Democratic Committees-Organization
2005-06 Edition --note there are a lot of holes in the information below...last updated Dec. 20, 2006.
For a good article about the DCCC under Rahm Emanuel's leadership see: Ryan Lizza.  "Kiss the Ring." GQ.  January 2007.

Excerpts from Rahm Emanuel's Nov. 8, 2006 press conference. >>

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
430 South Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC  20003
 
Chairman Rep. Rahm Emanuel (IL)
(from Jan. 9, 2005)  Elected to Congress in 2002 representing Illinois 5th CD (Northwest Chicago).  Managing director of the investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in Chicago, 1999-2002.  A top White House advisor to President Bill Clinton from 1993-98, first Assistant to the President for Political Affairs and then Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy.  Director of Finance in the 1992 Presidential campaign of then-Governor Bill Clinton.  Senior advisor and chief fundraiser for Richard M. Daley's victorious campaign for mayor of Chicago in 1989.  National campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 1988.  Worked on Paul Simon's 1984 election to the U.S. Senate.  Worked for the consumer rights organization Illinois Public Action.  Master's degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University, 1985.  Undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College, 1981.
 
 
Executive Director Karin Johanson
(started Spring 2006)  Previously DCCC Political Director.  State director for ACT Florida in the 2004 cycle.  Principal at Precision Communications, Inc., a consulting firm in Silver Spring, MD.  Managed Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin's winning campaign in  2002.  Political Director at the DCCC in 2000 and as worked as its West Coast Field Director.  Communications Director, then Political Director at EMILY's List.  Worked for U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for ten years including the last two as chief of staff.
 
 
Chief Operating Officer Ann Marie Habershaw 
(Habershaw continued serving as COO from 2004)  "Habershaw is an expert at managing the 'business' of politics.  In her capacity as COO, she has been instrumental in crafting the DCCC's budget and strategic planning initiatives."  Came the DCCC as Chief Financial Officer in 2001.  Prior to that spent six years at EMILY's List, the last three as Director of Finance Administration.  Several years working in the business community.  Habershaw has a degree in accounting from Bryant College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 
 

INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES

Director, Independent Expenditures John Lapp 
(started Spring 2006)  Previously DCCC Executive Director, started Jan. 2005.  Lapp has worked in Democratic politics for over ten years.  In 2003, Lapp served as the Iowa State Director for Dick Gephardt's presidential campaign.  Lapp managed Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack's successful 2002 re-election campaign ffter serving as Vilsack's Deputy Chief of Staff,   Before moving to Iowa, Lapp worked in congressional politics, managing the open-seat congressional race for Kentucky Rep. Ken Lucas, thereafter serving as Lucas’ chief of staff.  In 2000, Lapp directed the successful effort to take back New York's 2nd District, electing Steve Israel to Congress.  Subsequently, Lapp served as Israel’s chief of staff.   Mr. Lapp is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs.  He also has a Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University.
 
Campaign Director, Independent Expenditures Alixandria Wade
Previously Chief of Staff to Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) starting 2000.  Wade also served as Washington State Director for John Kerry’s presidential campaign during the 2004 caucuses and in the general election worked on the field campaign in Colorado.  Communications and Legislative Director for Rep. Smith from 1997-2000.  Worked on Smith’s successful campaign in 1996 when he defeated GOP incumbent Rep. Randy Tate.  Graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a degree in Politics/Government, 1996.
 
 

FIELD

Field Director Adrian Saenz
Previously 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.
 

GOTV/Turnout
Michael Whouley
Partner in the Dewey Square Group, which he founded in 1993.  (General election manager at the DNC in Fall 2004 (took over from John Sasso at the DNC in September 2004).  Started with the Kerry campaign in Nov. 2003 reviving Kerry's Iowa caucus effort.  Chief political strategist at the DNC during the 2000 general election.  During the 2000 primaries oversaw strategy and field operations in Iowa and NH for Gore 2000.  National campaign manager for Vice President Gore in the 1996 re-election campaign.  Director of the Office of Priority Placement in the White House Office of Personnel during the Transition to the Clinton Administration.  National field director for Clinton/Gore '92; organized Bill Clinton's win in the Florida straw poll in Dec. 1991.  Kentucky state director for the Dukakis campaign in Fall 1988.  Worked on Joe DeNucci's campaign for Massachusetts Auditor in 1986.  Worked on Kerry's 1984 U.S. Senate campaign.  Directed field operations on John Kerry's successful 1982 campaign for Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.  Graduate of Boston College.  Native of Dorchester.
 


POLITICAL

Political Director Sean Sweeney
Previously chief of staff to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY).  Experience also includes legislative assistant to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY).
 
Deputy Political Director Cindy Smalls
Previously coordinator of the Political Opportunity Program at EMILY’s List.  Campaign manager for South Carolina Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum’s 2002 re-election campaign.  A legislative liaison for Gov. Jim Hodges (D-SC) for four years.  B.A. in political science from the University of South Carolina.

Regional
Northeast-Jon Vogel
Finance director on Steve Israel's 2000 congressional campaign as finance director.  Finance director for Rep. Mike Forbes (D-NY).  Campaign manager for Virginia Del. Robert Hull's (D) successful re-election bid.  Started political career at the DCCC as a finance assistant.  Bachelor's degree in international relations from Connecticut College, 1997.

South-Bret Wask
Experience incluces South Florida director of the Voting is Power campaign in Fall 2004.

Midwest-Crystal King
Political director on the 2004 Democratic Coordinated Campaign in Ohio; earlier worked a political desk for the Kerry campaign.  Worked for SEIU in Washington, DC.  A west central coordinator (Montgomery County) on the 1996 Ohio coordinated campaign.  Dayton native.

West- Akim Bergmann
Experience includes campaign manager for Herrera for Congress in Nevada in 2002 and work at the DNC.
 
Political Assistant Amanda Anderson

 

RESEARCH

Research Director Christina Reynolds
Christina Reynolds was most recently the communications director for Sen. Tom Daschle's reelection campaign.  Prior to that, she served as research director during John Edwards' presidential campaign, research director for Tim Johnson's Senate campaign and deputy research director at the Democratic National Committee.  Reynolds graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism.
 


MEMBER SERVICES

Member Services Director Beverly Gilyard
Beverly Gilyard joined the DCCC in June 2003 to direct the Member Services Department.  Prior to joining the DCCC, she worked as a campaign manager and a field coordinator in various political campaigns.  Prior to her campaign work, she served for over five years as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02) and for three years as part of Rep. Steny Hoyer’s (MD-5) legislative staff.  J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law and B.A. in the dual majors of Political Science and Law & Society from American University.
 


COMMUNICATIONS

Communications Director Bill Burton
(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.
Press Secretary Sarah Feinberg
(late February 2005)  Feinberg served as Press Secretary for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle until his defeat in Nov. 2004.  In fall 2000 she was West Virginia Press Secretary for the Gore-Lieberman campaign.
Deputy Press Secretary Adam Abrams
(March 2005)  Abrams worked in Communications on John Kerry's presidential campaign.

 

MARKETING AND ONLINE SERVICES
(internet plus small donor fundraising, using direct mail, telemarketing, and email appeals).

Director of Marketing and Online Services Meaghan Burdick
(started Jan. 2005)  Previously at the DSCC.
Online Marketing Manager Taryn Rosenkranz

 
Senior Web Developer Will Tam

 
Online Editor Jesse Lee

 
Deputy Director of Marketing Katie Dowd

 
 

FINANCE

Deputy Executive Director Brian Wolff 
In charge of all Finance operations at the Committee and serves as House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi's Political Director.  Wolff previously served as National Finance Director for the DCCC; he has been a chief fundraiser for Leader Pelosi for many years and has aided her in raising a record amount of money to distribute to House candidates around the country and to the DCCC.  Northwest Finance Director for Gore 2000 and the Northern California Finance Director for Senator Barbara Boxer; also assisted Hillary Rodham Clinton in her 2000 campaign.  Worked for  the 1992 and 1996 Clinton campaigns.  Joined the staff of Senator David H. Pryor.  Worked for CNN and “Larry King Live.”  Native of Little Rock, Arkansas
 
Finance Director Nicole Runge
Joined the DCCC as National Women’s Finance Director.  Finance Director Gov. Jeanne Shaheen's 2002 U.S Senate campaign in New Hampshire.  Sen. Dick Durbin’s Finance Director in 2001.  DSCC's Midwest Finance Director during the 2000 cycle.  Washington PAC Director for BACKPAC, Sen. Bob Kerrey’s leadership PAC.
 
 
 

former
Political Director-Dave Hamrick.
Dave Hamrick has worked in Democratic politics for more than ten years.  Most recently, he was the Coordinated Campaign Director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee where he designed and oversaw the field and Get-Out-The Vote programs for key U.S. Senate races including newly elected Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado.  In 2002, Hamrick served as the Coordinated Campaign Director in South Dakota where he ran the field and Native-American programs for Sen. Johnson’s successful campaign for the Senate.  Previously, David worked for Governor Minner of Delaware as her representative in Washington and was with the Gore campaign in Iowa, Maryland and Delaware.  David has also worked for Rep. John Dingell and managed his campaign in 1998.  David has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from The George Washington University.
 

Field Director-Glenn Rushing.(left early on in 2006 cycle; went to the DSCC)

Glenn Rushing came to the DCCC in the 2004 cycle after serving as Chief of Staff to former Congressman Ronnie Shows.  Rushing worked his first campaign in 1987 as a regional field coordinator for former Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus.  Since then he has worked on over seven campaigns, serving as Manager, Field Director, and Field Coordinator for a variety of candidates, including President Clinton’s 1992 and 1996 elections. In addition to his campaign experience, Rushing has worked for the Governor’s Office in Mississippi as an Executive Assistant for Executive Services and Administrative Assistant for Constituent Services, the United States Department of Agriculture as a Confidential Assistant for Congressional Relations, the City of Jackson as Director of Governmental Affairs, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors as Director of Human Capital Development, and United States Congressman Ronnie Shows as District Director and Chief of Staff.  Rushing is a 1987 graduate of Jackson State University and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Law.
 

Note: A 2004 directory lists nine departments: Member Services  -  Political  -  Field  -  Communications  -  Online Operations  -  Finance  -  Direct Member Fundraising  -  Direct Marketing and Membership  -  Administrative.
 
 
 

Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action