Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2020

ICYMI: Biden for President Announces Additional Key Staff Hires in Florida

Today, Biden for President announced additional key staff hires in Florida, growing its team with critical hires to reach Florida’s diverse voting blocs. These hires include Florida natives and former staff of the Obama-Biden and Gillum campaigns, and various state and amendment races.
 
Scott Arceneaux, Strategic Advisor
A native of Louisiana, Arceneaux served as Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party for eight years from 2009 to 2017 where he managed party operations during two Gubernatorial cycles, 2010 and 2014, as well as for President Obama’s reelection in 2012 and Secretary’s Clinton’s race in 2016.  After leaving the state party, during the 2018 cycle, Arceneaux served as Andrew Gillum for Governor’s Chief Strategist through the August Primary and November General Election. In 2019, Arceneaux rejoined Gov. John Bel Edwards’ campaign for his re-election where he helmed its turnout efforts and consulted on messaging and strategy.  Gov. Edwards was the first Democrat in over 40 years in Louisiana to win a second term and the campaign won the AAPC Democratic Campaign of the Year award for 2019. Arceneaux is an attorney and former member of the Louisiana and Florida Bars and lives in Jacksonville Beach.  
 
Alvin Brown, Senior Advisor for Political Engagement, Former Mayor of Jacksonville
Alvin Brown was the first Black Mayor of Jacksonville, serving from. 2011-2015. Prior to his time as mayor, Brown was a Senior Member of White House leadership team under President Bill Clinton, served as Al Gore's Senior Advisor for Urban Policy, as well as Vice Chair of the White House Community Empowerment Board. Most recently, Brown completed a fellowship at the Georgetown University of Politics and Public Service.
 
Javier Cuebas, Coordinated Coalitions Director Javier Cuebas
Javier Cuebas brings two decades of experience bridging communities and mobilizing diverse coalitions. He has worked on numerous high-profile campaigns on issues ranging from environmental justice for Vieques, Puerto Rico to challenging the Trump Administration’s inhumane treatment of migrant children and their efforts to undercut refugee resettlement. He has worked for groups like VAMOS4PR, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, American Foreign Service Association, and the League of United Latin American Citizens just to name a few. His political experience in Florida includes the Gore/Lieberman 2000 and Kerry/Edwards Presidential 2004. Javier will begin working on the campaign the week of August 10.
 
Rachel Niemerski, Coordinated Organizing Director
Rachel Niemerski started with the Biden campaign in May 2019 as Deputy Organizing Director in Iowa. She then went on to be Organizing Director in California, Georgia, and Northeast states for the remainder of the primary. Prior to working on the Biden campaign, she was the Organizing Director for Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2018 reelection campaign, Organizing Director for Mayor Kathy Sheehan's 2017 reelection, and worked in organizing on Hillary Clinton's 2016 primary and general election campaigns in Iowa, Idaho, and Ohio.
 
Christiana Ho, Coordinated Organizing Program Director
Christiana Ho was most recently the Organizing Director for Organizing Together 2020 in Florida. Prior to that, she was the Nevada Organizing Director for Kamala Harris and served as the States Program Manager and Deputy Western Political and Organizing Director at the DNC, where she supported and managed field programs across the country. She was also on the team that won Colorado for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election and helped organize Nevada for Hillary Clinton for the 2016 caucus.
 
Amir Avin, Coordinated Deputy Communications Director
Amir Avin returns to Florida after serving as Communications Director for Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. Prior to that role he served as a Regional Press Secretary for Andrew Gillum's 2018 gubernatorial campaign and as Deputy Communications Director for the Florida Democratic Party in 2017. Avin has also served as Deputy Campaign Manager and Organizing Director for former Rep. Joe Garcia's 2016 Congressional Campaign, as Campaign Manager for Lauren Poe's 2016 mayoral campaign, and in various other political organizing roles throughout Florida.
 
Jackie McGuinness, Press Secretary
Jackie McGuinness joins Kevin Munoz on the Florida press team. Jackie is returning to Florida after serving as communications director for U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.). Previously, she served as press secretary for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and communications advisor to Nelson’s 2018 campaign.
 
Karla Alvarado, Coordinated Coalition Deputy Press Secretary for Hispanic Media
Karla Alvarado is the daughter of two formerly undocumented Honduran immigrants. She has interned at the Obama Foundation, the Chelsea Collaborative, and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office. She is currently based out of Miami, Florida, where she worked for Forward Florida Action. Most recently, she served as the Hispanic Press Associate at the Florida Democratic Party.
 
Freedom Murphy, Coordinated Coalition Deputy Press Secretary for African American and Caribbean Media
Freedom Alexander Murphy is a communications associate in the War Room at the Center for American Progress Action Fund where he focuses on bracketing, state press campaigns, and rapid response. Prior to joining the War Room staff, Murphy worked at Media Matters for America and has also held communications positions at the White House, on Capitol Hill, and at several globally leading public relations firms. An Atlanta, GA native, Murphy is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he earned his degree in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications.
 
Florida Politics: Alvin Brown, Scott Arceneaux join Joe Biden team as campaign ramps up in Florida
[By Scott Powers, 08/07/20]
 
Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown and former Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux are among nine new key staff members the Joe Biden campaign added to strengthen its Florida effort.

Brown, Jacksonville Mayor from 2011-’15, is being brought in as senior advisor for political engagement. Brown also served as a senior member of the White House leadership team under President Bill Clinton, and as Al Gore‘s senior advisor for urban policy.

Arceneaux, the Florida Democrats’ top staffer from 2009-’17, comes in as Biden’s strategic advisor in Florida. A Jacksonville Beach attorney, Arceneaux served as Andrew Gillum for Governor’s chief strategist through the 2018 August primary and November general election.

They’re joined by Jackie McGuinness, a former press secretary for Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida campaign veterans JavierCuebas, Christiana Ho, Amir Avin, and Karla Alvarado, and national campaign veterans Rachel Niemerski and Freedom Alexander Murphy.

McGuinness comes in as press secretary for the Florida campaign, joining Kevin Munoz. She is returning to Florida Politics after serving as communications director for U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, an Alabama Democrat. Previously, she served as press secretary for Nelson and as communications advisor to Nelson’s 2018 campaign.

Cuebas will be Biden’s Florida coordinated coalitions director. His past work includes campaigns in Puerto Rico and Florida with VAMOS4PR, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, American Foreign Service Association, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Vice President Al Gore presidential campaign in 2000 and the Sen. John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004.

Niemerski will be the Florida coordinated organizing director. She started with the Biden campaign in May 2019 as deputy organizing director in Iowa, then went on to work with the Biden campaign in California, Georgia and in northeast states through the primaries. Previously, she worked for campaigns in New York, Iowa and Ohio.

Ho will be the Florida coordinated organizing program director.  She was most recently the organizing director for Organizing Together 2020 in Florida. Prior to that, she was the Nevada organizing director for U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign and the states program manager and deputy western political organizing director for the Democratic National Committee.

Avin will be the Florida coordinated deputy communications director. She previously served as a regional press secretary for Gillum’s 2018 campaign, and as a deputy communications director at the Florida Democratic Party in 2017. She also worked on former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia‘s 2016 congressional campaign.

Alvarado will be the coordinated coalition deputy press secretary for Hispanic media. She previously worked for Forward Florida Action and as the Hispanic press associate at the Florida Democratic Party.

Murphy will be the coordinated  coalition deputy press secretary for African American and Caribbean media. He previously was a communications associate in the War Room at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and has worked for Media Matters for America, and in positions at the White House and on Capitol Hill.

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Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2020

ICYMI: Biden for President Announces Key Staff Hires in Florida

Today, Biden for President announced key staff hires in Florida  – including Florida natives and former staff from Organizing Together 2020, the Obama-Biden and Gillum campaigns, and various state and amendment races.
 
“This slate of Florida leaders is truly reflective of the diversity and size of our state,” said Biden for President Florida State Director Jackie Lee. “With this group, we continue to build a team that knows the state and is uniquely qualified to engage and mobilize the diverse communities and constituencies across Florida. Together, this team will help make Donald Trump a one-term president.”
 
Gabriela Castillo, Florida Coordinated Deputy State Director
Gabriela Castillo brings vast experience in politics and communications to her role. Most recently, Gabriela served as Communications Director for Organizing Together 2020 Florida. She specializes in strategic communications, government and media relations, issue advocacy, and digital strategy in both English and Spanish. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Gabriela also served as the Communications Director for City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. Gabriela will begin working on the campaign the week of July 27.
 
Stacy Eichner, Florida Coordinated Deputy State Director
Stacy Eichner joined Biden for President in June 2019, serving as the National Political Chief of Staff and Florida Primary State Director. Previously, Stacy served as Deputy Political Director for United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Florida Surrogates Director for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Stacy is a Florida native.
 
Shahra Anderson Lambert, Florida Political Director
Shahra Anderson Lambert joins the Biden team from her role as Federal Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried. Shahra was Statewide Political Director for the 2018 campaign to re-elect Bill Nelson for Senate, African-American Director for the 2012 campaign to re-elect Bill Nelson for Senate, and Regional Director for the 2006 campaign to re-elect Bill Nelson for Senate. Her 20-year career includes working for two iconic Florida U.S. Senators, Bob Graham and Bill Nelson.
 
Cedric McMinn, Florida Coordinated Deputy Political Director
Cedric McMinn is a leading Democratic political strategist with extensive state and local legislative experience. Having held various high-profile campaign leadership roles, McMinn served as the African-American Outreach and Deputy Political Director for the successful 2008 Obama Biden Presidential Campaign. Subsequently, Cedric was the Executive Director for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, the largest county in Florida. He also served as the First Vice-Chair for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and was the Florida Democratic Party Affirmative Action Chair and member of the Judicial and Campaign Committees. Leading various statewide campaigns, Cedric has directed constituency outreach and regional political management for several gubernatorial, congressional, state, and municipal campaigns in Florida. Cedric McMinn is currently the Senior Political Strategist with Progress for Florida, LLC.
 
Faith Lowe, Florida Coordinated Chief of Staff
Faith L. Lowe, Esq. comes to the team with a background in operations, campaign budgets, and ethics. In 2018, she leveraged her experience and was selected to manage operations for Amendment Four, the Voter Restoration initiative that passed overwhelmingly in Florida. Lowe holds a Juris Doctor from the Florida A&M University College of Law (FAMU), and a bachelor’s degree in political science from FAMU. She is a native of Orlando, Florida.
 
Carlie Waibel, Florida Communications Director
Carlie Waibel returns to Florida after serving as Senator Amy Klobuchar’s National Press Secretary and Communications Director. Previously, she has worked several campaign cycles in Florida, most recently serving as senior spokesperson for Mayor Andrew Gillum’s gubernatorial campaign. Waibel also served as communications director for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, as well as communications advisor to Secretary Clinton’s campaign in Florida and deputy communications director in 2014 for Charlie Crist’s gubernatorial campaign. Carlie will begin working on the campaign the week of July 27.
 
Luisana Pérez Fernández, Florida Coordinated Deputy Communications Director
Luisana was most recently Deputy Communications Director and Hispanic Media Director for the Florida Democratic Party, where she successfully helped Democrats draft and create messaging related to Latin America and issues impacting Latino communities in the state of Florida. Her professional background includes District Director for State Senator José Javier Rodríguez in Miami and Statewide Hispanic Press Secretary for the Bill Nelson for U.S. Senate Campaign. Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Luisana is a political communication and outreach strategist, with a unique perspective as a Latina immigrant.
 
Kevin Munoz, Florida Press Secretary
Kevin Munoz joined Biden for President in September 2019 as Nevada Press Secretary, previously working in political advertising at SS+K in New York City. Munoz served as the Florida Press Secretary during the state’s successful primary win and has since stayed on overseeing the state’s communications portfolio. Munoz is a Jacksonville native and proud Mexican-American.
 
Politico: Biden bolsters Florida staff
[By Matt Dixon and Gary Fineout, 7/22/20]
 
BIDEN RAMPS UP — The Biden for President campaign is bringing on additional key staff as it expands its operation in the battleground state of Florida. The campaign is adding Florida natives as well as veterans of the Obama-Biden campaign and the campaign of Andrew Gillum. “With this group, we continue to build a team that knows the state and is uniquely qualified to engage and mobilize the diverse communities and constituencies across Florida,” Biden for President Florida State Director Jackie Lee. Here’s the list:
 
- Gabriela Castillo, Florida Coordinated Deputy State Director. Castillo was communications director for Organizing Together 2020 Florida and was previously communications director for Miami Mayor Francis Suarez;
 
- Stacy Eichner, Florida Coordinated Deputy State Director. Eichner joined Biden for President in June 2019, serving as the National Political Chief of Staff and Florida Primary State Director;
 
- Shahra Anderson Lambert, Florida Political Director. Lambert has been serving as Federal Affairs Director for Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried;
 
- Cedric McMinn, Florida Coordinated Deputy Political Director. McMinn is a political strategist who served as the African-American Outreach and Deputy Political Director for the 2008 Obama Biden Presidential Campaign. He also was executive director for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party;
 
- Faith Lowe, Florida Coordinated Chief of Staff. Lowe, an attorney, worked on the campaign to pass Amendment 4, the measure that ended the state’s lifetime voting ban for most ex-felons;
 
- Carlie Waibel, Florida Communications Director. Waibel most recently served as Senator Amy Klobuchar’s National Press Secretary and Communications Director;
 
- Luisana Pérez Fernández, Florida Coordinated Deputy Communications Director. Luisana was most recently Deputy Communications Director and Hispanic Media Director for the Florida Democratic Party;
 
- Kevin Munoz, Florida Press Secretary. Munoz has worked for the Biden campaign since last year and Florida press secretary during the primary campaign.
 
El Venezolano: Dos venezolanas ocupan puestos de liderazgo en campaña de Joe Biden para Presidente en Florida
[By Oswaldo Muñoz, 7/22/20]
 
El día de hoy, la campaña de Joe Biden para presidente anunció la contratación de dos venezolanas en puestos claves en el estado de Florida, como parte de un equipo diverso para lograr la victoria en el estado en noviembre. Gabriela Castillo y Luisana Pérez Fernández, ambas originales de Venezuela, han ejercido importantes posiciones en política, comunicaciones y trabajo en las comunidades de Florida.
 
“Este nuevo anuncio de líderes de Florida refleja la diversidad de nuestro estado,” expresó la Directora Estatal de Biden para Presidente, Jackie Lee. “Con estas nuevas adiciones a nuestra campaña, continuaremos construyendo un equipo que verdaderamente conoce nuestra estado y que está altamente calificado para movilizar y comprometerse con las diversas comunidades en toda Florida. Juntos, este equipo va a hacer de Donald Trump un presidente de un solo mandato”.
 
Gabriela Castillo, Vicedirectora del Estado de Florida
Gabriela Castillo trae a la campaña una amplia experiencia en el área política y de comunicaciones. Recientemente, Gabriela se desempeñó como Directora de Comunicaciones para Organizing Together 2020 en Florida. Gabriela se especializa en las áreas de comunicación estratégica, área gubernamental y relaciones con los medios, abogacía, y estrategia digital para los mercado en inglés y español. Originalmente de Caracas, Venezuela, Gabriela también fungió como Directora de Comunicaciones del Alcalde de la Ciudad de Miami, Francis Suarez.
 
Luisana Pérez Fernández, Vicedirectora de Comunicaciones
Antes de ingresar en la campaña de Biden para Presidente, Luisana se desempeñó como Directora de Medios Hispanos y Vicedirectora de Comunicaciones para el Partido Demócrata de Florida, donde exitosamente ayudó a los demócratas a nivel nacional y estatal a crear mensajes sobre Latinoamérica y entender la diversidad de la comunidad hispana en el estado de Florida. La carrera profesional de Luisana incluye Directora de Distrito para el Senador Estatal José Javier Rodríguez en Miami y Secretaria de Prensa en Español de la campaña para Senador de Bill Nelson. Luisana es una estratega en comunicaciones y en alcance a comunidades, y cuenta con una perspectiva única como inmigrante latina en los Estados Unidos.

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Biden for President

ICYMI: Biden for President Announces Key Staff Hires in Florida

Today, Biden for President announced key staff hires in Florida  – including Florida natives and former staff from Organizing Together 2020, the Obama-Biden and Gillum campaigns, and various state and amendment races.
 
“We are thrilled to bring together some of the most talented and experienced minds in Florida Democratic politics to oversee a Florida operation that will reflect the state's diversity and prioritize the issues Floridians care about,” said Jenn Ritter, Battleground States Director, Biden for President. “We look forward to competing aggressively in the Sunshine state, and Jackie, Juan, Brandon and Karen will lead the team that will turn Florida blue and help send Joe Biden to the White House." 
 
Jackie Lee, State Director
Jackie Lee joined the Biden for President Campaign in Oct 2019 and helped secure the overwhelming victory in the Florida Presidential Primary. She is a top Florida consultant specializing in campaign management, issue advocacy and public affairs. She served in leadership in both of President Obama's successful campaigns, as General Election Director in 2008 and Senior Advisor overseeing all GOTV operations in 2012. She has also managed numerous ballot amendments including the successful FairDistricts Amendment 5 and 6 Campaign in 2010 and most recently for the successful Second Chances Amendment 4 Campaign – Florida Felon’s Rights Restoration effort. She lives in Orlando and enjoys spending time at Walt Disney World.
 
Brandon Thompson, Coordinated Director
Brandon joins the Biden team after leading Organizing Together 2020's Florida operation. Previously, Brandon managed the Super Tuesday states program for Senator Kamala Harris' presidential campaign as Director of National Campaigns. An '08 and '12 Obama campaign veteran, Brandon worked previously in Central Florida on Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, and has since served in several state and national roles for campaigns and progressive organizations, including as National Field Director for For Our Future, and National Training Director for the DCCC.
 
Juan Peñalosa, Senior Advisor and Executive Director of Florida Democratic Party
Juan Peñalosa has served as the Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party since March of 2018. Together with FDP Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo, Peñalosa has grown the Democratic Party's vote-by-mail enrollment edge over Republicans to 400,000 voters along as well as increasing statewide Democratic voter registration margins.  Juan came to FDP after a decade serving as a communications specialist and strategist for some of the largest progressive and Democratic campaigns in Florida and the US, including work with the Democracy Alliance, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Human Rights Campaign and the Gill Foundation. Juan's is a second-generation Colombian American. Juan has worked and lived in nearly two dozen countries and now resides in Miami Beach.
 
Karen Andre, Senior Advisor and Senior Advisor to National Faith Outreach
Karen Andre is a highly sought after and respected political consultant who has advised and directed strategy for elected officials, campaigns and candidates at the federal, state and local level. Most recently, she served as Political Director of Organizing Together 2020 in Florida where she helped build a state-wide partnership coalition. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor for Gillum for Governor during his triumphant primary win as Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 2018.  In 2014, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as White House Liaison to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
 
Karen is president of People First Strategies utilizing her extensive experience in establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships in the private, philanthropic and public sectors.  She is also an attorney, author, and professional speaker. Karen is a proud first generation Haitian-American.
 
Miami Herald: Joe Biden’s presidential campaign announces Florida leaders ahead of November election
[By David Smiley, 07/06/2020] Politico: Biden unveils Florida leadership team
[By Matt Dixon, 07/06/2020]
 
Joe Biden on Monday announced the members of his senior leadership team in Florida, a must-win state where he holds a commanding lead over President Donald Trump.
 
Biden named Jackie Lee, veteran Orlando-based consultant who has been working for the campaign since October 2019, as his state director. Lee, who helped the campaign regain its balance after huge a primary loss in Iowa, is credited with fending off a $30 million Florida ad blitz from billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s short-lived presidential campaign. Lee had a leadership role on both of former President Barack Obama’s campaigns, and helped with the passage of Amendment 4, a nationally watched Florida ballot measure that in 2018 created a pathway for people with felony convictions to regain their voting rights.
 
Brandon Thompson will work as the Biden campaigns coordinated director. He is coming from Organizing Together 2020, a key player in the Democrat’s 2020 Florida ground game effort. The organization — chaired by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s only statewide elected Democrat — is building operations in 30 of Florida’s 67 counties. Thompson served as the operation‘s top staffer after working on the failed presidential bid of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.).
 
Florida Democratic Party executive director Juan Peñalosa was named a Biden senior adviser, though the presidential race has already been an all-hands-on-deck focus for the party he leads. Karen Andre, an attorney who comes from Organizing Together 2020, was also named a senior adviser. Her resume includes working for 2018 Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum’s successful primary campaign.
 
"We are thrilled to bring together some of the most talented and experienced minds in Florida Democratic politics to oversee a Florida operation that will reflect the state's diversity and prioritize the issues Floridians care about,” Jenn Ridder, Biden’s national states director, said in a statement. “We look forward to competing aggressively in the Sunshine State, and Jackie, Juan, Brandon and Karen will lead the team that will turn Florida blue and help send Joe Biden to the White House."
 
The campaign is also expected to bring on a national faith outreach director in the near future.
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Biden has consistently topped Trump in public polling in Florida, a state the president narrowly won by 113,000 votes in 2016. Real Clear Politics average of Florida polls has Biden leading Trump 48-43, numbers that include an outlier Trafalgar Group poll that had the race tied in the state.
 
There is no real path forward to reelection for Trump without winning Florida, a reality that adds to the sense of urgency for both campaigns in the nation’s largest swing state.
 
To try and help right the ship, Trump last week made his own staffing splash, re-hiring Susie Wiles, a veteran Florida GOP consultant who led the president’s 2016 Florida campaign. That hire came even as Wiles was elbowed out of the orbit of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a top Trump ally.