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DFA Campaign Academy Agenda

Shreveport, LA - June 13-14, 2009

(agenda subject to change)

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, Jon Tester & Annette Taddeo. Matt joined Democracy for America in 2007.

Michael Cook- Field, Finance

Michael Cook is a veteran of more than 25 political campaigns at the local, state and federal level. During his tenure as Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Arkansas he helped revitalize and re-organize the state party. His work there earned him recognition by the National Journal's "Hotline" as one of Arkansas' Rising Stars in 2003, and the Arkansas Times proclaimed him the "Wizard of Voter Turnout" during the hotly contested 2004 campaign season. He is the only Arkansas Executive Director who has simultaneously served as Coordinated Campaign Director, overseeing the Democrats' most intensive field operation ever in a presidential election year. He was a member of then-Governor Clinton's campaign staff during the 1992 presidential race, serving both in New Hampshire and at the fabled Little Rock headquarters. Michael previously served as consultant with Southern Strategy Group, a political and governmental consulting firm in Little Rock. In 2006, he managed the first winning Democratic campaign for Arkansas Lt. Governor in sixteen years. Michael is a veteran of the United States Army Reserves and holds a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter.

Millie Herrera - Communications

Millie Herrera was born in La Habana, Cuba, and in 1967 left the Castro regime for Spain with her mom, step-dad and baby sister. Seven months later the family migrated to the United States and settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Millie resides in Miami, Florida since 1987 with her daughter Ana Maria.

Millie founded The Miami Group after 18 years in management information systems development and implementation for the banking, insurance and energy industries, and later, in travel technology marketing management. The Miami Group provides business and marketing consulting services to businesses, non-profit organizations, and political campaigns.

Pursuing her passion for community involvement and public policy advocacy, Millie has over twelve years of successful issue advocacy and political consulting experience. She became active in the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party in 1995, where she served as Deputy Director until 1997. She was a charter member of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, and was elected its first president. In 1998, she was elected first vice president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, and president from 2000 to 2004. She was reelected President for the 2007-2008 term. Millie was a Florida delegate to the 2000 DNC Convention, and a member of the 2004 DNC Platform Committee for the Florida delegation. She was elected Alternate delegate for Florida to the 2008 DNC Convention.

She currently co-hosts and produces “Democracia Al Dia”, a weekly Spanish language progressive radio program, at 7:30 pm every Thursday at La Poderosa 670 AM in Miami, Florida.

Helen Strain- Field

Florida native who has worked in hundreds of campaigns from City Hall to Congress across the United States for over 20 years. She worked for the Clinton Group, a political telephone firm as a Program Manager, House Victory 2000 for the Florida Democratic Caucus as a Regional Organizer; she has served as Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party and a member of the DNC. Some highlights of her career were Advance for Election Day – Clinton/Gore 1996 in Little Rock, Ark,  Field Director for Janet Reno for Governor, Campaign Manager for Dave Aronberg for Florida State Senate and Lois Frankel for West Palm Beach Mayor as well as Field Director for Angela Alioto for San Francisco Mayor, and as the Field Director for the Florida Association of Planned Parenthoos Affiliates. Her specialty is in "foot, phone, and mail." developing field plans and implementing the tactical door to door, phone, and direct mail campaigns. She currently serves as the Vice President of External Affairs for Planned Parenthood of North Central Florida.

More Trainers to be announced soon!