Howard Dean-Campaign Organization

Dean for America
On May 30, 2002, Dean mailed the FEC papers establishing Dean for America, a presidential campaign committee. Dean for America is headquartered in Burlington, Vermont. The campaign started in a small office in Montpelier and moved to offices in downtown Burlington at the beginning of September 2002. Rick Ridder, a Denver, Colorado-based consultant with experience on five presidential campaigns, is campaign manager. Joe Trippi is campaign director, overseeing the day-to-day running of the campaign in Burlington. thru 04/15/03 previous>

Dean for America Leadership

Campaign Manager (from January 2003)

Rick Ridder

[Announced Nov. 20, 2002; full-time at the beginning of January 2003. Starting March 3, 2003, Ridder turned his focus to travelling and building the campaign organization in key states, and Joe Trippi took over day to day running of the campaign. On March 29, 2003, the campaign announced Ridder was stepping down effective April 15, 2003].

President and co-founder of Ridder/Braden, Inc., a Denver, Colorado-based consulting firm that he and Joannie Braden founded in 1985. Experience on presidential campaigns of Gary Hart (1984 and 1988), Al Gore (1988), Bill Clinton (1992) and Bill Bradley (2000). Named by the American Association of Political Consultants as "international consultant of the year" in 1998. Immediate past-president of the International Association of Political Consultants. fuller profile...
Assistant: Courtney O'Donnell

Campaign Director (from March 3, 2003) Joe Trippi

[Day-to-day running of the campaign in Burlington].
Trippi and Steve McMahon have been Dean's media consultants for all five of his gubernatorial campaigns. Trippi has worked on the presidential campaigns of Edward Kennedy, Walter Mondale, Gary Hart and Richard Gephardt. First campaign: volunteer Iola Williams for San Jose, Calif. city council in 1976.

(Kate doesn't like titles) Kate O'Connor

Longtime aide; ran Dean's campaign for lieutenant governor in 1989, his campaigns for governor, and the Fund for a Healthy America leadership PAC he established in November 2001. Served as special assistant to Dean from 1991-97 and as his secretary of civil and military affairs since 1997.

O P E R A T I O N S

Director of Operations

Mark Michaud

(Initially did some work in compliance). Executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party for 4 years through the 2002 cycle. (Note: Jessica O'Connell had this position for a month in January but left).

Office Coordinator

Abbey Trebilcock

F I E L D

Aaron Holmes -- Worked on Steve Grossman's 2002 campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Massachusetts.
Maria Hadley --
Zephyr Teachout -- In 2001, Teachout and three others co-founded the Fair Trial Initiative, a group that seeks to assure quality representation in death penalty cases. She earned her J.D. from Duke University Law School, and also has a Master's degree in Political Science from Duke University. She served as Operations Director on Dean's 1994 re-election campaign. Teachout earned her Bachelor's degree from Yale College.

Press Secretary (from January 2003)

Susan Allen

Previously Dean's press secretary in the Governor's office.

Special Projects (from January 2003)

Julie Norton

Scheduler

Sarah Buxton

Previously Dean's scheduler in the Governor's office.

F I N A N C E

National Finance Director (from January 2003)

Stephanie Schriock

Worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as southern regional finance director during the 2000 cycle and as director of campaign assistance (political) in the 2002 cycle. B.S. in Administration from Mankato State University in Minnesota ('95) and M.A. from the Graduate School of Political Management ('97).
Note: Carolyn Dwyer headed initial fundraising efforts.
Larry Biddle - Deputy National Finance Director for Direct Mail, Telemarketing and Internet
Linnea Dyer - Deputy National Finance Director
Claire Lucas - Deputy National Finance Director responsible for GLBT program.

(role to be determined)

Steve Grossman

[Announced Nov. 11, 2002] Sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, but withdrew from the five man race in July 2002. Runs MassEnvelopePlus, a Somerville printing company founded by his grandfather in 1910. National chairman of the Democratic National Committee from Jan. 1997-Jan. 1999. Elected president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in 1992, then served as chair. Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party 1990-1992.

M E D I A

Joe Trippi and Steve McMahon

Trippi and McMahon have been Dean's media consultants for all five of his gubernatorial campaigns. Trippi has worked on the presidential campaigns of Edward Kennedy, Walter Mondale, Gary Hart and Richard Gephardt. First campaign: volunteer Iola Williams for San Jose, Calif. city council in 1976. As a student at the University of Nebraska in 1980 McMahon supported Edward Kennedy's presidential campaign.

Key States:

I O W A

Iowa State Director

Jeani Murray

[Announced Dec. 18, 2002] From Jan.-Nov. 2002 she managed John Norris' unsuccessful campaign for the Iowa 4th CD seat held by Rep. Tom Latham. Executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party from May 2000 to January 2002. Worked for Rep. Leonard Boswell for over four years, finishing as his chief of staff. Graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, and attended graduate school in journalism at the University of Iowa.

N E W H A M P S H I R E

New Hampshire State Director

Karen Hicks

[Announced Feb. 14, 2003] Political director for Gov. Jeanne Shaheen’s 2002 bid for the U.S. Senate. Political director for Shaheen’s 2000 race for Governor. Prior to that, Hicks served as Shaheen’s Health Policy Advisor. From 1993-97, she served as executive director of New Hampshire Citizen Action.

S O U T H C A R O L I N A

South Carolina Chairman

Rep. David Mack III

[Announced Jan. 21, 2003] Rep. Mack, of Charleston, is chair-elect of the General Assembly's Black Caucus
and is a health care consultant.


Initial design.	New design launched approximately Jan. 24, 2003.

Developments

March 3, 2003--Joe Trippi becomes campaign director, freeing campaign manager Rick Ridder to focus on travelling and building the campaign organization in key states.

February 21, 2003--Dean's speech at the DNC Winter Meeting.

February 14, 2003--Dean names Karen Hicks and New Hampshire State Director.

January 21, 2003--Dean names Rep. David Mack III of Charleston as South Carolina Chairman.

January 2003--Rapid growth as many new staff come on board in Burlington.

December 18, 2002--Dean names Jeani Murray as Iowa State Director.

November 20, 2002--Dean names Rick Ridder as his campaign manager, to start January 2003.

November 11, 2002--Dean announces that Steve Grossman, who served as national chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1997-99, and ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 (withdrawing from the five man race in July 2002) has signed on, with his role yet to be determined.

September 1, 2002--The campaign moves into its offices at 95 St. Paul Street in Burlington.

June 22, 2002--Dean holds his first Dean for America fundraiser on Fire Island in New York.

May 30, 2002--Dean mails FEC papers establishing Dean for America.

Dean for America Headquarters (mid-July 02)
Dean for America Headquarters (mid-Oct. 02)
Campaign Manager Rick Ridder (2/21/03)
Kate O'Connor (2/21/03)
Media Consultants Joe Trippi and Steve McMahon (2/21/03)
Iowa State Director Jeani Murray (2/21/03)
National Finance Director Stephanie Schriock (3/4/03)

Fund for a Healthy America
On November 8, 2001 Dean formed a political action committee, the Fund for a Healthy America, dedicated to advancing "the principles of fiscal stability, universal health insurance, better environmental protection, and equality for all Americans."

Kate O'Connor, a longtime aide who ran Dean's campaigns for governor and is his secretary of civil and military affairs, oversaw Dean's political efforts on a part-time volunteer basis. A junior from Seton Hall University worked as a full-time volunteer in mid-May 2002 and continuing through the summer. The Fund operated out of a small office in Montpelier.

The Fund did not raise nearly as much money as other presidential prospects' leadership PACs. Explaining the relatively small receipts, Kate O'Connor, treasurer for the Fund, said there is "a different philosophy" behind Dean's Fund as compared to the other leadership PACs that are raising significantly larger sums. O'Connor said purpose of the Fund is for Dean to be able to travel around and support candidates, and he doesn't need a large staff and millions of dollars to do that.

Fund for a Healthy America Finances
FEC reports
Total Receipts

Total Disbursements

Cash On Hand

Total 2001-2002
2002
2001
$195,715.88
$84,398.24
$111,317.64

$140,897.41
$138,533.59
$2,363.82

$54,818.47

Post-Gen'l (Oct. 17-Nov. 25)
$12,570.00

$32,376.42

$54,818.47

Pre-Gen'l (Oct. 1-Oct. 16)
$0.00

$12,500.00

$74,624.89

3rd Q 2002 (July 1-Sept. 30)
$21,320.31

$22,110.86

$87,124.89

2nd Q 2002 (April 1-June 30)
$21,047.53

$54,165.80

$87,915.44

1st Q 2002 (Jan.1-March 31)
$29,460.40

$17,380.51

$121,033.71

Yr End 2001 (July 1-Dec. 31)
$111,317.64

$2,363.82

$108,954

Note.
Dean's extensive out-of-state travels during 2002, when he was still governor, prompted some criticism. See for example this article: Ross Sneyd. "Governor's Absences Cause Strife," The Associated Press, May 9, 2002. Sneyd cited records showing Gov. Dean had been out of state for 63 of the first 128 days of 2002. In January 2002, Dean suffered the indignity of having three local newspapers, interested in the extent of his politicking, go to court to obtain access to his daily schedule. A Superior Court judge ruled in their favor on April 25; the matter was appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, where it was argued on June 11, and a decision handed down on November 1.