AUSTIN – Texas Gov. Rick Perry has
announced key members of his presidential campaign staff, including Rob
Johnson as campaign manager, Deirdre Delisi as policy and strategy
director, Wayne Hamilton as political director and Ray Sullivan has
been named communications director. Eric Bearse will serve as deputy
communications director, Mark Miner as national press secretary, Robert
Black as travel press secretary, and Katherine Cesinger as state press
director (working with state media across the country).
“I am committed to turning our
country back into the land of opportunity as the next president of the
United States, and I have complete confidence in the top members of my
presidential campaign staff to help get us there,” Gov. Rick Perry
said. “The individuals heading up this campaign are professional, each
of them has extensive experience in running successful campaigns, and I
look forward to working closely with this talented team of experts to
take our message to the people of this country and get America working
again.”
Rob Johnson has extensive experience
in political campaigns and government relations. He recently served as
senior advisor to Gov. Perry in the Texas Governor’s Office. Johnson
previously served as campaign manager to the governor's successful 2010
gubernatorial re-election campaign. Prior to that, he was chief of
staff to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and also served as his deputy chief
of staff and campaign manager of his 2002 campaign. He also served as
chief of staff to Congressman Jay Dickey in Washington, D.C. Johnson
received bachelor's degrees in political science and public relations
from Southern Methodist University.
Deirdre Delisi has most recently
served as the chair of the Texas Transportation Commission, which
oversees the statewide activities of the Texas Department of
Transportation. Delisi has more than 14 years experience in government
policy. She served as chief of staff and deputy chief of staff to Gov.
Perry, and served as his special assistant when he was lieutenant
governor. She is a former policy advisor to the presidential campaigns
of Lamar Alexander and George W. Bush. Delisi earned a bachelor's
degree in political science from Duke University and master's degree in
international policy studies from Stanford University.
Wayne Hamilton is the past executive
director of the Republican Party of Texas, where he was the longest
serving executive director in the party’s history. Prior to that, he
was a senior campaign aide to Congressman Joe Barton. For the past
eight years, Hamilton has worked as a consultant, focusing on
governmental affairs, corporate public affairs, political consulting,
and event and project management, successfully managing projects in 15
states. After the historic Republican victories of 2002, including Gov.
Perry’s election, Hamilton served as executive director of the 2003
Texas Inaugural Committee. In 2007, and again in 2011, Hamilton was
again asked to serve as the executive director of the Inaugural
Committees. He is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University in
Dallas.
Ray Sullivan has 22 years of
government and public relations experience, most recently serving as
Gov. Perry’s chief of staff at the Texas Capitol. Prior to that, he
operated Sullivan Public Affairs, an Austin-based public and government
relations firm. Between 1998 and 2002, he worked in various roles for
Perry, including deputy chief of staff, communications director to then
Lt. Gov. Perry, and communications director for the 1998 and 2002
campaigns. During the 2000 presidential campaign, Sullivan served as a
national spokesman for George W. Bush for President in Austin,
including stints in Tallahassee and Broward County during the Florida
recount. He also worked in the communications office of Bush-Quayle’92,
and from 1995 to 1998, Sullivan served as deputy communications
director for then Gov. George W. Bush. He also worked as a political
consultant at Karl Rove + Company, and worked for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison (R-TX), Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Congressman Sam
Johnson (R-Plano) in Washington, D.C. Sullivan graduated from San Diego
State University with a degree in business marketing.
A veteran speechwriter,
communications consultant, and political adviser to candidates and
officeholders, Bearse formed Bearse & Company, LLC in 2007, a
communications and political consulting firm. Since that time, he has
provided political and communications consulting services to Texas
House Speaker Joe Straus, Comptroller Susan Combs, Attorney General
Greg Abbott and Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams. Bearse wrote
speeches for Gov. Perry for eight years (1999 – 2007), including two
inaugural addresses, four “state of the state” speeches and several
Republican State Convention addresses. He has also written
speeches for university officials and private citizens, and directed
grassroots and media campaigns for private organizations. Bearse worked
for six political campaigns in Texas – including Gov. Perry’s campaigns
for lieutenant governor and governor – and consulted on several
political campaigns in the 2008 and 2010 election cycle. A 1993
graduate of Texas A&M University, Bearse was a member of the
Fightin’ Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets and earned a bachelor’s degree in
political science.
Miner served as communications
director for Gov. Perry during the 2011 and 2009 legislative sessions.
He also recently served as communications director for Gov. Perry’s
successful 2010 gubernatorial re-election campaign. He also previously
served as communications director for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former
Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, the Republican National Committee and the
Bill Simon for Governor Campaign in California. Miner graduated from
Michigan State University in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in
communications.
Black has more than a decade of
political and government experience, most recently serving as the
director of governmental affairs for American Electric Power. He
served as Gov. Perry’s press secretary and communications director from
2003 to 2008, as well as directing the governor’s communications
efforts during his successful 2006 gubernatorial re-election bid.
Previously, he served as the communications director for Texas Attorney
General Greg Abbott’s successful 2002 campaign and as the
communications director for the Republican Party of Texas from 1998 –
2001. Black graduated from the University of Texas – San Antonio.
Cesinger has worked for Gov. Perry
for nearly seven years, most recently serving as his press secretary at
the state capitol. Prior to that, she served as deputy press secretary
for three years. Cesinger also served as communications director for
the Governor’s Competitiveness Council, and has worked in the
governor’s budget, planning and policy division as well as the office’s
legislative division. Prior to working in the Texas Governor’s Office,
she worked for the Louisiana House of Representatives. Cesinger earned
a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State
University.
For more information about Gov. Rick
Perry’s record, presidential campaign and plan to get America working
again, please visit:
www.rickperry.org.