Barack Obama-Organization, Illinois
updated October 26, 2007

OBAMA FOR AMERICA 
Office "for volunteers and Illinois field operations": 300 W. Adams, 10th floor, Chicago 
...opening reception with Michelle Obama on July 20


 
 
State Director Nate Tamarin
(succeeded Jon Carson when he moved over to do voter contact for Feb. 5 states)  With the campaign from the start; initially Illinois political director and national labor outreach.  Worked for the Strategy Group (Pete Giangreco)Served as political director at Obama's Hopefund.  Deputy campaign manager on Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.  Political director on former Assemblyman Nate Umberg's 2002 campaign for California State Insurance Commissioner.
 
 
Deputy Director Kevin Woods

 
 
Camp Obama (a 4-day training/campaigning program in Chicago) Jocelyn Woodards
Chicago political strategist/community organizer.  Job developer at South Suburban College.  Field desk (AR, LA, VA) at the DNC in Fall 2004.  Served briefly as national field director on Carol Moseley Braun's presidential campaign, March-May 2003.  In 2000 was deputy director of the Florida Democratic Coordinated Campaign.  Deputy director of the Office of Voter Participation at the DNC, 1995-97.  Graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, 1985.
 
 
Downstate Director Anita Decker
Came to the campaign from Obama's Senate office where she served as downstate director from Oct. 2006-March 2007.  Downstate field director on Rod Blagojevich's campaign for governor in 2002.  Graduate of University of Arizona, 2000.  Native of Kenilworth, IL.  (Note: "downstate" is the 92 counties outside of Chicago).


former...through late summer/early fall-moved over to voter contact
State Director Jon Carson
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.

Note:
An April 11, 2007 entry by freedom4u_n_me on the Illinoisians for Obama community blog mentions a training Anita Decker conducted on the Iowa Sister City Program...

"The campaign will be helping prepare us for this!  We will travel to Iowa 3 times;

1st-between June 9th and Labor Day

2nd-between Labor Day and Christmas

3rd-The final weekend before the Caucus."
 
 

See also: Lynn Sweet.  "Obama's Illinois operation. Campaign to launch "'Camp Obama'"  Chicago Sun-Times.  May 3, 2007. and John McCormick article in the Chicago Tribune  on July 17, 2007
 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright © 2007  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action