Bullock for President

(page updated December 17, 2019)

Headquarters: Helena, MT.
announced May 14, 2019.
suspended Dec. 2, 2019.
stevebullock.com  |  @GovernorBullock
Memos [PDF] "Bullock on the Path to Victory" (Sept. 10)  |  "Public Finance, Public Accountability" (Sept. 30)  |  "Shifting Race, New Ad" (Nov. 6)

Candidate  Steve Bullock  timeline
wife  Lisa Bullock

Campaign Manager  Jenn Ridder

(reported on Mar. 7, 2019 by Politico as senior advisor to Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC)  Mountain West regional political director for the DCCC in the 2016 cycle.  Deputy campaign manager on U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (CO)’s unsuccessful 2014 re-election bid.  Deputy political director on President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign in Colorado.  Climate reality associate at The Climate Reality Project.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign in Colorado.  Graduate of Middlebury College, 2010.  Colorado native.  twitter

Senior Advisor  Nick Baldick

(reported on May 13, 2019 by The Hill)  Founder and managing partner of Hilltop Public Solutions; clients have included Bill de Blasio for Mayor (New York City) Steve Bullock for Governor (MT) and Chris Koster for Attorney General (MO).  Ran the pro-Edwards 527 Alliance for a New America, 2008.  Campaign manager on Edwards for President from Jan. 2003.  A principal at the Dewey Square Group (DSG) for five years.  New Hampshire primary state director for Vice President Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign; directed and managed Gore's political action committee, Leadership ‘98.  Eastern political director in the White House Office of Political Affairs, 1997.  Director, Florida Democratic coordinated campaign, fall 1996; state director in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and New Jersey, 1996 primary campaign.  Campaign director of the 1994 Rhode Island coordinated campaign; northeast political director at the DNC, 1993.  Worked for 11 months on the 1992 Clinton campaign, starting as an unpaid field organizer.  J.D. from New York University School of Law, 1995; B.S. from Georgetown University.

Senior Political Advisor  Sharon Páez

(reported on May 13, 2019 by The Hill)  Partner at Hilltop Public Solutions from 2007; also founder of Potomac Waves.  International experience on the 2008 Bolivian presidential referendum, 2006 Nicaraguan presidential campaign, and 2000 Mexican presidential campaign.  Florida political director on Kerry-Edwards 2004; Southern political director on John Edwards for President 2004.  Worked on Gore-Lieberman in 2000.  B.A. in political science and interational affairs from Towson University.

Communications Director  Galia Slayen

(reported on Apr. 29, 2019 by Politico as communications director for Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC)  Communications director on JB Pritzker's 2018 campaign for governor of Illinois, Mar. 2017-Nov. 2018.  Deputy communications director on Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate (FL), Nov. 2015-Nov. 2016.  Communications director on Andy Beshear for Attorney General (KY), Jan.-Nov. 2015.  Deputy press secretary on Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate (NC), Mar.-Nov. 2014.  Chief of staff to Dorothy McAuliffe on Terry McAuliffe's campaign for governor of Virginia, June-Nov. 2013.  Deputy communications director on Christie Vilsack for Congress (IA), June-Nov. 2012.  B.A. in government and Chinese from Hamilton College, 2013.  twitter

Communications Senior Advisor  James Owens

(reported on Apr. 29, 2019 by Politico as communications for Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC)  Communications director on Krysten Sinema's 2018 campaign for U.S. Senate in Arizona.  Head of states and campaign communications for NARAL Pro-Choice America.  Part of the communications team on U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (CO)'s unsuccessful 2014 re-election campaign, after serving as press secretary to Udall, 2013-14.  twitter

Digital Director  Bailey Mohr

(May 2019)  Principal (Jan.-May 2019), director of email strategy (May 2018-Jan. 2019), managing strategist (Dec. 2016-May 2018), senior strategist (Nov. 2015-Dec. 2016) and digital strategist (July-Nov. 2015) and digital associate (Jan.-May 2015) at Mothership Strategies.  B.A. in political communication from The George Washington University, 2015.  twitter

Social Media Director  Annie Newman

(May 2019)  Digital communications specialist for Gov. Steve Bullock, Jan.-May 2019.  Special assistant (Nov. 2017-Jan. 2019) and senior digital associate (2016-Nov. 2017) at The Messina Group.  M.A. in international relations from University of St. Andrews, 2016.  twitter

Creative  Michael Sparks

twitter

Policy Advisors 

(announced Aug. 26, 2019) 
Chris Lu - White House Cabinet Secretary and Assistant to the President in President Obama’s first term, and Deputy Secretary of Labor in the second term. 

Ambassador Anne Slaughter Andrew - U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, appointed by President Obama in 2009 and serving through 2013.

Andrew Shapiro - served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs in the Obama Administration.

Frank Rose - a senior fellow for security and strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.

Tracy Stone-Manning - Associate Vice President for Public Lands at National Wildlife Federation.

David Kendall - Senior Fellow for Health and Fiscal Policy at Third Way.

James Swartout - Served as the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Air Force, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force, and Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of the Air Force.

Tim Sparapani - a principal at SPQR strategies, a firm that specializes in the confluence of technology and public policy. Previously, Sparapani served as the first Director of Public Policy at Facebook and Senior Legislative Counsel at the ACLU.

Jason Abel - a partner at Steptoe and Johnson, where he leads the Campaign Finance and Political Law practice.

Raymond Pierce - President and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation.

Ambassador Michael Punke - U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland during the Obama Administration.

Hannah VanHoose - worked in Washington D.C. as a legislative assistant to Senator Tester for six years.

Siri Smillie - Policy Director for the Education Commission of the States.

Finance Director  Maura Hagerty Matthews

(May 2019)  Started as national finance consultant on Big Sky Values PAC, Sept. 2017-Apr. 2019.  Finance director on Sean Patrick Maloney for Congress and national finance consultant to Wyden for Senate from June 2013.  National finance consultant to Friends of Maria, Jan. 2017-Mar. 2018.  Deputy finance director to Friends of Max Baucus, Jan. 2011-May 2013.  Consultant with The Ashmead Group, June 2007-Dec. 2010.  Undergraduate degree from University of Notre Dame, 2007.

Deputy Finance Director and Director of Special Populations  Melanie Brock

CEO of Brock Development, LLC in Missoula from July 2014.  Director of strategic initiatives for the Missoula Economic Partnership, Sept. 2013-July 2014.  Director of operations for the Downtown Business Improvement District of Missouia,Mar.-Aug. 2013.  Acting executive director of the Missoula Downtown Association, Dec. 2012-Aug. 2013.  Finance director on Friends of Steve Bullock, 2011-12.  Director of outreach, state finance director on Friends of Max Baucus, 2010-11.  Press secretarty in the Office of Sen. Max Baucus, 2009-10.  Development director for Montana Meth Project, Aug. 2008-Mar. 2009.  State finance director on Friends of Max Baucus, 2006-08.  Field representative in the Office of Sen. Max Baucus, 2004-06.  M.A. in political science from University of Montana, 2005; B.A. in communications-journalism from Susquehanna University, 2002.

Deputy Finance Director  Olac Fuentes

(May 2019)  Finance director for Latino Victory, Jan. 2018-May 2019.  Finance associate in San Francisco on Hillary for America, July 2015-Nov. 2016.  National campus organizer for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Jan.-July 2015.  Deputy finance director (July-Nov. 2014) and finance assistant (Sept. 2013-July 2014) for the Texas Democratic Party.  B.A. in communication from The University of Texas at El Paso, 2013.

Operations Director  Maya León

(June 2019)  Social entrepreneur and personal coach at MaYarising in Bozeman from June 2014.  Co-founder, treasurer of Earthtone Outside from Feb. 2018.  Community marketing manager at Schedulicity, Oct. 2018-Mar. 2019.  M.A. in transformational leadership from the California Institute of Integral Studies, 2014; B.A. independent study in psychology, mythology, creativity and mysticism, 2018.

Pollsters  Michael Bocian and Margie Omero, GBAO Strategies

(reported on May 13, 2019 by The Hill) 

Informal Advisor  Jennifer Palmieri

(reported on May 13, 2019 by The Hill)  Communications director on Hillary for America.  Assistant to the President and Director of Communications at the White House, Dec. 2011-Mar. 2015.  President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund and a senior vice president for communications at CAP.   Ohio communications director on Kerry-Edwards '04.  National press secretary for the John Edwards campaign starting in Jan. 2003.  Press secretary at the DNC through the 2002 cycle.  Served eight years in Clinton Administration, as a White House Deputy Press Secretary from 1998 to 2001, as a Special Assistant to White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, and Deputy Director of Scheduling and Advance.  She started her career in the congressional office of then Rep. Leon Panetta (D-CA).  Graduate of the American University in Washington, DC. Author of Dear Madam President (Mar. 2018).  twitter

Endorsements

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (MT)  (announced June 9, 2019)
Chippewa Cree Tribal Business Committee, Rocky Boy Reservation (announced Oct. 18, 2019)

State Director  Megan Simpson

(reported on Feb. 2, 2019 by Iowa Starting Line as Iowa organizing director to Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC)  Coordinated director for the Montana Democratic Party, Feb. 2018-Jan. 2019.  Community engagement director for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, June 2017-Feb. 2018.  Public policy for Airbnb in San Francisco, June 2015-June 2017.  Coordinated director for the Alaska Democratic Party, Jan.-Dec. 2014.  Studied at the University of Iowa.  twitter
Doodle_Walter

Political Coordinator  Jack Segal

(announced May 24, 2019)  Clerk for Iowa State Reps. Chris Hall and Kirsten Running-Marquardt from Jan. 2019.  Director of voter uutreach for Tim Gannon’s campaign for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, May-Nov. 2018.  B.A. in government and economics from Claremont McKenna College.  twitter

Political Coordinator  Alexandra Cleverley

(announced May 24, 2019)  Clerk for Iowa State Rep. Scott Ourth.  Field organizer for the Iowa Democratic Party, Aug-Nov. 2018.  A.S. in equestrian/equine studies from Kirkwood Community College.  twitter

Organizing Director  Nick Marroletti

(announced May 24, 2019)  Organizing director for Connecticut Democrats, Mar.-Nov. 2016.  Organizing lead on friends of Chris Murphy, Mar. 2017-Mar. 2018.  Regional organizing director in Wilmington for the North Carolina Democratic Coordinated Campaign, May-Nov. 2016.  Organizer in Wyoming, digital lead in Kansas (Feb.-Apr. 2016) and organizer in DeWitt, Iowa (Oct. 2015-Feb. 2016) on Hillary for America.  B.A. in American studies and political narrative from New York University, 2015.  twitter

Deputy Organizing Director  Jacqueline Ridberg

Site lead in Hernando Co. on the Florida recount, Nov. 2018.  Regional organizing director in Fairfield for the Connecticut Democratic Party, Apr.-Nov. 2018.  Client service representative for Foundation Source, Dec. 2017-Mar. 2018.  Campaign manager for the People First Committee (Greenwich, CT), Oct.-Nov. 2017.  Customer service representative for Jack Morton Worldwide, Mar.-Aug. 2017.  Field organizer in Whitewater for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Aug.-Nov. 2016.  Bachelor's degree in drama from New York University.  twitter

Regional Organizing Directors 
Cedar Rapids  Maeton Jameson

(announced May 24, 2019)  Regional field director on Albert Black for Mayor (Dallas, TX), Feb.-May 2019.  Field organizer on Jared Polis for Colorado, Feb-Nov. 2018. B.A. in political science and government from University of Maryland College Park.  twitter

Iowa City  Tom Orabuena

(announced May 24, 2019)  Field organizer/intern coordinator for the Colorado Democratic Party; field organizer/intern coordinator on Polis for Colorado, Apr.-Sept. 2018.  Studied political science at the University of Colorado Boulder.  twitter

Edward York

(June 2019)  President of Edward J. York, Inc. from July 2015.  Regional field director on JB for Illinois Apr.-Nov. 2018.  Field director on RD Huffsteler for Congress (VA), Mar.-May 2018.  Field organizer in NC and VA for Swing Left, Jan.-Mar. 2018.  Deputy field organizer in Richmond for the Democratic Party of Virginia, Sept.-Nov. 2017.  Assistant director of the Fund for the Public Interest (Chapel Hill), May 2016-June 2017.  Studied Spanish language and literature at Hampden-Sydney College.  twitter

Davenport  Mike Hegarty

(June 2019)  Regional field director for the Indiana Democratic Party, May-Nov. 2018.  Community liaison in the New York State Senate, Mar. 2017-May 2018.  Organizer on George Latimer for Westchester (NY), Sept.-Nov. 2017.  Organizer in Culpeper for the Democratic Party of Virginia, May-Nov. 2016.  B.A. in political science and government, history from SUNY College at Oswego, 2016.  twitter

Communications Director  Jeremy Busch

(reported on Apr. 29, 2019 by Politico as Iowa press secretary for Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC)  Press secretary for Lt. Gov. nominee Rita Hart on Fred Hubbell for Governor (IA), Sept. 2017-Nov. 2018.  Press assistant on Russ for Wisconsin, Feb.-Nov. 2016.  B.A. in communication from Truman State University, 2015.  twitter

Data Director  Patrick Eisenhauer

Deputy organizing director for Montana Democratic Party/Jon Tester's re-elect campaign, May-Dec. 2018.  Worked on Hillary for America in Florida and Iowa.  twitter

Field Organizers include:

Rio Aagaard-Shively  Council Bluffs  twitter
Sam Alberti  Cedar Rapids  twitter
Jacob Appel  Des Moines  twitter
Korbin Bragstad  Dubuque  twitter
Harry W. Child III  Waterloo  twitter
Shelby Fisher  twitter
Charlie Harris  Sioux City  twitter
Alex Kalb  twitter
Riley Nelson  Waterloo  twitter
Karla Ortiz  Ames  twitter
Mat W.   twitter
Ella Wodin  Iowa City  twitter

Endorsements
press releases

Attorney General Tom Miller (announced May 15, 2019)
Jan Bauer (announced June 26, 2019)

announced Aug. 2, 2019
Dave Muhlbauer, Denison: Crawford County Supervisor
Bill Gannon, Mingo: Former Three-Term State Representative and House Minority Floor Leader, former Democratic candidate for governor
Suzette Jensen, Des Moines: East Des Moines Democrats Co-Chair
Ray Blase, Ankeny: Founding member of West Des Moines Democrats, founding member of Ankeny Area Democrats
Kathleen Gannon, Mingo: Jasper County Democratic activist
Jonna Jensen, Maquoketa: Jackson County Democratic activist

announced Aug. 29, 2019
State Rep. Bruce Bearinger
Webster County Supervisor Mark Campbell
Laura Engel, Jasper County activist
Dan Ryner, Madison County farmer

announced Oct. 15, 2019
Woodbury County Supervisor Marty Pottebaum
Clinton County Auditor Eric Van Lancker
Former Iowa Senate Assistant Majority Leader Staci Appel
Former Warren County Democratic Party Chair Don Ruby

Acting State Director Nick Baldick (see above)

Former State Director  Rich Thuma  ...to Sept. 2019, moved to campaign manager on Joe Kennedy for U.S. Senate (MA)

(reported by WMUR's John DiStaso on June 20, 2019)  Campaign manager on Gray Chynoweth’s for Executive Council District 4, May-Nov. 2018.  Campaign manager on VanValkenburg for Delegate, Apr.-Nov. 2017.  A deputy organizing director in Pennsylvania (May-Nov. 2016), organizing director in New Mexico (Apr.-June 2016) and regional organizing director in Concord, NH (Apr. 2015-April 2016) on Hillary for America.  A regional field director in Sioux City for the Iowa Democratic Party, April-Nov. 2014.  Field organizer on Joe Kennedy for Congress (MA), Jan.-April 2014.  Director of scheduling on Ed Markey for Senate, Jan.-July 2013.  Deputy director of scheduling on Joe Kennedy for Congress, March-Dec. 2012.  B.S. in political science from Northeastern University, 2010.  twitter

See also:
Reid Wilson.  "Bullock hires senior staffers ahead of likely presidential run."  The Hill, May 13, 2019.
Daniel Strauss and Elena Schneider.  "Montana Gov. Bullock hires top adviser with eye on 2020."  Politico, Mar. 8, 2019.
Pat Rynard.  "Steve Bullock Places Staff in Iowa to Lay 2020 Groundwork."  Iowa Starting Line, Feb. 2, 2019.

Copyright © 2019 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action. All rights reserved.