Home » Inland Empire Training Agenda

DFA Campaign Academy Agenda

Inland Empire Training Agenda

May 30-31^st, 2009

Saturday

Sunday      

Training Presenters

Matt Blizek - Training Director

 Training Director, Democracy for America. A veteran of training in the political and corporate worlds, Matt Blizek began organizing in student and local politics and was elected vice president of the University of Iowa Student Body. Since then he has has done field and fundraising work for numerous campaigns including the DNC, MoveOn.org, Russ Feingold, and Jon Tester. Matt joined Democracy for America in 2007.

Jennifer S. Coken- Field

Jennifer is a 20-year veteran of developing and managing political and issue campaigns.   Jennifer Coken is currently the Director fo the Western Clean Energy Campaign for Western Resource Advocates (WRA).  Prior to coming to WRA in March 2007, Jennifer worked for Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congressman Tony P. Hall, the National Parks Conservation Association, Main Street Colorado, the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. She founded Coken Consulting Company, a Washington, DC firm that provided campaign management services and strategic guidance for national and community-based organizations. In addition to her responsibilities at WRA, Jennifer the Chair of the Democratic Party of Denver - the largest single block of registered democrats in the state of Colorado.   Ms. Coken grew up in Cleveland and received her M.A. in Political Campaign Management from Kent State University.

Arshad Hasan- Field, Precinct Organizing

Executive Director, Democracy for America; Arshad joined Democracy for America in early 2005 to develop and direct the DFA Training Academy. Before joining DFA, Arshad worked with MoveOn PAC during the 2004 Elections. Previous to his electoral experience, Arshad based his professional political career in environmental issue advocacy and organizing. His non-electoral experience includes work on legislative issue campaigns, corporate accountability campaigns, and grassroots fundraising. Arshad traces his Dean roots to February of 2003 when he founded one of the nation's first organized Dean groups, Philly For Dean. Whenever possible, Arshad likes to take off from DFA and work on campaigns with staffers he’s trained. In the 2006 general election, Arshad worked as the GOTV Director for Jerry McNerney for Congress. Arshad was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota and went to college at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ralph I. Miller – Media & Communications

Ralph organized grassroots functions and press events in support of the Howard Dean for President Campaign.  Ralph has been producing media for shows and events since 1972 and is Executive Producer of Ralph Miller Productions/San Francisco working with leading corporate sponsors for live broadcasts, events and concerts.  Ralph has managed the production of news, documentary, educational and corporate programming and staged live events around the world.  A native Spanish speaker, Ralph grew up in Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Miami and attended Georgetown University.

Henry Vandermeir - Using a Voter File

President, California Democratic Council (the statewide umbrella organization for over 400 Democratic clubs and 58 county committees);

After receiving his Master’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Boston University, Henry taught computer science for the University of Maryland’s European Division before settling in California.

He’s organized field teams for clubs, county committees, and candidates throughout southern California.

Henry signed on as Field Director for a relatively unknown congressional candidate in 2008 - Bill Hedrick (CA-44).  The grassroots campaign ended up with hundreds of volunteers and narrowly missed pulling off the upset of 2008 - coming in with 49% against a 16-year incumbent after being outspent 5 to 1.

He is heavily involved with the California Democratic Party, currently serving as southern vice chair of Orange County, Computer and Internet Caucus board member, and president of the CDC. Elected to the CDC in 2007, as president, Henry has provided hundreds of leaders with political training and teaches organizations how to use voter data files for organizational and party growth.

Born in Munich, Germany to a military family, Henry grew up on Army bases around the world.