Obama 2012
General Election Campaign Organization, Iowa
Obama for America/Organizing for America | 2932 Ingersoll Ave. | Des
Moines
IOWA | Obama Main Page
(page
updated Feb. 12, 2013)
...for
additions,
corrections
and
other
changes
contact
facebook | twitter | state page
see also: OFA IA Oct. 23 memo on early voting
State Director Brad Anderson
(announced Jan. 18, 2012) A partner at Link
Strategies, a Des Moines-based political consulting firm from May 2008.
Iowa communications director for Obama for America in the Fall 2008
campaign. Communications director to then-Secretary of State Chet
Culver's campaign for
Governor and continued as Gov. Culver's communications director, Aug.
2006-May 2008. Worked for LinkStrategies, the Des Moines-based
political consulting
firm. Policy
director on John Edwards' 2003-04 Iowa
caucus campaign. Research director for Sen. Tom Harkin's 2002
re-election
campaign.
Senior research associate at the DNC during the 2000 presidential
election.
Researcher on Edwards' 1998 Senate campaign. Graduate of North
Carolina
State University with a degree in political science/criminal
justice. twitter
General Election Director Derek Eadon
Through Jan. 3, 2012 served as OFA's Iowa caucus
director. Eadon directed Iowa Democrats' 2010 Coordinated
Campaign. Iowa state director for
Organizing for America in 2009. In the 2007-08 cycle he was the
first
field organizer hired in Iowa for Obama's campaign, and continued on
the campaign through Nov. 2008. In 2006 he was a field
organizer for the Iowa Democrats' Coordinated Campaign in the Cedar
Rapids area.
Attended the University of Iowa. Originally from Elmhurst,
Ill. twitter
Communications
Communications
Director
Erin
Seidler
(Feb. 2012) Principal at Midwest Advocacy Group,
LLC in
Des Moines from June 2010. Communications director to Gov. Chet
Culver.
Public information officer for the Iowa Department of Economic
Development, 2008-09.
Communications director on Becky Greenwald for Congress (Iowa's 4th CD
in 2008). Account executive at Lincoln Strategies Group,
2007-08. Press secretary for the Iowa Democratic Party,
2005-07. In
the 2004 cycle worked as press advance/press assistant on Howard Dean's
presidential campaign then
as deputy press secretary on the Brad Carson for Senate campaign.
M.P.A. in health care policy from Drake University, 2011; B.A. in
public
relations from Drake University, 2004. twitter
Press Secretary Elizabeth Purchia
(April 2012) Deputy press secretary (April
2011-March 2012),
press assistant (April 2010-April 2011) and confidential assistant
(March 2009-April 2010) at the USDA. Field organizer on Obama's
Campaign for Change in Iowa, June-Nov. 2008. Account executive
and earlier assistant account executive at Hill & Knowlton,
2006-08. Intern at Edelman Public Relations, 2006. Graduate
of Hamilton College, 2006. twitter
Regional Press Secretary Colby Nelson
(Sept. 2012) Aide to Congresswoman Kathy Hochul,
2011-12.
Account manager at DCS Strategies, mid-2011. Press assistant in
the office of Congressman Steve Driehaus, 2009-11. B.A. in
history, American studies from Allegheny College, 2009.
Deputy Press Secretary Stephanie Palla
(July 2012) Staff writer (Jan. 2011-July 2012)
and associate
writer/executive assistant (April 2010-Jan. 2011) at National
Journal. B.A. degree from Boston University, 2009.
Digital
Digital
Director Trent Schacht
(started as digital director Aug. 2011) Central
Iowa regional field director for
Organizing
for America. Field organizer in Waukee in Fall 2008 on the
Campaign for Change. B.A. in communication studies from Iowa
State University, 2008.
Graduate
of Valley High School in West Des Moines, 2003. twitter
Deputy Digital Director Kelly Klein
Deputy Digital Director Erin Wagner
(July 2012) Cocktail waitress and bartender at
Pepper's Grill and
Sports Pub in Cedar Falls, June 2009-July 2012. A field organizer
on the Obama campaign in the Cedar Rapids area in Fall 2008 and
interned for the PIC in Washington, DC. B.A. in
electronic media and political science from University of Northern
Iowa, 2011.
Field
Field
Director
Meagan Gardner
(from July 2012, after serving as a national regional
field director in Chicago from June 2011) A national regional
director at Organizing for America-DNC, 2010-11; WV state director for
Organizing for America, 2009-10. In
Fall 2008 Gardner served as a regional field director on Obama's
Campaign
for Change in Ohio. B.A. in political science from Trinity
University in San Antonio, TX, 2006.
Deputy Field Director (Southeast) John
Moore
(March 2012) Stores clerk at Mesaba Airlines in
Minneapolis, 2011-12. Deputy field director for the Senate DFL
Caucus, 2010. North Dakota state director for Organizing for
America, 2009-10. A regional recount director at Al Franken for
Senate. A regional field director in the 3rd and 7th CDs on the
Minnesota Campaign for Change, Fall 2008. Field organizer in the
3rd CD for the DFL Coordinated Campaign, 2006. B.A. in political
science and government from University of Minnesota, 2007. twitter
Deputy Field Director (Northeast) Matt
Beltrami
Regional field director at Organizing for America-Iowa
starting July 2009. Volunteer intern on Obama's 2007-08 Iowa
caucus campaign. B.A. in philosophy and sociology from Coe
College in Cedar Rapids, 2009. twitter
Deputy Field Director (DSM, Central and
Western) Tony Woods
Deputy Field Director (Border States) Sarah Kerr
(Aug. 2012-volunteers from IL, KS, NE, ND and
SD) An intern (Feb.-March 2012) then projects manager (starting
April 2012) for the Obama for America Midwest regional team in
Chicago. B.A. in political science and international development
studies from McGill University, 2011.
Training Director Kevin Geiken
Field director during the caucus period. In 2009 Geiken started as deputy field director of Organizing for America. Graduate in liberal studies/performing arts from Iowa State University, 2005. twitter
DATA
Data Director Micah Honeycutt
(July 2012) Information and technology director
at the Iowa Democratic Party starting in 2009. Midwest data lead
for Obama's 2008 campaign, and earlier a data manager for the Clinton
campaign.
Deputy Data Director Kyle Doran
(July 2012) TEFL volunteer for tue U.S. Peace
Corps in Vaghashen,
Armenia, 2009-11. Field organizer on Obama's Fall 2008 campaign
in Alaska and Ohio. M.P.A. from Syracuse University, 2012; B.A.
in government and law, English from Lafayette College, 2008.
POLITICAL
Political Director Troy Price
(Feb. 2012) Left position as executive director at One
Iowa to join the campaign; started at One Iowa in June 2010 as
political
director. Senior communication specialist and interim
communications director to Gov. Chet Culver. Communication
assistant in the Vilsack/Pederson administration. Worked at the
Iowa Department of Public Health and Economic Development. Staff
of Gov. Tom Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson and worked on therir
re-election campaign. Degree in political science from University
of Iowa. From
Durant (Eastern Iowa). twitter
Deputy Political Director Jordan Oster
Came to the campaign from Midwest Advocacy
Group. Bachelor's
degrees in politics and history from Drake University; while a student
was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention; served as
president of Drake University Democrats.
Research and Policy
Policy Director Irene Lin
Previously legislative assistant to Rep. Betty McCollum from Feb. 2010. Communications director for Linda Stender for Congress, 2008. Research and policy director for Claire McCaskill for Senate, 2006. Policy director for the National Family Farm Coalition. Volunteered for a year as a reporter and trade policy research assistant in Harare, Zimbabwe. Master's degree in public policy from Johns Hopkins University; B.A. in American studies from Amherst College.
Operation Vote
Operation Vote Director Liz Wing
(April 2012) Taking leave from part-time
pursuit of an M.B.A. at American University's Kogood School.
Executive director at No Limits Foundation from March 2009. Field
organizer on the Hillary Clinton for President campaign working in
eight states (started as a field organizer in Iowa City),
2007-08. Production coordinator at the National Organization for
Women, 2005-07. Bachelor's degree from Ohio University,
2005. twitter
Women Vote Director Lena F. Bell
Youth Vote Director Caitlin Ross
Previously executive
assistant/administrative assistant at Project New America from
Sept. 2011. Helped lead the Youth Vote effort in Iowa for Obama
in the 2008 general election campaign. twitter
African American Vote Director Deidre
DeJear
(July 2012; initially a field organizer from
April-July 2012)
Youth and children's ministry director at Elim Christian Fellowship
from Sept. 2011. Assistant girls basketball coach in Des Moines
Public Schools, 2008-12. Marketing assistant at Bankers Trust,
2006-11. B.A. and B.A.J. from Drake University, 2008.
Latino Vote Director Jeanette Acosta
Consultant to the Office of Migrant Education at the
U.S. Department of
Education, from Sept. 2011. Fulbright research scholar at the
Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, 2009-10. As an AmericCorps
VISTA fellow directed the Cesar Chavez Foundation's Sí, Se
Puede! Learning Center, 2008-09. M.P.P. from Harvard University's
Kennedy School of Government, 2012. B.A. degree from U.S.C.,
2008; Acosta interned on Antonio Villaraigosa's 2005 campaign for L.A.
Mayor and in the Mayor's office. twitter
"For All" Leadership Council (young
Iowans) (announced Sept. 20,
2012)
African Americans for Obama Council (announced
Sept. 9, 2012)
Iowa Latinos for Obama Líderes
Council (kickoff event July
22, 2012)
Veterans and Military Families for
Obama Steering Committee (announced
July 2, 2012)
Rural Iowans for Obama Steering
Committee (announced
June 13, 2012)
Women for Obama Steering Committee
(announced May 16, 2012; May 17
release)
GOTV
GOTV Director Zach Wineburg
Deputy political director at the Democratic Governors
Association,
2009-11. Campaign manager at Gabriel Giffords for Congress,
2008. Deputy field
director on John Edwards' 2007-08 Iowa
caucus campaign. Campaign manager on Albert Riederer for Mayor (Kansas
City, MO). Kansas City regional field director for the 2006
McCaskill for U.S. Senate campaign in Missouri. Assistant to the
political director at DSCC, 2004-05.
Field staffer on John Edwards for President, 2003-04; organized
northeastern Iowa for the caucus campaign and continued with the
campaign in Virginia and Georgia. M.P.A. from Harvard Kennedy
School of Government, 2012; B.A. in political science and government
from Mary Washington College, 2003. North
Carolina native.
Deputy GOTV Director Jill Shesol
Deputy director of party affairs and delegate
selection at the DNC from
July 2009-2012. Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign in the Fall;
staffer at Citizens for Harkin, March-July 2008; volunteer on John
Edwards for President, 2007-08. B.A. in politics from Drake
University, 2009.
?Syed Hassan
Voter Protection
Voter Protection Director Lee Fink
Litigation
associate
at
O'Melveny
&
Myers
in
Los
Angeles
for
seven
years,
then
left
in
June
2008
to
work
on
Obama's
2008
campaign,
starting
as
a
volunteer
in
Denver.
Candidate
for
Redondo
Beach
City
Council
in
2005.
Undergraduate
degree
from
UC
Berkeley; J.D. from New York
University School of Law. twitter
Operations
Operations
Director Greg Diamond
(mid-2012) Midwest regional operations director
at Obama for America, Nov. 2011-July 2012. Operations and
scheduling director on Kitzhaber 2010, 2009-10. Field
organizer/data tech at Oregonians for Health Security, 2008-09.
Assistant language teacher with Interac Co., Ltd. in Chiba Prefecture,
Japan, 2004-08. B.A. in political science from University of
Oregon, 2005.
Deputy Operations Director Brittany Brown
Deputy Operations Director Tashi Chogyal
(Sept. 2012) Scheduler at Darcy Burner for
Congress (WA), mid-2012. Legislative aide to State Sen. Maralyn
Chase in Olympia, WA. Field organizer at Suzanne Bonamici for
Congress (OR), Fall 2011. Fellow at the Institute for a
Democratic Future, Jan.-June 2011. Field organizer on Denny Heck
for Congress (WA), Fall 2010. Research intern for the Central
Tibetan Administration in India, July-Oct. 2009. Degree in
politics and government, international relations from University of
Puget Sound, 2009.
IT Director Jerold Paulson
(July 2012) New Hampshire IT director on the
Obama campaign, Fall
2008. High school math teacher in New York, 2005-07.
Various positions at AXA Equitable starting in 1985 as an actuarial
trainee and ultimately serving as technology architecture manager,
1999-2000. B.A., M.A. and M.S. degrees from City University of
New York.
Surrogate Director Jeremy Lewis
(July 2012) Director of resource development for Big
Brothers Big
Sisters of Central Iowa, Sept. 2010-May 2012. Director of
development at One Iowa, 2009-10. Membership manager (2008-09)
and development associate (2007-08) at the Center for Public
Integrity. Associate at Ashmead Group, 2006-07. M.P.A in
political and nonprofit management from The George Washington
University, 2008; B.A. in international business and entrepreneurship
from the University of Washington, 2005.
Headquarters on Ingersoll
Ave. in Des Moines |
Ames |
Mason
City
photos courtesy Mike
Dec, 4president.org |
former
Operations
Director Mary Breitenstein
Field
Director
Sarah
Duevel
In 2010 Duevel served as field director for the
DFL Senate caucus. In 2006 and 2008 she was 1st CD regional field
director for the Minnesota DFL. Native of Wilmar, MN.
Data Director Franny Sharpe
(Aug. 2011) Field organizer for CWA-Iowa.
Deputy field
director for the House
caucus campaign at the Iowa Democratic Party, 2010. A regional
director
at Repower America, 2009. Voter file assistant at the Arizona
Democratic Party, 2008. Graduate of Northern Arizona University,
2007.
Communications
Director
John
Kraus
Senior
advisor on Russ Feingold's unsuccessful 2010 re-election
campaign. In the 2004 cycle, Kraus worked as communications
director and spokesman for Feingold's re-election campaign after
serving as Wisconsin state director on John Edwards' presidential
primary campaign, 2003-04. Communications director for Attorney
General Jim Doyle's winning
campaign
for governor in 2002. Communications director on Elizabeth
Burmaster’s
2001 election to State Superintendent of Schools. Wisconsin press
secretary on Vice President
Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign and earlier executive director of
the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Campaign manager for Chief
Justice Shirley Abrahamson’s 1999 re-election to the Wisconsin Supreme
Court. Graduate of University of Wisconsin.
Iowa Democratic Party +
Chairman Sue Dvorsky
(named acting chair after Michael Kiernan stepped
down; elected June 27, 2010)
Retired
teacher;
taught special education in
Iowa City for 30 years, and a leader in the teacher's union
there. Longtime Democratic activist; co-chair of Johnson County
for Obama in 2007-08 and an early supporter; county coordinator on Tom
Vilsack’s campaign for governor in 1998. Husband is Senator Bob
Dvorsky. Coralville resident.
Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach
(announced Feb. 6, 2009) Political director and caucus director for the IDP during the 2008 cycle. Deputy campaign manager for Chet Culver's successful 2006 gubernatorial campaign, after running Patty Judge's campaign. In 2004 he served as caucus director for the American Association of Retired People (AARP). In 1999-2000 he served as the eastern Iowa field director on Bill Bradley’s campaign. Native of Cedar Rapids.