(page
updated August 19, 2015)
Priorities
USA
Action
Correct The Record
Ready for Hillary
Priorities
USA
Action
"Priorities USA Action was founded in 2012.
Our mission is to
communicate a progressive vision that increases economic security and
upward mobility for middle class families. We will define a clear
choice for the American public during the 2016 presidential election.
We believe the stakes for protecting our country’s core values have
never been higher as the far right pursues an agenda that rewards only
the wealthiest few at the expense of middle class
families."
...filed
with
the
FEC
on
April 29, 2011.
Board of Directors
(announced
Jan. 23, 2014)
Co-Chair and Chief Strategist Guy Cecil
Co-Chair Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm
Co-Chair Jim Messina
Charles A. Baker III
Allida Black
David Brock*
Maria Echaveste
Justin Gray
William P. Hite
Harold Ickes
Stephanie Schriock
Marva Smalls
Joe Solomonese
Greg Speed
Randi Weingarten
Chief Strategist Guy Cecil
(May 2015) Executive director of the DSCC in the
2012 and 2014
cycles. Chief of staff to Sen.
Michael Bennet (CO)
starting Oct, 19, 2009. President of Thomas Circle Strategies, a
public affairs and issue advocacy firm. National political and
field
director on Hillary Clinton for President campaign. Political
director
at the DSCC in the 2006 cycle. Joined the Dewey Square Group
in March 2003 and was a principal in the firm's grassroots campaign
practice. Directed the Arkansas Democratic Coordinated Campaign
in the
2002
cycle. National field director for the Children's Defense Fund
and its
Campaign to Leave No Child Behind, 2001. Field director for the
2000
Missouri Democratic Coordinated Campaign. Worked on Vice
President Gore's
campaign staff in New Hampshire and was the state director for the
primary campaign in Vermont. Program coordinator for Boston
Partners in
Education, a nonprofit. A high school teacher and
speech and debate coach. Graduate of the University of Florida
with a
B.A. in political science.
Originally
from Miami. twitter
Executive Director Anne Caprara
(from May 2015) Vice president of campaigns at
EMILY's List, Feb.-May 2015. Political director (Jan. 2013-Dec.
2014) and deputy political director (May 2011-Jan.
2013) at the DSCC. Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Betsy
Markey, Jan.
2009-Jan. 2011, after managing her campaign. Transition director
and chief of staff to Congresswoman Betty Sutton, Nov. 2006-May
2007. Research tracker, then deputy research director at EMILY's
List, 2003-06. Business development assistant at Cassidy &
Associates, 2001-03. M.A. in political management from The George
Washington University, 2003; B.A. from American University,
2001. twitter
Deputy Executive Director for Finance Kim Kauffman
(reported by Politico
on June
23, 2015) Founder (Dec. 2002)
and President of The Kauffman Group.
Deputy Executive Director for Research Patrick McHugh
(reported by Politico
on June
23, 2015; promoted from research director)
Digital Director Tara McGowan
(from July 2015; reported by Politico on June
23, 2015) Associate director at Purpose, March 2014-June
2015. Digital director at NextGen Action, June 2013-Feb.
2014. Digital producer at Obama for America, Oct. 2011-Nov.
2012. Press secretary to Sen. Jack Reed (RI), June 2010-Oct.
2011. Broadcast associate at CBS News' 60 Minutes, Oct. 2009-June
2010. Research and production at IFC Media Project in NY, Jan.-Sept.
2009. Production associate for "Digital Nation" (Frontline, PBS,
Ark Media Inc.), June 2008-Jan. 2009. Intern at CBS News' 60
Minutes and for the CBS News production unit. twitter
Media
Shorr Johnson Magnus
Ralston Lapp
(reported by Politico
on June
23, 2015)
Senior Advisor/Principal Paul Begala
twitter
Note
Priorities USA underwent a shakeup in May 2015. Tensions became
evident on Feb. 9, 2015 when David Brock resigned from the Board citing
a "specious
and malicious attack." In May former DSCC executive director Guy
Cecil, who was political director of Clinton's 2008 campaign, was
brought on as a co-chair of Priorities USA, reducing Jim Messina's
role. Subsequently, Buffy Wicks was replaced by Anne Caprara as
executive director and Brock returned to the Board
See:
Kenneth P. Vogel. "David Brock
resigns from Hillary Clinton PAC." Politico.
Feb.
9,
2015.
Matea Gold. "Guy Cecil in talks to join pro-Clinton super PAC,
reducing Jim Messina’s role." The Washington Post. May
1, 2015.
Maggie Haberman. "'Super PAC' Backing Hillary Clinton Sees Staff
Overhaul." The
New
York
Times. May 20, 2015.
former
Executive Director Buffy Wicks
(announced
Jan. 10, 2014 to May 2015)
Senior
fellow
at
the
Center
for
American
Progress'
women's
initiative,
announced
April
30,
2013.
National
director
of
Operation
Vote
for
the
Obama
for
America campaign. Vice
president for political affairs at AKPD Media. Deputy
director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Wicks
worked on Obama's 2007-08 campaign starting as
the
campaign's Western region field director in Chicago, then as
field director in California, deputy field director in Texas, director
of the campaign's national volunteer program ("Obama
Organizing Fellows"), and in the fall state director for
Missouri.
Political
director
for Wake Up Wal-Mart. Organizer in the 'Anti-War in Iraq'
campaign
in San Francisco, CA. Co-founded Hoi-Polloi, "a people’s
organization
created by a small group of conscientious thinkers striving for world
peace."
Campaign manager on Jay Fetcher's 2004 state Senate campaign in
Colorado.
Des Moines organizer on Howard Dean's Iowa caucus campaign.
Graduate
of the University of Washington, 1998. twitter
Finance Director Justin Brennan
(Jan.-May 2015)
Finance Director Diana Rogalle
(announced Jan. 23, 2014) Founder and principal
at The Ashmead Group; Rogalle has been a Democratic political
fundraiser and operative for close to twenty years. Led the
fundraising efforts for Victory Campaign 2004 – the joint fundraising
committee of America Coming Together and The Media Fund. National
finance director for the Wes Clark for President campaign.
Finance director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
(started in May 2001 after serving as DSCC director of campaign
services. B.A. in political science and communications from the
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1990.
Senior Advisor for Finance Jonathan Mantz
(announced
Jan. 10, 2014) Principal of BGR Government Affairs.
National finance director on Hillary Clinton for President,
2007-08. Finance chair for Gov. Jon Corzine, 2006.
Principal at PodestaMattoon, 2003-05. Deputy executive director
and finance director for the DSCC, started in early 2004. Finance
director for the DCCC in the 2002 and 2000 election cycles.
Finance director for the National Jewish Democratic Council. B.A.
in history from Ithaca College, 1991. Philadelphia native.
Correct The Record
"A
strategic research and rapid response team designed to defend
Hillary Clinton from right-wing, baseless
attacks." Now
a separate super PAC, Correct the Record was initially part of American Bridge
21st Century from its formation (+) in
Nov. 2013 through May 2015.
See: Maggie Haberman. "Hillary Clinton-Aligned Group Gets Closer
to Her Campaign" The New
York Times, May 12, 2015.
Board of Directors
(announced May 12, 2015)
Chair
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Previously chair of American Bridge 21st Century. Served as Lt. Gov. of Maryland from 1995 -2003, and ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2002. A Deputy Assistant Attorney General during the Clinton Adminstration.
James Carville,
veteran
political
strategist
Freddy Balsera, national
co-chair of the DNC’s Hispanic Leadership Council
Gonzalo Barrientos,
Jr., a former Democratic member of
the Texas State Senate
Sandy
Robertson, founder of Francisco
Partners and a leading technology
investor
Susie Tompkins Buell, co-founder of
Esprit and a leading
political donor
Scott Miller, a Denver-based philanthropist,
LGBT-rights advocate and board member of the Gill Foundation
David
Brock, Correct the Record’s founder
twitter
President Brad Woodhouse
(announced May 12, 2015; previously president of
American Bridge 21st Century from Feb. 3, 2014) President of
Americans United for Change from
July 2013, his second stint, and will continue in that role.
Communications director at the DNC from Feb. 2009; senior communication
adviser for the DNC from
June-Nov. 2008. President at Americans United for Change since
Feb. 2007; took leave for DNC. Consultant for Hildebrand Tewes
Consulting, Oct. 2005-Feb. 2007.
Communications Director for Americans United to Protect Social
Security, Feb. 2005-Oct. 2005. Several months as press secretary
to
Sen. Jon Corzine (NJ). Communications director for the DSCC,
March
2003-Nov. 2004. Press secretary on Erskine Bowles' 2002 U.S.
Senate
campaign. A policy aide and then press secretary to Rep. Bob
Etheridge (NC). B.A. in political science from University of
South Carolina, 1991. From Raleigh, NC. twitter
Senior Advisor and Surrogate Former Gov.
Jennifer Granholm
(Aug. 14, 2015 tweet)
Executive Director Isaac Wright
(announced Nov. 1, 2013) Founder of Wright Strategies LLC. Worked on Gov. Beebe's 2010 re-election and on Jay Nixon's 2008 campaign for governor (MO). South Carolina communications director for Hillary Clinton campaign’s in 2008. Ccommunications director in the office of Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, and earlier a spokesman on Beebe's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Communications director for U.S. Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) through July 2005. Press secretary for the Tennessee Democratic Party. Wright began working in campaign online activities and media when he served on the national communications staff of the Gore-Lieberman 2000 campaign. twitter
Communications Director Adrienne Watson
(announced May 13, 2015; previously deputy
communicatons director and director of surrogates) Press
secretary to Sen. Joe Donnelly. Press
secretary to Rep.
Loretta Sanchez. Press assistant to Rep. Baron Hill. B.A.
in history from Indiana University. Originally from
Carmel, Indiana. twitter
Digital Director Benjamin Fischbein
(Dec. 2013) Vice president of digital
(Feb. 2013-Jan. 2014)
and
product and marketing manager (Jan. 2012-Feb. 2013) at BlastRoots,
Inc.. Director at Sparkpoint Strategies, July 2010-Jan.
2012.
Director at Integrity Interactive Marketing and Branding, Jan.
2010-Jan. 2012. Owner at Fisch Media, Oct. 2005-April 2010.
Research
consultant at Koppen Group, June 2007-Jan. 2009. Junior associate
at
Citigroup Smith Barney, June-Dec. 2006. B.A. in history from
American
University, 2007. twitter
Research Director Sam
Ritzman
(announced Nov. 1, 2013) Directed the research effort for the successful re-election campaign of Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida in 2012. In 2008, he was a senior researcher on the Clinton campaign and later worked at the polling firm of Penn and Schoen.
former
Senior Advisor Burns Strider
(announced by American Bridge on Nov. 1, 2013) President of American Values Network from Feb. 2009. Founder and principal at The Eleison Group, LLC from July 2008. National faith director on Hillary Clinton for President. Senior advisor to House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Feb. 2003-Dec. 2006; policy director of the House Democratic Caucus in 2006 under Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC). Southern regional communications director at the DCCC, Nov. 2001-Jan. 2003. Chief of staff to Congressman Ronnie Shows (MS-4). Worked for Secretary of State Marshall Bennett in Jackson. Interned with Al Gore. Attended Mississippi State University, and received his degree in history at Delta State University, 1990. From Grenada, MS, where his father was sheriff. twitter
Ready for Hillary
Super PAC formed Jan. 25, 2013,
officially launched April 2,
2013, and operated throught to Clinton's announcement in April 2015.