Obama 2012 General Election Campaign Organization, Virginia
Obama for America/Organizing for America  |  408 E. Main St.  |  Richmond, VA  23219
VIRGINIA  |  Obama Main Page

(page revised April 24, 2013)
...for additions, corrections and other changes contact

facebook  |  twitter  |  state page  
see also: Nov. 4 OFA VA memo "The Ground Game in Virginia" [PDF]


Senior Advisor  Dan Kanninen

Initially Northeast regional director on the campaign.  White House Liaison to the EPA.  Legislative director to Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin from Dec. 2008.  Wisconsin state director of Obama for America in the general election; during the primaries Kanninen took leave from his position as chief of staff to Sen. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar) to work on the campaign in WI, OH (early vote lead) and NC (deputy political director and GOTV political director).  Almost a decade of experience in the Wisconsin State Capitol.  Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Grew up in Superior, WI.

State Director  Lise Clavel

(reported Oct. 10, 2011)  Deputy director of the FOX campaign at Media Matters, Feb.-Aug. 2011.  Congressman Tom Perriello (VA-5)'s chief of staff, Jan. 2009-Jan. 2011, and campaign manager of the Perriello for Congress campaigns in 2008 and 2010.  Producer at Scholastic, June 2006-Jan. 2008.  B.A. in English from Yale University, 2002.  twitter

General Election Director  Grant Lahmann

(Feb. 2012)  Campaign manager at Yes on WA Initiative 1163, May-Dec. 2011.  Campaign manager on Danny Heck for Congress in Washington's 3rd CD, 2010.  Legislative aide to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, 2009-10.  Regional field director in King County on Barack Obama's Campaign for Change and earlier field organizer and regional field director in five states on Obama for America, 2007-08.  Briefly staff assistant to Congressman Brian Baird.  Field organizer for the Washington State Democratic Coordinated Campaign, latter part of 2006.  B.A. in international  affairs from Mary Washington College, 2006.  twitter

Communications

Communications Director  Jennifer Kohl

(Feb. 2012)  Communications advisor to the Office of the Commissioner at the FDA, March 2011-Feb. 2012.  Press secretary at the House Armed Services Committee, Sept. 2009-Jan. 2011.  Press secretary to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD), 2007-09.  Account representative at MSHC Partners, Fall 2006.  Regional communications director at Communities United to Strengthen America, mid-2006.  Campaign manager on Thom Jackson for Assembly, Fall 2005.  twitter

Press Secretary  Marianne von Nordeck

(April 2011)  A political and legislative coordinator/healthcare organizer for AFSCME.  Field director on Sonia Chang-Diaz for State Senate campaign in Mass. in 2008, defeating an incumbent.  Researcher for Mass Alliance, 2008.  Concert cellist.  M.M. in cello performance from Boston University, 2004.  twitter

Western Virginia Regional Press Secretary  Dan Crawford

(started Feb. 2012 as Northern Virginia regional press secretary through mid-July 2012)  Spokesman at the Small Business Administration, Nov. 2009-Jan. 2012.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign in a total of nine states, starting in New Hampshire and finishing as deputy field director in Indiana in the Fall.  B.A. degree in government from Cornell, 2007.  Virginia native.  twitter

Northern Virginia Regional Press Secretary  Caroline Behringer

(from July 16, 2012)  Previously a media specialist at the World Wildlife Fund from Nov. 2010.  Global health account assistant at GMMB, March-Nov. 2010.  Media associate at Population Action International, 2008-10.  B.A. in international studies, Spanish language from American University, 2008.  twitter

Hampton Roads Regional Press Secretary  Ryan Daniels

(Sept. 2012)  A deputy press secretary for the Democratic National Convention Committee in Charlotte, April-Sept. 2012.  Senior account executive at Edelman Public Relations on the Energy and Transportation team, June 2010-April 2012.  Press assistant for U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, 2008-10.  Degree in communication, media from North Carolina State University, 2007.  From Gaithersburg, MD.

Director of Rapid Response  Joanne Peters

(Sept. 2012)  Press secretary at the Democratic National Convention Committee from July 2011.  Regional press secretary at the DNC in the 2010 cycle, started May 2009.  Press secretary to Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC), 2005-April 2009.  Deputy director of surrogate booking at the DNC in Fall 2008. Press secretary/legislative assistant to Rep. Joe Baca (CA), 2004-05.  B.A. in journalism and mass communication, political science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003.

Senior Communications Advisor  Clark Pettig

(July 2012)  Previously communications director (Jan.-July 2012) and press secretary (Sept.-Dec. 2011) at OFA-Michigan.  Communications director to Congressman Gary Peters (MI), Jan.-Sept. 2011; and communications director to Congressman Glenn Nye (VA), 2009-10; press secretary to Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH), 2007-08; and intern and press secretary at the House Rules Committee in 2007.  M.A. in mass communication from University of Florida, 2005.  B.A. in history from Hamilton College, 2003.

Digital

Digital Director  Jonathan Marrero

Veteran; Marrero joined the Air Force out of high school and deployed to Iraq in 2004.  Grew up in New Jersey.  twitter

Deputy Digital Director  Han Nguyen

(Jan. 2012)  AmeriCorps VISTA marketing coordinator at the St. Bernard Project, 2009-11.  B.S. in chemistry from Juniata College, 2007.

Digital Organizer  Alessandra Stevens

(June 2012; started as a digital organizing and constituency content intern in Chicago, Jan.-June 2012)  B.A. in political science and human rights from The University of Chicago, 2011.

Field

Field Director  Ashley Baia

Came to the campaign from position as associate director of the Office of Public Engagement at the White House.  Worked on special projects in the Office of Global Operations at the Peace Corps.  Joined the Obama campaign in June 2007; started as a field organizer in South Carolina, continued on to Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and finished as a regional field director in Virginia.  Graduate of the University of South Florida.  Originally from Venice, FL.  twitter

Deputy Field Director  Brian Gill

(Nov. 2011)  Special assistant in legislative affairs at the Department of Defense, 2010-11.  Legislative assistant at the Office of Management and Budget, 2009-10.  Field staffer on the Obama campaign Feb.-Nov. 2008, then worked as a special assistant on the transtion.  B.A. in economics from University of Colorado at Boulder.  twitter

Deputy Field Director  Beth B. Foster

Graduate of Hamilton College.  Charlottesville, VA native.  twitter

Deputy Field Director  Tracy Del Bianco

(Aug. 2012)  Deputy director of media tracking at the DNC, Aug. 2011-Aug. 2012.  A regional field director on the Perriello for Congress campaign, May-Nov. 2010.  Field organizer on Obama for America in York, PA, June-Nov. 2008.  B.A. in political science and government from Boston University, 2010.

Deputy Field Director  Aaron Kutnick

(Sept. 2012)  Deputy director of media tracking at the DNC, Aug. 2011-Sept. 2012.  A regional field director on the Perriello for Congress campaign, May-Nov. 2010.  Field assistant at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, 2009.  Organizing Fellow and field organizer on Obama's 2008 campaign in Colorado, June-Nov. 2008.  Undergraduate degree in political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007.  From the Upper West side in New York.

Border States Director  Betsy Loikow

(July 2012)  Legislative affairs/webmaster for the National Dance Education Organization in Silver Spring, MDf and is a ounding member of the Glade Dance Collective.  Served as DC out of state volunteer director Obama’s 2008 Campaign for Change in Arlington, VA.  B.A. in political science and film from Vassar College, 2008.

Training Director  Kristen Dore

Training director at the New Organizing Institute, 2010-12.  Assistant to the director at the DNC, 2008-09.  Assistant to the director of volunteer programs on the 2009 PIC.  Organizer on Obama's 2008 campaign from Dec. 2007; worked in seven states.  B.S. in communication and media studies from San Diego State University-California State University, 2007.

60 Field Offices

Data

Data Director  Carter Kalchik

(Sept. 2011)  Technology director at the Colorado Democratic Party, 2011.  Voter file manager at the Ohio Democratic Party, 2009-10.  B.A. in philosophy and political science from The George Washington University, 2009.  twitter

Deputy Data Director  Luke Riley

(Feb. 2012)  Deputy field director on Shawn Mitchell for State Senate, Fall 2011.  Field organizer on John Boccieri for Congress, Fall 2010.  Field organizer/intern coordinator for the Kentucky Democratic Party, Fall 2008.  B.A. in political science from LaGrange College.

Deputy Data Director  Reed Shaw

(June 2012)  2012 graduate of Monticello High School in Charlottesville.  Special assistant on the Perriello for Congress campaign, Jan.-Nov. 2010.

Political

Political Director  Don Mark

(Jan. 2012)  Political director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, 2008-11.  Legislative aide to Del. Bob Hull, for four months in 2007-08.  Deputy field director on the Democratic Party of Virginia Coordinated Campaign, June-Dec. 2007.  B.A. degree in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University.  twitter

Deputy Political Director  Jamie Lockhart

(Feb. 2012)  Managed Pamela Danner’s campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 34th District, April-Nov. 2011.  Legislative assistant May 2010-March 2011) and director of e-communications (Aug. 2008-May 2010) for Rep. Diane DeGette (CO); also interned for DeGette, Aug.-Dec. 2007.  B.A. in political science, political communication, nonprofit studies from James Madison University, 2008.  Grew up in Midlothian, VA.

Deputy Political Director (Hampton Roads)  Daria Dawson

(May 2012)  Field rep. for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees/AFSCME from Nov. 2010; political action and legislative action coordinator at AFSCME, April-Nov. 2010.  Legislative associate at ACLU of Florida, 2009-10.  Senior legislative assistant/legislative counsel in the U.S. House, 2006-09.  A regional field director on the Maryland Coordinated Campaign, Fall 2006.  Legislative analyst in the Florida State Senate, 2004-06.  J.D. from University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law, 2004;  B.S. in history education from Florida A&M University, 2001.

Deputy Political Director (Western Virginia)  Isaac Sarver

(July 2012)  President of Virginia Young Democrats from March 2011.  Campaign experience includes field director on Carole Pratt for Delegate, summer 2009; deputy political director for Southwest Virginia at the DNC, Fall 2008; and communications director and campaign manager on Bill Thomas for Delegate, Fall 2007  B.A. in political science and government from The College of William and Mary, 2012.

Policy/Research

Policy and Research Director  Ericke Cage

Legislative counsel to U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello (VA-05), 2009-11.  Legislative fellow at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008.  Congressional Black Caucus Foundation fellow, Office of U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (MN 05), 2007-08.  High school government teacher, Halifax County Public Schools, 2002-04.  B.A. in political science and leadership from Virginia Tech, 2002; J.D. from Rutgers, 2007; LL.M. from The George Washington University, 2008.  Also, graduate of the Political Leaders Program, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, 2010, and of Air Command and Staff College, 2010.  Virginia native.  twitter

Operation Vote

Operation Vote Director  Alissa Ko

(from Aug. 2012)  Western regional Operation Vote Director/National AAPI Vote director at Obama for America from March 2012.  Deputy PAC director at Consumer Attorneys of California, 2010-12.  President of California Young Democrats, 2009-11.  Political/community organizer for SEIU Local 1000, 2008-Jan. 2010.  PAC/development coordinator at Consumer Attorneys of California, 2005-08.  B.A. in business economics from UCLA.

Veterans Outreach Director/Operation Vote Director  Bishop Garrison

(March 2012)  Consultant at Deloitte in Rosslyn, 2010-12.  J.D. from The College of William and Mary's Marshall Wythe Law School, 2010.  Officer in the U.S. Army, 2002-07, including two tours in Iraq.  B.S. in pre-law from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 2002.  twitter

African American Vote Director  Michael B. Jones

(Feb. 2012)  Previously outreach coordinator for U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (CT), mid-2011-Feb. 2012.  Ward 1 alderman in the City of New Haven, 2010-11.  B.A. in political science from Yale University, 2011.  From Winston-Salem, NC.  twitter

Youth and Women Vote Director  Rachel Klarman

(Jan. 2012)  Lead field organizer for southern counties on Tom Perriello's 2008 campaign for Congress, May-Nov. 2010.  Bachelor's degree from University of Virginia, 2011.  twitter  (+)

Latino Vote Director  Melody Gonzales

(mid-May 2012) Director of Member outreach for Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA) since Feb. 2009; started working for Becerra as a legislative assistant in mid-2006.  In close of 2010 campaign Gonzales served as AZ-07 GOTV director for the Arizona Democratic Party/DCCC, and in the close of the 2008 campaign she was Latino Vote canvases team director for Obama's Campaign for Change in Greeley, CO.  General manager of the Cula Vista convention & Visitors Bureau, 2002-04 and news writer/assistant producer at KNSD NBC, 2002-04.  M.P.P from Georgetown University, 2006; bachelor's degree in communication studies from UC San Diego, 2002.  twitter

AAPI Vote Director  Theodora Chang

(July 2012)  Education policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, Feb. 2011-July 2012.  Education program specialist at the U.S. Department of Education, 2010-11.  Capital gains program manager (2009-10) and associate (2008-09) at District of Columbia Public Schools.  M.Ed. in international education policy from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, 2008; B.A. in human bio and international relations from Stanford University, 2007.

IT

IT Director  Patrick Murphy

(May 2012)  Policy analyst at the Wisconsin Department of Administration, 2009-11.  Wisconsin IT director for the Obama campaign in Fall 2008.  Assistant appointments director in the Office of Gov. Jim Doyle, 2006-08.  Field organizer (Dane County) for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Fall 2006.  Staff assistant in the Office of Gov. Jim Doyle, 2003-06.  B.S. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005; worked as a student network administrator.

GOTV

GOTV Director  Sarah El-Amine

(Aug. 2012; came headquarters in Chicago where she served as national director of training starting June 2011)  Director (Jan.-June 2011) and deputy director (March 2010-Jan. 2011) of organizational development at the DNC.  Arizona state field director for the DNC/Organizing for America, March 2009-March 2010.  Started on Obama's campaign in Sept. 2007 as a field organizer in the Iowa caucuses and continued to Idaho, Texas, Mississippi, Indiana and Colorado, finally serving as a regional field director in Virginia in the general election campaign.  B.A. in diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College, 2007.  Lebanese-American; grew up in Duxbury, MA.

Deputy GOTV Director  Mindy Burrell

Worked thirteen years leading various Catholic Relief Services' humanitarian aid and democratization programs in the Balkans and the Middle East, including five years as country director in Lebanon.  Graduate of Amherst College, 1991.

Voter Protection

Voter Protection Director  Ridge Schuyler

District director to Rep. Tom Perriello.  Director of the Piedmont Program of the Nature Conservancy.  Legislative director to Sen. Charles Robb.  Chief of staff to Rep. Rick Boucher.  J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law, 1987.  Charlottesville native.

OPERATIONS

human resources, information technology, office and vendor management, literature design, volunteer resource allocation and budget management:  more than 12 million dollars and nearly 400 employees.
Director of Operations  Marie Prentice

(Dec. 2011)  Graduate student at the University of Akron and advance associate for the White House.  Served as a deputy field organizer and did advance work on Obama's 2008 campaign.  M.A. in political science/campaign management from the University of Akron, 2009; B.A. in political science, communication, public admin/policy from SUNY Albany, 2007.

Deputy Operations Director  Theresa Becchi

(March 2012)  Special assistant in the Office of Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman from Jan. 2011.  Political assistant on Dan Malloy for Connecticut, Fall 2010.  B.A. from College of the Holy Cross, 2010.  twitter

Deputy Operations Director for Border States  Melissa Hanley

(Sept. 2012)  Media logistics manager (May-Sept. 2012) and assistant to the director of media logistics (Oct. 2011-May 2012) at Charlotte in 2012.  B.A. in political science, history from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2011.



Women for Obama
(launched April 30, 2012 at the OFA Falls Church office)
Chair 
Anne Holton, former First Lady of Virginia (wife of former Gov. Time Kaine)
Co-Chairs 
Lisa Collis, former First Lady of Virginia (wife of Sen. Mark Warner)
Jean Cunningham, former chair of the State Board of Elections (appointed by Gov. Kaine in 2007) and former state rep. (represented the Richmond area in the House of Delegates from 1986-97).


Veterans and Military Families for Obama

(announced May 17, 2012)



     Democratic Party of Virginia  |  1710 East Franklin Street  |  Richmond, VA 23223  +

Chairman  Brian Moran

(elected Dec. 4, 2010)  Also executive vice president for government relations and general counsel at the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities.  Candidate for governor, finishing third in the June 9, 2009 Democratic primary.  Elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1995, served seven years as Chairman of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus; resigned from the House in Dec. 2008 to campaign for governor.  While in the legislature owned and operated a 12-person litigation law firm in Northern Virginia.  Served as a county prosecutor in Arlington, VA.  J.D. from Catholic University; B.A. from Framingham State University.

Executive Director  Dave Mills

(announced March 8, 2010)  Mills had been serving as the party's finance director.  Finance director on Brian Moran's 2009 campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, then worked on Creigh Deeds' campaign. Western regional finance director for Tim Kaine's 2005 campaign for governor; then served on the Kaine Inaugural Committee. Worked to pass Mark Warner's 2004 historic investment in Virginia schools. Mills has also managed a campaign for Congress in Charlottesville and a race for House of Delegates in Hampton Roads.

and

 VA Victory 2012

Director  Kéren Charles Dongo

(Jan. 2012)  Deputy field director at the ONE Campaign, Aug. 2009-Dec. 2011.  Political director on Terry McAuliffe's campaign for governor.  Outreach and political director of the 2008 Democratic Coordinated Camapign.  Communications and policy director at Tenants and Workers United, 2007-08.  An adviser to U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (VA).  M.A. in government from Regent University's Robertson School of Government; B.A. in political science from University of Michigan, 2001.  press release