ALABAMA - CHRISTOPHER ENGLAND  twitter

[elected Nov. 2, 2019...first Black chairman]

Representative Christopher J. England was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in November 2006.

He was born on August 19, 1976 and received a B.A. in English and B.A. in Political Science from Howard University in 1999. He then graduated with a J.D. from the University of Alabama in 2002.

Representative England is an associate city attorney for the City of Tuscaloosa.

He is a member of the Police Athletic League Board of Directors and also PRIDE Board of Directors. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Representative England is married to Shea and they have three beautiful children; They attend Bailey Tabernacle CME Church in Tuscaloosa.

ALASKA - MICHAEL WENSTRUP  twitter

[elected weekend of May 7-8, 2022; previously served Jan. 2013-Feb. 2016]

Mike Wenstrup lives in Fairbanks with his wife and two children. Originally from the Midwest, he moved to Fairbanks on a whim in 2005. He quickly fell in love with Fairbanks and his wife Annie (who initially agreed to speak with him because she liked the Alaska Democrats bumper sticker on his truck) and decided to make Fairbanks his home. He opened his own law practice, specializing in criminal defense, workers’ compensation, and elder law. In addition to private case work, half of the practice was dedicated to court-appointed work representing individuals in Nome, Kotzebue, Utqiagvik, Fairbanks, and surrounding areas. In 2015, he closed his practice and joined NEA-Alaska as a full-time union representative and organizer. 

In addition to his work as a father, lawyer, and union representative, Mike is a past chair of both the Interior Democrats and the Alaska Democratic Party. A proud “Double-Domer,” he holds a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.

>adapted from LinkedIn:
(Also served as Alaska Democratic Party chair, Jan. 2013-Feb. 2016.  UniServ director for NEA-Alaska since Nov. 2015.  Law office of Michael J. Wenstrup, LLC, May 2005-Nov. 2015.  J.D. and bachelor's degree from University of Notre Dame, 2004.

ARIZONA - RAQUEL TERÁN  twitter

[elected Jan. 23, 2021]

>official bio from state legislature:
Raquel Teran is a mother, wife, and community advocate who was born and raised in the border towns of Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Sonora Mexico. Raquel is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives proudly representing Legislative District 30 encompassing Central West Phoenix and Downton Glendale.

For the last fourteen years Raquel has been a vocal and active community advocate for civil, labor, immigrant, and women’s reproductive rights. Raquel mobilized Arizonans through civic engagement and community organizing. Those efforts were used to rally against the injustices faced at the hands of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the defeat of SB1070 author, Russell Pearce, and protection of the Affordable Care Act. Raquel has served on the board of Chicanos Por La Causa for eight years and is a current board member of Arizona Center for Empowerment. Raquel has received numerous recognitions among them are the Adelita Woman of the Year and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Civic Engagement Leader.

ARKANSAS - GRANT TENNILLE 

[elected Oct. 2, 2021; finishing term of previous chair Michael John Gray, elected in Mar. 2017, resigned effective Sept. 1, 2021 to serve as executive director of Liberty and Justice for Arkansas.  Vice chair Nicole Hart served as interim chair.]

"...headed the state’s economic development agency during former Governor Mike Beebe’s administration ."

CALIFORNIA - RUSTY HICKS  twitter

[elected June 1, 2019; re-elected April 24, 2021]

A Proven Record of Empowering People and Winning Tough Campaigns

Rusty Hicks was elected to serve as Chair of the California Democratic Party on June 1st, 2019. Rusty believes the party’s top priority should be grassroots organizing to create people-powered election victories.

As a labor union activist, Rusty has a proven record of organizing grassroots power in order to win tough races. As a DSCC delegate for over 12 years, Rusty has seen the powerful impact of party voter registration, persuasion and turnout efforts.

As President of the LA County Federation of Labor, Rusty Hicks stood up to powerful corporations to make progress for working families and organized to create real change. Rusty’s initiatives at the LA Fed include:

• Diverse leadership: As a result of Rusty’s leadership, there are twice as many women, five times more young leaders, and 60% of all leaders are people of color.
• Opportunity for the formerly incarcerated: Rusty built a jobs program to help formerly incarcerated women and men rejoin the workforce and secure good union jobs.
• Fight for 15: Rusty helped lead the successful campaign for the $15 minimum wage, first in LA, then statewide, which helps lift people out of poverty, helps pay the rent and supports working families.
• Health care for all: Rusty fought to guarantee healthcare coverage for every immigrant child. He supports Medicare for All.
• Sexual harassment and assault: Rusty fought for and built a coalition to win greater worker protections against sexual harassment and assault for vulnerable workers in the hospitality industry.
• Safe and healthy environment: Rusty fought for environmental justice and helped lead the campaign for safe and clean water in Los Angeles. He supports a Green New Deal to prevent climate disaster and create jobs.
• Policy at the ballot box: Rusty was a driving force in ballot measures to build affordable housing, provide homeless housing and services, and expand the LA transit system.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor is comprised of more than 300 local unions that represent 800,000 workers. For ten years, Rusty served as Political Director where he led the LA Fed’s day-to-day political operations in campaigns across Southern California.

Rusty took a leave from the LA Fed to join the Obama 2008 campaign, where he served as the California Political Director. Early in his career, Rusty learned the power of local action while working for the late Assemblymember Mike Gordon and then-Assemblymember Ted Lieu.

Raised by a single mother, Rusty understands the challenges of working families firsthand. His mother was a bookkeeper, his grandfather worked as a grocery clerk and his grandmother was a teacher’s aide. Their hard work inspired Rusty to a life of service.

Rusty is a Lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve and a graduate of Austin College and Loyola Law School. Rusty lives in Pasadena with his wife, Sandra Sanchez, and their dog Charlie.

COLORADO - MORGAN CARROLL  twitter

[elected Mar. 11, 2017; re-elected Mar. 9, 2019 and Mar. 20, 2021]

Morgan Carroll is currently the Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party and has presided over historic wins for Democrats in the state, winning all statewide offices for the first time since 1936, gaining and securing legislative majorities in the Colorado House and Senate, and delivering historic wins for Biden-Harris and Senator Hickenlooper. Under her tenure the state has reached historic voter turnout numbers and Democrats picked up several county and local seats.

She served as an elected legislator in the Colorado House from 2005 – 2008 and in the Colorado Senate from 2009 – 2016, including as Senate Majority Leader, Senate President and Senate Minority leader. During her leadership, Colorado passed historic voting reforms, increased workers’ rights, transitioned aggressively from fossil fuels and passed significant criminal justice, lobbying and campaign finance reforms.

Morgan ran for Congress in 2016 in a swing (red-to-blue) seat and lost but was able to help flip it in 2018 for Jason Crow (CO-6).

Morgan is an attorney who practiced law for 16 years before becoming full time chair as a civil and consumer rights attorney. Morgan authored, “Take Back Your Government: A Citizen’s Guide to Grassroots Change” to help demystify how regular people can impact the legislative process.

CONNECTICUT - NANCY DINARDO 

[appointed June 10, 2020; previously served Jan. 2005-Feb. 2015...first woman elected chair]

Nancy DiNardo became the first woman to serve as Connecticut Democratic Party Chair when she was elected to the post in 2005. She served 10 years, leading the state Democrats through two successful Presidential election cycles in 2008 and 2012, leaving in 2015. She was elected to serve on the Democratic National Committee in 2016, and served as chair of the DNC’s Eastern Region Caucus for more than eight years. In 2020, she was re-elected State Party Chair.

She started her political career serving on the Trumbull Town Council, and later served on the Board of Finance, Board of Health and Police Commission. She served as Chair of the Trumbull Democratic Town Committee for more than 25 years. As a party leader, DiNardo helped elect Democrats at the state and federal levels, turning all of the federal officers Democrat when U.S. Rep. Jim Himes defeated long-time Republican Congressman Chris Shays in 2008.

DiNardo was a teacher, school psychologist, and administrator in the Bridgeport schools for 30 years.

DELAWARE - BETSY MARON  facebook

[elected June 12, 2021; acting chair from Nov. 16, 2020 (first woman chair) when previous chair Erik Raser-Schramm resigned to take up position as deputy CAO for New Castle County]

Maron, whose father John Daniello preceded Raser-Schramm as State Party Chair, has long been active in the Party. Prior to being elected Vice Chair and selected as a member of the DNC’s Executive Committee, Maron served as Chair of the New Castle County Democratic Committee. She’s also been a longtime member of the 12th Representative District’s Democratic Committee.

In 2020, Maron helped lead the Party’s Coordinated Campaign effort – the Party’s voter turnout entity that helped our state shatter previous voter participation records. She is poised to become the first woman to lead the Delaware Democratic Party in its history.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - CHARLES WILSON  twitter

[elected Sept. 20, 2018]

>adapted from LinkedIn:
Diversity outreach manager for Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority from Mar. 2022.  Associate attorney for diversity, equity and inclusion at Booz Allen Hamilton, 2017-2022.  Manager of small business development at the Department of Small and Local Business Development, 2013-16.  Chief of staff on  DC Council, 2013.  Manager at Grant Thornton,, 2008-13.  J.D./M.B.A. from University of Baltimore School of Law, 2001; B.S. in accounting from Hampton University, 1998.

FLORIDA - MANNY DIAZ  twitter

[elected Jan. 9, 2021]

>from mannydiazforchair.com
Manny got his start in Democratic politics volunteering for the Democratic presidential nominee in 1972, which motivated him to continue grassroots organizing in Miami-Dade County. Trained at an early age by the DNC, Manny learned from the bottom up by honing his skills in voter outreach, registration and engagement, canvassing, phone banking, polling, fundraising, absentee ballots (VBMs), messaging and media outreach. For decades, Manny has used these skills to run and advise campaigns at the local, state and federal levels, including his own.

Manny’s work helped elect some of the first Cuban-American Democrats to county and state offices, and the judiciary and helped build a diverse, strong bench of Democrats to run for local and state office. Manny has a long record of supporting LGBTQ equality, including his time as State Co-Chair of Florida Red Blue Say No on Amendment 2 campaign with Equality Florida in 2008. Throughout the 1990s, he also fought xenophobic policies at the local, state, and national level and advocated for Hispanic and Haitian immigrants in Miami-Dade County. He led the fight for single-member legislative districts and fought against gerrymandering alongside the Urban League, NAACP, and others, which created more seats for Democrats but also helped open the door for more minority and women representation in the Florida Legislature.

Manny was elected Mayor of the City of Miami in 2001, having never before run for elective office. He was reelected to a second term in 2005, and was chosen to lead the United States Conference of Mayors as its president in 2008 where, in response to the Great Recession, he worked with President Obama, Vice-President Biden and leaders Pelosi and Reed to develop and execute the stimulus bill. During the 2008 campaign, President Obama chose him to do speak on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention, the night Vice President Biden accepted his nomination.

After inheriting a fiscal and quality of life crisis, Manny developed a vision for Miami as an international city that embodies diversity, economic opportunity, effective customer service and a high standard of living. To achieve this goal, he re-engineered Miami government from top to bottom.

During his tenure, Manny was recognized for completely transforming the City of Miami, and for many innovative programs in the areas of urban design, sustainability and green initiatives, education, infrastructure investment, affordable housing, law enforcement, poverty and homelessness, and arts and culture. In recognition of these nationally recognized model programs, Diaz has received almost 100 prestigious awards and recognitions. Throughout his career in public service, he has been a force for justice, equality, and meaningful change.

Manny’s dedication to Democratic causes and electing Democrats has continued over the last two decades as a surrogate, funder and/or strategic advisor to Democratic candidates in Florida. He was an active supporter of Alex Sink, Charlie Crist and Andrew Gillum’s Gubernatorial campaigns, Kendrick Meek, Patrick Murphy and Bill Nelson’s Senatorial campaigns and for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden’s presidential campaigns in Florida. He has also spent his time working on efforts in recent years to: push back against voter disenfranchisement, address our opioid addiction problem; replace the 251 remaining coal plants with clean energy; reduce maternal mortality; increase black enrollment in medical schools and colleges more broadly; and with Mom’s Against Illegal Guns.

Manny serves or has served on various commissions and cultural, educational and volunteer boards including Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Institute of Politics, Bloomberg Philanthropies, University of Pennsylvania Institute for Urban Research, City Year U.S.A., League of Conservation Voters, Miami Foundation, Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use, Mayors’ Institute on City Design, Perez Art Museum Miami, Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, NewDEAL, New Leaders Council, Fair Districts Florida, Florida Red & Blue, Florida After School Network, Sustainable Cities Institute, U.S. Green Building Council- South Florida Chapter; Florida Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and the Florida Steering Committee for The Children’s Movement of Florida. He is a former member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council/U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Manny and his wife Robin live in Miami and are proud parents and grandparents to four children (Manny, Natalie, Robert and Elisa) and four grandchildren (Colin, Gavin, Manny and Dan).

Manny Diaz got his start in Democratic politics volunteering for the Democratic presidential nominee in 1972, which motivated him to continue grassroots organizing in Miami-Dade County. Trained at an early age by the DNC, Manny learned from the bottom up by honing his skills in voter outreach, registration and engagement, canvassing, phone banking, polling, fundraising, Vote-By-Mail ballots, messaging and media outreach. For decades, Manny has used these skills to run and advise campaigns at the local, state and federal levels, including his own.

Manny was elected Mayor of the City of Miami in 2001, having never before run for elective office. He was reelected to a second term in 2005, and was chosen to lead the United States Conference of Mayors as its president in 2008. After inheriting a fiscal and quality of life crisis, Manny developed a vision for Miami as an international city that embodies diversity, economic opportunity, effective customer service and a high standard of living. To achieve this goal, he re-engineered Miami government from top to bottom. Manny’s dedication to Democratic causes and electing Democrats has continued over the last two decades as a surrogate, funder and/or strategic advisor to Democratic candidates in Florida. Manny and his wife Robin live in Miami and are proud parents and grandparents to four children (Manny, Natalie, Robert and Elisa) and four grandchildren (Colin, Gavin, Manny and Dan).

GEORGIA - NIKEMA WILLIAMS

[elected Jan. 26, 2019...(four year term)]

Senator Nikema Williams has been a fearless advocate for women and families throughout her life. Since her election to represent Georgia’s 39th Senate District, which includes the cities of Atlanta, East Point, College Park, Union City and South Fulton, Sen. Nikema Williams has led the charge to improve her community and fight for the values of her constituents.

She has spent her time at the State Legislature fighting for working families, voting rights, fair representation and much more. These values are reflected in her work as a serving member of the influential Economic Development and Tourism, Retirement, MARTOC, State and Local Government Operations, Urban Affairs, and Special Judiciary committees.

Yet for Sen. Williams, the fight for a more prosperous Georgia does not end at the State Legislature. As the first Black woman Chair the Democratic Party of Georgia, she leads the fight statewide to expand access to opportunity for Georgians.  Senator Williams plays a key role in the National Democratic Party as a member of the Executive and Resolution Committees of the Democratic National Committee.

Senator Williams’ commitment to Georgians is also reflected in her arduous fight for free and fair elections. From speaking out against voter suppression, to ensuring that every individual’s vote is counted, Senator Williams will not stop until everyone’s voices are heard. In November of 2018 Senator Williams was arrested at the State Capitol as she stood by her constituents to elevate their demands that every vote be counted following the midterm elections.

Her passion for protecting women’s rights and access to healthcare led Sen. Williams to her former position as Vice-President of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Southeast, Inc. Her desire for improving the wellbeing of working families led her to serve in her current position as Deputy Political Director at National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) and Deputy Director at Care in Action, the advocacy and political arm of NDWA.

Sen. Williams has been recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s Forty under Forty, Power 30 Under 30, Outstanding Atlanta, and Who’s Who in Black Atlanta. Additionally she was named one of James Magazine’s Most Influential Georgians and received the Freshman Legislator of the Year award from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus. Sen. Williams is a graduate of Lead Atlanta, New Leaders Council and the Women’s Campaign School at Yale.

She was born in Columbus and raised by her grandparents across the Chattahoochee River in Smiths Station, Alabama. She attended Talladega College–a liberal arts Historically Black College in Talladega, Alabama–where she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.

Sen. Williams and her husband, Leslie Small, reside in Atlanta with their son, Carter, and two rescue Yorkshire Terriers, Ginger and Belle. They are members of Central United Methodist Church in Atlanta.

>adapted from LinkedIn:
(also served for several months in 2013 as interim chair)  Elected to Congress representing GA-5 in Nov. 2020 (selected by GA Democrats' executive committee as the nominee on July 20 following the death of U.S. Rep. John Lewis).  State senator representing District 39, Dec. 5, 2017-Jan. 3, 2021; elected in a 2017 special election.  State director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance , June 2018-Jan. 2021.  Vice president of public policy, Mar. 2011-Jan. 2018) and director of public policy (Apr. 2010-Jan. 2018) at Planned Parenthood Southeast.  Public policy manager (Jan. 2008-Mar. 2010) and legislative coordinator (Jan.-Apr. 2008) at Planned Parenthood of Georgia.  Chair of 13th CD Democrats, 2007-09.  Managed TJ Copeland's campaign in HD 65, 2004-06.  B.A. in biology from Talladega College, 2000. 

HAWAI'I - DENNIS JUNG

[elected May 29, 2022]

I was the first in my family to graduate from high school. I attended Pitzer College in Claremont, California. I returned to work at the legislature for State Senator Anson Chong. I went on to earn a Master of Arts in political science, a Master of Business Administration, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I worked as a Deputy Public Defender for the State of Hawaii. I practiced criminal law, immigration law and personal injury litigation.

IDAHO - LAUREN NECOCHEA

[elected Mar. 12, 2022, succeeding acting chair Deborah Silver; previous chair Fred Cornforth, elected Mar. 2021, resigned effective Jan. 15, 2022 following a cancer diagnosis]

>official bio from Idaho State Legislature:
Fourth-generation Idahoan; graduate of Boise High School; undergraduate at Pomona College with a B.A. in economics; Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University; Idaho Next Generation Leadership, board chair; Fulbright Fellow; Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Leadership Institute for State-Based Advocates, fellow (2014-2016); Idaho Business Review’s Accomplished 40 Under 40, honoree (2014); Idaho Business Review Women of the Year, honoree (2014); Environmental Leadership Program, fellow (2009); married; two children.

>more:
State Representative representing District 19 (Boise area), appointed by Gov. Little in Dec. 2019 to fill vacancy.  Director at Idaho Voices for Children/Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy to Jan. 2020.

ILLINOIS - ELIZABETH "LISA" HERNANDEZ

[elected July 30, 2022, after a messy contest, succeeding U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly.  Kelly, the first woman chair and Black chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, was elected Mar. 3, 2021 to finish the term of previous chair Mike Madigan.  She had sought a full term but Gov. Pritzker pushed to elect Hernandez]

>official bio from Illiniois General Assembly:

Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, a long-time Cicero community activist, is serving in her fourth term as State Representative of the 24th District. Her top legislative priorities have been to crack down on gang violence and crime, create jobs and stimulate the economy, improve educational funding for Cicero and Berwyn schools, increase government openness and transparency, improve childcare, senior and social services, and expand access to quality, affordable health care.

Before serving as a state lawmaker, Hernandez worked for former Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn as a Senior Policy Advisor, and prior to that, Hernandez completed a 17 year career in Cicero Public School District 99, where she managed the district’s multi-million dollar educational grants office.

As a legislator, Hernandez has helped pass measures to improve government transparency, increase child care assistance for low income families, protect victims of domestic violence, provide funding for vital anti-crime programs, and expand access to quality health and dental care. Hernandez has also worked hard with AARP and other senior service providers to revamp the state’s senior services, care for seniors with mental health issues such as hoarding, and provide more money to support in-home care workers.

In her most recent term, Hernandez has tackled some of the state’s most challenging issues, including the economy and government reform. She worked with her colleagues to pass the state’s most grand-sweeping ethics overhaul to root out corruption in state government, including strengthening the state’s campaign finance laws and prohibiting pay to play politics.

As the state faces the adverse effects of the national economic downturn, Hernandez is still fighting to protect funding for local programs, and to create jobs. She helped pass a statewide capital construction bill to not only repair the state’s damaged roads and budgets, but to create new jobs and put people back to work. The legislation appropriates $8.39 billion for capital improvements and enables Illinois to receive $6.75 billion in federal economic recovery funds.

Hernandez has also worked hard to improve education by requiring public schools to teach students about the forceful removal and illegal deportation of almost 2,000,000 Mexican-American U.S. citizens during the Great Depression, and helped extend critical tax relief for local homeowners, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and disabled veterans.

Hernandez is the vice-chair of Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and member of the Conference of Women Legislators (COWL). In addition Lisa is a member of the Education Caucus, Diabetes Caucus and board member for the Children’s Center, Youth Commission, CYTF and Hunger Commission.

Hernandez was Born in Missouri and raised in Chicago. She grew up in Little Village and graduated from Jones Academy High School. A single mother at twenty-one, Lisa knows firsthand the challenges of raising a family and staying in the workforce. She also knows the value of persistence, and in 2001 she capped her efforts for a better future by earning a college degree.

INDIANA - MIKE SCHMUHL  

[elected Mar. 20, 2021 (four-year term)]

Mike Schmuhl is an organizer, manager, and leader, who has been actively involved in Hoosier politics for the past decade.

During the 2020 electoral cycle, Mike was the national campaign manager of Pete for America, Pete Buttigieg’s groundbreaking presidential campaign and the largest political campaign in Indiana history. The first employee of the campaign, he eventually built and led an organization of nearly 600 team members with over $100 million in resources. Buttigieg became the first LGBTQ presidential candidate to be awarded delegates in American history after winning the Iowa caucuses. Buttigieg now serves as the Secretary of Transportation in the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris Administration.

A native of South Bend, Mike has worked on campaigns for former U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (2010), State Senator Shelli Yoder (2016), and businessman Mel Hall (2018). He served as Buttigieg’s first chief of staff in South Bend after running his campaign for mayor in 2011. Schmuhl was the elected the 2nd Congressional District Democratic chairman from 2011 to 2013, becoming the youngest member of the state central committee at the time with full voting rights.

Previously, Mike was vice president at the Democratic consulting firm 270 Strategies in Chicago, where he advised nonprofits, issue-based causes, and labor unions. Before working in politics, he worked in the newsroom of The Washington Post as a producer and booker for broadcast outlets. He also interned for the late Tim Russert at NBC News’ Meet the Press.

Mike received a BA in History from the University of Notre Dame and a MA in International Affairs from Sciences Po in Paris, France.

IOWA - ROSS WILBURN  twitter

[elected Jan. 23, 2021]

Representative Ross Wilburn is the first African-American Iowan to serve as Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. He currently serves in the Iowa House General Assembly and is running for his 3rd consecutive term as a representative for House District 50 (Ames, IA). Rep. Wilburn is also the Midwestern Region Chairman of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) and is a member of its Executive Committee.

Rep. Wilburn has an extensive history of community involvement. He served on the city council of Iowa City for 12 years which included being elected as the first African-American mayor.

Rep. Wilburn also has 35 years of experience in non-profit, educational, and governmental organizations locally and nationally. He earned his Masters degree in social work from The University of Iowa. Rep. Wilburn was the Director of Equity for the Iowa City Community School District, where he facilitated the district’s grievance and compliance procedures with civil rights and equity related statutes for staff and students.

A proud veteran, Rep. Wilburn served in the Iowa Army National Guard for six years, achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant E-6, and was recognized as the Distinguished Honor Graduate of his Noncommissioned Officer’s School class.

In his spare time, Rep. Wilburn enjoys cycling, playing the clarinet and guitar. He has also done extensive research into his family’s genealogy. Rep. Wilburn recently learned that during the Civil War, his 2nd-great grandfather escaped enslavement in Missouri and enlisted in Iowa’s 1st Colored Infantry to fight for the Union Army.

KANSAS - VICKI HIATT  twitter

[elected Mar. 2, 2019; re-elected Feb. 27, 2021]

KENTUCKY - COLMON ELRIDGE  twitter

[elected Nov. 14, 2020; previous chair Ben Self, elected Nov. 11, 2017, announced in Sept. 2020 that he would resign at the end of the year]

>from the press release announcing his election:

Elridge, a native of Cynthiana, Ky., has a long history in Democratic politics. He served as DNC Outreach Director for the KDP in 2007, was a national committeeman for the Kentucky Young Democrats from 2008-2009 and was the Executive Vice President of the Young Democrats of America from 2009-2011.

In Kentucky, Elridge served as a special advisor to Gov. Steve Beshear from 2007-2015 and recently served as government relations director for the Kentucky Education Association. Elridge is a graduate of Transylvania University, holds an M.B.A. from Sullivan University and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of the Cumberlands.

Elridge will be the first African-American chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party.

LOUISIANA - KATIE BERNHARDT

[elected Sept. 12, 2020 (four-year term)]

Katie Bernhardt is the Chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party. She lives in Lafayette, La with her husband Ramon Fonseca, Jr. and their four children. Katie received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and her juris doctorate from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert School of Law. She operates a real estate investment and mineral holdings company and serves as the Director of Strategic Development for Standard Title and Standard Law. Katie is passionate about creating a better future for Louisiana through political and nonprofit efforts. Her objectives at the Louisiana Democratic Party are centered on running and electing more Democrats across the state and at all levels, and making improvements to the party to carry the party strongly into the future.

MAINE - DREW GATTINE  twitter

[elected Jan. 24, 2021]

Drew Gattine loves Maine and he loves being a Democrat.

As a community leader, he prioritized healthy, vibrant neighborhoods during three terms as a Westbrook City Councilor and chaired the Westbrook Charter Commission. He got his start in public service in Maine as a State Assistant Attorney General in 1992. 

Drew served four terms in the Maine House of Representatives, where he was House Chair of the powerful Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. As Chair, he spearheaded the effort to enact moral budgets; one of his proudest moments was when the Committee fully funded healthcare for over 70,000 Mainers.

Drew is passionate about helping people get access to high quality healthcare and live better lives. He has over a quarter century of experience in implementing and operating programs designed to deliver more fair, effective and affordable healthcare.

He is nationally recognized for his work helping states improve their Medicaid programs and his legislative service has been recognized by AARP, Disability Rights Maine, Maine Equal Justice, Maine Council on Aging, Maine People’s Alliance, Cancer Action Network Maine, The Consumer Council System of Maine and The Maine Primary Care Association.

Drew lives on a small farm in Westbrook with his wife, Elizabeth. They have two children and a whole bunch of animals.

>adapted from LinkedIn and other sources:
Democratic nominee for Maine House in District 126 in Nov. 2022.  Elected chairman of the Maine Democratic Party in Jan. 2021.  Senior policy fellow at the National Academy for State Health Policy from Sept. 2020.  Representative in the Maine House of Representatives for four terms representing District 34, Dec. 2012-Dec. 2020.  Senior project manager at Optum, July 1998-June 2019; account executive at Moline Healthcare, Oct. 2010-Apr. 2012.  A Maine Assistant Attorney General starting in 1992.  J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, 1987; B.A. from Colgate University, 1983.

MARYLAND - YVETTE LEWIS

[elected Dec. 7, 2019; the previous chair, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, was elected in Dec. 2018 but resigned Nov. 11, 2019, preparatory to running for Congress; state Sen. Cory McCray served briefly as interim chair.  Lewis also served a previous term as chair from 2011-15]

Yvette Lewis is a lifelong grassroots activist with a proven record as a Democratic leader. She’s served the Party in many critical and effective ways including on the campaigns of Bill Clinton, Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, and Barack Obama. Yvette at her core is an organizer, having notably brought together a group of volunteers to knock on doors, make phone calls and register voters to elect President Obama in 2008 and enact his agenda thereafter. Yvette is open-minded but tough, with a deep belief in the Democratic Party. She founded Maryland’s “Rapid Response Network” in 2010 to aggressively push back against the Tea Party in Washington, and Bob Ehrlich’s smear campaign against Governor Martin O’Malley. She later served as national co-chair and surrogate for Governor O’Malley’s 2016 presidential campaign, which included appearances on MSNBC and other media outlets.

Yvette was first elected as Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party in 2011 and became the second African American woman to serve in the post, serving from 2011 to 2015. As Chair she raised in excess of $7 million and ran two statewide coordinated campaigns. Yvette routinely criss-crossed the state supporting county central committees and local Democratic clubs, and pushed to elevate and institutionalize the Party’s Diversity Leadership Councils. In 2012, she successfully executed Maryland’s delegation selection plan – leading to the election of the most diverse convention delegation in state history. She planned and organized all the State Party’s events at the National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, which encompassed fifteen events for more than three hundred attendees over a five-day period.

During her first tenure as Chair, she was elected Secretary of the National Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) and served on the Board of the ASDC Voter Co-Op – making critical investments in the voter file for all state parties. She was the recipient of the first “Geneva Jones Award” for Service and Leadership.

After completing four years as State Party Chair, Yvette was selected to be an At-Large Member of the Democratic National Committee. She was asked to serve on the 2016 Convention Credentials Committee and later on the DNC Unity Reform Commission. Yvette believes the Democratic Party is a big tent party and must be inclusive and welcoming to all, and supported significant changes to increase participation, engage voters and compete all across the country.

Yvette is currently the DNC National Committeewoman representing Maryland. She was elected unanimously to be the Eastern Caucus female representative on the DNC Executive Committee. She is the Chair of the Voter Protection Standing Committee for the Association of State Democratic Committees and is also a member of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Standing Committee.

In 2018 Yvette created “Shop Talk.” Working with local churches, she visited beauty and barber shops encouraging people to register and vote. What began as part of the DNC Seat at the Table program grew into a Maryland Democratic Party voter engagement effort. She will replicate this program for future elections in Maryland.

In 2019, Yvette was re-elected as Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.

MASSACHUSETTS - GUS BICKFORD  twitter

[elected Nov. 14, 2016; re-elected Nov. 12, 2020]

>bio from LinkedIn:
Currently serving as Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, Gus Bickford has a long history of working in Massachusetts Democratic politics. Specializing in survey research and database targeting, he is the Principal of Factotum Productions, Inc. He has administered voter contact programs for the Democratic Parties of Connecticut, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, and for the Presidential Campaigns of John Kerry ’04, Barack Obama ’08 and ‘12, and Hillary Clinton in ’08. Most recently, he managed the modeling and voter contact for the Massachusetts NoOn2 Campaign. Gus also served as Political Director for Martha Coakley’s US Senate Campaign and Niki Tsongas’ Congressional Campaign as well as developed and managed the targeting for Elizabeth Warren’s ’12 US Senate Race. With 22 years of expertise with large databases and refining the information they provide, Gus worked on the team that created the National Voter File (VoteBuilder) for the Democratic National Committee. Prior to founding Factotum Productions, Gus served as a Vice President and Director of Systems Integration for Predictive Networks and for 5 years as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. Gus is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in Organizational Behavior.

>details from LinkedIn:
Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party since Nov. 2016.  Principal at Factotum Productions, Inc. since 2001.  Deputy campaign manager/GOTV director on Niki Tsongas for Congress, 2007.  Voter file manager on Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign, 2004.  Director of systems integration at Predictive Networks, June 1999-Mar. 2001.  Executive director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, Jun 1992-June 1998; and Coordinated Campaign director, 1995-96.  B.A. in business from Brown University, 1986.

MICHIGAN - LAVORA BARNES  twitter

[elected Feb. 2, 2019; re-elected Feb. 20, 2021]

Lavora Barnes is the Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. Elected in February 2019, Barnes is the first Black woman to hold this post. Prior to being elected Chair, Barnes was the Chief Operating Officer for the MDP, a post she held since 2015.

A political veteran with extensive experience in field, communications, and fundraising, Barnes has implemented and grown a year-round, full-time organizing strategy in every corner of Michigan. She is chief architect of MDP’s Project 83, started in 2017 and named for the 83 counties in Michigan. Project 83 is the blueprint for a successful organizing model now being adopted by other states in the country, following Michigan’s lead.

Barnes is a sought after political consultant on a national level, and has appeared on MSNBC, C-Span, CNN and all of the major news networks. She has a strong network of colleagues on the national stage and is one of the go-to Democratic leaders in the country for sound and sincere advice. Former Chair Brandon Dillon said, “If you want to talk, you can call anyone, if you want to win, you call Lavora.”

Barnes is committed to expanding and solidifying the permanent party infrastructure in Michigan for which she has been such a strong advocate. Recognizing that while campaigns in so many ways will remain seasonal operations, the permanent infrastructure of the party will be the determinative factor in close races moving forward.

Barnes is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Born in North Carolina, her family moved to Virginia where she spent the majority of her childhood. The mother of 3, Barnes lives with her family in Ann Arbor.

MINNESOTA - KEN MARTIN  twitter

[elected Feb. 5, 2011; re-elected to a sixth term on Feb. 6, 2021]

Ken Martin is currently serving his fifth sixth term as Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. He has held this post since 2011—making him the longest serving Chairman in the 75-year history of the DFL. The Minnesota DFL has won every statewide election since Ken was elected Chairman.

Ken was only a senior at Eden Prairie High School when he joined Paul Wellstone’s campaign for U.S. Senate. And as he did for many people, Sen. Wellstone inspired Ken to pursue a political career dedicated to the principle that “we all do better, when we all do better.”

Ken has worked tirelessly to rebuild and refocus the DFL around that iconic ideal. When he was first elected Chairman, he inherited a party deeply in debt and reeling from recent defeats. By building the party to win and to last, Ken restored Minnesotans’ confidence in the DFL. He made the DFL what it is today–an all-day, year-round party dedicated to organizing communities, empowering the grassroots, electing progressive candidates, and improving the lives of Minnesotans.

Given his success as the DFL Party Chairman, Ken was elected by his peers across the country to serve as the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs in 2017. He also serves as a Vice-Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Through this national platform, Ken works with state and local party committees to build permanent, long-lasting political infrastructure so they can elect candidates from the school board to the Oval Office.

Before his election as Chairman, Ken spent two decades working for progressive candidates and causes. He played key leadership roles on various campaigns, including Dayton for Governor in 2010, Hatch for Governor in 2006, Kerry for President in 2004, Humphrey for Secretary of State in 2002, and Gore for President in 2000. Ken led the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment campaign in 2008, which dedicated funding to the arts, environment, conservation, and parks and trails in Minnesota. It is the largest conservation finance measure in the nation to ever become law.

Ken holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Kansas. He and his wife, Jennifer O’Rourke, live in Eagan, Minnesota with their two sons.

MISSISSIPPI - TYREE IRVING 

[elected July 25, 2020]

 Judge Irving is a native of Greenwood, Mississippi.  In 1968, he graduated from Jackson State College (now Jackson State University) and taught for four years in the public schools of the Mississippi Delta before going to law school.  He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1974, and in 1975, he became the first African American to clerk for the Mississippi Supreme Court when he became the law clerk for the late Chief Justice Robert G. Gillespie.  In 1976, Judge Irving served as an Earl Warren Fellow Intern with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in New York.  In 1978, Judge Irving became the first African American assistant United States Attorney in Mississippi since Reconstruction when he was hired by the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.  Later, Judge Irving became the first African American to serve as the attorney for a Mississippi county when the Board of Supervisors of Humphreys County hired him in 1988 to serve as its attorney.
​
While engaging in the private practice of law, Judge Irving also was active in Democratic politics, serving in responsible positions and working hard to elect real democrats.  He was primarily responsible for putting together the 2nd Congressional District Preferential Caucus that selected then supervisor Bennie Thompson as the choice of Democrats to run in the special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Mike Espy when Espy resigned to become President Clinton's Secretary of Agriculture.  From mid 1992 to 1998, Judge Irving served as chairman of the Leflore County Democratic Executive Committee.  In 1996, Judge Irving was elected to both the Mississippi Democratic Executive Committee and one of Mississippi’s four representatives to the Democratic National Committee.  He served in those positions until he qualified to run for the Court of Appeals of the State of Mississippi.  As a candidate and as a judge, he was prohibited by state law from participating in partisan politics; therefore, he had to resign his positions with the Mississippi Democratic Party.
​
Prior to being elected to the Court of Appeals in 1998, Judge Irving spent approximately twenty years in private practice.  He practiced law in Greenville, Mississippi, with two college friends for approximately ten years before returning home to Greenwood, where he enjoyed a solo practice for ten years before being elected to the bench.  During his years as a private attorney, Judge Irving had a diverse practice which included representation of both civil and criminal clients and a number of public clients, including the Housing Authority of the City of Greenwood; the cities of Itta Bena and Shaw; the towns of  Jonestown, Sledge, and Winstonville; and the Shaw, Mound Bayou, and Leflore County school districts.  He also handled a number of impactful cases, including the successful defense of Hershal Wilburn’s challenge to the election of Peggy Hopson Calhoun to the Board of Supervisors of Hinds County, which resulted in Hinds County attaining a majority African American board for the first time; and the defense of Orlando Fratesi’s challenge to the election of Carl Palmer to the Greenwood City Council.  Although a new election was ordered, Judge Irving’s role in ensuring that African American voters were not disenfranchised during the new election ultimately resulted in Greenwood also having a majority African American council for the first time.
​
Judge Irving served as a presiding judge on the Court of Appeals from March of 2011 until his retirement in December 2018.  During his tenure on the Court, he was instrumental in expanding the Court’s Court-on-the-Road Program to include annual oral arguments at Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, and Rust College.  Judge Irving is a past president and treasurer of the Magnolia Bar Association.  He is a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the American Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar, and the Magnolia Bar Association.  He is also a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a former member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and the Council of School Board Attorneys.
​
Additionally, Judge Irving is a life member of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association and has established and funded an endowed scholarship at his beloved “Thee I Love.”  He is a Methodist and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Greenwood.  Judge Irving is married to the former Ethola Garrett Collins, and they have a blended family consisting of six children, ten grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

MISSOURI - MICHAEL BUTLER

[elected Dec. 12, 2020]

>bio. from www.michaelbutler.org
Michael Butler serves as both the Recorder of Deeds for the City of St. Louis, Missouri and the Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party. He is the first African-American ever elected in both positions. A native of St. Louis, Michael was first elected to Recorder in 2018, and as Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party in 2020. Prior to his time in City Hall, he represented part of St. Louis City (District 79) in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2013-2018.

Prior to his political success, Butler gained valuable work experience in the legislature while serving as the Legislative Aide in the office of State Senator Robin Wright-Jones, and as the Legislative Assistant to State Rep. Mary Wynne Still. During his 2012 campaign, he worked as an educator in the St. Louis Public School System. In addition, Butler has valuable private sector experience while employed as a manager at the home office of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Butler holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Alabama A&M University, where he also served as Student Government President and as a Board of Trustee member. While working in the legislature, he also obtained a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also served in several leadership positions including Missouri House Democratic Caucus Chair and St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee Chair.
​
Michael is the proud owner of Open Concept, a popular bar in the Grove in St. Louis, MO. He lives in the Gate District Neighborhood with his wife Erin and they have two daughters, Kimber and Karis.

MONTANA - ROBYN DRISCOLL

[elected July 14, 2019]

 

NEBRASKA - JANE KLEEB  twitter

[elected June 18, 2016, chair-elect until Dec. 2016); re-elected June 2018; elected to a third term on June 14, 2020]

Jane Kleeb is an experienced grassroots organizer, manager, political strategist and nonprofit entrepreneur. Recently profiled by PBS in a film called “Blue Wind on a Red Prairie,” Jane is a leader who deeply understands the need to connect issues that rural and urban communities are facing to politics in order to win elections in Nebraska. Jane Kleeb started her term as the Nebraska Democratic Party Chair in December 2016.

Leading the statewide healthcare reform project called Change That Works, Jane brought together grassroots advocates and allied groups such as AARP and Nebraska Appleseed. While more work must be done to bring down the costs of heathcare for families, the effort was successful in helping ensure pre-esxiting conditions are a thing of the past and that all Nebraskans have access to heath care. In 2010, Kleeb founded the grassroots group Bold Nebraska leading farmers, ranchers and Native allies in an effort to stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Jane’s organizing style earned her the title “Keystone Killer” and she was featured in the NY Time Magazine. Bold Nebraska expanded into the national Bold Alliance focusing on protecting property rights, water and the clean energy transition.

Early in her career, Kleeb became the Executive Director of the Young Democrats of America in Washington, DC. She took the reins of YDA at a time when the youth vote was on the decline. Along with an alliance of diverse groups ranging from Punk Voters to Stonewall Democrats, Jane created an innovate approach to elections that blended traditional and non-traditional methods of talking to young people at their homes and where they hang out. The youth vote hit historic highs under Kleeb’s leadership. Jane went on to be a co-founder of the DNC’s Youth Council bringing together YDA, CDA and other organizations to institutionalize youth engagement in the Democratic party.

Bringing people together in creative action is a goal of Jane’s throughout her career. She is responsible for such large actions like Reject and Protect where 12 tipis were placed on the National Mall, building a barn and various solar installations inside the proposed KXL route and hosting Nebraska’s largest advocacy concert, Harvest the Hope, in a corn field with Willie Nelson and Neil Young. Jane was one of the youngest Directors of an AmeriCorps project, worked to ensure eating disorders were included in the Mental Health Party bill and brought her communications skills to MTV as a Street Team Reporter and pundit on MSNBC and Fox News. Kleeb also served as the lead consultant on the award-winning HBO film “Thin” profiling families in the recovery process.

Serving in public office as both a Commissioner for National and Community Service and an elected Hastings School Board Member, Jane understands how to run for office and how to govern. She continues to serve as the President of the Bold Alliance and is a proud board member of Our Revolution.

Jane Kleeb lives in rural Nebraska with her husband Scott and three daughters–Kora, Maya and Willa.

NEVADA - JUDITH WHITMER  twitter

[elected Mar. 6, 2021]

A lifelong Democrat committed to transformative change and people-centered policy, Judith has worked tirelessly to return working-class Americans and uncompromising Progressive values to the heart of our party.

Formerly a project manager for billion-dollar infrastructure projects (including the Purple Line for Baltimore’s Light Rail Transit system), Judith's calling to politics came from Obama’s inspiring message of ‘hope and change’ in 2008. Working as an activist for a range of Democratic issues, Judith was elected to the Clark County Democratic Party Executive Board in 2017, where she served two terms.

In 2019, Judith founded the Left Caucus as a chartered Democratic caucus, organizing the Progressives and first-time voters critical to the Bernie Sanders campaign’s landslide victory at the Nevada Caucus in 2020. That incredible momentum and demand for change led to an unprecedented series of Progressive victories across the following year, including Judith’s election as a National PLEO for Sen. Sanders, a presidential elector, and Chair of the 2020 Nevada delegation to the DNC.

In March 2021, Judith was elected Chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party (NV Dems), along with her entire slate of progressive officers.

As the new State Party Chair, Judith and her team established statewide constituency caucuses and built a year-round infrastructure for voter engagement and community outreach. NV Dems is currently running a Down Ballot Initiative in coalition with rural county parties, working to elect Democrats at every level of government - from school boards to senate. This comprehensive approach has helped not only deliver wins for Democrats but defend the offices most impactful on the daily lives of Nevadans from extremist candidates seeking a foothold in our state.

Judith and her team continue to work tirelessly to build a party unafraid of challenging tradition and the status quo - committed now and always to a vision of a truly just, equal, and free future, and a thriving Democratic party that can take us there!

>adapted from LinkedIn:
Chair of the Nevada Democratic Party since Mar. 2021.  Chair (Sept. 2020-Mar. 2021) and 2nd vice chair (July 2017-Sept. 2020) of the Clark County Democratic Party.  Project control analyst at Rummel Klepper & Kahl LLP in Baltimore, Jan. 2007-Nov. 2015.  B.A. degree from Seminole State College of Florida.
 

NEW HAMPSHIRE - RAY BUCKLEY  twitter

[elected Mar. 2007; elected to an eighth term Mar. 21, 2021]

Prior to serving as Chair, he served 4 terms as the Party’s 1 st Vice Chair
and 4 years as Executive Director. He has been a member of the Democratic State Committee since 1978, when at age 18 he was elected his County Chair. He first started volunteering at age 8 but his professional political involvement began when he was a teenage organizer for Jimmy Carter’s campaign for President in 1976. He has served as campaign manager or in a top role in successful campaigns from president to school board. In 1986 he was elected to the NH House from Manchester serving eight terms and served in the House Democratic leadership for a decade. He also served as a city alderman. Ray
served 5 terms as Manchester City Chair. Ray has served on the DNC Executive Committee since 2001, served as the DNC Eastern Region Chair 2001-2009, President of the Association of State Democratic Committees 2009-2017. He was the first openly gay Vice Chair of the DNC 2009-2017 and a candidate for DNC Chair in 2017. Ray served on the DNC Rules and Bylaws committee for 8 years. He was a delegate to the 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Democratic National Conventions and the NH Delegation Chair 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. Ray received the NHDP’s FDR Award.

NEW JERSEY - LEROY JONES, JR.  

[elected June 17, 2021] re-elected Jan. 10, 2022]

LeRoy J. Jones Jr. was elected as NJDSC Chairman on June 17, 2021. He also serves as the Chairman of the Essex County Democratic Committee, where he has helped grow the party in New Jersey’s most Democratic county. A former State Assemblyman, Chairman Jones wrote the state’s landmark ban on racial profiling and he has a distinguished record of standing up for racial, social and economic justice for everyone. A former Essex County Freeholder and Council member, Chairman Jones is a lifelong resident of East Orange where he lives with his wife Jaqueline.

>bio. from NJ Legislative Apportionment Committee:

LeRoy J. Jones, Jr....is current Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and Essex County Democratic Committee. Prior to this, Mr. Jones joined 1868 Public Affairs after a distinguished career as a State Legislator, County Freeholder and municipal government administrator. He served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly – including two years as Deputy Minority Leader – where he worked on the Appropriations, Regulatory Oversight, Solid Waste and Recycling, Financial Institutions and Local Government committees, as well as the Assembly Task Force on Foreign Banking and Task Force on Business Retention and Expansion. He also served on the State House Commission.

As a two-term Essex County Freeholder, Mr. Jones served as Chairman of the Budget Committee, on the Minority Affairs Committee and on the Essex County Planning Board. He served as the City Administrator of East Orange for seven years where he was responsible for developing the city’s $100 million operating budget, served as the chief liaison between the Mayor and Council and managed the city’s ten department heads. He also served in various positions at PSE&G in his professional career, including Business Development Manager, Director of Workforce Diversity and Public Affairs Manager. Prior to that he worked for AT&T Corp. as a Senior Accounting Specialist, Assistant Manager for Corporate Taxes and Internal Auditor.

Mr. Jones is an experienced local, county and state-level public servant and a distinguished corporate executive. His record of developing and implementing strategic and operational corporate plans gives him unique insight into the day-to-day issues facing our corporate clients. His experience as a Freeholder and Assemblyman give him an unparalleled ability to represent the interests of our clients at all levels of government.

Mr. Jones was appointed by Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver as a Commissioner of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority in 2012. He is currently the East Orange Democratic Municipal Committee Chairman, a position to which he was elected in 2002 and has been re-elected to four times. Mr. Jones served as the Essex County Campaign Director for Governor Jon Corzine’s 2009 re-election campaign, where he helped lead Governor Corzine to one the largest Democratic voter pluralities in the history of New Jersey. He also served as Co-Campaign Chairman for Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, won re-election to an unprecedented third term in November of 2010.

Mr. Jones is a Trustee of the Essex County Democratic Committee, a post to which he was appointed by Essex County Democratic Chairman Philip Thigpen in 2002. He was also an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University, where he taught Public Policy. He has appeared on numerous public opinion television and radio talk shows and is a frequent expert contributor on Fox Network/ My 9 “New Jersey Now”.

He is a past member of the American Red Cross Board of Directors, the North Atlantic Aviation Board, the East Orange Charter School Board of Directors, the East Orange General Hospital Board of Trustees, the Inroads of New Jersey Board of Directors, the Junior Achievement of New Jersey Board, and the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council.

A resident of East Orange, Mr. Jones holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Seton Hall University.

NEW MEXICO - JESSICA VELASQUEZ

[elected Apr. 24, 2021]

In 1999, Jessica Velasquez moved to New Mexico after completing her BA in English at Pennsylvania State University. She earned her teaching credentials and MA in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies at the University of New Mexico, and taught in the Albuquerque Public Schools before becoming adjunct faculty at UNM. Jessica married her husband Aaron in 2006. Together, they own and operate Theta Plate Inc., an Albuquerque-based electroplating company that has been in the family since 1976. Jessica feels lucky to live in Sandia Park with her husband, three kids, two dogs, and a dozen chickens.

Jessica has always been active in community service, serves on the boards of Sandia Park Scenic Byway Firewise, dedicated to reducing wildfire risk and increasing community resilience, and of Kindness Club International, which aims to build positive school culture through student leadership. Jessica is a member of the Democratic Party of NM’s State Central Committee and is former Chair of Ward 22A in Bernalillo County. Jessica served on Governor Lujan Grisham’s interim Education Committee and also served on the Bernalillo County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee.

Jessica left public education to engage more fully in local politics, and over the last two election cycles, Jessica has led unprecedented campaigns in most historically conservative, “red” House districts. Jessica’s efforts helped increase voter turnout to record levels in a crucial area of the state where Democratic performance had lagged behind.

Now, as Chair of DPNM, Jessica brings her experience from the campaign trail to reinvigorate and re-energize our state party. With an eye to engaging rural communities, registering voters, driving voter turnout among young and first-time voters in historically underrepresented communities, and strengthening Party infrastructure, Jessica is dedicated to building an even more inclusive, effective and dynamic DPNM so that we can continue to win elections and fight for our core Democratic values and policies.

>ed. Velasquez ran for the state legislature in House District 22 in 2018 and 2020.

NEW YORK - JAY JACOBS  twitter

[Jan. 2019 (announcd Jan. 14); served previously from July 2009, resigning May 2012]

Jay S. Jacobs is the Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee. Jay Jacobs was first elected to the position of Nassau County Democratic Chairman in October of 2001. Since becoming Chairman, the voters of Nassau County have re-elected a Democratic Majority in the County Legislature in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007, and have elected two Democratic County Executives, two District Attorneys, two County Comptrollers, three Town Supervisors, and a County Assessor. In 2005, Jacobs and the committee made history by helping to elect Kathleen Rice, who became the first ever female District Attorney in Nassau.

In 2017, Chairman Jacobs and the Nassau County Democratic Committee continued to make history in helping to elect the first female County Executive in Nassau County’s history, and the first Democratic Supervisor in the Town of Hempstead’s history. In 2018, the Nassau County Democratic Committee swept all five New York State Senate Races in Nassau County, helping to switch the balance of power in the chamber from Republican to Democratic control. In doing so, they elected the first ever Iranian-American New York State Senator, and the first ever Indian-American New York State Senator.

Under Jay’s leadership, the Nassau County Democratic Committee has raised more money and elected more Democrats than ever before. Because of the political successes orchestrated by Jacobs and the County Committee, Nassau County now has a more diverse group of elected officials and judges than ever before. Nassau County, for more than a century, a bastion of Republican organizational prowess – the suburban county Ronald Reagan once described as “Heaven” where Republicans go after they die, is now Democratic.

Jay Jacobs served as the Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 2009 thru 2012, and returned to the post in 2019. He is the first ever New York State Democratic Chair to hold the position twice. Chairman Jacobs also serves as an At-Large Member of the Democratic National Committee, recommended by President Barack Obama.

Jay Jacobs is the CEO and major owner of the TLC Family of Camps & Inns which includes three sleep-away camps, three day camps, a pre-school, and two country inns. Some of his past professional affiliations include serving on the New York State Camp Health and Safety Council, President of ACA’s NY section, and President of the New York State Camp Directors Association. He is the founder of SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education), a program that sends inner city children to not-for-profit camps. In 2001, Jay founded and currently serves as Chairman of Project Heal the Children, an ACA program that provides free summer camp experiences for the children of victims of the 9/11 tragedy.

Jay grew up in Forest Hills and graduated with a BA degree from SUNY Oneonta and a JD from Northwestern University Law School. Jay currently resides in Laurel Hollow with his wife Mindy. They have two daughters, Jessica and Jackie, along with two grandchildren, Landon and Brooklyn.

NORTH CAROLINA - BOBBIE RICHARDSON   twitter

[elected Feb. 27, 2021...first Black chairperson]

Former Representative Bobbie Richardson was elected Chairwoman after serving one term as first vice-chair. Chair Richardson previously represented Franklin and Nash counties in the North Carolina General Assembly, serving from 2013-2018. Chair Richardson is a retired educator and administrator, with 35 years of experience as an educator in North Carolina public schools.

>bio adapted from LinkedIn:

Legislator in the North Carolina General Assembly, Jan. 2013-2018 (apppointed in 2013, elected in 2014 and 2016 but defeated in 2018).  Director of Exceptional Children Program for Vance County Schools, Sept. 2012-Jan. 2013.  School adminstrator for the NC Department of Public Safety, Nov. 2004-Sept. 2012.  Ed.D. from UNC at Chapel Hill, 2008; M.Ed. in special education (1977) and B.A. in recreational education (1972) from Norht Carolina Central University.

NORTH DAKOTA - PATRICK HART

[elected May 8, 2021]

>bio adapted from LinkedIn:

Elected chair of the ND Democratic-NPL in May 2020; previously vice chair from Mar. 2019.  Democratic-NPL nominee for State Auditor in 2020.  Partner at Anytime Works in Bismarck from Oct. 2013.  Grain warehouse inspector for the ND Public Service Commission, Jan. 2016-Dec. 2018.  Fertilizer auditor for the ND Department of Agriculture, Nov. 2013-Feb. 2016.  Managing partner at Blast Pro, Nov. 2009-Sept. 2013.  Mobile manager for Best Buy, Feb. 2007-Oct. 2009.  Started as delivery driver and finished as general manager at Aarons Sales and Lese, June 2003-Jan. 2007.  Master's degree in project managerment (2015) and B.A. in business administration (2007) from University of Mary.

OHIO - ELIZABETH WALTERS  twitter

[elected Jan. 14, 2021]

>bio from Summit County Council, currently serving term that runs from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 21, 2022.:

Elizabeth (Liz) Walters, was appointed At-Large to Summit County Council in February of 2016. Born and raised here in Northeast Ohio, Liz has been a resident of Summit County for most of her life. For the last ten years, Liz has worked for organizations that seek to improve the lives of middle-class families right here in Summit County. She has worked for local non-profits, along side the men and women of organized labor, led Democratic campaigns and organizations, and served as a senior aide to Congresswoman Betty Sutton in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District for several years.

Liz has spent her career working on behalf of organizations and people who support progressive values.  She has directed large and diverse teams, managed multi-million dollar budgets, built diverse and effective coalitions – skills that will enable her to be an effective and efficient leader on Council.

Crediting her start in public service to Girl Scouts, Liz got the "bug" as a Legislative Intern for the Girl Scouts of the USA in D.C. after graduating from college. She is a lifetime Girl Scout and has been active with the organization as a member, employee, or volunteer since the age of five.

Liz is a graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School and earned a B.A. in History from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and her Masters in Public Administration from Cleveland State University. She is a member of the Summit County Catholic Commission, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio Young Alumni Council, and is a Political Partner with the Truman National Security Project.

>bio. adapted from LinkedIn:

Elected chair of the Ohio Democratic Party in Jan. 2021.  Councilwoman at-large in Summit County from Feb. 2016 to present.  Senior associate at Morino Institute from Aug. 2017.  Director of community relations at the International Institute of Akron, Feb. 2016-July 2017.  Executive director (Dec. 2013-May 2015) and political director (Nov. 2011-Dec. 2013) at the Ohio Democratic Party.  Deputy field director at We Are Ohio, Apr.-Nov. 2011.  District director (Jan. 2010-Apr. 2011), scheduler (Mar. 2009-Jan. 2010) and field representative (Jan.-Mar. 2009) to U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton.  Volunteer coordinator in Akron/Kent on Obama for America, May-Nov. 2008.  M.P.A. from Cleveland State University, 2008; B.A. in history from Saint Vincent College, 2005.

OKLAHOMA - ALICIA ANDREWS  twitter

[elected June 8, 2019; re-elected 2021...first Black chairperson]

Alicia Andrews is serving her second term as Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Most recently, she served one term as the Secretary of the Tulsa County Democratic Party. As a staffer on the 2018 coordinated campaign, she was privy to the party structure on a statewide level and was compelled to run.

Alicia has long been an advocate for causes she believes in. She volunteered for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Green Country and canvassed for several campaigns.

Alicia is currently a Realtor with a corporate background in strategic planning. Alicia was raised in the Oklahoma City metro area, graduated from high school in Tulsa, and ultimately graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Psychology. In addition to her corporate work, Alicia ran a consulting firm specializing in writing business plans for bank financing for startups throughout Oklahoma.

Her focus is on reinforcing the infrastructure of the ODP through programs and systems while securing our financial position. This is how we get more Democrats elected.

OREGON - KC HANSON

[elected Mar. 17, 2019; re-elected Mar. 2021]

Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Carla “KC” Hanson rose through the ranks of the DPO, initially becoming involved with the Multnomah County Democrats as a Precinct Committee Person following the 2004 Presidential election.

In 2007 she became Vice Chair of the Multnomah Democrats, and in 2008 began three terms of service as County Party Chair. Since then, KC has consulted on various political campaigns and continued her activism with both the Multnomah Democrats and the DPO.

Moving from Lawrence, Kansas, to Oregon in 1989, KC cut her Northwest political teeth in the 1990s on behalf of the LGBT community, battling the anti-gay initiative efforts of 1992 and 1994. The designated “Yardsign Lady” for the 1994 No on 13 Campaign, she traveled throughout the region with yardsigns stuffed in her pickup and a briefcase packed with a clipboard, pager, map … and a hammer. In her spare time, KC has spent 24 years as a small business owner, specializing in minor automotive paint repair.

KC emphasizes working as a team to achieve Democratic success: “Individuals don’t win elections nor do they create policy. Campaigns are won, and good policy is effected because teams of folks — sometimes with divergent opinions — work together for the common good. We are a huge Democratic team, and there are no roster limitations!”

KC is the first “out” lesbian to chair the Democratic Party of Oregon.

PENNSYLVANIA - SHARIF STREET  twitter

[elected June 18, 2022...first Black chairman]

Senator Sharif Street was elected to Pennsylvania’s 3rd Senate District (Philadelphia County) in 2016 and currently serves as Democratic Chair of the Banking & Insurance Committee.

Sharif began his public career as a community activist while attending law school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also served as the President of the Penn Law Democrats.

While practicing law for nearly two decades, Sharif was a passionate advocate for underserved communities. He did extensive work in affordable housing and served as Chair of one of the largest drug and alcohol rehabilitation organizations in Philadelphia for 10 years.

As state senator, Sharif is committed to improving healthcare and housing access, reforming our criminal justice system, and advocating for economic development. He lives in Philadelphia.

>bio. from campaign website:

Senator Sharif Street, elected to the Pennsylvania Senate in 2016, represents the Third Senatorial District of Philadelphia, which encompasses a population of over 240,000 people in North Philadelphia, Nicetown, Roxborough, Lower Germantown, Logan, Olney, Fern Rock, Crescentville, East Oak Lane, East Wyoming, East Hunting Park and Melrose Park Garden.

As senator, Sharif is committed to improving access to healthcare, reforming our criminal justice system, creating quality jobs, funding our public schools, investing in science and technology and fighting for the rights of all Pennsylvanians.

An attorney by profession, Sharif began his public career as a community activist organizing a Town Watch group while in law school. He graduated cum laude from Morehouse College with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance- and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as president of the Penn Law Democrats. He is currently a member of the American, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and National Bar Associations, as well as a member of the Philadelphia Barristers Association, for which he served as a board member in 2002.

Before being elected Senator, Sharif worked as a staffer for the Pennsylvania Senate, serving as the Chief Legislative Advisor to the Democratic Chair of the Housing and Urban Development Committee and had the primary responsibility for overseeing legislative, housing, environmental and economic development initiatives. During this time, he facilitated the creation of Philadelphia Green Communities, the first environmental educational program of its kind implemented in a major U.S. city. Sharif helped to found and served on the Board of Directors of Urban Solutions, a non-profit corporation created to address the health needs of traditionally under-served communities.

A known advocate of affordable housing and community development, Sharif has a depth of knowledge and experience in dealing with eminent domain acquisition, low-income housing, women and minority issues, and disadvantaged business certifications. He has served on the Council for HOPE VI, has been a featured presenter at the National Public Housing Resident Empowerment Conference, and has served as managing director of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley.

Additionally, Sharif has served on the board of the North Central Philadelphia Empowerment Zone’s Housing Trust Fund and was a member of the North-Central Empowerment Zone’s Community Advisory Committees for Housing, Crime and Public Safety, and Economic Development. He has served as a board member of the Columbia North YMCA and is a current member of the Philadelphia’s African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs Commission.

Sharif is a father of five children and lives in North Philadelphia with his wife, April.

RHODE ISLAND - JOSEPH MCNAMARA

[elected Oct. 9, 2014 succeeding acting chair Grace Diaz, who started in July 2014 after David Caprio resigned]

Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D) represents District 19 in Warwick and Cranston. First elected in November 1994, he is the chair of the House Education Committee. He also serves as a member of the House Labor Committee and the House Rules Committee.

Representative McNamara is the chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party. He serves as chairman of the New England Board of Higher Education. He is a founding board member of College Unbound. He is a member of the Irish Social Club, the former President of the Governors Golf League, a member of the Warwick Firefighters Association, and a board member of Friends of Salter’s Grove. He also previously served as an Explorer Advisor for the Boy Scouts of America and the Committee Chairman of Pack 4. Additionally he is involved with Save the Bay, the Gaspee Day Committee, the Wyman P.T.A, and the Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scouts.

Representative McNamara is a retired educator, previously serving as the director of the Pawtucket School Department’s Alternative Learning Program. He received his Master of Education degree from Providence College. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Boston University and graduated from Pilgrim High School in Warwick.

Representative McNamara was born on September 7, 1950. He is married to Diane and they have two children, William and Katie.​

SOUTH CAROLINA - TRAV ROBERTSON  twitter

[elected Apr. 29, 2017; re-elected 2019 and weekend of May 19-22, 2021]

Trav Robertson is one of the most seasoned and consistently successful political operatives in the Southeast. Trav has run campaigns at every level of American politics; from the State Senate to the U.S. House of Representatives and the American Presidency.

The list of folks he’s helped put in office is long – and starts with SC State Treasurer Grady Patterson, who returned to office in 1997 with Trav’s help. Trav served with him as either his campaign director or Deputy State Treasurer until 2007. Trav also helped elect Congressman John Spratt in South Carolina’s Fifth District, directing the Congressman’s efforts in 2000 and 2004, before becoming Governor Bill Richardson’s Iowa Field Director during the Democratic Primary of 2008. Trav received national recognition for piloting Congressman Spratt to a 65% win in a state that had previously elected President Bush with 65% of the vote.

The Anderson native cemented his reputation as one of the region’s most sought after political consultants when he directed President Obama’s 2008 campaign in South Carolina and managed Vincent Sheheen’s gubernatorial campaign in 2010, falling just 58,000 votes short of sending Vincent to the Governor’s Mansion in Columbia.

When Oklahoma needed new leadership to bring modern campaign infrastructure and technology to an underperforming party structure, Trav was a natural choice and in just three years he delivered transformative results. He returned to South Carolina in 2015 and recently helped elect Mia McLeod to the State Senate, where she is just the third African-American woman to serve.

SOUTH DAKOTA - RANDY SEILER 

[interim chair starting Oct. 23, 2019; elected Dec. 7, 2019; previous chair Paula Hawks, elected Mar. 2019, resigned in Oct. 23, 2019 due to the party's financial difficulties]

Randy is a lifelong South Dakotan. Before pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer, Randy spent four years in the U.S. Air Force, including a tour in Vietnam. He was appointed as the Youngest Director of the Division of Law Enforcement Assistance by Governor Richard F. Kneip. He attended the University of South Dakota School of Law graduating in 1980. While in Law School, Randy served as Editor-in-Chief of the S.D. Law Review and was awarded the Gavel Award as the outstanding student in the graduating class. Following law school, he served as a Law Clerk in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls, before going into private practice in Mobridge.

After 14 years in private practice, Randy joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was lead counsel on over 75 federal felony jury trials and over 600 criminal cases and earned several Department of Justice awards for his work. He also served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as U.S. Attorney. Since retirement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he has served as Hughes County State’s Attorney and as Chief Prosecutor for the Lower Brule and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. During the course of his career, Randy has also served on the Fort Pierre City Council, Verendrye Museum Board of Directors, South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles, South Dakota Board of Education, Badlands National Park Conservancy Board of Directors, Mobridge School Board, and the Mobridge Rodeo Association Board of Directors. Randy has four grown children and lives in Fort Pierre with his wife Wanda. Randy says the best job he has ever had is being grandpa to two granddaughters – Brooklyn, age 6, and Alley, age 5.

>ed. note: Seiler was also the 2018 Democratic nominee for South Dakota Attorney General, losing by 55.2% to 44.8%.

TENNESSEE - HENDRELL REMUS  twitter

[elected Jan. 16, 2021...first Black chairman]

On Jan. 16, 2021, Hendrell Remus became the first Black man or woman to be elected party chair in Tennessee history. Remus served as an Ex-officio member of the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee and as the National Committeeman for the TN Young Democrats.

With a commitment to Democratic values, Remus has worked on a number of TN campaigns. From serving as a strategic advisor to mayoral and state house candidates to assisting local school board, city council and county commission races, he has been an asset to Democratic candidates and causes.  Often driven by the same volunteerism that led him into politics during the 2008 campaign of Barack Obama.

Prior to becoming Chair, Hendrell Remus worked as the Assistant Director of Emergency Management at Tennessee State University, a role that followed his tenure as the Middle TN Operations Manager for Allied Universal.

His background in business management and operations, coupled with a passion for progressive politics, sets the tone for his leadership at the helm of TNDP. Chair Remus is focused on building a stronger TN Democratic party infrastructure and beginning the hard work to register more voters and elect more Democrats.

The Memphis, TN native is a graduate of Excelsior College and currently resides in Nashville, TN with his wife Marlene and their two children.

TEXAS - GILBERTO HINOJOSA  twitter

[first elected June 9, 2012; re-elected July 16, 2022 (four year term)]

UTAH - DIANE LEWIS 

[acting chair effective Sept. 29, 2021; chairman Jeff Merchant, elected June 2019 and re-elected June 2021, resigned effective Sept. 29, 2021 citing health reasons]

Diane Lewis has been an active member of the Utah Democratic Party for years. She has run for state house, served as the First Vice Chair for the Salt Lake County Democratic Party, the Vice Chair for the Utah Democratic Party, and is currently serving as the Acting Chair of the Utah Democratic Party.

Diane was born in Illinois, raised in California, and has lived in West Jordan for the last 17 years. She has one adult son whom she raised alone and helped navigate through the public school system, he is now a successful civil servant with a family himself. Being a grandparent has been one of Diane’s greatest joys.

​After moving to Utah, she had a job as a union representative with LiUNA!, the Laborers’ International Union of North America. She spent her career negotiating for good wages, secure benefits, and better working conditions for Utahns in every county of the state. She developed work opportunities for LiUNA! members and was a spokesperson for them at the Capitol. As the Secretary-Treasurer of the union, she was also responsible for their financial records and reports, and made sure the union spent their money wisely and efficiently. As a Trustee over the union’s Health and Welfare plan and Pension Fund, she made sure members received the best plans and investments options.

VERMONT - ANNE LEZAK

[elected Nov. 13, 2021]

Anne’s first significant political involvement began over two decades ago when her husband decided to run for State Rep. against a long-time Republican legislator who was against just about everything they were for. At that time there were no Democratic legislators in Rutland County, one of the few conservative strongholds in Vermont.

Anne served as her husband’s campaign manager. He won his race and served three terms in the Vermont House. Anne joined her then very small County Democratic Committee and worked to grow its membership and impact. She was Vice Chair, then Chair from 2008-11. Over that time, the Rutland County Democrats became a real force, recruited strong candidates, and saw some important wins.

Anne joined the Vermont Democratic Party (VDP) Executive Committee and Bylaws Subcommittee. When she and her husband moved to Burlington in 2012, she joined the County Democrats and volunteered on campaigns, but was primarily focused on her professional work.
 
When Anne was asked to run for VDP Chair in the fall of 2021, she decided the time was right to step back into Democratic politics in a big way. She is finding this an exciting, energizing ride and is buoyed by the great folks who've stepped up to contribute their time, talents, and energy to the Vermont Democratic Party.

Professionally, Anne is an organizational consultant, writer/editor, teacher, and grant writer, with expertise in policy, planning, and outcomes measurement. She’s also been a nonprofit leader and has served on a number of boards. Anne holds a Masters in Public Administration and served as a Presidential Management Intern with the National Institute of Mental Health.

In 2017-2018, Anne and her husband spent a year in Uganda, volunteering with Peace Corps Response. This was a life-changing year; Anne returned five times to Uganda for further work with her organization until COVID closed the borders.

Anne and her husband have three grown children and delighted in raising them in small-town Vermont, where they moved over 30 years ago, not knowing a single person in the state.

VIRGINIA - SUSAN SWECKER  twitter

[elected Mar. 27, 2015, sworn in June 2015; re-elected Mar. 19, 2022 (four-year term)]

A lifelong Virginian, Susan was born and raised on the Swecker family farm in the picturesque Blue Grass Valley in Highland County. Her upbringing was pretty typical of most members of rural middle America of that era, an abiding faith in God, love of country, while questioning our leaders and our direction, and for her family, a deep belief in the Democratic Party.

Those strong political beliefs weren’t always well received by everyone, but that was where Susan learned the value of listening to others’ opinions, being open-minded as well as developing a tough skin.  All three have served her well over the years!

Chairwoman Susan Swecker likes to say that she’s a Democrat by birth and by choice.

Over the years, she has served the Party in many critical and effective ways.  At age 22, she became Chairwoman of the Highland County Democratic Committee. Her first professional paid campaign job was working for the Jimmy Carter 1980 Re-Elect in Virginia.  From there she quickly rose through the ranks to several state and national leadership roles, including Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, a member of the Democratic National Committee, and former Chairwoman of the Southern Caucus.

As a current member of the Democratic National Committee, she serves on the Executive Committee and the Rules and Bylaws Committee.  She is widely credited with leading the successful charge to move up the date of Virginia’s Presidential Primary in the 2004 cycle, thus placing Virginia in a pivotal position for that cycle and beyond.

Susan is President of Dividing Waters Public Affairs LLC. Susan received her law degree from Washington and Lee University and a  B.A. in political science from Mary Baldwin College.

>compiled from various sources:
President of Dividing Waters Public Affairs LLC.  Candidate for ASDC chair in 2017.  Elected chair of the Virginia Democratic Party on Mar. 27, 2015, sworn in June 2015. Campaign manager on Creigh Deeds' 2005 campaign for Attorney General.  Virginia state director on Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc., and Kerry's state director for the Feb. 10 Virginia primary.  Campaign manager on Creigh Deeds for Virginia Delegate, 1991.  Executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, 1986-88.  Staff on Jimmy Carter's 1980 re-elect campaign in Virginia.  J.D. from Washington and Lee University; B.A. in political science from Mary Baldwin College.  Born and raised in Blue Grass Valley in Highland County, VA.

WASHINGTON - TINA PODLODOWSKI  twitter

[elected Jan. 28, 2017, re-elected Jan. 27, 2019 and Jan. 2021 (in 2017 she defeated incumbent Jaxon Ravens;]

Tina Podlodowski is the daughter of two naturalized U.S. citizens who fled post-WWII Europe as refugees. As a first generation American, “union kid”, and lifelong Democrat, Tina has spent her life fighting for equity and equality and gained prominence as a visible leader in both the Democratic party nationally, and the LGBTQ community nationally and internationally.Tina’s thirty plus years of leadership in technology, government and management has saved taxpayers millions of dollars to invest in social services, improved public safety and health for diverse populations, and revolutionized technology. She has been an integral part of over 200 different initiative, candidate, and coordinated campaigns.

After a career as an executive at Microsoft, Tina won an at-large seat on the Seattle City Council with 65% of the popular vote. On council, she championed new civil rights legislation including the inclusion of gender identity into all city ordinances, created the first civilian oversight body of the Seattle police department, and pioneered in-neighborhood council meetings to engage a more diverse group of constituents in decision-making.

From there she revitalized and grew two regional non-profit organizations – Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Puget Sound and the Lifelong AIDS Alliance – via marketing and re-branding, multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns, and the training, utilization and appreciation of thousands of volunteers to successfully achieve the mission and goals of both.

As a senior vice-president at Porter Novelli, a global strategy and communications firm, Tina led national efforts to improve public health and safety, with a focus on environmental justice, women’s health, HIV/AIDS, ALS, and childhood immunizations. Her clients included the Centers for Disease Control, Office of Women’s Health, Medicare, ASTHO and NACCHO – leaving her a strong advocate of free universal healthcare for all.

After the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Tina was one of three founders of the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility, dedicated to keeping all of us and our children safe from gun violence. WAGR successfully enacted sensible gun background check legislation with the passage of I-594 in 2014, Extreme Risk protection orders in 2016, and just recently with Initiative 1639, passed with 60% of the vote statewide.

Tina won her first term as State Party Chair in 2017, after a year-long and sadly unsuccessful bid for Washington’s Secretary of State advocating for more access to voting. During that year, she traveled to and worked with all 39 Washington counties and 49 Legislative Districts and saw firsthand the decline of the grassroots democratic infrastructure in the state over the last decade.

Nationally, Tina is the Chair of the DNC Western States Caucus, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of State Democratic Party Chairs. Tina has held leadership roles with Washington Citizens for Fairness, the Pride Foundation, The Human Rights Campaign, The Victory Fund, The Task Force and LPAC. She is a former lecturer and member of the Visiting Committee at the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. She was the first LGBTQ member of the DNC Platform Committee in 2000, adding “planks” on civil rights and social justice.

She was awarded the “Spirit Award” from the Urban League for her accomplishments in engaging diverse communities. And her political and philanthropic work has been profiled in The New York Times, The Washington Post, People, and Vanity Fair, as well as on German Public Radio and CanelPlus in France.

Tina, her wife and three children live in Seattle, with a lovable sheepdog named Hank. 

WEST VIRGINIA - MIKE PUSHKIN 

[elected June 18, 2022]

Mike Pushkin was first elected to the legislature in 2014. He's a Union Musician and drove a taxi for over 18 years. He is currently an internal systems reviewer for a home health care company. Born in Charleston, he majored in English and Political Science at WVU.

As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, he understands the importance of candidate recruitment, development, and fundraising.

As Party Chair, he will lead an unprecedented effort to win back seats in Charleston and elect Democrats for statewide office.

Mike Pushkin is a member of B'nai Jacob Synagogue and President of the American Federation of Musicians Local 136. He serves on the Boards of Directors for Recovery Point; Charleston Main Streets; and the YWCA Racial Justice Committee.

WISCONSIN - BEN WIKLER

[elected June 2, 2019]  twitter

Ben Wikler was elected chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in June of 2019. Now in his second term, he has led the party through an unbroken string of statewide victories, including Wisconsin’s defeat of Trump in 2020, and built the WisDems to a new level of success and recognition as a force for progressive change.

WisDems earned recognition from the Washington Post as 2020’s State Party of the Year after helping power Jill Karofsky’s state Supreme Court landslide that spring, Biden’s victory that November, and—in partnership with Governor Tony Evers—a successful Save The Veto campaign that prevented Republican supermajorities in the state legislature. The party’s landmark virtual fundraising events, including a live cast reading of The Princess Bride, raised millions of dollars and led Fast Company to dub WisDems “the only state party with its own national identity” in their “10 most innovative branding companies” list. WisDems’ organizing innovations have set voter contact records in the state and become national models; as the New York Times wrote, “Look to Wisconsin for Lessons on a Digital Campaign During a Pandemic.”

Drawing on Wikler’s credo of Fight, Include, Respect, and Empower, the party has built a year-round professional team of unprecedented diversity and talent, mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, and built close partnerships with grassroots allies throughout Wisconsin and the nation.

Prior to serving as Chair, Wikler served as Washington DC Director and Senior Advisor for MoveOn, where he played a key leadership role in the successful battle to save the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, as well as many of the other fights for economic, social, and racial justice of recent years. A lifelong activist, Wikler grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where he first volunteered in politics at age eleven, stuffing envelopes for the Congressional campaign of his godmother, Ada Deer. In high school and college, he volunteered for then-Assemblywoman Tammy Baldwin, interned for Ed Garvey and Sen. Russ Feingold, and fell in love with his now-wife Beth while putting up posters together for a protest. Ben and Beth now live in Madison with their three children and their puppy, Pumpkin.

WYOMING - JOE BARBUTO  twitter

[elected Apr. 8, 2017; re-elected 2019 and Apr. 24, 2021 (four-year term from 2021)]

A fifth generation Wyoming native, Joe has long been active in Democratic politics in the Equality State. Before he was old enough to register to vote, Joe was knocking on doors for local Democratic candidates in his hometown of Rock Springs, a union and Democratic stronghold. In 2002, he received his first statewide campaign experience working as an intern for Ron Akin, the Democratic candidate for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district.Throughout college, he continued to volunteer for numerous campaigns and progressive causes.

In 2008, with support from family and friends, Joe made the decision to seek election to Wyoming House District 48. That November he was elected as the youngest member of the state legislature. During his legislative tenure, he was chosen by his colleagues to serve as House Minority Caucus Chairman and was twice named “Legislator of the Year” by the Wyoming Highway Patrol Association.After leaving the legislature, Joe was elected to serve as Chairman of the Sweetwater County Democratic Party in 2015, and in 2016 was hired as the Operations Director of Greene for Congress.

Joe lives in Rock Springs, Wyoming with his wife, Erin, their two rescue dogs, Chapter and Molly, and Henry the Yellow Cat. He also serves as the Treasurer of Sweetwater County. When he’s not immersed in politics, you can find him fishing, enjoying public lands, or playing jazz piano.

DEMOCRATS ABROAD - CANDICE KERESTAN

PUERTO RICO - CHARLES RODRIGUEZ

AMERICAN SAMOA - PATRICK TI'A REID 

GUAM - TONY BABAUTA

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS - CECIL R. BENJAMIN

CNMI - JONATHAN P. CABRERA

Early Exits (Nov. 2020 to most recent update)

IDAHO - Fred Cornforth, elected Mar. 2021, resigned effective Jan. 15, 2022 following a cancer diagnosis.  Deborah Silver served as acting chair.

UTAH -Jeff Merchant, elected June 2019 and re-elected June 2021, resigned effective Sept. 29, 2021 citing health reasons.

ARKANSAS - Michael John Gray, elected in Mar. 2017, announced resignation Aug. 9, 2021, effective Sept. 1, 2021 to serve as executive director of Liberty and Justice for Arkansas.  Vice chair Nicole Hart served as interim chair.

DELAWARE - Erik Raser-Schramm, elected June 2017, resigned effective Nov. 16, 2020 to take up position as deputy CAO for New Castle County.  Betsy Maron served as acting chair.

KENTUCKY - Ben Self, elected Nov. 11, 2017, announced in Sept. 2020 that he would resign at the end of the year; the new chair, Colmon Elridge was elected Nov. 14, 2020.

also
ILLINOIS - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly was elected Mar. 3, 2021 to finish the term of previous chair Mike Madigan.  The first woman chair and first Black chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, she sought a full term in the July 30, 2022 committee vote, but Gov. Pritzker pushed to elect state Rep. Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez. Kelly pulled out shortly before the vote.

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 Seniority of State Democratic Chairs
(approximate seniority based on date elected or starting as acting/interim; list below does not include DA and territory chairs)   ...compare 2016
-most state chairs serve two-year terms and are elected in odd-numbered years-

2007
[03] NH-Ray Buckley

2011
[02/05] MN-Ken Martin

2012
[06/09] TX-Gilberto Hinojosa

2013

2014
[10/19] RI-Joseph McNamara

2015
[03/27] VA-Susan Swecker

2016
[06/18] NE-Jane Kleeb
[11/14] MA-Gus Bickford

2017
[01/28] WA-Tina Podlodowski
[03/11] CO-Morgan Carroll
[04/08] WY-Joe Barbuto
[04/29] SC-Trav Robertson

2018
[09/20] DC-Charles Wilson

2019
[01] NY-Jay Jacobs*
[01/26] GA-Nikema Williams
[02/02] MI-Lavora Barnes
[03/02] KS-Vicki Hiatt
[03/17] OR-KC Hanson
[06/01] CA-Rusty Hicks
[06/02] WI-Ben Wikler
[06/08] OK-Alicia Andrews
[07/14] MT-Robyn Driscoll
[10/23] SD-Randy Seiler
[11/02] AL-Christopher England
[12/07] MD-Yvette Lewis*

2020
[06/10] CT-Nancy DiNardo*
[07/25] MS-Tyree Irving
[09/12] LA-Katie Bernhardt
[11/14] KY-Colmon Elridge
[11/16] DE-Betsy Maron
[12/12] MO-Michael Butler

2021
[01/09] FL-Manny Diaz
[01/16] TN-Hendrell Remus
[01/14] OH-Elizabeth Walters
[01/23] AZ-Raquel Terán
[01/23] IA-Ross Wilburn
[01/24] ME-Drew Gattine
[02/27] NC-Bobbie Richardson
[03/06] NV-Judith Whitmer
[03/20] IN-Mike Schmuhl
[04/24] NM-Jessica Velazquez
[05/08] ND-Patrick Hart
[06/17] NJ-LeRoy Jones, Jr.
[09/29] UT-Diane Lewis
[10/02] AR-Grant Tennille
[11/13] VT-Anne Lezak

2022
[03/12] ID-Lauren Necochea
[05/07-08] AK-Michael Wenstrup*
[05/29] HI-Dennis Jung
[06/18] PA-Sharif Street
[06/18] WV-Mike Pushkin
[07/30] IL-Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez

*Several chairs served previously: M.Wenstrup-AK (2013-16), N.DiNardo-CT (2005-15), Y.Lewis-MD (2011-15), J.Jacobs-NY (2009-13)

Diversity of State Democratic Chairs

Gender
Male (28): AL-Christopher England, AK-Michael Wenstrup, AR-Grant Tennille, CA-Rusty Hicks, DC-Charles Wilson, FL-Manny Diaz, HI-Dennis Jung, IN-Mike Schmuhl, IA-Ross Wilburn, KY-Colmon Elridge, ME-Drew Gattine, MA-Gus Bickford, MN-Ken Martin, MS-Tyree Irving, MO-Michael Butler, NH-Ray Buckley, NJ-LeRoy Jones, Jr., NY-Jay Jacobs, ND-Patrick Hart, PA-Sharif Street, RI-Joseph McNamara, SC-Trav Robertson, SD-Randy Seiler, TN-Hendrell Remus, TX-Gilbergo Hinojosa, WV-Mike Pushkin, WI-Ben Wikler, WY-Joe Barbuto.

Female (23): AZ-Raquel Terán, CO-Morgan Carroll, CT-Nancy DiNardo, DE-Betsy Maron, GA-Nikema Williams, ID-Lauren Necochea, IL-Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez, KS-Vicki Hiatt, LA-Katie Bernhardt, MD-Yvette Lewis, MI-Lavora Barnes, MT-Robyn Driscoll, NE-Jane Kleeb, NV-Judith Whitmer, NM-Jessica Velasquez, NC-Bobbie Richardson, OH-Elizabeth Walters, OK-Alicia Andrews, OR-KC Hanson, UT-Diane Lewis, VT-Anne Lezak, VA- Susan Swecker, WA-Tina Podlodowski.

Race
White (31):
Male (16) AK-Michael Wenstrup, AR-Grant Tennille, CA-Rusty Hicks, IN-Mike Schmuhl, ME-Drew Gattine, MA-Gus Bickford, MN-Ken Martin, NH-Ray Buckley, NY-Jay Jacobs, ND-Patrick Hart, RI-Joseph McNamara, SC-Trav Robertson, SD-Randy Seiler, WV-Mike Pushkin, WI-Ben Wikler, WY-Joe Barbuto. 
Female (15) CO-Morgan Carroll, CT-Nancy DiNardo, DE-Betsy Maron, ID-Lauren Necochea, KS-Vicki Hiatt, LA-Katie Bernhardt, MT-Robyn Driscoll, NE-Jane Kleeb, NV-Judith Whitmer, OH-Elizabeth Walters, OR-KC Hanson, UT-Diane Lewis, VT-Anne Lezak, VA-Susan Swecker, WA-Tina Podlodowski.

Black (14):
Male (9) AL-Christopher England, DC-Charles Wilson, IA-Ross Wilburn, KY Colmon Elridge, MS-Tyree Irving, MO-Michael Butler, NJ-LeRoy Jones, Jr., PA-Sharif Street, TN-Hendrell Remus. 
Female (5) GA-Nikema Williams, MD-Yvette Lewis, MI-Lavora Barnes, NC-Bobbie Richardson, OK-Alicia Andrews.

Latino/a (4):
(M) FL-Manny Diaz, TX-Gilberto Hinojosa. 
(F) AZ-Raquel Terán, IL-Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez.

Uncertain (2):
HI-Dennis Jung, NM-Jessica Velasquez

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