Obama 2012 General Election Campaign Organization, Florida
Obama for America/Organizing for America 
FLORIDA  |  Obama Main Page

(page is  currently being updated July 25, 2013)
...for additions, corrections and other changes contact

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State Director  Ashley Walker

Florida director of Organizing for America from 2009.  Deputy state director for Obama for America in the 2008 general election; Florida staffer for Obama for America in the primary, and earlier deputy to political director Matt Nugen in Chicago.  Walker managed Jeremy Ring (D-Margate)'s successful 2006 campaign for State Senate.  Staffer to Sen. Bob Graham in his Tallahassee and Miami Lakes offices, 2002-03, then worked on Graham's presidential campaign.  M.S. in international affairs from Florida State University; B.A. in sociology from Indiana University.  Indiana native.

Senior Advisors
Marcus Jadotte

Managing director for public affairs at NASCAR; joined NASCAR in March 2005 as senior manager for national media outreach.  Starting in July 2004 Jadotte was deputy campaign manager for VP operations on the Kerry-Edwards campaign after serving as John Kerry's deputy campaign manager for over a year, announced May 28, 2003.  Chief of staff in the office of Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-FL).  Gore-Lieberman campaign's Florida state director in 2000.  During the Clinton administration he worked in the Department of Labor in the Office of the Deputy Secretary and in Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.  In 1998 he served as political director on the MacKay-Dantzler campaign for governor of Florida.  In 1996 he was a regional director on the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign in Florida.  Jadotte was special assistant to the late Gov. Lawton Chiles, and communications director for the Florida AFL-CIO.  He has worked in the Florida House of Representatives and in the Agency for Health Care Administration.  B.S. degree in economics from Florida State University.  From Opa-locka, Florida. 

Jackie Lee

Founding partner of Sunstream Strategies.  Managed the FairDistrictsFlorida campaign in 2010.  General election director on Obama's Campaign for Change, announced July 9, 2008.  Iowa field director for the John Edwards for President campaign, 2007-08.  Statewide field director for the Florida Democratic Party in 2006 and for former Sen. John Edwards’ campaign during the 2004 presidential primary.  Lee served as the Delaware state director for the Emergency Campaign for America’s Priorities and for Americans United to Protect Social Security.  Field director for the Oklahoma Democratic Coordinated Campaign.  North Central Iowa regional field director for the Edwards for President campaign in 2003-04, and then the campaign's field director in Virginia and Florida.  Worked for the Louisiana Democratic Party during Sen. Mary Landrieu's 2002 run-off campaign.  Managed a field office for the South Dakota Democratic Party during Sen. Tim Johnson's 2002 re-election campaign.  B.A. in international relations from University of Delaware.

Steve Schale

President at Schale Strategies since Jan. 2009.  State director on Obama's 2008 campaign (from Florida Democrats' House Victory political director since 2005 (appointed by Democratic Leader Dan Gelber).  Communications director/press secretary for the Florida Democrats in the State House (House Democratic Leader Doug Wiles).  Legislative assistant in the Florida House.  B.A. in history and political science from Sewanee-The University of the South, 1996, and M.A. in communications from Florida State University, 2009.  From St. Augustine.  twitter

General Election Director  Nick Buis

(Feb. 2012)  Indiana state director for Organizing for America 2009-11.  Regional field director on Obama for America 2007-08.  Degree in political science from West Virginia University, 2007.  twitter

Communications

Press Secretary  Eric Jotkoff

Communications director at the Florida Democratic Party from July 2008-Aug. 2011.  An advance staffer on Clinton for President.  Communications director and legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney (FL-16).  In 2006 worked on Mahoney's campaign as press secretary and research director, and earlier on Sen. Rod Smith's 2006 gubernatorial campaign.  Worked on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.  twitter

Director of Regional Press  Stephanie L. Young

(July 2012)  Communications director for the Congressional Black Caucus, Dec. 2010-July 2012.  Press secretary on Cohen for Congress, May-Nov. 2010.  Deputy press secretary and African American press advisor at the DCCC, Jan. 2009-May 2010.  Communications associate at Rock the Vote, April 2008-Jan. 2009.  Editorial assistant at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Nov. 2006-April 2008.  B.A. in broadcast journalism from Hampton University, 2006.

Deputy Press Secretary-North Florida  Eric Conrad

(June 2012)  Senior partner at WWD Strategies, Inc. in Gainesville from Aug. 2011.  Communications director at Kevin Cate Communications, Inc., Dec. 2011-May 2012.  Communications coordinator at United Way of North Central Florida, mid-2011.  Worked on a state senate and mayoral campaign.  B.A. in political science from University of Florida, 2010.

Deputy Press Secretary  Ricardo A. Ramírez

(April 2012)  Previously a regional press secretary and national press secretary for Hispanic media at the DNC from May 2009.  Deputy press secretary for Hispanic media to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, 2007-08.  M.A. in French and Francophone literature from Texas Tech University, 2006.

Deputy Press Secretary-South Florida  Jacqueline Ortiz Ramsey

(July 2012-Fort Myers, Naples, Immokalee, Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys)  Political appointee in the U.S. Department of Justice, July 2010-Aug. 2011; communication specialist at the U.S. Department of Defense, Oct. 2009-July 2010.   Public relations and marketing assistant at Links Media LLC.  A regional press assistant in Florida on Obama's 2008 campaign.  M.S. in mass media communications from Florida State University.

Deputy Press Secretary-South Florida  Shira Kramer

(April 2012)  South Carolina press secretary for the Obama campaign, Oct. 2011-March 2012.  Deputy press secretary (2010-11) and press assistant (2009-10) at the U.S. Department of Commerce,  Press assistant on Obama's campaign in Fall 2008.  Copy editor at Gainesville Today, 2007-08.  Master's degree in business management from University of Florida's Warrington College of Business, 2008; Bachelor's degree in journalism from University of Florida, 2007.

Deputy Press Secretary  Lacey Rose 
(started as a press assistant in Dec. 2011; promoted in June/July 2012)  Press assistant at the U.S. Treasury, June 2010-Dec. 2011.  twitter

Surrogate Booking Coordinator/Press Assistant/Spanish Language  Sabrina Caprioli 
(May 2011)  Press assistant at Organizing for America-Arizona, July 2010-April 2011.  B.A. in political science from CUNY Hunter College, 2010. twitter

Digital

Digital Director  Carey Jeremiason

(Aug. 2011)  Prior to joining the campaign Jeremiason worked for three months as Minnesota online campaign director for SEIU.  New media director on Sen. Michael Bennet's campaign in Colorado, 2009-10.  Marketing specialist at Barr Engineering, 2005-06.  J.D. from University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2009; B.A. in history from University of Saint Thomas, 2005.  Originally from Minnesota.  twitter

Deputy Digital Director  Abigail Collazo

(Sept. 2012)  Editor and blogger at Fem2.0; social media project manager at Turner Strategies, 2011-12.  Press secretary at Lee Fisher for Ohio, Fall 2010.  Communications director/secretary for the Womens Congressional Staff Association, Jan.-Sept. 2010.  Legislative correspondent (2009-10) and assistant scheduler (2008-09) in the Office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar.  M.A. in global security from Johns Hopkins' Zanvyl Krieger School;B.A. in political science, religion from Mount Holyoke College.

Digital Content Director  Zara Rahim

(July 2012; started as a digital intern in Jan. 2012)  Student working towards a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of South Florida.

Field

Field Director  John Gilbert

A trainer with Wellstone Action!  Consultant on the 2009 municipal elections in Las Vegas.  Deputy field director in Nevada during the general election for Barack Obama's Campaign for Change; during the primaries Gilbert was a field organizer and regional field director in half a dozen states starting in Nevada.  A field organizer on the 2006 Jack Carter campaign in Nevada.  Las Vegas native.  twitter

Deputy Field Directors
Lead  Amy Keegan

Colorado field director for Organizing for America/DNC, July 2010-Nov. 2011.  In Fall 2008 Keegan served as a field organizer in the Broomfield, CO office of Obama's Campaign for Change.  B.A. in environmental policy from University of Colorado at Boulder, 2007.

North Florida  Mike D'Armi

Delaware state director of Organizing for America/DNC.  In Fall 2008 D'Armi took leave from studies in philosophy at University of Delaware to serve as a field organizer on Obama's campaign in Miami-Dade.  Delaware native.  twitter

Central Florida  Saumya Narechania 

(June 2011)  Worked at the White House from May 2009-June 2011.  Field organizer on Obama's 2008 campaign in Nevada.  B.A. in international politics from The George Washington University, 2008.  twitter

West Central Florida (Tampa)  Adam Hoyer

(April 2012)  Deputy director in the Office of the Executive Secretariat at the U.S. Department of Commerce (May 2011-April 2012), briefing book guy (Jan. 2010-May 2011) and special assistant (May 2009-Jan. 2010) at the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Started on Obama's campaign in May 2007 as a field organizer in Davenport, Iowa; continued on to NV, MN, TX, NC and FL and in the general election was a regional field director in Pennsylvania.

South Florida  Kate Catherall

(Sept. 2011) National rapid response director at Americans United for Change, mid-2011.  Field director on Bill Foster for Congress. May-Nov. 2010.  Field organizer on the Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign, latter part of 2009.  Volunteer coordinator in Obama's Colorado Campaign for Change in Fall 2008, after starting out as an Organizing Fellow.  B.A. in political science, theater and drama from Indiana University, 2009.  Originally from Chicago.  twitter

Miami  Juan Cuba

(May 2012)  Special assistant at HUD, Aug. 2010-Nov. 2011.  Staff assistant at the White House, March 2009-Aug. 2010.  Field staff on Obama's 2007-08 campaign.  B.S. in political science and government from Florida International University, 2007.

Florida Training Director/Deputy Field Director  Ashley Pinedo

(started as a DFD in May 2011; training director from Jan. 2012)  Served as an Obama Organizing Fellow in summer 2008.  B.A. in film and video production from Pacific University, 2007.  twitter

Deputy Field Director-Voter Registration  Jesse Boateng 

Prior to joining the campaign Boateng worked in product and business development for several start-up companies in San Francisco and Canberra, Australia.  Philanthropic advisor specializing in civil society and voter registration at the donor advisory firms Wellspring Advisors and Newman & Associates.  M.A. in professional and applied ethics at Australian National University; B.A. in economics from Yale University.  Pennsylvania native.

Border State Director  Melanie Vant

(July 2012; initially Midwest field director on the campaign from July 2011)  Project coordinator (Jan. 2008-Aug. 2009) and project associate (Jan. 2005-Dec. 2007) at RESULTS Educational Fund.  M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, 2011.  B.A. in political science from The George Washington University, 2004.

106 Offices

Data

Data Director  Leslie Green

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Deputy Data Directors

Field Lead  Will Zigler

B.A. in political science and government from Western Michigan University, 2007.

West Central Florida  Sara Vredevoog

(Aug. 2012)  Adjunct instructor in mathematics and computer science at Lansing Community College, Jan. 2011-Aug. 2012.  M.S. in mathematics from Michigan State University, 2010; B.A. in philosophy, politics from Xavier University, 2007.

Leo Chiang

(July 2012)  Finance analyst intern in the deluxe resort segment (Jan.-June 2012) and food and beverage host (June 2011-Jan. 2012) at Walt Disney World.  B.S./B.A. in finance, marketing from Boston University's School of Management, 2011.

John Holden

x

? Maxwell Wood

(Sept. 2012; initially a regional field director from April-Aug. 2012)  A field organizer on Obama's 2008 campaign.  M.S. in planning from Florida State University, 2012; B.A. in political science from University of North Florida, 2010.

Senior Advisor Analytics/Polling  Scott Safranek

(Aug. 2012; started on the campaign in Aug. 2011 as a senior battleground states election analyst in Chicago)  Senior battleground states election analyst at the DNC in the 2010 cycle.  In the Fall 2008 Safranek served at Virginia data director, after working on Obama's campaign in the primaries and volunteering for a grassroots Obama group starting in early 2007.  Attended Columbia for three years, then left to play poker professionally.

former
Data Director  Dan Finer (to March 2012)
Deputy Data Director  Nekpen Osuan (Jan.-Sept. 2012) 

Political

Political Director  Reggie Cardozo

(Oct. 2011)  Director of government relations at Governance, Inc., 2005-Oct. 2011.  Deputy campaign manager on Scott Maddox for Commissioner of Agriculture, 2009-10.  Political coordinator and earlier assistant political coordinator at the Democratic Party of Florida, 2003-05.  Grew up in Broward County.  Originally from Puerto Rico.  twitter

Deputy Political Directors 
Karen Andre

(Sept. 2011)  Owner of Law Offices of Karen Andre since Aug. 2007.  Political director at SEIU, Florida 2006-07.  Community outreach director for Congressman Peter Deutsch, 2003-05.  Legislative assistant in the Florida Senate, 2002-03.  J.D. from Miami University School of Law; B.A. in psychology from Florida International University.  twitter

Central Florida  Josh Romero

(Nov. 2011)  A regional field director from April-Nov. 2011.  Finance on Gillibrand for Senate, Dec. 2010-April 2011.  Organizer for the Democratic Party of Florida, Aug.-Nov. 2010; organizer on Kendrick Meek for Florida, March-Aug. 2010.  Deputy sheriff and detective with Osceola County Sheriff's Office, 2004-09.  Non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, 1997-2005.

North Florida  Gabe Landry

M.A. in political science from Appalachian State University, 2010; B.A. in political science from the University of North Florida, 2006.

Tampa/St. Petersburg  Marcus Garza

(Aug. 2012)  Legislative aide at City of Tampa, April 2011-Aug. 2012.  Field organizer for the Democratic Party of Florida, Aug.-Nov. 2010.  Degree in political science and international affairs from Florida State University, 2010.

Palm Beach  Abby Ross

Legislative assistant to Rep. Lori Berman.  Grew up in Palm Beach County.

Operation Vote

Operation Vote Director  Nicole Price

(June 2012)  Moved over from Southern regional political director at the DNC; started there in July 2011.  Special assistant at the U.S. Department of Labor from Nov. 2009.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign; in the Fall Price was deputy field director in the Philly suburbs; in the primaries she served as political director on Obama's campaign in Pennsylvania, political director on Obama's Maryland campaign, and before that worked for six months in field on the South Carolina campaign.  Worked on several Maryland campaigns.  Master's in negotiation and conflict management from University of Baltimore.  Baltimore native.

Women for Obama Director  Stephanie Kunkel

(April 2012)  Legislative and electoral consultant.  Executive director (2009-11) and earlier legislative and field director (2007-09) at the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates.  Legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives, 2006-07.  twitter

Latino Vote Director  Raul Martinez

(April 2012)  Martinez Consulting Group in Coral Gables.

GOTV

GOTV Director  Dan Hardcastle

(Aug. 2012)  Southern political director at The Atlas Project, Aug. 2011-Feb. 2012.  Field director at the Kentucky Democratic Party, July-Nov. 2010.  Field director on Jon Bowerbank for Lt. Gov. (VA), March-May 2009.  Field/GOTV for Florida Democratic Party, June-Nov. 2008.  Lead organizer on John Edwards for President in Cedar Rapids, IA, Seneca, SC, and Atlanta, GA, March 2007-Jan. 2008.  Regional organizer on Jim Davis for Governor, Fall 2006.  Political phone program supervisor at American Directions Group in Gainesville, FL, 2005-06.  Field organizer for the Oklahoma Democratic Party, June-Nov. 2004.  B.A. in political science from University of Florida, 2011.

Deputy GOTV Director  Marshall High

Experience includes field director on the Karl Dean for Mayor campaign (Nashville, Aug. 2011); was a field organizer on Obama's Campaign for Change in 2008.

Deputy GOTV Director Lucy Evans

(Sept. 2012)  Freelance writer.  Regional field director at Kentucky Democratic Party/Jack Conway for U.S. Senate, June-Nov. 2010.  Field organizer and volunteer coordinator on the Wisconsin Democratic Coordinated Campaign, July-Nov. 2008.   Assistant to the executive director at Project Safe, Inc., 2007-08.  Special projects assistant at the Housing Assistance Council in Washington, DC, 2004-06.  B.A. in journalism from University of Kentucky, 2003.

Voter Protection

Voter Protection Director  Hannah Fried

Previously deputy voter protection director at the DNC.

Deputy Voter Protection Director  Zach Learner

Florida Senate staffer.  Attorney.

SCHEDULING

Director of Scheduling  Laurence Wildgoose

(June 2012)  Scheduler to Sen. Bill Nelson, July 2008-June 2012.  Chairman and co-founder of The Syndicate Forum and the American Metapolitics Group.  Pursuing an M.B.A..  Bachelor’s degree in English and communication from Florida State University, 2007.  twitter

Scheduling Team  Paola B. Luisi

(Sept. 2012)  Executive assistant at the DNC, 2008-10.  M.A. in American foreign policy and international economics from John Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze SAIS, 2012; B.A. in economics from University of Maryland College Park,  2007.

Operations

Operations Director  Brandon Philipczyk

(April 2012; initially operations director at OFA-MN, Dec. 2011-April 2012)  Comptroller on Mark Dayton for a Better Minnesota, Fall 2010.  Operations director on Minnesotans for Matt [Entenza for Governor], Oct. 2009-Sept. 2010.  Deputy campaign manager on Tinklenberg for Congress, Nov. 2009-March 2010.  B.S. in political science from North Dakota State University, 2003.

Deputy Operations Director  Farooq Salahuddin

(Feb. 2012)  Came to the campaign from Zurich Financial Services/Zurich North America where he worked in various positions including operations analyst, team lead and premium coder.  Bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University 2011.

IT Director  Patricia Green

(July 2012)  IT business analyst/help desk analyst at Lux Enterprises, LLC, Oct. 2010-June 2012.  M.A. in conflict studies and dispute resolution (2009) and B.S. in international business, marketing, French (2006) from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.


"nearly 800 full-time staff and a $50 million budget."




Florida Democratic Party   +

Chairman  Rod Smith

(elected Jan. 8, 2011)  Partner at the Gainesville firm of Avera and Smith.  Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010.  Candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2006.  Elected to the State Senate in 2000.  Elected State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit in 1992 and served to 2000.  Worked for nearly 20 years as a labor lawyer.  J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law, 1975; B.A. from University of Tulsa.  Raised on a family farm in South Florida.

Executive Director  Scott Arceneaux

(announced July 20, 2009)  President of Arceneaux Consulting since Jan. 2008.  Worked on Creigh Deeds' successful primary campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Virginia, June 2009.  National political director on Sen. Chris Dodd's presidential campaign, 2007-Jan. 2008.  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, 1997-2001.  Law degree from Tulane Law School, 1995; bachelor's degree in history from Washington and Lee University, 1992.