Coordinated Campaign  |  3301 Central Ave., NE  |  Albuquerque Field Organzation
Offices: Las Cruces - 411 Water Street     Las Vegas - 158 Bridge Street   Espanola - 209 North Riverside    Santa Fe - 947 West Alameda

Coordinated Campaign Director

Irma Esparza

(started Sept. 2004, taking over from Joon Kim)  Political action representative for AFSCME in Washington, DC; has worked on various campaigns, for example took leave to work on Howard Dean's primary campaign in Arizona, worked on Jim McGreevey's 2001 gubernatorial campaign in New Jersey.  Prior to joining AFSCME Esparza worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce in the Office of Secretary Daley.  M.P.A. from American University; undergraduate degree in Political Science from Catholic University.
 
 

Field Director

Joon Kim

Field director on Rep. Dick Gephardt's campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, starting in Sept. 2003.  Prior to joining the Gephardt campaign Kim was working in Los Angeles.  In 2002 he worked on Oregon Democrats' Coordinated Campaign, and earlier on Rod Blagojevich's primary campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Illinois.  In 2000 he worked on Texas Democrats' Coordinated Campaign.  He is a University of Maryland graduate with a degree in International Relations. 
 

Deputy Field Director

Melanie Keene

Ran Kerry's field office in Wausau for the Wisconsin primary campaign.  Worked for Colorado State Rep. Anne McGihon and did a lot of volunteer work for the Denver Democrats. 

Field Organization
 
 

Communications Director

Matt Farrauto

(started as communications director for the state party in April 2004)  Communications director for Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) for three years.  Has worked for Democratic candidates in nearly a dozen states.  First campaign job was with Bill Bradley's campaign for president in the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire and Missouri.  Two years as an aide to Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI).  B.S. in political theory from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.  Grew up in Westchester County, New York.
 

Deputy Press Secretary

Jonathan Drobis

Started as a volunteer.  Before joining the campaign worked at Hill & Knowlton, the public affairs and public relations firm.  Graduate of Duke University with a degree in public policy.
 

Deputy Press Secretary

Leanne Small

Attended the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

Regional Communications  Erika Soto (last month of the campaign); Maria Westfried and Robert Hack (last week-plus) 
 
 

Research Director

Alex Hughes

Started as a volunteer.  Came from the private sector in California.
 

Research Assistant

Peter Buttigieg

(Came to NM for the last month or so from the campaign in Arizona)  Graduate of Harvard College, 2004; he studied American history and literature; among other activities he also served as undergraduate president of the Institute of Politics.  Native of South Bend, Indiana.
 
 
 

Political Director

Raul Alvillar

During the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Alvillar worked in the Boiler Room; earlier he worked as a delegate tracker at Kerry headquarters in DC; during the primaries he served as 1st CD regional field director on Kerry's NM caucus campaign, 2003-Feb. 3, 2004.  Worked for the ATR research institute at the University of New Mexico.  Deputy field organizer on Richard Romero for Congress, 2002.  District scheduler for Congressman Udall, 2000-02.  Volunteer coordinator on the 2000 NM Coordinated Campaign.  Started off in politics working for the Democratic Party of New Mexico as originator of the party's e-news newsletter. 
 
 

Deputy Political Director/Surrogate Scheduler

Marissa Padilla

 

Events Coordinators

Lisa Bianco Alexandra Sanchez

also working on events/surrogate scheduling: Hannah Burris, Pilar Velazquez
 
 

Lead Advance

John Riordan  Fritz Fitzpatrick

Riordan was hired from the Kerry advance team; after a while he left and Fitzpatrick, also from the Kerry team, took the position.
 
 

Base Vote Director (Hispanic)

Adrian Saenz

(based out of Santa Fe office)  Before returning to New Mexico, Saenz served as Communications Director for Congressman Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX) and was also president of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association.  B.S. in Political Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
 
 

Native American Outreach Program

Holly Cook

National co-chair of the Native Vote initiative at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), 2003-04.  Served as an organizer on the Pine Ridge Reservation on Sen. Tim Johnson's 2002 re-election campaign in South Dakota.  Worked on outreach at the DNC during the 2000 campaign.  Served in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs in 1997-1998, focusing on Native American issues.  Graduate of the University of North Dakota with a BBA and the University of St. Thomas with an MBA.  Member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
 
 

Field/Community Outreach Organizer

Bubba McLeod

From Louisiana.  Started as a volunteer.
 
 

Statewide Volunteer Coordinator

Annie Chavez

(also known as "Road to Victory Travelers Coordinator;" responsibilities include arrangements for volunteers and staff from out of state)  Left position as associate at an Albuquerque law firm to work on the campaign.  Former teacher.
 
 

Early/Absentee Vote Coordinator

Steilyn Martin

 

IT Director/Voter File Manager

Danny Kloke

Has been working as a programmer and tech for about 20 years, and for over 50 political campaigns since 1994, including the 2000 and 2002 New Mexico Democratic Coordinated Campaigns. 
 
 

Deputy IT Director/GOTV (Consultant)

Jason C. Miller

(started in October 2004)  Deputy Field Director for ACT NM from April-August 2004.  Regional director on Blair Hull's campaign for U.S. Senate nomination in Illinois, based in Rockford.  Field organizer for Bob Graham for President in Sioux City, Iowa, July-Oct. 2003.  Graduated from Emory University in 2003 with a degree in Political Science and Environmental Studies.
 
 

GOTV Director

Heather Booth

Executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)'s National Voter Fund in the 2000 cycle.  Training director for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) starting in 1993.  Field director on Carol Moseley Braun's successful Illinois U.S. Senate race, 1992.  Helped Citizen Action in 1979 and served as its co-director until 1988.  Founding director of Midwest Academy, a training center for organizers, 1973.  Active in the civil rights movement as a student at the University of Chicago.
 
 

Operations Director

Mike Davis

Retiree from Austin, Texas.  One of the first people brought on.  In 2003 he volunteered with Sen. Bob Graham's presidential campaign.
 
 

Finance Director

Scott Eckart

 

Fundraiser

Richard Buckman

Consultant from Mississippi.
 
 

Comptroller

Brian Monaghan

Executive director of the NM Democratic Party from January 2003 to April 2004.
 
 

Election Protection Director

Jim Noel

(started in Sept. 2004) Executive Director and General Counsel to the Judicial Standards Commission.  Worked as an attorney in private practice for about three years; served on the Governor's Task Force on Election Reform, which issued its report in Dec. 2003.  JD from University of New Mexico, 2000.  MBA from Indiana University, 1988.  Double BA from Indiana University in Political Science and Anthropology, 1985. Noel made his first foray into politics at age 11, walking neighborhood precincts in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the McGovern campaign in 1972.

The NM Voter Protection Program, working closely with county Democratic party chairs and other party officials, organized over 800 in-state and out-of-state attorneys to staff as many as 500 polling locations throughout the state on Election Day.  Prior to and on Election Day a fully staffed legal support call center fielded thousands of calls and questions from voters and campaign workers.  This effort represented the single largest coordinated effort to protect voter rights and reduce disenfranchisement in the state's history.

General Consultant: Burnside & Associates (Los Angeles, CA)
wrote and executed the Coordinated Campaign plan for New Mexico in 2004 as well as in 2002 and 2000.
 

New Mexico Democratic Party  |  1301 San Pedro NE  |  Albuquerque 

State Chair

John V. Wertheim

(elected April 24, 2004)  Associate at Jones, Snead, Wertheim, Wentworth & Jaramillo, P.A. in Albuquerque >.  U.S. House candidate in 1st CD of New Mexico, 2000.  Democratic nominee for U.S. House, 1996.  President, Young Democrats of New Mexico, 1994-96.  Campaign Manager, Bruce King for Governor, 1994.  NM Director, Clinton for President, 1992.  Analyst, Corporate Finance, Alex. Brown & Sons, 1990-1991.  J.D., University of New Mexico, 1995.  B.A in History from Yale University, 1990; first American winner of the World Debating Championship, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1990. 
 
 

Executive Director

Vanessa Alarid

(June 2004)  Most recently majority legislative analyst in the New Mexico House of Representatives.  Worked in Gov. Bill Richardson's Office of Homeland Security; for then Congressman Bill Richardson, for Sen. Edward Kennedy, and as an intern for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington, DC.  Campaigns include Gore/Lieberman campaign in New York, Jeff Bingaman's campaigns for Senate and Governor, and Tom Udall's congressional campaign.  Master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and also worked as a fundraiser for the university.  Graduate of the University of New Mexico with a degree in political science and criminology.  Alarid's grandfather was Majority floor leader for 18 years in the New Mexico State Senate. 
 
 

Deputy Executive Director/Field Associate

Gideon Elliot

 

Volunteer Coordinator

Marci Youngmark

 

Finance Director

Sarah Rosenzweig

In New Mexico since October 2003; helped run the presidential preference caucus for the party. 2003 graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, PA.
 

Allies
Americans Coming Together  >>

"ACT, by far had the largest on-the-ground operation in the state.  We had permanent offices in the three largest cities -- Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.  About three weeks before the election we started what we termed the 'Motel 6' program where we sent strong organizers to work in the more rural communities recruiting local walkers and doing weekend canvasses in the weeks leading up to E-Day.  This built upon earlier roaming canvasses we had done in rural areas during the summer.  All told, we probably hit a very high percentage of all of the walkable precincts in the rural part of the state -- on top of our intense months of more urban work.   All this was on top of massive phone ID, mail and absentee programs that went on throughout the campaign."

also note
Lisa Bianco served as Field Director from April-August 2004.
Jason C. Miller served as Deputy Field Director from  April-August 2004.
 
 

Statewide Canvass Director

Charlie Kelly

Field organizer on the Gephardt for President campaign in Iowa, 2003-04, based in Davenport, and worked in two rural counties nearby.  Graduate of Rhodes College (Memphis, TN) in 2002 with a degree in Political Science.
 
 

Communications Director

Courtney Hunter

Came to New Mexico to help run the state Democratic Party's presidential preference caucus; precinct caucuses held Feb. 3, 2004 and congressional district conventions April 17, 2004.   Master's in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina.  Worked on a number of campaigns.  Graduate of the College of Charleston (South Carolina) with a bachelor's in Political Science, 1999.  Spent a Washington Semester working in Congressman John Spratt's office, 1998.
 

Deputy Communications Director

Jonathan Hopkins

 

Data IT Director

Cory Medina

 

Absentee and Early Vote Coordinator

Jordan Foster

Regional Field Directors

Regional Field Director-CD 1 (Albuquerque)

Monica Estrada

From SEIU 1199 (New York).
 

Regional Field Director-CD 2 (Las Cruces)

Maria Witt

Previously with ACT Arizona as Pima County Field Director (Tucson); came to New Mexico after Arizona fell out of play.
 

Regional Field Director-CD 3 (Santa Fe and Espanola)

Ruben Marinelarena

Graduate of Harvard University.   Lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; took off a year after his sophomore year to go through infantry training and called up as a senior to serve for a year starting in Jan. 2003.

>at the end ACT NM put lead organizers in 8 counties
 
 

GOTV Director

Sean Gagen

Executive director of Participation 2000 for five years.  Has worked on campaigns across the country, including Bill Richardson for Governor of New Mexico in 2002, Russ Carnahan for Congress (MO-3), Tom Keefe for Congress (WA) in 2000, and David Lillehaug's campaign for the DFL U.S. Senate nomination in 2000.  National Director of Organizing, managed the Ballot Access Teams, and served as Deputy Director at the Iowa Caucuses on Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in 1999-2000.  Executive director of the Missouri Democratic Party from 1997-99.  Grew up in rural Missouri.
 
 

Assistant GOTV Director

Lillie Carino

From SEIU 1199 (New York).
 
 

America Votes GOTV Director

Greg Haegele

Sierra Club national political director.  Previously director of the Policy Institute of Montana.  Interim director of the Montana Human Rights Network.
(The Sierra Club ran a 527 voter education program in 10 metro areas around the country plus New Hampshire).
 
 

Operations

Sam Goldsmith

 

Environmental Victory Project  |  400 Gold Ave., S.W., 9th Floor  |  Albuquerque

The NM Environmental Victory Project knocked on 157,662 doors and talked to over 54,479 voters in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Sandoval County swing precincts and helped endorsed candidate John Kerry win Bernalillo County by over twice Al Gore's votes in 2000.  The EVP mobilized over 6,000 volunteers and supporters in New Mexico and close to 250 in neighboring states to assist in this effort.  On the final weekend plus Monday, 400 volunteers reached over 36,000 doors.  The EVP represented the biggest environmental grassroots mobilization in New Mexico history and the largest volunteer canvass program ever in the state.

Team Leaders:  Mario Montoya, Vanessa Rivera, Ariel Bickel, Terry McGuire, Nate Carsto
 

Organizers:  Nancy Stalnaker, Phil Johnson, Adam Clark, Adam Levine, Roger Sideman, Wesley Garcia, Monica Martinez, Marshall Martinez, Zan Rubin, Sara Brosnan, Michelle Holubiak, Jay O'Hara
 
 

Moving America Forward   nonpartisan PAC (527 organization) formed by Gov. Richardson in mid-2002 to register Native Americans and Hispanics

Political Director

Amanda Cooper

Managed the campaign to pass Constitutional Amendments 1 and 2, constitutional amendments on education advanced by Gov. Richardson, in the Sept. 23, 2003 special election.  Managed Attorney General Tom Udall's race for Congress in NM's 3rd CD in 1998.  Analyst in the State Senate.  Managed Albuquerque lawyer Cate Stetson's campaign for chairman of the NM Democratic Party in 1995.  Daughter of Tom Udall.
 

Field Director

Dan Sena

 

Native American Voting Coordinator

Amber Carillo