008)
Georgia General Assembly [Georgia State Senate Minority Whip David Adelman and 23 additional members of the state legislature]
Stacey Abrams: State Representative, DeKalb
David Adelman: State Senator, DeKalb
Roger Bruce: State Representative, Douglas, Fulton
Gloria Butler: State Senator, DeKalb, Gwinnett
Gail Davenport: State Senator, Clayton, Henry
Karla Drenner: State Representative, DeKalb
Virgil Fludd: State Representative, Fayette, Fulton
Gloria Frazier: State Representative, Burke, Richmond
Craig J. Gordon: State Representative, Chatham
Lynmore James: State Representative, Macon
Emanuel Jones: State Senator, DeKalb, Henry
Sheila Jones: State Representative, Cobb, Fulton
Darryl Jordan: State Representative, Clayton, Fayette
Randal Mangahm: State Representative, DeKalb, Rockdale
Alisha Thomas Morgan: State Representative, Cobb
Howard Mosby: State Representative, DeKalb, Henry
Ronald Ramsey: State Senator, DeKalb, Rockdale
Robbin Shipp: State Representative, DeKalb, Fulton
Pam Stephenson: State Representative, Dekalb, Rockdale
Doug Stoner: State Senator, Cobb
Ed Tarver: State Senator, Richmond
Brian Thomas, State Representative, Gwinnett
Curt Thompson: State Senator, DeKalb, Gwinnett
Stan Watson: State Representative, DeKalb, Henry

Local Officials
Joseph Bacon: Mayor, East Point
Lisa Borders: City Council President, Atlanta
C. Jack Ellis: Mayor, Macon
Gwen Keyes Fleming: District Attorney, DeKalb
Paul Howard: District Attorney, Fulton
Larry Johnson: Councilmember, Atlanta
C.T. Martin: Councilmember, Atlanta
Lee May: County Commissioner, DeKalb
Ceasar Mitchell: Councilmember, Atlanta
Clyde K. Mitchell: Councilmember, East Point City
Mary Osborne: Alderman, Savannah
Ivory Young: Councilmember, Atlanta

Religious Leaders
Dr. Michael A. Battle: President of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter, Sr.: Dean, Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Morehouse College
Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley: Senior Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church
Dr. Robert Michael Franklin, Jr.: Presidential Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics, Emory University
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale: Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church
Rev. Dr. Matthew Vaughn Johnson: Senior Pastor, Christian Fellowship Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery: Civil Rights Leader
Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr.: Ecumenical Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Lester A. McCorn: Senior Pastor, Faith A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. George Moore: Senior Pastor, Saint Philip African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Anthony Motley: Senior Pastor, Lindsay Street Baptist Church
Rev. Craig L. Oliver, Sr.: Senior Pastor, Elizabeth Baptist Church
Dr. Kenneth L. Samuels: Senior Pastor, Victory Baptist Church
Rev. E. Dewey Smith, Jr.: Senior Pastor, Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church
Dr. T. DeWitt Smith, Jr.: President, Progressive National Baptist Convention
Dr. C.T. Vivian: Civil Rights Leader
 
 
 

former:
Erica Brooks served briefly as state director. The Atlantic.com's Marc Ambinder reported on Oct. 2, 2007 that she had left the campaign.

State Director

Erica Brooks

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.
 
 

Field Director

Trista Allen

(announced Oct. 10, 2007 to Alabama Nov. 2007)  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.
 

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