Obama 2012 General Election Campaign Organization, Michigan
Obama for America/Organizing for America  
MICHIGAN  |  Obama Main Page

(page revised April 11, 2013)
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Senior Advisor  Amy Chapman

(early May 2012)  Founder (2007) and CEO of ISSI, a data management, modeling, polling and analytics, and strategic consulting firm.  Michigan state director on Obama's 2008 general election campaign.  Executive director of Grassroots Democrats, an independent non-profit 527 political organization dedicated to strengthening the infrastructure and financial resources of state Democratic parties.  Managed the Michigan Democratic coordinated campaign in 2002.  Midwest political director for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), 2002.  Led the DNC's state legislative redistricting project in 2001.  Campaign director for the AFL-CIO from 1997-2001.  Managed the Michigan Democratic coordinated campaign in 1996.  Managed Ron Wyden's successful 1995 special election campaign for U.S. Senate in Oregon.  Managed Kitzhaber for Governor of Oregon in 1994.  Executive director of College Democrats of America, 1993-94.  Oregon state director for Clinton/Gore in 1992.  Political field director SEIU, 1983-91, and during that time also served as a staffer on Dukakis for President, 1988; Western field director on Bob Casey for Governor, 1986; deputy field director and assistant to the political director on Cranston for President, 1983-84.  Worked on Frank Lautenberg's 1982 campaign for U.S. Senate.  Field staff on Gene Maguire for Congress in New Jersey, 1980.  B.A. in politics and journalism from New York University, 1983.  New Jersey native.

State Director  Lavora Barnes

(early May 2012)  Communications manager for public policy and social mission at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.  Communications director for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus, starting 2007.  Worked a regional desk in the Office of Media Affairs at the White House.  Virginia press secretary on the Clinton-Gore '92 campaign.  Legislative affairs associate for the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.  Field director on the Saslaw for Lieutenant Governor campaign in Virginia, 1989 (lost in the primary to Don Beyer).  B.A. from The College of William and Mary, 1987.

Communications

Press Secretary  Matt McGrath

(Feb. 2012)  Previously communications director for the Kentucky Democratic Party, from Aug. 2011.  Communications director on Dan Hynes' campaign for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Illinois and earlier worked on Alexi Giannoulia's 2010 U.S. Senate camapign.  Worked on Obama's campaign in Ohio in Fall 2008.  Trip director on John Edwards' 2007-08 Iowa caucus campaign.  Directed South Carolina Democrats' Coordinated Campaign in 2006; earlier worked Paul Hodes in New Hampshire, helping to set up his successful campaign for Congress. In 2005, McGrath served as the Kentucky state director for Americans United to Protect Social Security.  Regional field director for Anchorage for Tony Knowles' U.S. Senate race in 2004.  Organized parts of Southeastern Iowa for Edwards in 2003-04, and then continued with the campaign in Tennessee and Ohio.  twitter

Deputy Press Secretary  Jermaine House

(March 2012)  Associate producer, campaign media at MJT, Jan. 2011-Feb. 2012.  Staff assistant to Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, mid-2009-Jan. 2011.  B.A. in English language and literature/letters from Morehouse College, 2012.

DIGITAL

Digital Director  Sara Cederberg

(Nov. 2011)  Community engagement manager for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, 2009-11.  Legislative organizer for the Prometheus Radio Project, 2007-08.  B.A. from Bryn Mawr College, 2007.  twitter

FIELD

Field Director  Erin McCann

Missouri field director at Organizing for America; worked on Obama's 2008 campaign starting as a field organizer in Council Bluffs on the Iowa caucus campaign and serving as a regional field director in Missouri in the general election.  Graduate of the The George Washington University, 2002.  twitter

Deputy Field Director/Training Director  Laura Warbelow

(training director from Jan. 2012; DFD from Aug. 2012)  Previously a regional field director with Organizing for America-DNC from May 2011.  Degree in social relations and policy from Michigan State University, 2009.

Regional Field Directors (6)
Tia Nearmyer

(Feb. 2012)  Deputy field director/canvass director on Tom Henry for Mayor (of Fort Wayne, IN), June-Nov. 2011.  Field organizer for the Iowa Democratic Party, July-Nov. 2010.  Staff assistant/legislative correspondent in Congress, 2007-09.  B.A. in political science and journalism from Simpson College, 2007.

28 Field Offices
see below

Data

Data Director  Bernard Bergmann

Previously served as deputy executive director of the Maricopa County Democratic Party in Arizona.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign in Michigan.

Political


Deputy Political Director  Christina Kuo

(July 2012)  Senior director of public policy and public affairs at the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Aug. 2011-July 2012.  Executive director for Michigan at Common Cause, 2010-11.  Legislative director to MI State Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton, 2009-11.  Self-employed campaign consultant, 2007-10.  Program manager at the Center for Progressive Leadership, 2007-09.  Deputy communications director at America Votes, July-Nov. 2006.  Community organizer at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan, 2004-06.  Organizer at MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan, 2002-04.  J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 2009; B.A. in political science and women's studies from University of Michigan, 2003.

OPERATION VOTE

Operation Vote Director  Garrett Arwa

Michigan state director for Organizing for America from March 2010; state field director for Organizing for America from April 2009.  Worked various positions on Obama's 2008 campaign starting in Sept. 2007.  M.A. in political science from UNH, 2008; B.A. in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University, 2003.  His father is from Tanzania and his mother was born in Guam.

Youth Vote Director  Tiffany Worthy

(Feb. 2012)  English teacher for KIPP DC, July 2011-Feb. 2012.  English teacher at Spingarn Senior High (Teach for America) Aug. 2009-June 2011.  Field organizer on Obama's campaign in Kalamazoo, MI, July-Nov. 2008.  Interned in Sen. Obama's office, Jan.-April 2008.  M.A. in secondary education and teaching from American University, 2011; B.A. in interdisciplinary studies in social science, 2008.  twitter

African American/Faith Vote Director  Brandon Jessup

(April 2012)  Chairman of Michigan Forward since May 2008.  Did contract work on data systems including for the City of Detroit and the Detroit Workforce Development Department.  Community organizer at One United Michigan Campaign (the effort to defeat Proposal 2, anti-affirmative action initiative), 2005-06.  Advanced design technology associate at Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., June 2001-Jan. 2005.  Degree in computer information systems and labor studies from Eastern Michigan University, 2005.  Detroit resident.

OPERATIONs

Operations Director  Lenora Hanks

(Dec. 2011)  Associate at the Dewey Square Group, May-Nov. 2011.  Operations coordinator (June 2010-March 2011) and executive assistant to the CEO (Feb. 2009-June 2010) at Benenson Strategy Group.  Field assistant on Obama's Campaign for Change, June-Nov. 2008.  Degree in political science, French from University of Michigan, 2008.



Offices (28)
Alpena - 2205 US 23 S, Suite 126, Alpena

Ann Arbor - 455 E. Eisenhower Pkwy, Suite 65, Ann Arbor
                   - 325 Braun Court, Ann Arbor

Battle Creek - 596 W. Columbia, Battle Creek

Benton Harbor - 209 E. Main St., Benton Harbor

Brownstown - 18708 Telegraph Rd., Brownstown

Dearborn - 13742 Michigan Ave., Dearborn

Detroit - 2727 Second Ave., Suite 200, Detroit
            - 20225 Livernois Ave., Detroit
            - 2810 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit

Flint - 4400 S. Saginaw, Suite 1370, Flint

Grand Rapids - 345 Fuller Ave., NE, Suite 1, Grand Rapids

Grosse Pointe Park - 14929-14931 Charlevoix, Grosse Pointe Park

Jackson - 500 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 1, Jackson

Lansing - 2722 E. Michigan Ave., Ste. 103, Lansing

Kalamazoo - 3244 S. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo

Marquette - 832 W. Washington St., Marquette

Mt. Pleasant - 122 North Kinney St., Mt. Pleasant

Muskegon - 490 W. Western Ave., Muskegon, MI

Pontiac - 4 North Saginaw, Pontiac

Royal Oak - 811 N. Main St., Royal Oak

Saginaw - 122 North Michigan Ave., Saginaw

Southfield - 29207 Southfield Rd., Southfield

Sterling Heights - 37378 Van Dyke Ave., Sterling Heights

Traverse City - 703 Rose St., Traverse City

Warren - 8322 E. 12 Mile, Warren

Wyandotte - 3509 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte

Ypsilanti - 61 N. Huron, Ypsilanti


former
Communications Director  Clark Pettig

(from Jan. 2012 to July 2012 then to the campaign in Virginia; started Sept. 2011 as press secretary)  Prior to joining the campaign, Pettig worked in various positions on Capitol Hill, most recently 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.  twitter



Michigan Democratic Party     +
Chairman  Mark Brewer

(elected Feb. 1995; is the longest serving Michigan Democratic Chair since the 1950's and is the senior Democratic state party chair in the country)   Attorney at Sachs, Waldman, O’Hare, Helveston, Hodges and Barnes, PC from 1983 until he started as MDP chairman.   Worked for two years for federal and state courts.  J.D. from Stanford University Law School, 1981; A.B. from Harvard College, 1977.

Sylvia Perkins

Worked for the State House of Representatives for 22 years before joining the state party staff in 1993.