Key
People-Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)
updated November 14, 2007
CHRIS
DODD FOR PRESIDENT, INC. (Jan. 11, 2007)
FRIENDS
OF CHRIS DODD / CHRIS PAC (2006 cycle)
| Campaign
Manager |
Sheryl V. Cohen |
(announced March 21, 2007)
Cohen came to the campaign from Dodd's Senate office where she has been
his chief of staff since 1999. She has worked for Sen. Dodd since
1995, first when he was general chairman at the DNC, then on his re-election
campaign, and finally in his Senate office. Worked for Sen. Joe Lieberman
in his Connecticut office for three years. B.A. in political science
from the University of Connecticut.
Assistant to the Campaign Manager: Lucy Cox-Chapman
Formerly worked for Dodd in the Senate. Graduate of Williams College.
| Deputy
Campaign Manager |
Matt Butler |
Butler joined Sen. John Kerry
in April 2002 and served as Chief Financial Officer for The Kerry Committee
(Sen. Kerry's 2002 Senate campaign), the Citizen Soldier Fund (Sen. Kerry's
Leadership PAC), and for John Kerry for President through the contested
primary season, and finished as Deputy Campaign Manager for Operations
for Kerry-Edwards, 2004. Formerly, he worked as an attorney with
the Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, LLP in Los Angeles. He worked
for the Democratic National Committee's national Coordinated Campaign effort
in 2000 and on the 1996 Clinton re-election campaign. He holds
a B.A. in International Studies from American University, 1994, and a J.D.
from the University of San Diego School of Law, 2000. Butler is a
native of Columbus, Ohio.
POLITICAL
| Political Director |
Scott Arceneaux |
(announced March 19, 2007)
In the 2006 cycle Arceneaux served as campaign manager on Doug Duncan's
bid for Maryland Governor (starting in May 2005 through June 2006), then
took similar roles for Peter Franchot's campaign for Maryland Comptroller
and Judy Feder's run for Congress in Virginia's 10th District (starting
in Aug. 2006). Ran Rep. Chris John's U.S. Senate bid in Louisiana
in 2004. Executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, 2001-04,
where he directed efforts for Mary Landrieu's 2002 Senate re-election and
Kathleen Blanco's 2003 gubernatorial campaign. Litigation associate
at Stone, Pigman, Walther, Wittman and Hutchinson law firm. Law clerk.
Law degree from Tulane Law School, 1995; undergraduate degree from Washington
and Lee University.
| Field
Director |
Julie Andreeff
Jensen |
To
Iowa as state director, announced Oct. 9, 2007.
(started as deputy political director, announced March 21, 2007)
"In 2006, Andreeff Jensen ran regional political operations for Governor
Mark Warner." Attorney and lobbyist. Andreeff worked on Kerry's
Iowa caucus campaign starting in August 2003; after the caucuses she went
on to North Dakota, Wisconsin and Hawaii. She returned to Iowa early
in the general election to serve as political director, but then was sent
to Ohio, where she worked the final five months of the campaign, serving
as NW Ohio field director and coordinating GOTV in Cuyahoga County.
Andreeff left her position as an associate at Powell Goldstein Frazer and
Murphy LLP in Washington, DC to join Kerry's campaign. Law degree
from American University's Washington College of Law. Worked as an
aide to Sen. Kennedy. B.A. in political science from American University.
Political Desks
(announced March 29, 2007)
Field director and then campaign manager on Dave Loebsack's 2006 congressional
campaign in Iowa's 2nd CD, helping to defeat long-time incumbent Jim Leach.
Came to Iowa after working as program coordinator for the Rhode Island
Sierra Club. Field director on Jay Fetcher for state Senate in Colorado.
| New Hampshire |
Mat Pierson |
(announced March 29, 2007)
Deputy field director on U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's 2006 re-election campaign.
Associate at the Washington, DC-based communications consulting firm 360JMG.
Political coordinator for Donnie Fowler for DNC Chair. A lead organizer
for PA Victory '04, directing field operations in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Director of Whip Operations for the DNC's Office of the Secretary during
the 2004 convention. Part of the Joe Lieberman for President political
team, working on delegate selection. Worked in government relations
for Jackson National Life Insurance Company in Michigan. B.A. in
international relations from the Lehigh University. Michigan native.
| South Carolina |
Antwaun Griffin |
(announced March 29, 2007)
Has served as campaign manager and special assistant to Congressman Bobby
Scott (D-VA). In 2006 worked as regional campaign director for the
Virginia Democratic Party, briefly campaign manager on Stuart Simms for
Attorney General in Maryland, and earlier on Doug Duncan's gubernatorial
campaign in Maryland. Political director for Sen. John Edwards' 2004
Virginia and Ohio primary campaigns. A regional campaign coordinator
for the DSCC in Louisiana in 2002.
COMMUNICATIONS
| Communications Director |
Hari Sevugan |
(started as Deputy Communications
Director in March 2007, then succeeded Beneva Schulte starting in May)
Communications director on the O'Malley-Brown gubernatorial campaign in
Maryland starting in Feb. 2006. Policy director for Tim Kaine's 2005
gubernatorial campaign. Deputy policy director for Dan Hynes’ 2004
U.S. Senate primary campaign in Illinois, then deputy campaign manager
for Dr. Daniel Mongiardo's U.S. Senate campaign in Kentucky. Practiced
securities law in Chicago for two years. J.D. from Northwestern School
of Law. Two years as an award-winning school teacher in the Washington
Heights community of New York as part of Teach for America. Graduate
of the University of Illinois, where he studied political science and finance.
| Press Secretary |
Colleen Flanagan |
(initially traveling press secretary)
Came to the campaign from position as deputy communications director in
Dodd's Senate office. Worked as a press aide to seven Connecticut
State Senators including President Pro Tem Don Williams and Majority Whip
Bill Finch. Degree in journalism and political public relations from
UConn, 2003.
| Deputy Press Secretary |
Kate Szostak |
(July 2007) Formerly Dodd's
press secretary in the Senate office.
| Director of Press Advance |
Jake Rubin |
Associate at 360JMG in Washington,
DC managing media outreach, advertising, and direct mail campaigns for
Democratic candidates. As a member of the national advance staff
for Kerry-Edwards 2004, Rubin assisted in the planning and execution of
several bus tours and managed all transportation for staff and press during
the 2004 Vice-Presidential debate. Grassroots coordinator for the
American-Israel Public Affairs Committee. Staff assistant in the
Office of the Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt. Rubin has worked
on campaigns throughout the northeast including Tim Bishop for Congress
(NY-1) in 2002, Steve Grossman's 2002 campaign for Governor of Massachusetts,
and Alan Hevesi's 2001 campaign for Mayor of New York City.
B.A. in American studies from Brandeis University and an M.A. in political
management from The George Washington University.
Also in Communications: Gretchen D. Yelmini
SPEECHWRITING
Former speechwriter and senior
advisor for Rep. Rosa DeLauro.
INTERNET
| Director of Media Technologies |
Tim Tagaris |
(succeeded Tim Cullen)
Internet director on Ned Lamont's 2006 U.S. Senate campaign in Connecticut.
Internet outreach coordinator at the DNC starting in Nov. 2005. Internet
communications director for Sherrod Brown; built/primary author of GrowOhio.org.
Worked on Paul Hackett's campaign in the Aug. 2005 special election in
Ohio's 2nd CD. Communications director on Jeff Seeman's congressional
campaign Ohio's 16th CD (Canton) in 2004. Blogged at Swing State
Project and occasionally at MyDD. Served in the Marines. Graduated
from Southern Illinois University with a degree in television production.
| Chief Blogger |
Matt Browner-Hamlin |
(started May 14, 2007)
An experienced blogger whose work has been posted at The Huffington Post,
My Left Nutmeg and The Right's Field. Experience includes work for
a non-profit organization that fights for human rights, political and religious
freedom, and self-determination, in a Democratic Senate office, and, during
the 2004 election, for the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee. Educated
at Wesleyan University and The Johns Hopkins University.
| Internet Technology Director |
Aaron Welch |
(announced July 30, 2007; "responsible
for upgrading, maintaining and expanding the internet technology infrastructure
as well as managing production of new and innovatibe online tools.")
Co-founded and partner in Advomatic, a web design firm. Lead developer
for the Dean campaign in Iowa. Began his career working in live theatre
in the Pacific Northwest as a sound designer and production engineer.
BFA in Performance Production from Cornish College of the Arts, in Seattle,
WA.
RESEARCH
| Research Director |
Pat Hart |
Prior to joining the Dodd campaign,
Hart was a deputy communications director at the American Association for
Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). Research
director for the DNC's independent expenditure campaign in 2004.
Deputy research director for the Gore-Lieberman campaign in 2000.
In addition to his campaign experience, Hart was a legislative assistant
for Sen. Joe Biden, and worked on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.
B.A. from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, and a M.P.A. from the American
University.
| Deputy Research Director |
Srinivas Sonti |
POLICY
| Policy Director |
Amos Hochstein |
Executive Vice President at
Cassidy
& Associates. Previously Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S.
House of Representatives Committee on International Relations. "Represented
the United States Congress to multi-lateral organizations and foreign governments
in over 50 countries." Member of the professional staff for the House
Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade. Legislative
Assistant to Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-CT), worked at Bankers Trust, Inc. (now
part of Deutsche Bank), and was a consultant at Lapidot PR.
| Deputy Policy Director |
Mary Ellen McGuire |
Previously Dodd's staff lead
in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
DATABASE
| Database Administrator |
Brett Schenker |
Founder of 5B Consulting.
Database administrator for Gov. Mark Warner's Forward Together PAC.
Special assistant to Sen. John Kerry. Staffer for the Erie County
Legislature. Graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree
in political science.
SCHEDULING
| Scheduler |
Jennifer Goodman |
OPERATIONS
| Director of Operations |
John Graff |
Graff comes to the campaign
from the DNC where he was serving as administrator of the Technology Department
(he joined the DNC in April 2006). Campaign experience includes several
campaigns in New Hampshire and deputy canvass director for Gov. Howard
Dean's presidential campaign in the Iowa caucuses. U.S. Navy veteran;
attended Franklin College in Switzerland.
FINANCE
| Finance Director |
Vince Frillici |
National Finance Director for
Friends of Chris Dodd (Sen. Dodd’s Senate campaign committee) since 2001.
Previously was Director of Corporate Partnerships for Kids Online America,
a San Francisco, CA based internet start-up. The first Finance Director
for the New Democrat Network. Assistant to the Director of Donor
Relations for President Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign. Undergraduate
degree from Michigan State University’s James Madison College for Public
Policy.
| Deputy Finance Director |
Louisa S. Whitney |
In 2006 served as finance director
for Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate in Connecticut and earlier as finance director
on Dan Malloy's primary campaign of Governor of Connecticut. Deputy
campaign manager for North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley in 2004. Field
staff for the South Carolina Democratic Party in 2002. Graduated
from the University of South Carolina. Originially from Spartanburg
SC.
| Mid-Atlantic Finance Director |
Melanie Wong |
Most recently director of the
Democratic Business Council at the DNC. Previously served on campaigns
of Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Max Cleland and as director of county outreach
for the Georgia Democratic Party.
Finance Staff: Matthew Barkan, Ben
Young
Consultants
Stephanie Berger
Kerry/Edwards '04 national
finance director (East). With Rachel Hirschberg did Northeast and
Mid-Atlantic finance on Clark for President. With Rachel Hirschberg
formed a political fundraising and non-profit development company headquartered
in Washington, DC. National finance director for the DNC in 2001.
Associate vice president for development for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric
AIDS Foundation. Graduate of Sweet Briar College, 1991.
Rachel Hirschberg
Hirschberg Strategies Inc.
With Stephanie Berger, Hirschberg did Northeast and Mid-Atlantic finance
on Clark for President. With Stephanie Berger formed a political
fundraising and non-profit development company headquartered in Washington,
DC. Vice President of Development and Senior Advisor to the New Democrat
Network. Vice President of the Fund for the Capitol Visitor Center,
a public-private partnership with the United States Congress. Has
worked on numerous campaigns and was a political appointee to former President
Bill Clinton.
Tracey Buckman
Tracey Buckman & Associates.
Former finance director at the DSCC.
Eley Fundraising Inc. (Miramar,
FL)
MORE
| Senior
Advisor |
Jim Jordan |
(reported by Chris Cillizza
"The Fix" Dec. 21, 2006) Campaign manager of John Kerry for President,
Inc. for the first 11-plus months of the campaign, through Nov. 2003.
Executive director of the DSCC for the duration of the 2002 cycle.
Political director at the DSCC, May 1999-Dec. 2000. Communications
director for Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Jan.-May 1999. Spokesman for
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee during the 1998 impeachment
hearings of President Clinton and for Democrats on the Senate Governmental
Affairs Committee during the 1997 campaign finance investigation.
Communications director for Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) in 1997.
Press secretary for Tim Johnson's (D-SD) successful campaign for U.S. Senate
in 1996. Did non-profit fundraising. Press secretary to Rep.
David Price (D-NC,4), Jan. 1987-1988. Originally from North Carolina,
Jordan earned his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and his J.D. from University
of North Carolina Law School (1986).
Political director at the White
House during Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign; promoted to senior advisor
for policy and strategy following the 1998 mid-term elections; left the
administration in 2000 and took a position as Senior Vice President, Strategic
& Corporate Communications for the NBA. Before joining the administration,
Sosnik served as chief of staff to Sen. Chris Dodd, as chief of staff and
campaign manager to a Michigan congressman, and at the DCCC. Graduate
of Duke University, 1979.
| Speechwriting/Message |
Paul Orzulak |
With other Clinton speechwriters
formed West Wing Writers. Special Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs and Foreign Policy Speechwriter for President
Clinton. Senior Domestic Policy Speechwriter for Vice President Al
Gore. Senior advisor and chief speechwriter for HUD Secretary Andrew
Cuomo; and for House Minority Whip David Bonior (D-MI). Chief speechwriter
for Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) on his 1992 presidential campaign. Sports
writer for the Norwich Bulletin. B.A. from University of Connecticut,
1989.
1st Quarter 2007 FEC Report
also lists the following receiving salary:
Robin B. Burns, Kathryn Damato, Kelly
Dana, Eugenia Gluzberg, Debra Greenspan, Micah Kagan, Justin Peck, Matthew
Pierson, David Sommers, Kristen L. Studley.
NATIONAL CO-CHAIRS (announced
March 8, 2007)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Sanford Cloud, Jr., former
National Conference for Community and Justice President and CEO >
James Sasser, former U.S.
Senator from Tennessee and former Ambassador to China
(Aug. 29, 2007) Harold
A. Schaitberger, general president of the International Association
of Fire Fighters
IOWA
| State Director |
Julie Andreeff Jensen |
(announced Oct. 9, 2007; succeeded
Marc Beltrame) Jensen previously served as the campaign's national
field director and initially as national deputy political director, announced
March 21, 2007. "In 2006, Andreeff Jensen ran regional political
operations for Governor Mark Warner." Attorney and lobbyist.
Andreeff worked on Kerry's Iowa caucus campaign starting in August 2003;
after the caucuses she went on to North Dakota, Wisconsin and Hawaii.
She returned to Iowa early in the general election to serve as political
director, but then was sent to Ohio, where she worked the final five months
of the campaign, serving as NW Ohio field director and coordinating GOTV
in Cuyahoga County. Andreeff left her position as an associate at
Powell Goldstein Frazer and Murphy LLP in Washington, DC to join Kerry's
campaign. Law degree from American University's Washington College
of Law. Worked as an aide to Sen. Kennedy. B.A. in political
science from American University.
See Iowa
page >>
NEVADA
| State
Coordinator |
Joe Zepecki |
To
Iowa as deputy caucus director, announced Sept. 26, 2007.(started
April 9, 2007) Associate at 360JMG in Washington, DC since 2004,
managing direct mail campaigns for Democratic candidates. Regional
director in the Milwaukee office on Gen. Wesley Clark's 2004 presidential
primary campaign. B.A. in political science from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison; due to receive an M.A. from the Graduate School of Political
Management at The George Washington University in May 2007. Wisconsin
native.
See Nevada
page >>
NEW HAMPSHIRE
| State
Director |
Steve Gerenscer |
To
Iowa as state director, announced Oct. 9, 2007. (initially
deputy state director, reported by John DiStaso on April 5, 2007)
Political director on the NH Democratic Coordinated Campaign, starting
in April 2004, and was the first post-primary NH staffer for the Kerry
campaign, March-April 2004. Deputy political director on Howard Dean's
NH primary campaign from mid-Feb. 2003 to Feb. 2004. Field staffer
on the 2002 NH Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign in Keene, responsible
for Cheshire County and western Hillsborough County. B.S. in environmental
studies from the University of Vermont, 2000.
See New
Hampshire page >>
SOUTH CAROLINA
| Political Director |
Heyward Bannister |
(announced April 10, 2007)
Bannister has played a senior role in over 100 campaigns in South Carolina
during his 27 years as a political and marketing professional. Currently
the owner and president of Bannister Company of Columbia (BANCO).
Formerly director of Fannie Mae's South Carolina Community Business Center.
Worked in President Bill Clinton's Administration and was the White House
Liaison for the Department of Veteran Affairs. Directed Bill Clinton's
1992 campaign and the 1996 coordinated campaign in South Carolina.
A co-founder of the first African-American owned public relations firm
in South Carolina. Undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University
of South Carolina. Gadsden native.
See South
Carolina page >>
CONNECTICUT
| Political Director |
Sarah Merriam |
Ran Chris Murphy’s 2006 congressional
campaign in the CT-5th CD in which he beat 12-term incumbent Rep. Nancy
Johnson (R) 57%-43%. Has been working on state campaigns in Connecticut
since 1990. Former CT SEIU political director. B.A. from Georgetown
University, 1993; J.D. from Yale, 2000.
former
| Press Secretary |
Christy Setzer |
Served as spokeswoman for the
Senate Majority Project. Spokeswoman for Fernando Ferrer 2005 mayoral
campaign in New York City. Spokeswoman for America Coming Together.
Worked on Howard Dean's presidential campaign including as Perfect Storm
press secretary in the Iowa caucuses and as Michigan communications director.
| Communications Director |
Beneva Schulte |
(through April 2007) Continued
on from role as press secretary for Friends of Chris Dodd in 2006.
Previously a public relations consultant at Weber Merritt. Over seven
years of Capitol Hill experience: Chief of Staff to Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
(D-NY), and also managed McCarthy's 1996 House campaign. Press Secretary
and Floor Assistant to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Chief Deputy Democratic
Whip in the House of Representatives. Press Secretary for Rep.
David Minge (D-MN). Press Assistant for Rep. Gerry Sikorski (D-MN).
Undergraduate degree from Florida International University, graduate degree
from the George Washington University.
| Communications Staff |
Reid Wilson |
(left the campaign to join RealClearPolitics
in the beginning of July 2007) Wilson was a reporter with The Hotline
before moving to the Dodd campaign. He previously worked for DC-based
consulting firm LSG Strategies, during the 2004 and 2002 cycles, and for
Seattle-based Northwest Passage Consulting. Managed Darryl Smith's
campaign for Seattle City Council in 2003; did communications for Washington
State Sen. Brian Weinstein; worked field for Maria Cantwell's U.S. Senate
campaign in 2000. Graduate of The George Washington University.
| Director of Media Technologies |
Tim Cullen |
Moved over from position as
Director of Media Technology in Dodd's Senate office. In 2004 he
was director of the StopSinclair campaign, a co-founder and director of
Concerts for Change (group organizing benefit concerts to support John
Kerry and other Democrats and mobilize swing-state voters), and a co-creator
of the KerryConnector; with CGL Group. Worked for five years as a
software developer for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a private
software firm in New York City, Harvard Law School, and on his own as a
consultant. Graduate of Boston University School of Law and Harvard
College.
Copyright © 2007
Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
|