Obama 2012 General Election Campaign Organization, Wisconsin
Obama for America/Organizing for America 
WISCONSIN  |  Obama Main Page

(page updated March 23,  2013)
...for additions, corrections and other changes contact

facebook  |  twitter  |  state page  +

Senior Advisor  Tanya Bjork

Senior advisor to Protect Your Care, a healthcare advocacy group, from 2010. Director of federal affairs for Gov. Jim Doyle 2009-10.  Wisconsin general election director on Obama's 2008 campaign.  A regional director for EMILY's List to 2008.  In 2004 Bjork served as the AFL-CIO desk coordinator for MN, WI and IL, based in Madison.  Aide to state Senator Brian Burke.  Assembly Democratic Caucus (ADC) director under State Representative Shirley Krug in 2000.  Political director for U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold's re-election campaign in 1998.  Field director for U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone's re-election campaign in 1996.

State Director  Tripp Wellde

Worked on Obama's 2007-08 campaign starting on March 3, 2007, working in Davenport, IA for the caucuses, and later served as a regional field director in Nevada, Minnesota, and Ohio, and as deputy field director in North Carolina; and in the fall was filed director on the Iowa Campaign for Change.  Graduate of the University of Richmond.  twitter

Communications

Communications Director  Joe Zepecki

Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Communications and Public Liaison at the U.S. Small Business Administration.  Campaign manager on Nebraskans for Kleeb, 2008.  Nevada state director (April-Sept. 2007) then deputy caucus director in Iowa on Chris Dodd for President to Jan. 2008.  Senior associate at 360JMG, 2005-07.  Regional field coordinator in Milwaukee on Wesley Clark's 2004 presidential campaign.  B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2004.  From South Milwaukee.  twitter

Press Secretary  Gillian Morris

(Oct. 2011)  Press secretary for the Wisconsin Democratic Party.  Deputy communications director on Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's 2010 campaign for governor.  In 2009 Morris served as senior research associate on Deeds for Virginia in the Fall campaign, and as research assistant on Friends of Terry McAuliffe in the primary campaign.  Field organizer for the Democratic Party of Virginia in Fall 2008.  B.A. in policial science from The George Washington University, 2008.   twitter

Deputy Press Secretary  Diane May

(July 2012)  Press assistant at Fisher for Ohio, 2009-10.  Research analyst at Sage Computing, Fall 2009.  B.A. in political science and economics from American University, 2009.

Deputy Press Secretary  Amanda Sherman

Press assistant and Barrett for Wisconsin, March-June 2012.  B.A. in political science from Saint Louis University, 2010.

Digital

Digital Director  Emily Dalton

New media coordinator and regional field desk for the "We are Wisconsin" campaign.  Field organizer in the Appleton office on Sen. Russ Feingold's 2010 campaign.

Deputy Digital Director Josh Burstein

(March 2012)  Co-founder of the Millennial Youth Professionals Initiative, 2011.  Director of business development, West Coast (digital media, film) for the Government of Israel Economic Mission, 2010-11.  Founder and creative director of 3rd Heat Productions, 2008-10.  New media volunteer on Obama's 2008 campaign.  Creative associate at Lindsay, Stone & Briggs, 2006-07. B.A. in journalism and mass communication from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008.  twitter

also at the close of the campaign
Online Organizer and Content Manager Paul Kadzielski

Field

Field Director  Michelle Kleppe

Started as state field director on Organizing for America in Aug. 2009.  Field organizer on the Obama campaign in Waukesha County, Fall 2008.  Business manager at Shao Lin Boxing Methods, 2001-09; sales consultant at Mortensen Art Photography, 2001-06.  B.A. in politics from Carroll College, 2009.  twitter

Deputy Field Director  Tim Edland

OFA North Dakota state director from mid-2010.  twitter

Deputy Field Director  Elizabeth Schaefer

Graduate of Northwestern University, 2010.

Training Director/Field Chief of Staff  Jason Gray

Previously a federal analyst at Deloitte Consulting.  M.A. and B.A degrees in politics from Brandeis University.  twitter

68 Field Offices

Data

Data Director  Jeremy Walker

(March 2012)  Washington SW regional field director for Organizing for America, March 2009-March 2012.  Field organizer on Obama's Washington Campaign for Change, June-Nov. 2008.  Degree in international affairs and economics from Eastern Washington University, 2007.

Deputy Data Director  Bryan Post

(Sept. 2012)  Staff of Wisconsin Assembly Sergeant at Arms, early 2011.  Field organizer for the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee in Wisconsin's 80th District and Dane County's 16th Supervisorial District, June-Nov. 2010.  B.S. in industrial and systems engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008.

former
Data Director  Lucas Tieman  (Sept. 2011-Feb./March 2012)  Statewide grassroots coordinator on Tobacco Free Missouri, 2010-11.  Organizer for Repower America in Missouri, 2009-10.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign starting as a field intern in Indiana during the primary and serving as a field organizer in Ottumwa during the general election.  B.A. in history from Valparaiso University, 2008. 

Political

Political Director  Bethany Ordaz

(July 2012)  Political director on the Recall Walker campaign, Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Oct. 2011-June 2012.  Earlier in 2011 Ordaz served as legislative assistant to Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, was a candidate in the July 12 primary for the 48th Assembly District seat, and then served as GOTV director on Sandy Pasch for State Senate.  Deputy director at Wisconsin Progress, 2010.  Political director and earlier deputy political director at the SEIU Wisconsin State Council, 2008-10.  Legislative liaison in the Office of Gov. Jim Doyle, 2007-08.  Legislative assistant to Rep. Pedro Colon, 2005-07.  Assembly regional field director, Fall 2006.  Legislative director at the United Council of UW Students, 2003-04.  B.A. in political science from Truman State University, 2003.  Native of Peoria, IL.

Operation Vote

Operation Vote Director  Konstantin Hatcher

(March 2012)  Owner at Infinite Platinum Media.  Senior account executive at 93.5 KDAY.  M.B.A. from California Lutheran University.  twitter

Youth Vote Director  Paul Kendrick

(Feb. 2012)  Director of policy at Single Stop USA, 2011-12.  Director of the College Success Office for Harlem Children's Zone, 2007-10.  M.P.A. from The George Washington University.  B.A. in American studies from The George Washington University, 2005.  twitter

African American Vote Director  Tracey Corder

(April 2012)  House manager at Hope House of Milwaukee, from 2008.  Candidate for 18th District seat on the Milwaukee County Board.  Family worker at St. Charles Youth and Family Services, 2006-Jan. 2012.  In 2011 served as volunteer coordinator/lead trainer on Sandy Pasch for State Senate, and earlier at Wisconsin Progress.  B.S. in sociology/human services from Edgewood College, 2005.

Latino Vote Director  Ben Juarez

(June 2012)  Co-founder (May 2012) and chief analyst at JSR Consulting Group, LLC.  Candidate for the 8th District Aldermanic seat in Milwaukee, June 2011-April 2012.  M.P.P. from Oregon State University, 2011; B.A. degree from Marquette University, 2009.

Voter Protection

Voter Protection Director  Jennifer Lohr

(Feb. 2012)  Voter protection director at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Sept. 2010-Feb. 2012.  Associate at Howrey LLP, 2005-10.  Wisconsin deputy voter protection director on Obama's 2008 campaign.  J.D. from Duke University Law School, 2005; B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2001.

GOTV

GOTV Director  Jeremy Jansen

Statewide field director for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, March 2011-Sept. 2012.  Senate field director for the Iowa Democratic Party, 2010-11.  Legislative secretary in the Iowa House of Representatives, Jan.-May 2009. Managed an Iowa State House challenge race, May-Nov. 2008.  Legislative secretary in the Iowa House of Representatives, Jan.-May 2008.  Worked on Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) in the 2008 Iowa caucus campaign.  B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2007.

Operations

Operations Director  Jen Patterson

Program manager at FieldWorks, April 2008-Jan. 2012.  Community organizer for Michigan State House Democrats, 2006-08.  Assistant to the press secretary of the Sottish National Party, Aug.-Dec. 2005.  Canvasser for America Coming Together in Oregon, latter half of 2004.  B.S. in political science from Southern Oregon University.



Bottom line: campaign budget of over $15 million, 210 statf, 68 or 69 campaign offices state-wide.



independent of the campaign...

Allies

• Democratic Party of Wisconsin   +

Chairman  Michael Tate

(elected chair in June 2009, youngest state chair in the country)  Consultant to Gov. Jim Doyle's camapign until he opted not to seek a third term.  Executive director of Advancing Wisconsin, a voter mobilization effort in the 2008 campaign.  Executive director of Fair Wisconsin, the unsuccessful campaign to defeat the constitutional amendment banning civil unions, 2006.  Deputy state director of America Coming Together, 2004.  Wisconsin state coordinator on Howard Dean's campaign.  Political director for Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.  State field director on Falk's 2002 bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and then worked as a regional political director for AFSCME Council 40.  Started out in Wisconsin politics as a volunteer on Sen. Russ Feingold's 1998 re-election campaign.  B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005.  Resident of Milwaukee County.

Executive Director  Maggie Brickerman

(August 2009)  Communications director in the Offfice of Assembly Majority Leader Thomas Nelson, Jan.-Aug. 2009.  Campaign manager for Alison Page for State Senate, June-Nov. 2008.  Campaign director on Citzens for Dane County's Future, Nov. 2007-April 2008.  Campaign manager for Ann Hraychuck for State Assembly, June-Nov. 2006.  B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008.

Coordinated Campaign Director  Mitch Wallace

Recall campaign director.  Northeast field organizer on Fair Wisconsin, the unsuccessful campaign to defeat the constitutional amendment banning civil unions, 2006.  Worked on Howard Dean's campaign, America Coming Together and as an organizer for Wisconsin Educational Association Council.  Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  From Lake Mills, WI.


• America Votes   +
State Director  Zach Stewart

Worked in the Campaigns and Elections department of the National Education Association.  Deputy political director at the Democratic Governors Association in 2010.  Served as a regional desk with America Votes,  A regional field director for the Hillary Clinton campaign in the Iowa caucuses, then served in leadership roles Wisconsin, Washington, and Indiana.  Davenport contact on Tom Vilsack's brief presidential campaign. A regional field director for the Iowa Democratic Party in 2006.  Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.