Democratic Committees-Organization
2007 Edition  this page last revised December 1, 2007

Democratic National Committee
430 South Capitol St., S.E., Washington, DC
447 Members of the DNC
includes 75 at-large members who are nominated by the Chairman and approved by the full DNC.
Executive Committee
64 members; oversees affairs of the party in between meetings of the full committee and meets four times a year.
Standing Committees
-Rules and Bylaws
-Credentials
-Resolutions
Eastern Caucus -- Chair: Ray Buckley (NH)
Midwest Caucus -- Tom Hynes (IL)
Southern Caucus -- Susan Swecker (VA)
Western Caucus -- Aleita Huguenin (CA)		 Women's Caucus -- Chair: Mame Reilly (VA)
Hispanic Caucus -- Chair: Alvaro Cifuentes (MD)
Black Caucus -- Chair: Virgie Rollins (MI)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus  -- Chair: Rick Stafford (MN)
Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus -- Chair: Belkis Leong-Hong (MD)
NINE ELECTED OFFICERS
Chairman Howard Dean
Elected Chairman Feb. 12, 2005.  Founded Democracy for America, a political action committee "dedicated to supporting fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates."  Candidate for the 2004 Democratic nomination for president; established Dean for America, a presidential campaign committee, on May 30, 2002.  Governor of Vermont from Aug. 14, 1991 to Jan. 9, 2003.  Dean assumed office upon the death of then-Gov. Richard Snelling, was elected five times, and opted not to seek re-election in 2002.  Elected lieutenant governor in 1986. Elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1982 and served through 1986; elected assistant majority leader in 1985. Opened an internal medicine practice with his wife in Shelburne, Vermont in 1981. Bachelor's degree from Yale University, 1971.  MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York City), 1978.  Residency at Medical Center Hospital of Vermont.
 
Director of the Chairman's Office xx
Aide to Howard Dean Chris Canning
Staff Assistant Heather Barmore

 
Vice Chairs:
Linda Chavez-Thompson - (re-elected Feb. 2005)  Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, elected at the federation's 1995 convention and re-elected in 2001; served as an AFSCME international vice president, 1988-96.
Susan Turnbull - (elected Feb. 2005)  Appointed DNC Deputy Chair in fall of 2003.  Has served on the DNC Executive Committee since 1997 and has been on the leadership team of the DNC Women's Leadership Forum for close to ten years.  Has served on the Maryland Democratic Executive Committee since 1990.
Lottie Shackelford - appointed by President Clinton to the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), 1993; first woman elected Mayor of Little Rock, 1987. 
Mike Honda - (elected Feb. 2005)  Member of Congress, represents California's 15th CD (Silicon Valley); elected in 2000.
Mark Brewer - elected Chair of the ASDC in June 2003.  Elected Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party in Feb. 1995, re-elected in Feb. 1997, Feb. 1999, and Feb. 2001; elected Executive Chair in Feb. 2003.
Director, Office of the Vice Chairs Ali Chalupa
Most recently executive director of Democrats Abroad.  Has worked for California State Treasurer Phil Angelides.  Worked a year in the Kerry headquarters in Washington, DC including as an online organizer, constituency outreach, then spent the last month of the 2004 campaign in Florida.  Worked in the Clinton White House.  A former Republican, worked for Gov. Pete Wilson on environmental issues.  BA from UC Berkeley and a law degree from UC Davis.

 
Treasurer Andrew Tobias
Author of many books including three national best-sellers (Fire and Ice: the Charles Revson/Revlon Story; The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need; Money Angles; Getting By On $100,000 a Year (And Other Sad Tales); The Invisible Bankers: Everything the Insurance Industry Never Wanted You to Know; My Vast Fortune; The Funny Money Game; The Best Little Boy in the World).  His Managing Your Money software was the market leader.  Graduate of Harvard Business School.  While studying Slavic Languages and Literature at Harvard he ran the publishing business Let's Go: The Student Guide to Europe. www.andrewtobias.com
 
 
Secretary Alice Travis Germond
Has served the Democratic party for over 40 years.  Director of Party and Government Affairs and Site Selection at the DNC, 1992-95.  Held senior positions in the campaigns of Jerry Brown, Gary Hart and Michael Dukakis and was California Political Director for Clinton/Gore in 1992.  She has participated in every National Convention since the 1974 mid-term Charter Convention.
 
Director of the Secretary's Office Jean Doherty
Previously served as in political as director of operations.
Deputy Director Marvin Turner

 
National Finance Chair Philip D. Murphy
(nomination announced May 15, 2006;elected by the full DNC in a vote-by-mail ballot)  Murphy worked for more than twenty years at Goldman Sachs where he most recently was a senior director of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; he also served on the Goldman Sachs Management Committee from 1999-2003.  Other positions he held include head of the German region, president of Goldman Sachs Asia (through mid-1999) and global co-head of the Investment Management Division (2001-03).  Graduate of Harvard College and The Wharton School.
 
 

staff
Executive Director Tom McMahon
(announced March 25, 2005)  Executive Director of Democracy for America.  Deputy campaign manager on Dean for America (announced May 22, 2003).  Worked in the Clinton Administration from 1993-99, serving as associate deputy director in Vice President Gore's scheduling and advance office, as a public affairs specialist at the Department of Defense, and as White House liaison at the United States Information Agency.  McMahon was involved in the Gore campaign in 2000, the Clinton campaign in 1996, and was a regional field director in Missouri for Clinton/Gore in 1992.  Law degree from the University of Iowa; bachelor's degree in political science with an emphasis in international relations from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
 
 
 
Executive Assistant Lisa Hargrove

 
CFO/Administrative Services Brad Marshall
CFO at the DNC since 1992.  Previously he worked for a decade as a CPA in Lexington, KY, 1982-92.  Financial Vice President and Controller for Melco Construction in London, KY, 1980-82.  Senior Manager at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Lexington, 1978-80.  Staff Accountant at Deloitte & Touche in Lexington, 1976-78.  Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Morehead State University in Morehead, KY.
 
 
Director, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs xx

 

 

P O L I T I C A L

Political Director David Boundy
(announced May 8, 2007)  Principal at grassroots solutions; started there in June 2005.  Deputy political director of the AFL-CIO, 1996-2004.  Served in the Clinton administration at the Department of Labor working under then-Secretary Robert Reich.  A state director for President Clinton's 1992 campaign.  Previously worked as a Boston-based political consultant, and before that as a commercial fisherman on Georges Bank.
Maureen Garde
Served as interim political director and earlier from Sept. 2005 through 2006 cycle as deputy political director, State Party Services.  Her experience includes Deputy Executive Director of the Democratic Governors' Association.  Executive Director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in the early 1990s.
 
State Partnership Project:
"The Democratic National Committee State Partnership Project was established to foster a stronger relationship with, and bolster the operations of, all Democratic State Parties by providing additional staff paid for by the DNC, but working with and for the local State Party.  The DNC is committed to strengthening the State Party infrastructure to elect Democrats at all levels of government.  Through this coordinated approach, a bolstered grassroots organization will successfully elect Democrats at all levels - from the precinct to the White House."
Deputy Political Director, Grassroots Organizing Jason León
(Oversees the Party's "State Partnership Project")  Political Director for the 2004 Democratic Coordinated Campaign in Oregon (Carry Oregon).  Legislative & Targeting Director for AFSCME in Oregon prior to the General Election.  Directed the DNC's Hispanic Outreach Program in Oregon in 2002.  District Aide to U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley (OR-5).  Also, in 2001 Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed León as a Commissioner on the state's Commission on Hispanic Affairs; Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo appointed him to her statewide k-12 education advisory team on student retention and achievement.  Native of Portland, OR.
Deputy Director, State Partnership Project Paul Hegarty
Prior to joining the DNC Hegarty served briefly as Assistant Deputy Director for Community Development in the Arizona Department of Commerce.  He was executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party in the 2004 cycle and political director of the Arizona Democratic Party in the 2002 cycle.  Hegarty worked with the U.S. Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closing Commission, and with the Office of Vice President Al Gore.  He earned a B.A. degree from George Washington University.  Hegarty is an Arizona native and a graduate of Brophy College Preparatory.
Regional Political Directors
Southern-Rodney E. Shelton
Arkansas State Director for the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign (announced June 21, 2004, arrived in state later that week)  Before joining the campaign Shelton worked in Washington, DC for America Coming Together.  In fall 2000 he served as North Carolina State Director for the Gore-Lieberman campaign and in 1996 he was an assistant Southern regional director for Clinton's re-election campaign.  He has worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Democratic National Committee.  He attended both the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Philander Smith College in Little Rock.

Northeast-Art DeCoursey
Served as Kerry campaign coordinator for Western Pennsylvania.  In the Clinton Administration DeCoursey worked at OSHA as small business ombudsman.  From Massachusetts.

Northwest-Brad Martin

(July 2005) Came to the DNC after serving as executive director of the Montana Democratic Party starting in 1993.  Previously worked with the PIRGs.

Heartland-Katy Griffith

Southwest/Pacific-Artie Blanco

NALEO.  National campaign coordinator of Americans for Social Security's Latinos for a Secure Retirement.  Chief of Staff for Texas State Rep.Roberto R. Alonzo, 2003.  Legislative Director for Texas State Rep. Arthur Reyna, 2001.

 
Training Director Parag Mehta
Deputy Political Director for America Votes in 2004.  Deputy Political Director for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign.  Deputy Field Director for former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk’s 2002 U.S. Senate campaign.  Previously, served in both the Clinton and Bush White Houses as Liaison to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and as speechwriter to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.  B.A. in Plan II Honors from The University of Texas at Austin and Master of Public Affairs from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Deputy Training Director Sandra Jackson
Attorney; wife of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.  Worked in the Clinton administration.  Law degree from Georgetown University.

 
Executive, Director, College Democrats LaToia Jones
Studied Political Science and African American Studies at Georgia State University.  Native of Chicago.
  Associate Director CDA Jeremy Bernton
 
 
Deputy Political Director, Voting Rights Institute Gregory T. Moore
Moore is founder, president and CEO of GTM Consulting Services, a political consulting firm.  He served as senior vice president for government relations at TriCom Associates.  Executive director of the NAACP National Voter Fund, appointed in October 2001.  Served five years as chief of staff to Rep. John Conyers (D-MI).  Deputy Political Director at the DNC, 1994-97.  Executive director of the Citizenship Education Fund, the civic educational arm of the National Rainbow Coalition, 1987-92.  B.S. degree from the College of Communications, Ohio University.

 
 
 Director, DNC National Lawyers Council Anna Martinez

 

A M E R I C AN   M A J O R I T Y   P A R T N E R S H I P
American Majority Partnership is a change introduced by Chairman Dean designed to replace the various outreach desks with a more integrated approach

Director, American Majority Partnership Chris Owens
(started approx. July 1, 2005)  Public Policy Director at the AFL-CIO for the previous four years and worked at the AFL-CIO for eight years prior to joining the DNC.
 
Deputy Director Betsy Kim
Deputy Director Simone Ward
Executive Director of Democratic GAIN in 2004.  Executive Director of Young Democrats of America starting in June 2002.  Worked with Mercer & Associates in Washington, DC.  Finance Assistant at the DNC; Special Assistant at the White House.  American University.  B.A. from Oklahoma City University.
 
Deputy Director Albert Morales
Executive Director, Gay & Lesbian Leadership Council Brian Bond
(announced May 3, 2006)  Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund from 1997 to 2003.  DNC director of LGBT outreach in 1996.

 
Executive Director, Womens Leadership Forum Sharon Grosfeld
Member of the Maryland Senate for one term, Jan. 8, 2003-Jan. 2007.  Member of the Maryland House of Delegates for two terms, Jan. 11, 1995 to Jan. 8, 2003.  J.D. from Antioch School of Law, 1985.  B.A. in sociology from New York University 1979 and M.A. in sociology, 1981.
 
Executive Director, Womens' Vote Center Christy R. Agner
(served in this position in the 2004 cycle)  Program director for State and Local Affairs at the American Institute of Architects.  Secretary of the Young Democrats of America and national Democratic committeewoman.  Worked Elaine Marshall's 1996 campaign for North Carolina Secretary of State.  Graduate of North Carolina State with a B.A. in political science, 1994; at NC State she was president of the College Democrats.  Native of Salisbury, NC.

 

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Director of Communications Karen Finney
(March 2005)  Briefly deputy chief of staff for communications to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).  Communications director for Elizabeth Edwards on the Kerry-Edwards campaign (announced Aug. 31, 2004).  Press secretary for Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign.  Director of business development at Scholastic Books in New York City.  Deputy director of presidential scheduling in the Clinton White House into 1998.  Served as one of two deputy press secretaries to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton for the first four years of the Clinton Administration.  Member of the national advance team on Clinton's 1992 campaign.  California Scheduler/Field Representative to Sen. Alan Cranston.  Worked as a teaching assistant at the Crittendon Center for Young Women and Infants in Los Angeles.
 
 
Press Secretary Stacie Paxton
(started late April/early May 2006)  Came to the DNC from position as press secretary to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT).  In Fall 2004 served as Kerry-Edwards Minnesota communications director (announced June 10, 2004).  Sen. Joe Lieberman's South Carolina press secretary for the Feb. 3, 2004 primary campaign.  CNN senior publicist, where she managed publicity for the network's anchors, correspondents and programs including Crossfire, Wolf Blitzer Reports and Inside Politics.  Press secretary to U.S. Representative Lois Capps on Capps' campaign and in her congressional office.
 
 
Assistant Press Secretary Aaron Resnick

 
Director of Regional and Specialty Media Luis Miranda
Prior to joining the DNC, Miranda served as a spokesperson for the Kerry-Edwards campaign, working with national and specialty media around the country.  He first joined Sen. Kerry's presidential campaign early in the primary season, starting the campaign's internet operations and developing the campaign's on-line communications strategy.   Miranda has also worked on campaigns at the local and state level, is a veteran of the 2000 presidential campaign and Florida recount, and worked with organized labor at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Florida.
 
 
Deputy Press Secretary/Regional and Specialty Media

 
 
Deputy Press Secretary/Regional and Specialty Media Damien LaVera
Worked at the American Bar Association in the Division for Media Relations and Communications Services.
 
 
Radio and TV Director Dag Vega
Deputy press secretary on the Kerry-Edwards campaign.  Deputy national spokesman for the Gore-Lieberman campaign.  Office Manager, Office of the Press Secretary at the White House, 1998.
 
Radio

 
Media Center Director Reed Petty
Petty worked for CNN, and later at NBC for 13 years as an editor.  He has spent many years as a freelancer, working for Discovery Communications, BBC America and Guggenheim Productions.  He spent his first year in the Washington, DC-area as a house husband and has lived in the region for 24 years.
 
 

I N T E R N E T

Internet Director Josh McConaha
(From May 2006)  Previously at EMILY's List.  Graduate of American University.
 
 
Online Outreach Director Kombiz Lavasany
Online media for United Federation of Teachers in New York.  Worked on the John Jennings for Congress campaign in Indiana's 8th CD in 2004.   Cedar Rapids organizer on Sen. Joe Lieberman's 2003 Iowa caucus campaign.  Worked with the DCCC during the 2002 election cycle to turn out the vote and support field operations in congressional elections.  Originally from Corona, CA.
 
web editor Mike Link
 
Designer Jonah Goodman

 


R E S E A R C H

Research Director Mike Gehrke
Executive director of the Senate Majority Project.  Research director at the DNC in 2005 through about Sept. 2005.  Research director on John Kerry for President and Kerry-Edwards 2004.  Worked at the DSCC, 2001-03.  Research Director in the Clinton White House, 1999 to Jan. 2001.  Worked with AFL-CIO Political Department/Labor '98 program, 1997-99. Research Director for Citizen Action, 1995-97.  J.D. from University of Utah, 1993; B.S. from University of Utah, 1989.
 
Deputy Research Director David Schnitzer
Research director for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) 2006 re-election campaign.  Worked in the research department on Sen. Kerry's presidential campaign.  Research director on Bob Clement's 2002 U.S. Senate campaign.
 
Deputy Research Director Amy Wojcicki
Research director on Sheldon Whitehouse's successful 2006 U.S. Senate campaign in Rhode Island.  Worked on Wesley Clark's presidential campaign in 2003-04.  Worked at the DNC.
 
 
T E C H N O L O G Y
Director of Technology Ben Self
(Feb. 2005)  With other key members of Howard Dean’s web team, Self co-founded Blue State Digital, an internet strategy, communications, and technology consulting firm.  Chief data architect for the Dean for America campaign; extensive experience in data analysis, data warehousing, database architecture and administration, system design, and system development.  Prior to the Dean campaign, Self worked for several information technology consulting firms where he managed teams focused on the design, development, and testing of many large-scale information technology systems in a variety of industries.  A bachelor's and a master's degree in Computer Science from MIT.
 
Voter File Josh Hendler
IT (email...) Randy Dresser
Demzilla (fundraising and FEC compliance) Chuq Yang
Systems Administration (servers,...) Bill Herrin
 
M A R K E T I N G
Marketing Director Kim Postulart
(Sept. 2005)  Deputy director of marketing and membership at EMILY’s List.  Marketing director on the Edwards for President campaign.
 

 

F I N A N C E

Finance Director Carl Chidlow
(announced Jan. 17, 2006; start Feb. 1, 2006)  Chidlow comes to the DNC after serving as Finance Director for Grassroots Democrats.   Previously he ran his own consulting practice.  He served as Deputy Finance Director on John Kerry for President until resigning Nov. 9, 2003.  During the 2002 cycle, Chidlow was Finance Director for Sen. Max Cleland’s re-election campaign.  In 2000 he served as National Finance Director for Gov. Mel Carnahan's campaign for U.S. Senate.  In the 1998 cycle, he worked at the DSCC on labor outreach and on PAC and national fundraising projects.  From 1991 to 1994, he worked in various capacities as a fundraiser for several Democratic House members including, Vic Fazio (CA), Sander Levin (MI) and Dale Kildee (MI).  He also worked as a consultant for Association of Trial Lawyers of America in the 1996 cycle and as a director of development for a regional non-profit health care charity.  (succeeds Lindsey Lewis, who resigned late-Sept. 2005).
 
Executive Assistant Heather Falen

 
Deputy Finance Director Julie Tagen

 
Director of Grassroots Fundraising Jen Gonçalves

Deputy Directors
West (OK, TX, CO, NM, AZ, UT, WY, MT, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK) Addy Gross
Midwest (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE, KS, MO) Brooks Banton
Mid-Atlantic/New England (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, PA, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC) Raghavan Gautam
California (plus HI) Jeffrey Alberg
Florida T.K. Cenis
New York (plus NJ and CT) Alix Dejean
WLF/Grassroots Casey Breitenbeck

Regional Directors
Northeast (NY, NJ, CT) Danny Katz
Mid-Atlantic (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, PA, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC) Andrew Wright
Midwest (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE, KS, MO) Annie Lieberman
South (AL, AK, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Kristin Oblander
California (plus HI) Jim Green

Leadership Council Directors
African American Leadership Council S. Malik Husser
Democratic Business Council Melanie Wong
Gay & Lesbian Leadership Council Brian Bond, Tom Petrillo
Labor Council and NAB Andrew Wright
Women's Leadership Forum Emily Berman

 
Call Time Coordinator Maggie Sasso

 
Finance Assistant  Stephanie Cherkezian

 
Director of Events Ellen Thrower

note: Several members of the finance team worked on Howard Dean's presidential campaign including T.K. Cenis, Jen Gonçalves, Addy Gross, Julie Tagen, and Andrew Wright.

 
 

O F F I C E  O F  P A R T Y  A F F A I R S  A N D  D E L E G A T E   S E L E C T I O N

Director of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection Phil McNamara
Started as an Assistant in May 1998; promoted to Deputy Director in February 1999 and Director in April 2002.  Graduated from the University of Massachusetts -- Amherst in 1997, with a double-major in political science and journalism.
 
Deputy Director Patrice Taylor
(started with PADS in June 2006)  Started with the DNC in September 2005 in the Research Department.  Previously worked in Gov. Mark Warner's office and in Congressman Bobby Scott's office.
 
Special Assistant Alecia Dyer
(started with PADS in Feb. 2005)  At the DNC since February 2001 and worked in Chairman McAuliffe's office.
Assistant to the Director Kateri Nelis
(May 2007) Graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006.  Was a precinct delegate to the Iowa 2004 caucuses, worked for Dean for America.
Assistant to the Director Elizabeth Frederick
(May 2007)  Just completed a Master's degree program at American University where she worked for the Department of Government.  Has also interned for House Education and Labor Committee.
CONSTITUENCY SERVICES
Director of Constituency Services Allison Sharpe

 

M O R E

Compliance Director Megan Hedman
 
Director of Human Resources Jewelle Hazel
(since 2001)  Special Assistant to the General Counsel at the Department of Education, 1998-2000.  Special Assistant to the Campaign Manager (Peter Knight) during the 1996 Clinton/Gore re-election campaign.  Worked for Peter Knight from the beginning of the Clinton Administration.  Legal assistant background.

 
Convention Planning Zoe Garmendia
Has worked on the 1996, 2000, and 2004 conventions (in the 2004 cycle she was involved in site selection from the beginning--wrote the RFP--and went on to serve as Senior Advisor for Operations for the DNCC).   Garmendia was also Event Coordinator for the 53rd Presidential Inauguration, the 2000 Summer Olympics, and the 2002 Winter Olympics.
see 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee
 
 

C O U N S E L ' S   O F F I C E

General Counsel Joseph E. Sandler
Partner at Sandler, Reiff & Young, P.C.  General counsel to the DNC, on staff, Feb. 1993-May 1998.  Partner at Arent Fox, 1989-93.  Staff counsel for the Democratic National Committee, 1986-89.  Associate at Arent Fox Kintner Ploktin & Kahn in Washington, D.C., 1978-86.  Graduated of Harvard College summa cum laude in 1975 and of Harvard Law School with honors in 1978.
 
Chief Counsel Amanda LaForge
Has worked for the Secretary of State in Annapolis and for the Maryland Attorney General in Baltimore.  Graduate of Boston University, 1993 and American University's Washington College of Law, 1997.

 

AND

DNC Pollster Cornell Belcher
President, Brilliant-Corners, Research & Strategies
 
 
 

DNC's National Lawyers Committee

(announced May 5, 2005) "an ongoing organization of volunteer lawyers and law students who will work with the Party at the national, state and local levels on a broad range of issues."   Director: Anna Martinez.
National Co-Chairs:
Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder
Disability rights attorney Arlene Mayerson
Voting rights attorney and former general counsel of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project Rolando Rios
Former Vice Chair of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Paul Igasaki
National Steering Committee

Democratic National Veterans and Military Families Council

(announced April 5, 2006) "...will seek ways to support a strong national defense, help Democratic veterans running for office, and serve America's veterans and military families.  The Council will also help mobilize veterans in communities across the country to help elect strong Democratic leaders at all levels of government."
Co-Chairs:
Donald Fowler - A former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Fowler is a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. Having served as Commander of the 360th U.S. Army Civil Affairs Brigade in Columbia and the 1189th United States Army Transportation Terminal Unit in Charleston, Fowler was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy: The first and only woman to serve as a three-star general in the United States Army, General Kennedy served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence in 1997-2000.
Regional Members: Joe Rios (AZ); Gen Joseph Hoar (CA); Mick Bilney (CO); Mike Evans (DC); Gregory Baldwin (FL); Lanon Baccam (IA); Major General George Buskirk (IN); Jim Buterbaugh (KS); Michael Nolan (KY); Bill Dooling (MA); Jack Devine (MI); Ed Tinsley (MT); Gerry Finnegan (NE); Steve Shurtleff (NH); Brigadier General Preston Taylor (NJ); Mike Aupperle (NV); John Boccieri (OH); Ron Wasson (OK); John Calhoun (OR) and Jim Rassman (OR); Hal Donahue (PA); Maura Satchell (TN); Larry Romo (TX); Larry Daniel (UT); Dick Klass (VA); Karen Dahl (WI); Bruce Drummond (WY); Chris Shannon (Dems Abroad, Japan).
 

(week of March 25, 2005) Ad Hoc Committee on Budget and Finance. Co-chaired by Bonnie Watson Coleman, Chair of the New Jersey State Democratic Party and Allan Katz, DNC Member from Florida. The other committee members are Linda Chavez Thompson, DNC Vice Chair; Patsy Arceneaux, DNC Member from Louisiana; Bel Leong-Hong, DNC At-Large Member from Maryland; Jim Pedersen, Chair of the Arizona State Democratic Party; Ben Johnson, DNC At-Large Member from the District of Columbia; Joe Moore, Chair of the Democratic Municipal Officials; and Andy Tobias, DNC Treasurer.
 
 
 
 

On Feb. 14, 2005, Gov. Dean announced his transition team:
Tina Flournoy – Head of Transition
Tina Flournoy has been actively involved in Democratic Party politics for nearly 20 years. She is Assistant to the President of the American Federation of Teachers, focusing on public policy. Flournoy was the finance director for the Gore for President Campaign, political director for Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman, and deputy campaign manager for the 1996 Clinton/Gore re-election campaign. She was counsel to the DNC and general counsel for the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Flournoy has also served as staff director and co-chair of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee, and now serves as a member of the Committee. She has been a DNC member since 1996.

Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker
Born in Mexico City, Gallardo-Rooker became an American citizen in 1990. As a member of the Communications Workers of America, Local #9400, Gallardo-Rooker first became involved in the labor movement, devoting her life fighting for the rights of workers everywhere. She was elected First Vice-Chair for the California Democratic Party in 2001, and is currently a DNC member.

Ben Jeffers
Jeffers served as the Chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party from 1997 through 2003. During his tenure as Chair, Louisiana re-elected both of their Democratic U.S. senators and replaced a Republican governor with current Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. Jeffers is a former member of the DNC and has served as Chair of the DNC Southern Caucus.

Joe Johnson
A political veteran, in 1988 Johnson served as deputy campaign manager for both Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Presidential campaign and later Michael Dukakis’. From 1987 to 1992, Johnson served as executive director of the Rainbow PUSH coalition, while also working on Douglas Wilder’s successful election as Virginia’s first African American governor. Johnson most recently served as senior advisor to Virginia Governor Mark Warner and today runs his own political consulting firm.

Maura Keefe
Keefe served as a senior advisor to the DNC during the 2004 election cycle and was responsible for the largest surrogate program in the history of the DNC. Keefe has previously worked with Dean as a senior advisor during his 2004 presidential campaign. From 1993-2000, Keefe served as press secretary and chief of staff to United States Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).

Lindsay Lewis
Prior to his appointment at the DNC as the new finance director, Lewis served as Finance Director for Dean’s grassroots organization, Democracy for America, after working in the fundraising department at Dean for America. A member of the finance team for Chris Van Hollen's successful 2002 congressional campaign, Lewis was a fundraiser for Democratic Leader Representative Richard Gephardt from 1992 to 1999.

Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon is a media consultant and strategic advisor to Democratic candidates for federal and statewide office and is a founding partner of McMahon, Squier, & Associates. McMahon worked as a political strategist and media consultant and has worked on Presidential, Senate, Gubernatorial and Mayoral campaigns across the country, and was a principle strategist for Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign as well as his race for DNC Chair.

Tom McMahon
Tom McMahon has worked in Democratic politics and government for almost 15 years and most recently served as executive director for Democracy for America. Prior to joining Democracy for America, he served as a deputy campaign manager for Gov. Howard Dean's presidential campaign. President Bill Clinton appointed McMahon as the White House liaison at the United States Information Agency and as a public affairs officer at the Department of Defense.

Tom Ochs
A former partner at the media firm Squier, Knapp, Ochs, who managed Dean’s campaign for DNC Chair, Ochs currently works with Steve McMahon and Mark Squier at McMahon, Squier & Associates. He has worked at every level of political campaigns - from advance to campaign manager –and has consulted on various campaigns, including those of Senators Bob Graham and Evan Bayh and Governor Ann Richards. In 2000, Ochs served as senior advisor to DNC Chair Joe Andrew and consultant to the 2000 Democratic National Convention. He has also served as political director for the New Democrat Network.

Mona Pasquil
A native of California, Pasquil most recently served on the senior staff for the Kerry Edwards presidential campaign as director of community outreach. A longtime leader in the Asian Pacific Islander American community, Pasquil previously served as political director for Governor Gray Davis, California political director for Gore/Lieberman 2000, deputy CEO for the 2000 Democratic National Convention, western political director in the Clinton White House, western political desk and director of Asian Pacific affairs at the DNC. She is a current DNC member.

Mame Reiley
Reiley serves as director of Virginia Governor Mark Warner's political action committee, One Virginia, and is current chair of the DNC’s Women’s Caucus. She has also worked as a grassroots activist as a part of several social justice movements, including civil rights, rights for migrant farm workers, and voting registration initiatives. Reiley has served as a member of the DNC and the Women's Caucus for the past 11 years.
 
 

Former
Amaya J. Smith served as Deputy Press Secretary/Regional and Specialty Media.  On Oct. 10, 2007 the Obama campaign announced she had joined as its South Carolina press secretary.
Before joining the DNC, Smith worked on Capitol Hill as Communications Director for Congressman Albert R. Wynn of Maryland.  She graduated from American University's School of Public Affairs with a B.A. in political science.

Mark Paustenbach served as Deputy Press Secretary through the end of April 2007.  He left to become Press Secretary on Joe Biden's campaign.
Formerly worked in the research department at the DNC in 2003-04.  Paustenbach holds graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and graduated from Colby College with a B.A. in government.

Leah Daughtry served as Chief of Staff until assuming the role of CEO of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (announced April 12, 2007).  Daughtry started as CoS under Terry McAuliffe.  Previously held several senior posts at the U.S. Department of Labor during the Clinton Administration, including Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Chief of Staff, and lastly, Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management.  Executive Director of Man to Man/Sister to Sister.  Served on the Clinton-Gore 1992 Transition team.  Director of Convention Management for the 1992 Democratic National Convention.  Legislative Assistant to Congressman Edolphus Towns.  Daughtry is Pastor of The House of the Lord Church in Washington, D.C.  Graduate of Dartmouth College and native of Brooklyn, NY.

Matt Nugen served as Director of the Chairman's Office through the 2006 cycle.  He left to become Political Director on the Obama campaign.
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.

Devorah Adler served as Research Director starting in Sept. or Oct. 2005 through the 2006 cycle.  She left to become Research Director on the Obama campaign.
(Sept. or Oct. 2005)  Promoted from deputy research director 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.

Shauna Daley served as Deputy Research Director through the 2006 cycle.  She left to become Deputy Research Director on the Obama campaign.
Experience includes work for Sen. John Edwards' presidential campaign.  (Daly gained a bit of media attention in Dec. 2005/Jan. 2006 when several news accounts described her freedom of information requests to state agencies seeking records on Republican presidential prospects Romney and Huckabee among others).

Pam Womack served as Political Director through the 2006 cycle.
Officially appointed in June 2005, but started working at the DNC on the state partnership project in March 2005).  Previously the Director of Campaigns and Elections at the Democratic Governors' Association, where she worked for six years.  Secretary of State in Virginia under Gov. Doug Wilder.  Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Kimberly Hunter served as Assistant Press Secretary through the 2006 cycle.
Prior to joining the DNC, Hunter worked for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and for the Small Business Administration.  A graduate of the George Washington University with a degree in political communication, she is currently pursuing her Masters in political management at GW's Graduate School of Political Management.

Moses Mercado served as Deputy Executive Director, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the 2006 cycle.  He left to become a Senior Vice President at Ogilvy Government Relations.
New Mexico state director for the Kerry-Edwards campaign.  Southwest Political Advisor/New Mexico and Arizona for Gephardt's primary campaign.  Deputy chief of staff to Gephardt when he was House Democratic Leader; worked for Gephardt for six years.  Worked on Gene Green's (TX-29) campaign, then served as his chief of staff starting in 1993.  Assistant state attorney.  Graduate of University of Texas and South Texas College of Law in Houston.

Amanda Anderson (?dept; went on to the DCCC), Emily Barson (Office of the Executive Director; went on to Busansky for Congress), Miti Sathe (Finance), Brooks Banton (Finance)
 

Joe Rospars served as Director of Internet through the first part of 2006.
With other key members of Howard Dean’s web team, Rospars co-founded Blue State Digital, an internet strategy, communications, and technology consulting firm.  During the Dean campaign he wrote and edited the campaign's web site and emails; he also worked on message development, online brand building, and grassroots organizing.  Prior to the campaign Rospars taught English in Stockholm, Sweden and wrote for NotGeniuses.com, a political blog.  He earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from The George Washington University.


Ari Rabin-Havt served as Senior Strategist, Internet through early 2006.
Director of internet communications for Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid (Senate Democratic Communications Center, announced Jan. 2004).  Deputy director of internet communications for John Kerry's campaign.  Executive director of Click Back America, a project of the MoveOn.org Voter Fund.  Worked at Penn Schoen and Berland and in Representative Ted Strickland's (OH-6) office.

Craig Kirby served as Director, Office of the Vice Chairs.
Campaign manager on Rep. Peter Deutsch's unsuccessful campaign for the 2004 Democratic Senate nomination in Florida (started in the latter part of March 2004).  Deputy campaign manager, constituency outreach on Sen. John Edwards' campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.  Southern political director at the DNC.

Press Secretary Josh Earnest left approximately late April 2006 to serve as Communications Director on Rep. Jim Davis' gubernatorial campaign in Florida.
Prior to starting as Press Secretary, Earnest was Regional Media Director for the DNC in the 2004 cycle; directed Operation Area Code -- "the DNC's effort to amplify the Democratic message in 'Battleground States' by coordinating with State Parties to reach out to local media outlets."  Before joining the DNC Earnest served as Communications Director for Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR); he was Berry's Deputy Campaign Manager during his successful 2002 re-election campaign.  Previously Earnest worked at the media consulting firm of Squier/Knapp/Dunn, where he formulated media strategy for the firm's corporate and political clients.  Before moving to Washington, DC, Earnest worked in the Houston office of Varoga & Rice (now known as Varoga, Rice & Shalett) as an Account Executive for the political consulting firm's local, state and national clients, including Gore-Lieberman 2000.

National Finance Chair Maureen White (successor announced May 15, 2006)
Serves as a US Government Representative to UNICEF and as the Chairman of the Leadership Council on Children Affected by Armed Conflict.  Sits on the Boards of Human Rights Watch and the International Rescue Committee. Prior to beginning her career in human rights work, White worked as an international investment strategist as a partner at Clay-Finlay.  She is the wife of Steve Rattner, co-founder and managing principal at Quadrangle Group, LLC, a private investment firm.

Deputy Director of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection Marc Schloss left the DNC in February 2006 to work for Sen. Bayh.  Schloss had started at the DNC in May 2003.

Finance Director Lindsey Lewis resigned late September 2005.
(February 2005)  Lewis served as Finance Director for Dean’s grassroots organization, Democracy for America, after working in the fundraising department at Dean for America.  A member of the finance team for Chris Van Hollen's successful 2002 congressional campaign, Lewis was a fundraiser for Democratic Leader Representative Richard Gephardt from 1992 to 1999.

Mike Gehrke served as Research Director from March to September 2005.
Worked at the DSCC, 2001-2003.  Research Director in the Clinton White House, 1999 to Jan. 2001.  Worked with AFL-CIO Political Department/Labor '98 program, 1997-99. Research Director for Citizen Action, 1995-97.

Jesse Berne served as Deputy Director of Internet for much of 2005.

Nancy Eiring resigned as Marketing Director in June 2005.  Dave Dogan filled in for a time in summer 2005.
Eiring started at the DNC in July 2004 as national director of grassroots fundraising after joining Kerry for President in March 2004.  Deputy development direct at EMILY’s List, 2002-04.  Senior analyst at O’Brien, McConnell and Pearson (OMP), a leading fundraising agency for progressive non-profit and Democratic organizations, 2000-02; senior account executive at OMP from 1998 to 2000; managed the development and production of all direct mail and telemarketing campaigns for the Oxfam America, Earthjustice and Environmental Defense.  Directed Hillary Rodham Clinton's direct marketing campaign in her 2000 senatorial bid.   Production director at Lautman & Co., a fundraising agency.  Graduate of Catholic University, with a B.A. in English literature.

Laura Gross served as Deputy Director of Communications during the transition.
 
 

 

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