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Gov. Chris Christie Organization—Pre-Campaign
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(page updated June 21, 2015)

Leadership Matters for America PAC, Inc.

leadership PAC filed with the FEC on Jan. 23, 2015

leadershipmattersforamerica.org

Senior Advisor  Mike DuHaime

One of eight partners at Mercury Public Affairs; heads Mercury’s New Jersey and Pennsylvania public affairs operations.  Lead strategist on Gov. Christie's 2009 and 2013 gubernatorial election campaigns.  Headed the NRSC’s independent expenditure efforts in 2010 and 2012.  Political director at the RNC, started in January 2005.  Northeast regional political director for Bush-Cheney '04.  Executive director of the New Jersey Republican Party starting in January 2002.  Had his own political consulting firm, DuHaime Communications, Inc., which he formed in 2001.  Deputy campaign manager on Bob Franks' 2000 campaign for U.S. Senate.  Campaign manager on Assemblyman Anthony Bucco's successful campaign for state Senate in 1997, ousting the Democrat incumbent.  B.A. in journalism and political science from Livingston College, Rutgers University, 1995.  DuHaime comes from a political family; his father served as Passaic County Freeholder and ran for U.S. Senate in 1996 and his mother served as mayor of Bloomingdale.  twitter

Senior Advisor  Maria Comella

(from the week of June 15, 2015; reported by The Record on June 11)  Moved over from the Governor's Office where she served as deputy chief of staff for communications and planning from Jan. 2010.  Director of communications on Christie for Governor from June 2009.  Deputy director of communications on the Rudy Giuliani campaign, Jan. 2007-Jan. 2008.  Communications director for Rep. Jim Nussle's gubernatorial campaign in Iowa, May 2005-Nov. 2006.  New Hampshire communications director for Bush-Cheney '04, Jan.-Nov. 2004.  Worked for The Winston Group, a survey research firm in Washington, DC.  Deputy director of operations on Gov. George Pataki's (R-NY) 2002 re-election campaign.  M.A. in health care policy from New York University, 2014; B.A. in international affairs from the Elliot School at The George Washington University, 2003.  twitter

Advisor  Brian Jones

(reported by AP's Jill Colvin on March 12, 2015)  Partner with the Black Rock Group from Jan. 2011.  A top advisor for the Romney for President campaign from Dec. 2011 assisting with communications and strategy and also serving as the campaign’s primary liaison to the RNC. Previously a managing director at Mercury Public Affairs overseeing their strategic communications practice and running their California operation in Sacramento. Communications director on the McCain campaign, Dec. 2006-July 2007.  Communications director at the RNC from Jan. 25, 2005.  Senior communications advisor on Bush-Cheney '04.  Vice President for Polling and Advertising of Mercury Public Affairs.  Research director for the NRCC.  Research director on Lamar Alexander's 2000 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination for the first part of 1999.  Master's degree from University of Washington in Seattle; undergraduate degree from University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Advisor  Kevin Shuvalov

(reported by AP's Jill Colvin on March 12, 2015)  Co-founder (2011) and principal at Mammoth Marketing Group, based in Texas.  Owner at Olsen & Shuvalov, 2005-11.  Southwestern regional political director at the RNC in the 2004 cycle.  Western states regional political director on George W. Bush's 2000 campaign, started March 1999.  Special assistant at Karl Rove + Company, 1996-99.  B.S. in political science from St. Edwards University in Austin, TX.

Advisor  Cary Evans

(reported by AP's Jill Colvin on March 12, 2015)  Partner at West Meridian LLC from March 2007.  Senior field advisor on the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee, 2007-08.  Western regional political director at the RNC, 2005-07.  Regional political director on Bush-Cheney '04, June 2003-Dec. 2004.  Deputy campaign manager on Gordon Smith for U.S. Senate, 2000-02.  Victory Director for Bush-Cheney 2000 in Oregon.  Executive director of the Washington State Republican Party, 1998-2000.  Legislative counsel at Roger Honberger Associates, Inc. 1997.  Staff counsel in the Washington State Senate, 1996.  Legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Barbara Vucanovich, 1991-92.  J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, 1995; M.P.P. from Georgetown University, 1988; B.A. in political science from Claremont McKenna College, 1985.

Political Director  James Garcia

(reported by AP on Jan. 26, 2015)  Colorado state director on Romney for President in the general election after serving as the campaign's national field director during the primaries.  Executive director of the Colorado Republican Party starting Aug. 2009.  Colorado Victory director from May 2008-Feb. 2009.  Regional manager for Saxby Chambliss' successful 2008 U.S. Senate runoff campaign in Georgia.  A field director for the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee in Iowa and Florida.  A field director on Shelley Sekula Gibbs for Congress, 2006; also assisted the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee in Sugar Land, Texas.  B.A. in political science from the University of Houston, 2006.


Field Director  Tom Dickens

(reported by Politico on May 14, 2015)  Deputy national field director at the RNC in the 2014 cycle, from Jan. 2014/  Political director on Christie for Governor, Feb.-Dec. 2013.  RNC Victory director in Florida, June-Feb. 2013.  At the Republican Party of Wisconsin from June 2010-June 2012: RPW political director and Victory director (March 2011-June 2012), statewide field director (March 2010-March 2011) and deputy Victory director and absentee ballot/early vote director (July-Nov. 2010).  A regional director on Scott Brown for U.S. Senate, Dec. 2009-Jan. 2010.  Field director for Maine Republican Party/Victory 2008 in Fall 2008.  Graduate of the University of Maine.  twitter

Communications Director  Samantha Smith

(reported by the New York Times on Feb. 25, 2015)  Senior manager for global communications and public affairs for Google in Washington, DC from June 2011.  Press secretary to Sen Richard Burr, Jan.-June 2011; communications director for the Richard Burr Committee, Jan.-Dec. 2010; deputy press secretary to Sen. Burr, Feb.-Dec. 2009.  Surrogate communications for the McCain campaign, May-Nov. 2008.  B.A. in communications, political science from UNC Chapel Hill, 2008.  twitter


Director of Data and Analytics  Hayden Stone

(reported by Politico on May 14, 2015)  A regional Victory director for the RNC in the 2014 cycle.  Political director for Colorado Republicans during the 2013 recall elections.  Colorado director of voter contact (May-Nov. 2012) and worked for the political division in Boston (from April 2011) on Romney for President.  B.A. in history and economics from Harvard University.  Ran a RNC Colorado Victory office, May-Nov. 2010.  twitter


Digital  Upstream Communications

(reported March 25, 2015 by The Wall Street Journal...website development, online fundraising and email marketing)

Finance Chairman  Ray Washburne

(reported by the New York Observer on Jan. 12, 2015)  Finance chairman of the RNC in 2013-14.  Chairman/CEO of Charter Holdings, a private investment company based in Dallas, Texas that is primarily involved in the real estate and restaurant businesses.  Co-founder and co-owner of M Crowd Restaurant Group which owns the Mi Cocina and Taco Diner restaurant chains.  Worked for Austin Industries, a real estate firm, then set out on his own.  Graduate of Southern Methodist University, 1984.  See Joseph Guinto.  "The New Emperor of Highland Village."  D Magazine, Nov. 2010.

Finance Director  Cam Henderson

(Jan. 26, 2015 New York Times report)  Executive director of the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.  Chief of staff and director of protocol to NJ First Lady Mary Pat Christie.


IOWA

State Director  Phil Valenziano

(Jan. 26, 2015 New York Times report)  Field staffer on Romney's Iowa caucus campaign, then worked on field in South Carolina, Colorado, Oklahoma and Missouri; and in the fall (from May 2012) was New Hampshire state manager.  Pror to joining the Romey campaign Valenziano worked as a legislative clerk in the Iowa House.  Victory field director in Cedar Rapids for the Republican Party of Iowa.  Graduate of Catholic University of America.  New Jersey native.  twitter

Political Director  Kevin Poindexter

(reported by DMR's Jennifer Jacobs on April 20, 2015)  Iowa state director for the RNC from July 2014.  Political director on Mike McFadden for U.S. Senate (MN), Dec. 2013-July 2014.  Did communications for the New Jersey Republican Party, July-Dec. 2013.  Legislative assistant to Minnesota state Sen. Bill Weber (SD-22), April-June 2013.  Chief of staff/legislative assistant to Virginia Delegate Margaret Ransone (99th District), Dec. 2012-April 2013.  Special operations manager on Romney for President in Wisconsin, July-Nov. 2012.  Legilslative assistant with the Republican Caucus in the Minnesota Hous, Jan. 2011-July 2012.  Interned on Emmer for Governor, June-Dec. 2010.  B.A. in political science and management from St. John's University in St. Cloud, Minn., 2010.  twitter

Key Supporter  Jeff Boeyink

(reported by NJ Advance Media on Jan. 29, 2015 as having "volunteered to Governor Christie that I will do whatever he needs here in Iowa.")  Senior vice president at LS2group from Sept. 2013.  Chief of state to Gov. Terry Branstad, Jan. 2011-Sept. 2013.  Campaign manager on the Branstad 2010 Committee, Oct. 2009-Nov. 2010, then co-chair of the transition.  Executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa to Oct. 2009.  Has also worked as an association manager, PAC director, major donor fund-raiser, and long-time lobbyist at the Iowa State Capitol.  M.P.A. from Iowa State University, 1987; undergraduate degree from Central College in Pella.


NEW HAMPSHIRE

State Director  Matt Mowers

(Jan. 26, 2015 New York Times report)  Executive director of the New Hampshire Republican Party from Nov. 2013 to Jan. 2015.  Regional political director on Christie for Governor, April-Nov. 2013.  Regional director for legislative and intergovernmental affairs in the Office of Gov. Chris Christie, Nov. 2010-April 2013.  Campaign manager on Goodwin for NJ State Senate, April-Nov. 2010.  Advance aide in the Office of Gov. Christie, Jan.-April 2010.  Political director at Building the New Majority, Aug. 2008-2009.  Assistant to the COO at the Altman Group, 2008.  Executive director of the Bergen Country Republican Organization at age 18, Jan.-June 2008.   Campaign manager on Cardinale for NJ State Senate, July-Nov. 2007.  B.A. in political science and government from Rutgers.  twitter

Deputy State Director  Ben DeMarzo

(reported by the Union Leader on June 22, 2015)  Campaign manager on U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus' (PA) 2014 re-election.  A former chief of staff to New Jersey Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick.

Political Director  Britt Carter

(reported by the Union Leader on June 22, 2015)  Statewide field director for the New Hampshire Republican Party from Feb. 2015; a regional field director for the NHGOP, May 2014-Jan. 2015.  Executive assistant to the chief of staff (Jan. 2011-May 2014) and executive assistant to the chief counsel (Sept. 2010-Jan. 2011) at the RNC.  B.A. in foreign affairs from University of Virginia, 2010.  twitter

Operations Director  Matt Moroney

(reported by Time on April 2, 2015)  Field director on Havenstein for Governor, April-Nov. 2014.  Field director on Kevin Smith for Governor, March-Sept. 2012.  Campaign representative on Romney for President, May 2011-Jan. 2012.  Campaign coordinator on Angerhofer for State Senate in District 21, Sept.-Nov. 2010.  Campaign representative on Ashooh for Congress in NH's 1st CD, March-Sept. 2010.  Campaign coordinator on Callahan for Senate (Portsmouth, NH), Aug.-Nov. 2008.  B.A. in political science from UNH, 2009.  twitter

logo for Chris Christie's Leadership Matters for America PAC





pro-Christie super PAC

other key people...
> Office of the Governor

reprinted from http://nj.gov/governor/admin/staff/#1 Dec. 26, 2014
Regina Egea, Chief of Staff
Maria Comella, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Planning
Amy Cradic, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Cabinet Liaison
Christopher S. Porrino, Chief Counsel
Paul Matey, Deputy Chief Counsel
Matthew McDermott, Appointments Director
Gregory L. Acquaviva, Chief of Staff to the Lt. Governor
Terrence Brody, Executive Director of the Office of Recovery and Rebuilding






Pre-Campaign Organization (to Nov. 4, 2014)

Political Advisor  Mike DuHaime

One of eight partners at Mercury Public Affairs; heads Mercury’s New Jersey and Pennsylvania public affairs operations.  Lead strategist on Gov. Christie's 2009 and 2013 gubernatorial election campaigns.  Headed the NRSC’s independent expenditure efforts in 2010 and 2012.  Political director at the RNC, started in January 2005.  Northeast regional political director for Bush-Cheney '04.  Executive director of the New Jersey Republican Party starting in January 2002.  Had his own political consulting firm, DuHaime Communications, Inc., which he formed in 2001.  Deputy campaign manager on Bob Franks' 2000 campaign for U.S. Senate.  Campaign manager on Assemblyman Anthony Bucco's successful campaign for state Senate in 1997, ousting the Democrat incumbent.  B.A. in journalism and political science from Livingston College, Rutgers University, 1995.  DuHaime comes from a political family; his father served as Passaic County Freeholder and ran for U.S. Senate in 1996 and his mother served as mayor of Bloomingdale.  twitter


see also
Republican Governors Association 2014




reprinted from http://nj.gov/governor/admin/staff/#1 May 16, 2014
Senior Staff

Kevin O’Dowd, Chief of Staff
Louis C. Goetting, Deputy Chief of Staff
Maria Comella, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Planning
Amy Cradic, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Cabinet Liaison
Christopher S. Porrino, Chief Counsel
Paul Matey, Deputy Chief Counsel
Matthew McDermott, Appointments Director
Regina Egea, Director of the Authorities Unit
Gregory L. Acquaviva, Chief of Staff to the Lt. Governor
Marc Ferzan, Executive Director of the Office of Recovery and Rebuilding












Others

The Bergen Record's Melissa Hayes reported on May 29 that there were 148 employees in the governor's office.  Among them were:

Deputy Communications Director  Kevin Roberts
Deputy Communications Director for Research  Foster Morss  ...both worked on the 2013 campaign

Press Secretary  Mike Drewniak
Deputy Press Secretary  Karen Wolfe
Deputy Press Secretary  Sarah Dolan

Director of Digital Media  Lauren Fritts
Multimedia Specialist  Mykwain Gainey

Director of Scheduling  Kyle Maxwell
Director of Planning  Dan Robles

Director of Advance  Jim Gilroy
Director of Briefings  Ronald Holden

Melissa Hayes.  "Christie staffers get hefty pay increases; some of the biggest go to former campaign aides," Bergen Record, May 29, 2014.



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