Obama General Election Campaign Organization, Virginia

Obama General Election Campaign Organization, Virginia
revised Nov. 21, 2009 disclaimer

Obama for America

State Director

Mitch Stewart

Stewart served as Obama's Iowa caucus director, then worked on the campaign in Nevada and Minnesota, as field director on the March 4 Texas campaign, and as state director on the May 6 Indiana primary campaign. Coordinated Campaign director in Minnesota during the 2006 midterm elections. Field director on Sen. Tom Daschle's 2004 re-election campaign. Eastern Iowa regional field director for Sen. John Edwards’ Iowa caucus campaign (announced May 2003). A regional field director for the Louisiana Democratic Party during Sen. Mary Landrieu's 2002 run-off campaign. A regional field director for the South Dakota Democratic Party during Sen. Tim Johnson's 2002 re-election campaign. Has also served as a research assistant and staff assistant in Johnson's Senate office.

Deputy State Director

Stacey Brayboy

(announced June 27, 2008) Obama's state director for the Jan. 26 South Carolina primary campaign and the Feb. 12 Virginia primary campaign. Twelve years of experience in various levels of government. Deputy director of the Virginia Council on Human Rights, appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine in Feb. 2006. State core director for Tim Kaine’s successful gubernatorial campaign and for the Virginia Coordinated Campaign in 2005. Midlands regional director on Wesley Clark's South Carolina primary campaign. Served on the staffs of Sens. Sam Nunn (D-GA) and Fritz Hollings (D-SC), Congressman Robin Tallon (D-SC) and Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC). Bachelor's degree from Francis Marion University in Florence, SC; M.P.A. from Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. Native of Manning, SC.

Assistant to State Leadership Louis O'Neill

Communications Director

Kevin Griffis

(announced June 27, 2008) Obama's communications director for the Jan. 26 South Carolina primary campaign and for the primary campaigns in Virginia, Mississippi, Indiana, and South Dakota. Previously served as communications director for Democratic nominee Jim Pederson in Arizona's 2006 U.S. Senate campaign. Directed communications for Virginia's Democratic coordinated campaign during Tim Kaine's successful gubernatorial run in 2005. Directed communications for the Democratic Party of Virginia. Nevada communications director for America Coming Together in 2004. Political reporter for Atlanta's independent newsweekly, Creative Loafing, 2000-03. B.A. in political science from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Press Secretary

Ashley Etienne

An associate at the Dewey Square Group in the strategic communications practice. Communications director for U.S. Rep. Al Green of Texas. In 2004, Etienne served as the DNCs Southern Region deputy field director; earlier in the campaign cycle, she was press secretary for Congressman Chris Bell's re-election campaign. From 2001 to 2004, she served as press secretary and legislative aide for U.S. Reps. Chris Bell and Ken Bentsen. Etienne began her career as a legislative aide at the state level in Texas, where she worked on the 2000 redistricting maps.

Press Assistant

Bobby Whithorne

2008 graduate of UCLA. Whithorne joined the campaign as a press aide during the Pennsylvania primary and subsequently worked in Indiana, Kentucky and Puerto Rico.

Tracker

Gregory Rosalsky

Political and Constituency Outreach Director

Michael McCauley

Started as deputy political director for the Jan. 26 South Carolina primary campaign and worked political on the primary campaigns in Virginia, Ohio, Mississippi and North Carolina. Regional field director for the SC Democratic coordinated campaign during Inez Tenenbaum's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign. Regional field director on John Kerry's 2004 South Carolina and Virginia primary campaigns. Lowcountry campaign coordinator for Steve Benjamin's 2002 campaign for SC Attorney General. President of Young Democrats of South Carolina, 2005-06. J.D. from the Charleston School of Law; B.A. in American Government from The Citadel.

Policy Director

Oscar T. Ramirez

(late July 2008) Taking a leave of absence from position as legislative director for Congressman Al Green (TX-9th CD); started with Green in Jan. 2005. Northeast Ohio regional field director on the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Fall 2004. Legislative director/counsel to Congressman Joe Baca (CA-43rd CD); started with Baca in early 2002 as a legislative assistant. Worked for the Mark Warner gubernatorial campaign in Virginia in 2001 through the DNC focusing on Hispanic outreach. J.D. from The George Washington University Law School plus M.A. in Latin American Studies from GW's Elliott School of International Affairs. B.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University.

New Media Director

Arusha Gordon

Legal assistant at the ACLU's Women's Rights Project starting in Aug. 2006. Worked in the office of Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT). B.A. in government and peace and justice studies from Wesleyan University, 2005.

More New Media: Adam Cooper

Virginia Campaign for Change

Director

Katie Ingebretson

(announced July 8, 2008) Waterloo regional field director for Obama's Iowa caucus campaign, then Austin regional field director on Obama's Texas primary campaign. Worked on Virginia Victory 2005, helping to elect Tim Kaine governor.

Field Director

Yohannes Abraham

(announced July 8, 2008) GOTV director on the Feb. 12 Virginia primary campaign; a Polk County field organizer on Obama's Iowa caucus campaign. Degree in political science from Yale, 2007. From Springfield, VA.

Deputy Field Director

Luke Hayes

(announced July 8, 2008) Experience includes field organizer on Obama's Nevada caucus campaign.

Regional Organization
75 offices around the state

Communications Director

Clark Stevens

Started on the campaign doing rapid response on Obama's NH primary campaign and served as press secretary for the Kentucky primary campaign. Account executive and then online services director at Fenton Communications, July 2005-Aug. 2007. Also co-director of the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, Sept. 2005-Aug. 2007. Media officer at Greenpeace USA, April 2004-June 2005. Policy and research assistant at Dean for America. Graduate of Colby College, 2003.

Out-of-State Director

Jane Van Ostern

Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Virginia's 7th CD (photo on Aug. 28, 2008 New York Times front page). Grassroots director for the Feb. 2008 Virginia primary campaign, and earlier an intern on the Iowa caucus campaign in the Des Moines headquarters. Director/owner of Music Together of Greater Richmond through 2006. Co-founder/instructor at the Pacific Grove Unified School District. M.A. in community leadership from Regis University (Denver), 1987. B.S. in family studies from the University of Kentucky, 1984. (in particular DC, MD, Northeastern TN, Eastern KY)

Youth Vote Director

Liz Emanuel

Started as a field organizer in the Concord office on Obama's NH primary campaign, later worked as a field organizer in the Albany office on the Georgia primary campaign. Interned in Obama's Senate office.

Latino Vote Director

Cristina Chiappe

Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Virginia's 8th CD. A research associate for the Center for Workforce Development's National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Y), which is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC. Worked at the Inter-American Development Bank's Institute for Social Development. An ESOL public school teacher and parent liaison in the Alexandria City Public Schools. Master's degree in education from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. in French language & literature and Italian literature from the University of Virginia. Her family immigrated to this country from Lima, Peru and settled in Northern Virginia when she was 14 years old.

Asian-American Pacific Islander Vote Director

Betsy Kim

Earlier national deputy AAPI vote director. Moved over to the campaign from the DNC American Majority Project (started in 2005). Counselor to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration during the Clinton administration (political appointee). Practiced bankruptcy law at firms in Washington, DC and Phoenix, AZ, 1993-96. J.D. from the University of Arizona College of Law, and B.A. from Pomona College. Originally from Honolulu, HI.

AAPI Field Director

Bao Nguyen

(June 2008) Came to the campaign from position as director of program development at the Indochina Sino-American Community Center (ISACC) in New York City. Freelance photographer since June 2006. Program consultant/AmeriCorps VISTA associate at the Center for Urban Education, helping low-income Asian immigrants in New York City, 2005-07. B.A. in politics, international relations from New York University, 2005.

African-American & Faith Director

Kayla Stewart

African-American & Faith Outreach Coordinator

Kristina Bigby

(started in June 2008 as an organizing fellow; promoted to coordinator in July)

Director of Scheduling

Gregory Lorjuste

Assistant director of scheduling at the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation. Graduate of Rider University, 2004.

Director of Surrogate Scheduling

Tori Scarborough

Worked for Obama's Hopefund.

Director of Special Projects

Anuj Gupta

Earlier work on the Obama campaign includes Texas and Indiana primaries.

Director of Operations

Joseph Wolfe

GOTV Director

Kevin Canan

Canan left his position as vice president of a government relations firm in DC to work on the campaign. He started working for the DNC (Finance) as the Convention Hall Director the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and then joined the VA Campaign for Change. Canan has worked on the last five Democratic presidential campaigns including in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Virginia and Florida. In 2000 he served as a legal advisor to Florida Democratic Party in connection with the presidential recount in Florida. Canan served as the law clerk to Vice President Gore in 1998-99. He has also worked for numerous politicians in Massachusetts and Washington and practiced law in private practice in Boston. B.A. in political science from Allegheny College; J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

Voter Protection Coordinator

Scott Pluta

Worked as an associate at Winston & Strawn, LLP in Washington, DC. Graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, 2005.

Voter Protection Coordinator

Rita C. Aguilar

State legislative counsel in the Governmental Affairs Office at the American Bar Association. University of Texas School of Law and University of Edinburgh Post-Graduate College of Law. Graduate of Southwestern University, 1994. Named deputy general counsel of the Democratic Party of Virginia in late 2007.

Virginia Victory 2008 | 1029 North Royal Street | Alexandria, VA

Coordinated Campaign Director

Elisabeth Pearson

Worked for the Democratic Party of Virginia in 2006-07. Deputy director of Virginia Democrats' 2005 Coordinated Campaign.

Coordinated Campaign Communications Director

Jared Leopold

Worked with the Virginia House and Senate caucuses on the 2007 elections. Graduate of Northwestern University.

Coordinated Campaign Offices

Alexandria - HQ 1029 North Royal Street	Bristol 1009 West State Street 1D	Charlottesville 1380 East Rio Road

Chesterfield County 10825 Midlothian Turnpike, Suite # 210	Fairfax County (McLean) 7600 Colshire Drive	Fredericksburg 915 Lafayette Boulevard

Gloucester County (Hayes) 2356 York Crossing Drive	Harrisonburg 22 Market Street, Suite 300	Loudoun County (Ashburn) 44340 Premier Plaza, Suite 130

Manassas 9210 Lee Avenue	Newport News 11838 Canon Boulevard, Suite 100	Norfolk 9647 First View Street

Prince William County (Dale City) Glendale Plaza Shopping Center 4326 Dale Boulevard	Richmond 1710 East Franklin Street	Roanoke 110-B Kirk Street

Virginia Beach 5101 Cleveland Street, Suite 302

Democratic Party of Virginia | 1710 East Franklin Street | Richmond, VA 23223 804-644-1966 >

Chairman

C. Richard Cranwell

(elected on June 18, 2005) Attorney. Served for thirty years in the House of Delegates representing Virginia's 14th District; first elected in 1971. Undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech; law degree from the University of Richmond, 1968. Grew up in the small town of Richlands in Southwest Virginia.

First Vice-Chair Second Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer

Executive Director

Levar Stoney

(Feb. 2008) Previously the party's political director. B.S. in political science and public administration from George Mason University, 2004.

Deputy Executive Director - Finance and Operations

Leigh Anne Collier

Finance Director

Lincoln Saunders

Deputy Finance Director

Jamie Nolan

Operations Director

Nicole Gordon

Deputy Executive Director - Information and Technology

Brenner Tobe

Tobe was the party's IT director in the '04 cycle as well.

Deputy Technology Director

Brian Nicewander

Political Director

Don Mark

Deputy Political Director - Hampton Roads

Susan Mariner

Deputy Political Director - Northern Virginia

Joe Montano

Deputy Political Director - Southwest Virginia

Isaac Sarver

(started early Aug. 2008)

Communications Director

Danae Jones

(through June 2008)

Senior Advisor, Communications & Research

Greg Scanlon

Obama primary
2004 Kerry