Democratic Governors' Association – 2015

Chairman  Gov. Steve Bullock (MT)

(elected Dec. 9, 2014, succeeding Gov. Peter Shumlin)   Elected Governor in 2012.  Elected Attorney General in 2008.  Private practice in Helena.  Attorney at Steptoe & Johnson, 2001-04.  Unsuccessful candidate for Attorney General in 2000.  Assistant attorney general with the Montana Department of Justice.  Ran Joe Mazurek's successful 1992 campaign for Attorney General.  J.D. from Columbia Law School, 1994; undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College.  Helena native.

Senior Advisor/Advisor to the Chair  Kevin O'Brien

(announced Feb. 18, 2015)  Most recently deputy chief of staff to Gov. Steve Bullock.  Campaign manager on Bullock for Governor.  Director of communications for the Montana Department of Justice and primary spokesman for Attorney General Bullock.  Communications aide to the Montana Democratic Party and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.  Attended Illinois State University.  Chicago native.

Vice Chair - Maggie Hassan (NH); Finance Chair - Jay Inslee (WA); Chair-Elect - Dan Malloy (CT)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Director  Elisabeth Pearson

(reported by Politico on Dec. 22, 2014)  Pearson was political director at the DGA in the 2014 cycle; started at the DGA as campaign director. Campaign manager on Jody Wagner's campaign for Lt. Governor of Virginia, 2009.  Virginia Victory 2008 coordinated campaign director.  Campaign director for the Democratic Party of Virginia in 2006-07.  Deputy director of the statewide coordinated campaign that elected Tim Kaine in 2005.  Undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College, 2003.

Assistant to the Executive Director  Jen Ustynoski

(Aug. 2012)  Event coordinator at Lindy Promotions, Jan. 2011-May 2012.  Associate at Orion Group, Inc., Oct. 2009-Jan. 2010.  Finance assistant at Bonner Group Inc., Jan. 2008-Oct. 2009.  B.A. in political science from American University, 2008.

POLITICAL

Political Director  Corey Platt

Deputy political director at the DGA in the 2014 cycle.  National field director at SEIU during the 2012 cycle.  Over a decade managing and working on campaigns including: Senior advisor at the Missouri Democratic Party and directed the coordinated campaign for Robin Carnahan’s 2010 Senate campaign.  Campaign manager on Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty's brief campaign for governor of Pennsylvania, 2009-Feb. 2010.  Managed Kay Barnes for Congress in 2008.  Political director for the Missouri Democratic Party.  twitter

COMMUNICATIONS

Communications Director  Jared Leopold

(announced Feb. 18, 2015)  To the DGA from Sen. Maria Cantwell's office where he served as communications director for four years; also communications advisor on Cantwell's 2012 re-election campaign.  Deputy communications director at the DSCC in Fall 2010.  Campaign manager on Cal Cunningham's 2010 U.S. Senate primary race in North Carolina.  Virginia Victory 2008 communications director.  Worked with the Virginia House and Senate caucuses on the 2007 elections.  Graduate of Northwestern University.  Philadelphia native. twitter

Deputy Director of Communications and Digital  Jordan Wilson

Political assistant at the DGA in the 2014 cycle; started at the DGA in 2012.  Degree in global politics from Washington and Lee University, 2012.

DIGITAL

Digital Director  Gavrie Kullman

(announced Feb. 18, 2015)  Director of direct response fundraising for the DGA from July 2014.  Director of online development for United Service Organizations (US), Oct. 2011-July 2014.  Senior account executive at Anne Lewis Strategies, June 2007-Oct. 2011.  Deputy director of marketing, online (Dec. 2006-June 2007) and direct marketing coordinator (April 2005-Dec. 2006) at the DSCC.  Field organizer at Tom Daschle for Senate, Mar.-Dec. 2004.  Field coordinator in Nashua, NH on John Kerry for President, Nov. 2003-Feb. 2004.  B.A. in political science from UC Riverside, 2003.

Research

Research Director  ?

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Policy

Policy Director  Kwame Boadi

(Feb. 2015)  Account executive at Mack-Sumner communications, June-Nov. 20014.  Economic policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, July 2012-June 2014.  Polycy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities/DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Aug. 2010-July 2012.  Correspondence specialist in the Office of Sen. Mark Warner, Jan.-Aug. 2010.  Federal policy analyst in the Office of Gov. Tim Kaine, Oct. 2009-Jan. 2010.  Research consultant at MJ Beck Consulting, LLC, Oct. 2008-June 2009.  Finance associate at Political Development Group, LLC, Aug. 2005-July 2007.  Virginia campaigns, Jan.-June 2005.  Account manager at Winning Directions, June 2004-Jan. 2005.  Field director on Puller for Senate (VA-36)/Amundson for Delegate (VA-44), June-Nov. 2003.  Canvass director on Mark Shriver for Congress (MD-8), May-Sept. 2002.  M.A. in international relations from The Johns Hopkins University SAIS, 2009; B.A. in political science and economics from University of Virginia, 2004.  Originally from Ghana.

Policy Assistant  Bill Raines

(May 2012)  Constituent liaison/scheduler to U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, Sept. 2011-May 2012.  Community liaison to U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, 2010-11.  B.A. in political science, religious studies from The College of Wooster, 2009.

FINANCE

Finance Director  Noam Lee

(announced Feb. 18, 2014)  Major donor director at the DGA in the 2014 cycle from Feb. 2013.  Southern finance director at the DSCC, Feb. 2011-Jan. 2013.  Deputy finance director on Friends for Harry Reid, May-Nov. 2010.  Deputy finance director on Alex Sink for Governor (FL), Jan.-April 2010.  Northern Virginia finance director on Virginians for Wagner, Jan.-Nov. 2009.  Regional field director for the Democratic Party of Virginia, Oct.-Nov. 2008.  Senior associate at The Media Guys, Inc., March-Sept. 2008.  Field organizer on John Edwards for President, July 2007-Jan. 2008.  Deputy campaign manager on Kacie Starr Triplett for Alderman, Jan.-March 2007.  Field organizer on Jeff Smith for Missouri Senate, June-Aug. 2008.  B.A. in political science, Hebrew from Washington University in St. Louis, 2007.  Originally from Tempe, AZ.

Deputy Finance Director  Anna Cleveland

(also deputy in the 2014 cycle; started at DGA as a finance assistant)

Events Director  Kelly (Berens) Gleeson

(Jan. 2012)  Director of advance for Speaker/Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, April 2008-Dec. 2011.  Special assistant in Gov. Doyle's (WI) office, 2003-07.  GOTV logistics director on Doyle for Wisconsin, 2006.  B.S. in political science from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2002.

Finance and Events Assistant  Kate Bukowski

(Dec. 2013)  Program manager and events coordinator at Winning Connections, Jan. 2012-Dec. 2013.  Internships.  B.A. in anthropology and political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2011.

OPERATIONS AND MORE

Chief Operating Officer  Ben Metcalf

Came to the DGA in March 2007 after serving as national budget director for America Votes in 2005-06. In the 2004 cycle Metcalf served as national budget director for America Coming Together and national compliance director for the Dean for America presidential campaign. Graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Native of Randolph, VT.

Director of Operations & Intern Coordinator  Donna Tappin

Also director of operations in the 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 cycles.  B.Sc. in marketing from University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, 1979.

Compliance Assistant  Jess Fuhrman