Democratic Committees-Organization
2008 General Election Edition   ...revised April 13, 2009
After Sen. Obama became the presumptive nominee his campaign moved to put its stamp on the DNC.  On June 5, 2008 Paul Tewes was announced as the Obama campaign's man at the DNC.  The Obama campaign moved some personnel to Chicago or out in the states and made other adjustments and additions.  As of  mid-Aug. 2008 the DNC had a staff of more than 260 people; key staffers are listed below.

Democratic National Committee (see also states, Obama for America, Convention; or see Pre-General Election Edition through beginning of June)
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 Amy Bodette




Chairman's Scheduler
 Emily Barson




Executive Assistant Emily Lamia




Aide
 Jeremy Bernton

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 - (by virtue of ASDC position) elected President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs 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.


 Executive Director, ASDC - Amy Fishman

Director of Special Projects, ASDC - Kyle DeBeer
Midwest regional political director at the DNC.  Executive director of the Wyoming Democratic Party starting in 2003.  Graduate of Colorado College.



Director, Office of the Vice Chairs Ali Chalupa

Previously 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.  B.A. 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.
 

Deputy Director Emily Daniels




Deputy Director Marvin Turner




Director of Convention Services
 Erica DeVos

National ballot access director on John Edwards for President.  Director of the Office of the Secretary at the DNC starting 2002; she went through three Conventions with the Office of the Secretary.  B.A. from Middlebury College, 1995 and M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, 1999.  Native of Brookline, Massachusetts.


Director of Operations
 Jean Doherty
        Previously director of the Secretary's Office and earlier was director of operations in political.


 
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.
 
 

G E N E R A L   E L E C T I O N   M A N A G E M E N T
Obama Campaign's Man at the DNC
 Paul Tewes
(announced June 5, 2008)  Directed Obama's campaigns in the January 3 Iowa caucuses, March 4 Ohio primary, and April 22 Pennsylvania primary.  Partner at Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, Inc., formed with Steve Hildebrand in early 2005.  Campaign manager of Americans United to Protect Social Security in 2005.  Political director at the DSCC in the 2004 cycle; worked for the DCCC starting in 2001.  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 Mountain Lake, MN.


Director, Campaign for Change
 Marygrace Galston
(announced June 5, 2008)  Deputy state director on Obama's Iowa caucus campaign.  Washington State Democrats' Coordinated Campaign director in 2006.  East King County director (ran the Bellevue office) for Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in 2005.  Worked on Sen. Murray's successful 2004 re-election campaign.  Worked on Sen. John Kerry's primary campaign starting in Iowa City for the Iowa caucus campaign then proceeding to Michigan for the Feb. 7 caucuses campaign and to Ohio.  Bachelor's degree in political science from Colorado State University; president of Young Democrats in her senior year.
Policy Director Karen Richardson
Policy director on Obama's Iowa caucus campaign.  Previously policy coordinator in Obama's Senate office after serving as a staff assistant and starting as an intern.  Interned at the UNICEF Innocentin Research Centre.  Undergraduate and law degrees from Howard University; master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics.
Policy Advisor Emily Loeb


Senior Advisor
 Michael Strautmanis
Chief counsel and deputy chief of staff to Obama in his Senate office.  Lobbyist with the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.  Legislative director and counsel to then Rep. Rod Blagojevich.  Chief of staff to the General Counsel at the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Clinton administration.  Practiced law.  J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, 1994.
Senior Advisor (congressional liaison)
 Phil Schiliro
Longtime chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman.  Ran for Congress, seeking a Long Island, NY seat in 1992 and 1994.  J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School in 1981; undergraduate degree from Hofstra.  Born and raised in Baldwin (Long Island), NY.
Special Projects
 Monica Dixon
Policy advisor/consultant to then Gov. Mark Warner's Forward Together PAC.  Director of field communications for America Coming Together, 2004.  Consultant to the DSCC, 2002.  Deputy chief of staff to Vice President Gore, then joined the Gore-Lieberman campaign in Nashville running the war room.  Chief of staff for the House Democratic Caucus.

Coordinator
 Ali Sutton
Earlier worked on Obama for America doing outreach to Americans overseas.



E X E C U T I V E   D I R E C T O R
Executive Director
 Tom McMahon
(announced March 25, 2005)  Previously 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 Paola Luisi


C H I E F   F I N A N C I A L   O F F I C E R
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.


C H I E F   O F   S T A F F
Chief of Staff and CEO of DNCC

Leah Daughtry
(announced as DNCC CEO on April 12, 2007)  Chief of Staff at the Democratic National Committee (started in that role 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.


Executive Assistant
Travel Coordinator
 Lisa Hargrove
Hernan Alvarez


 
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.


Deputy Political Director, State Party Services
 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.
 
Deputy Political Director, Grassroots Organizing Shaun Kelleher
Previously at the AFL-CIO.

 
Campaign for Change Budget Coordinator
 Amy Reger
Midwest regional political consultant.  Previously executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, from March 2006 through Feb. 2008.
Strategist
 Keith Goodman
Founded Bullseye Political Group LLC in late 2005 "to help push the adoption of advanced research and microtargeting throughout progressive politics."  In 2004 Goodman worked on the Labor 2004 political program on battleground microtargeting.  Native of Grand Rapids, MI.

Deputy Political Director, Voter Protection
 Anna Martinez
Previously director of the DNC National Lawyers Council.

Voter Protection Coordinator: Matthew Brokman
    
National Voter Protection Counsel
 Justin Levitt
On leave from position as Democracy Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.  In-house counsel to America Coming Together.  Director of Strategic Targeting for Wes Clark's presidential campaign.  Clerked for Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  J.D. from Harvard Law School, 2001, M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government, and B.A. from Harvard College.



Executive Director, Democrats Abroad
 Lindsey Reynolds


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
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.


 
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S (16)
Senior Communications Advisor
 Brad Woodhouse
On leave from position as president of Americans United for Change.  Spokesman at the DSCC in the 2004 cycle then several months as press secretary to Sen. John Corzine (NJ).  Press secretary on Erskine Bowles' 2002 U.S. Senate campaign.  A policy aide and then press secretary to U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC).


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.
 
 
Deputy Communications Director
 Damien LaVera
Previously Deputy Press Secretary/Regional and Specialty Media.  Worked at the American Bar Association in the Division for Media Relations and Communications Services.
 

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.
 
 
Deputy Press Secretary Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza
Majored in government at Harvard University.


Assistant Press Secretary Michael Czin
A field organizer in Davenport on Hillary Clinton's Iowa caucus campaign.

 
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.
   
Regional Press Secretaries: Caroline Ciccone, Sonia Melendez, Blaine Rummel

 
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.

Director of External Communications
 Parag Mehta
Previously Training Director.  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.


Rapid Response Coordinator
 Bob Creamer
Runs a full-service political consulting firm, Strategic Consulting Group.  "His clients have included labor unions, public interest groups, and advocacy organizations like MoveOn.org, Americans United for Change and USAction. He has also worked on hundreds of electoral campaigns at the local, state and national levels."  Married to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky from Illinois.  Author of Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win.


Deputy Director, Rapid Response Activities
 Tory Brown


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.

 
Director of Surrogate Scheduling Candice Tolliver
(announced July 21, 2008)  Moved over from position as senior spokesperson for constituency media for Obama for America.  In 2004 Tolliver served as the communications director for the Congressional Black Caucus.  Press secretary in the office of Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).  Worked in the Office of House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt.


Communications Strategist
 Jamal Simmons
President of New Future Communications.  "He has handled media issues on five continents for the U.S. government, political organizations, non-profits and corporations."   Traveling press secretary to 2004 presidential candidates U.S. Sen. Bob Graham and Retired General Wesley K. Clark.  Managed media relations in 40 states for Vice President Al Gore's 2000 campaign, then served as a spokesman during the recount. Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI).  Political appointee in the Clinton Administration under U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor. Managed logistics for traveling press on Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign.  B.A degree from Morehouse College; Master of Public Policy degree from the Kennedy School at Harvard University.


I N T E R N E T (7)
Internet Director Josh McConaha
(From May 2006)  Previously at EMILY's List.  Graduate of American University.
 
 
Online Outreach Manager 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.

 
Blog Outreach Manager
 Jesse Lee

 
Online Organizer
 Nolan Treadway

 
Web Specialist
 Matt Ortega

 
Rapid Response Video Producer
 David Grossman
 
 
Lead Designer Jonah Goodman

 

R E S E A R C H (20)
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 (22)
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.

Deputy Director
Demzilla (fundraising and FEC compliance)		 Chuq Yang
Started in this role in July 2005 after serving as the DNC's director of infrastructure from Aug. 2001-July 2005.  UNIX Systems Administrator at Bigfoot Interactive, 1999-2001.  B.A. in computer science from the University of Rochester, 1999.

Voter File (National Vote Builder Administrator)
 Mike Sager and Katie Allen
Sager started in this role in June 2008 after working as the DNC's voter file special projects coordinator since Nov. 2007.  He was DNC voter file manager for Virginia and deputy technology director at the Democratic Party of Virginia, Jan-Nov. 2007.  Worked in client services for NGP Software, Aug. 2005-Jan. 2007.

IT (email...) Randy Dresser

70+ Linux servers used by three Democratic Party organizations




M A R K E T I N G (7)
Marketing Director Kim Postulart
(Sept. 2005)  Deputy director of marketing and membership at EMILY’s List.  Marketing director on the Edwards for President campaign.
Deputy Director, Marketing
 Rosalind Chatman


Manager, State Party Victory Fund
 Will Kraiger


 
 
F I N A N C E (39)
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 to Finance Director
 Katie Gardner

 
Deputy Finance Director Julie Tagen
In the 2004 cycle Tagen did LGBT finance for Dean for America, and consulted for John Kerry for President and America Coming Together.  Development director at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, 2000-02.  Events manager/corporations and foundations relations at Human Rights Campaign, 1997-99.  University of Maryland College Park.


Finance Director, Campaign for Change
 PJ McCann
Started her own firm P.J. McCann, L.L.C., advising political, non-profit and corporate clients.  Vice president of finance and development at the ONE Campaign.  Has worked on and off for Sen. Russ Feingold since his successful 1992 campaign for the U.S. Senate and started as a legislative aide to Feingold when he was a State Senator.

"The Committee for Change was created to finance the mobilization, voter registration and get out the vote efforts for the local Democratic parties in our 18 battleground states. We have enlisted a record number of volunteers and organizers and opened offices across the country in an effort to win in traditional battlegrounds like Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and Michigan, as well as states like Virginia and North Carolina where Democrats are competitive for the first time in years. The Committee for Change provides funding for these offices, organizers, and volunteers and is another part of our strategy to win in these decisive states."
From July 1-Nov. 24, 2008 the Committee for Change raised $19,869,469.44.  (FEC)


Senior Finance Advisor
 Ami Copeland
Deputy finance director on Obama for America.  Finance director on Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)'s 2006 re-election campaign.  Deputy national finance director on Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004 re-election campaign.  Midwest regional finance director at the DSCC, 2003.  Started in fundraising on Sen. Tom Harkin's 2002 re-election campaign.  Copeland lived abroad and obtained the rank of Master Sergeant in the Israeli Defense Forces; he has also worked as an investment banker and business journalist in Europe.  B.A. in international relations from Bard College, 2001.
Director, Finance Convention Operations
 Chris Koob
Deputy Connecticut finance director at Lieberman for Senate; political chief of staff at Joe Lieberman for President and earlier director of operations on Lieberman's ROCPAC.
Director of Housing, Finance Convention Operations
 Ryan Rhodes
Deputy Director of Housing, Finance Convention Operations
 Heather Falen

Convention Hall Director
 Kevin Canan
Canan left his position as Vice President of a government relations firm in DC to work on the campaign.  He has worked on the last five Democratic presidential campaigns including in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Virginia and Florida.  In 2000 he served as a legal advisor to Florida Democratic Party in connection with the presidential recount in Florida.  Canan served as the law clerk to Vice President Gore in 1998-99.  He has also worked for numerous politicians in Massachusetts and Washington and practiced law in private practice in Boston.  B.A. in political science from Allegheny College; J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.


Deputy Directors
Southwest (OK, TX, CO, NM, AZ, UT, WY, MT, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK)
Stephanie Davis


Midwest (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD, NE, KS, MO) Lindsay Apfelbaum


Mid-Atlantic/New England (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, PA, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC) Michael Schrum


Northeast
 Kathleen Gasperine

Deputy New England Finance Director on Hillary Clinton for President


Northwest
 Michael Gilmore


California
Autumn Sample


Florida T.K. Cenis


New York (NY, NJ and CT) Emily Pomeranz
Alix Dejean


South (AL, AK, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) and Assistant to Finance Chair and Expats Stephanie Cherkezian


Regional Directors
West (OK, TX, CO, NM, AZ, UT, WY, MT, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK) Addy Gross


Northeast (NY, NJ, CT) Celeste Wolter


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) 
Gautam Raghavan


South (AL, AK, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) Kristin Oblander


California (plus HI) Jim Green


Florida
 Marley Lewis


Leadership Council Directors (note some also shown above)
African American Leadership Council Alix Dejean


Democratic Business Council


Gay & Lesbian Leadership Council Tom Petrillo


Hispanic Council
 Milagros Hill


Indo Council
 Gautam Raghavan


Labor Council and NAB Andrew Wright


Women's Leadership Forum

 Executive Director Sharon Grosfeld
Director Annie Lieberman
Co-Director Natalie Jones
Deputy WLF/GLLC: Christina Horn

National Jewish Community Finance Director
 Keath Blatt
(started July 22, 2008)  According to JTA, Blatt was "a bigwig at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and a former AIPAC official."

 
Call Time Coordinator
 Maggie Sasso

 
Director of Events Ellen Thrower


Deputy Director of Events
 Casey Breitenbeck
 
Finance Surrogate Director - Stacy Koo


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 (5)
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.




C O N S T I T U E N T   S E R V I C E S (4)
Director of Constituency Services Katherine Dvorak

 

C O M P L I A N CE (19)
Compliance Director (Preston) Alan Reed
Research consultant at Lexis-Nexis, 2001-07.  Deputy director of compliance at the DNC, 1996-2001.  M.A. in international political relations from University of Kentucky, 1994.  B.A. double major in history and political science from Northern Kentucky University, 1992.
Deputy Compliance Director Chelsea Cook
also worked in compliance during the 2004 cycle.



A D M I N I S T R A T I V E   S E R V I C E S (7)
Director of Administrative Services
 Jacqueline Williams



H U M A N   R E S O U R C E S (5)
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.


 
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.
Investigative Counsel Steve Glickman
(July 2008) Majority counsel for U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, March 2007-July 2008. Trial Attorney/Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, 2005-07.  LL.M. from London School of Economics and Political Science, 2005.  J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, 2005.  M.A./B.A. in government from Georgetown University, 2002.

 
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."  
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).  


2007 edition
 


Regional Political Directors

South [AR, AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN]    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 [CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI VT, VI, WV]    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 [ID, IA, KS, MN, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY]    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.

 

Executive Director, College Democrats Tamia Booker
(announced March 19, 2008)  Previously events manager at Campus Progress, the youth organizing division of the Center for American Progress.  Before Campus Progress, she worked for the Florida Democratic Party, volunteered with Sen. John Kerry's presidential run in 2004, and served as President of Florida A&M's College Democrats where she earned a Bachelor's degree in political science.



Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action